Ordinance No. 20460 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Chapter 3 - Implementing the Vision The shared vision for the Walnut Station Specific Area Plan recognizes the need to integrate land use and transportation planning, and this can be readily seen through the design of the multiway boulevard. Land use and building form are regulated differently on private property than within the public realm. This chapter describes how the changes to land use regulations were deter- mined. The public realm, which includes transportation and parks infrastructure, are covered in the following Chapter. while addressed separately, land use and transportation remain integrated in this plan. Addressing Develop ent Pattern and Intensities The visioning process and resulting emerging vision elements made clear that, to a large degree, the community desired this area to become a thriving, vibrant, pedestrian- friendly mixed use neighborhood. However, current zoning code requirements do not often result in the type of development sought through this plan. Like most local governments in the United States, the current land use code in Eugene is based on Euclidian zoning which regulates land uses by separating them. Because one of the origi- nal purposes of zoning was to prevent adjacent incompatible uses, these zoning regulations are often reactive and focus on what is not allowed. Zoning requirements are usually applied generically throughout the entire community in a one - size - fits -all manner, without any specific planning or thought about what the community wants the development character of individual areas or neighborhoods to be. Although the resulting development may be compatible in terms of density, it can often be incompatible with the physical context in the surrounding community. To address these compatibility concerns, additional processes such as Site Review, Conditional Permit Review, and Planned Unit Development review are required for some uses and develop- ment applications. While these processes may result in development better suited to a specific area, the development review process can be timely and costly. Additionally, there may not be a clear understanding of the type of development or density pattern, and how that will appear once it is constructed. Further, while the current code allows residential uses in commercial zones, it can only be built if there is commercial use on the first floor. While the intent has been to encourage mixed use developments, the requirement that every building have a mix of uses has caused difficulty with financing some of these projects. Highly prescriptive development regulations are seen as having a barrier effect on development. Taking a New Approach - Form Based Codes Form based codes are type of development regulations that are a growing alternative to conven- tional zoning laws. They go beyond land use to address not just the physical form of the buildings but also surrounding streets, blocks, and public spaces in order to protect, create, and revitalize sustainable communities. These codes place a greater emphasis on the physical character of development and deemphasize the regulation of land use. Form based codes address the relati- hip between building facades and the public realm. The public realm is comprised of public open spaces, such as plazas, squares, and parks; that is, the space created and partially enclosed by the building facades on either side of the streets. It also includes setback areas as well as the street right --of -way itself. Form based codes provide greater predictability about the look and feel of development and offer developers a clearer understanding of what the community seeks. In return, form based codes can make it easier for citizens to help create the physical development they want by participating in the creation of form based code standards, which will more likely lead to their acceptance of 17