Item 3: Ordinance on Downtown Code Amendments

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Recognize private sector costs of redevelopment, especially in the downtown area, and offer public incentives to assist redevelopment efforts. The code amendments assist private developers to invest in the downtown area by removing impediments in the land use code. TransPlan is considered a refinement to the Metro Plan. The above discussion of compliance with Goal 12 is herein incorporated by reference. The Central Area Transportation Study (CATS) is considered a refinement of TransPlan for the greater downtown area. CATS includes two policies relevant to the code amendments: 8. Support intensive development in the downtown area by balancing new parking supply with specific area demands and ensure an adequate supply of parking is available downtown to meet the needs of residents, workers and customers of downtown facilities. 9. Make parking downtown convenient, affordable, safe and easy to use. In the long term, surface parking lots are not a preferred land use downtown. However, convenient, safe, affordable and easy to use parking supports existing and potential new development downtown. The code amendment to permit more than 20 surface spaces when associated with a new development addresses these policies. Currently underground parking is not included in the calculation of the required FAR. However, underground parking supports intensive downtown development, is an investment in compact urban development, and should generally be encouraged. The code amendment to allow underground parking as part of the FAR calculation also addresses these policies. Structured parking within a building’s footprint currently counts towards the required density. The code amendment clarifies the existing code language but does not change existing code provisions. The Downtown Plan is the applicable refinement plan for the downtown area. The Downtown Plan contains numerous policies supporting mixed use and density in downtown. Specific relevant policies include the following: I.1. Downtown development shall support the urban qualities of density, vitality, livability and diversity to create a downtown, urban environment. II.2. Use downtown development tools and incentives to encourage development that provides character and density downtown. V.1. Stimulate multi-unit housing in the downtown core and on the edges of downtown for a variety of income levels and ownership opportunities. The intent of the code amendments is to implement the Downtown Plan by insuring that appropriate zoning and code regulations are in place to set the stage for desired dense, mixed-use downtown development. The code amendments address these policies. Currently the density requirement in the core of downtown is 2.0 FAR; no change is proposed to this requirement. Exhibit A - 7