3.
City Council Special Work Session
- Meeting Date:
- 05/20/2013
- Submitted For:
- Roger Eastman, Zoning Code Administrator
- From:
- Roger Eastman, Zoning Code Administrator
- Department:
- Planning & Development Services
Co-Submitter:
Information
TITLE:
Discussion/direction on the Zoning Map amendment (zone change) process, Division 10-20.50 of the Flagstaff Zoning Code.
DESIRED OUTCOME:
At this work session, staff will be seeking Council consensus on whether, and under what terms, amendments to the Zoning Map amendment process (commonly called a “zone change” or “rezoning”) need to be made with possible revisions to the Zoning Code.
INFORMATION:
On April 8, 2013 the City Council held a special work session with selected members of the public sitting at the table with them to initiate a discussion on the City’s current zone change process as defined in the Zoning Code, Division 10-20.50 (Amendments to the Zoning Code Text and the Zoning Map). This meeting enabled the meeting participants to work with staff to identify issues, acknowledge many perspectives on this topic, and establish a starting point for future discussion. It concluded with the agreement that staff would bring back suggestions for a possible path forward at the next meeting.
A comprehensive staff summary is attached that provides a logical description, as succinctly as possible, of the issues pertinent to the discussion on the City's zone change process. A number of options to guide the City Council's decision on a path forward are also provided. This staff summary includes the following major sections:
A comprehensive staff summary is attached that provides a logical description, as succinctly as possible, of the issues pertinent to the discussion on the City's zone change process. A number of options to guide the City Council's decision on a path forward are also provided. This staff summary includes the following major sections:
- Background information with a review of the April 8, 2013 special council work session.
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Ideas on how to find a solution. Included in this discussion is a narrative that addresses;
- Clarification of the purpose and intent of a concept plan with an introduction of a new term, concept zoning plan, specific to zone change requests.
- Clarification and redefinition of the submittal requirements relevant for a zone change application (decoupling the detailed site plan requirements from the information necessary to process a zone change request).
- An overview of flow charts that document the review process for small, medium, and large zone change applications. A new fourth category for “master plans” is also introduced. This overview also answers the questions what aspect of the process is completed when, and by whom based on the existing requirements of Arizona law and the Zoning Code.
- An explanation of conditional zoning in which the City Council may agree to minimize the number of allowable uses and set conditions to address impacts.
- An explanation of a new process idea that gives a developer a choice between either an expedited zone change review or to follow a more conventional approach based on the nature of the zone change request.
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An introduction to a new idea (possibly called “correctional zoning”) to streamline the current zone change process for parcels conforming to the Regional Plan an consistent with adjacent land uses.
- Summary of six options for a path forward.
- Conclusion – a restatement of the special work session’s purpose and desired outcome.