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Parking Between Buildings and the Street to commercial and industrial zones. <br /> <br />c) exempt residentially zoned lots or development sites in the R-2, R-3 and R-4 zones that <br /> are developed are 13,500 square feet or less in size from the from the minimum <br /> residential density requirements. <br /> <br />Adjustment Review <br /> <br />Under the amendments recently adopted by the City Council, the criterion for approval of an <br />adjustment to the/ND Nodal Development overlay zone is consistency with the purpose <br />statement. We agree that consistency with the purpose statement is an appropriate criterion, but <br />believe that the purpose statement should b.e expanded to list all the fundamental characteristics <br />of nodal development, not just the one related to residential density. <br /> <br />We do not, however, believe that a liberal adjustment review process is the solution for the flaws <br />in the existing/ND Nodal Development overlay zone. As reported above, we believe that the <br />solution for those flaws is amendments to the/ND overlay zone adopted through a public <br />process. Moreover, in recommending the adjustment review process to the City Council as part <br />of the new Land Use Code, we anticipated that most adjustments would be minor deviations <br />from the code requirements. An adjustment from 1:1 FAR to .5:1 FAR, for example, goes <br />beyond what we had anticipated through the adjustment review process. Therefore, our <br />recommended revision to the purpose statement is intended to be made in conjunction with <br />revisions to the standards of the/ND overlay zone, not in place of standards revisions. <br /> <br /> Currently, the purpose statement includes the following statement: "It is intended that each node <br /> identified by the/ND overlay zone achieve an average overall residential density of at least 12 <br /> units per net residential acre." As was discussed for the Crescent Avenue node, this provides a <br /> way to evaluate a request for an adjustment to the minimum density standards established in the <br /> overlay zone. It is our recommendation to include the other fundamental characteristics that <br /> define nodal development in the purpose statement as well for use in evaluating adjustment <br /> requests. <br /> <br /> Planning Commission Recommendation #3: <br /> Amend Section 9. 4250 Purpose of/ND Nodal Development Overlay Zone to expand the intent <br /> statement, currently limited to the residential density objective, to include the additional <br />fundamental characteristics of nodal development to this section. These additional fundamental characteristics are: <br /> · Design elements that result in pedestrian-friendly environments that support transit use, <br /> walking and bicycling; that promote a sense of community, and that improve livability; <br /> · A transit stop that is within walking distance (generally 1/4 mile) of anywhere in the <br /> node; <br /> · Mixed land uses that offer a variety of services, activities and destinations within easy, <br /> comfortable walking and biking distance of most home; <br /> · Public spaces, such as parks and open space, and other public facilities that can be <br /> reached without driving. <br /> <br /> 6 <br /> <br /> <br />