Item C: Mixed-Use Centers - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The original May 2000 draft provided for .6:1, slightly lower than the .65:1 -FAR then required in the/TD Transit Oriented Development overlay zone for areas outside the downtown core. The Commission recommended .65:1 for consistency with the/TD Transit Oriented Development zone areas outside of the downtown core. The City Council, through amendment, set the minimum FAR for commercial zones at 1:1. It is our understanding that the Council intent was to require a minimum of two-stoW buildings in nodal area, but testimony we have received indicates that a minimum 1:1 FAR may actually require three-story or even four-story buildings in some situations. Since the/ND overlay zone was adopted the Planning Commission and City Council have completed work on the Royal Avenue and Chase Gardens nodal development areas. These ordinances were based on detailed planning for the areas, including a market analysis. For the Royal Avenue node, the minimum FAR for commercial development is .5:1. For Chase Gardens, a different approach was taken in that two functional floors is required for development fronting specific streets, but there is not a minimum FAR overall. Based on the Chase Gardens special area zone, however, a likely FAR outcome is about .45:1. For both Royal Avenue and Chase Gardens, both public testimony and the market analysis provided by project consultants supported the lower FAR. To aide the Planning Commission's discussion of the consequences of the FAR requirement, Commissioner Duncan prepared examples of the building size required for three properties within the 29th and Willamette nodal development area under the current 1:1 FAR and, alternative, a reduced .5:1 FAR if the 30% expansion threshold is crossed. These examples are attached. Based on the testimony and these examples, the Planning Commission discussed alternatives to the current 1:1 FAR requirement. Recommending a reduction in the requirement from 1:1 to .5:1 was discussed. Several Commissioners questioned whether even .5:1 was a realistic requirement and suggested that there be no FAR requirement at all; others felt that a FAR requirement was necessary to achieve the employment density projected for nodes. Based on our discussion, we are recommending that a different approach be taken with commercial and industrial development standards for nodal development areas. Rather than a list of standards in the/ND Nodal Development overlay zone which must all be met, we are suggesting that a "menu" approach be used. Under this approach, there would still be a list of standards in the/ND overlay zone, but the applicant would choose which of a minimum number of standards to meet rather than having to meet all of them. Floor area ratio would be one of the standards on the "menu," along with standards such as building orientation, building setbacks, parking between buildings and the street and others which further the principles of nodal development. We also noted that the/TD Transit Oriented Development overlay zone FAR requirement for areas outside the downtown core is also currently 1:1, but thought that proper time to reconsider the FAR requirement for that area would be through the Downtown Plan update.