HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Presentation CPA22-0002 1-24-2023Planning & Zoning
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CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 24, 2023
CPA22-0002
Resolution to amend the Southwest District Plan, a part of Iowa City's
Comprehensive Plan, to update background information and to
facilitate development that follows form-based principles in the Rohret
South Subarea.
Item 9.a.: Comprehensive Plan Amendment –
Southwest District Plan
Background
•Comprehensive Plan
•10 Planning Districts
•Includes Southwest
District Plan (2002)
•Sewer to be extended
under US-218 in 2023
•Will allow dev’t in Rohret
South subarea
•Proposing changes to
Plan prior to dev’t:
•Background information
•Section on Rohret South
Subarea
Rohret South Subarea
Planning Process
Recurring Themes
New Neighborhoods
◦Mix of housing types
◦Should be consistent with existing development
Public Services & Destinations
◦Strong desire for parks and trails
◦Incorporate new schools (Webber is at max. capacity)
◦Ensure strong emergency services
◦Desire for neighborhood destinations/commercial
Transportation
◦Improve access and connectivity (Highway 1 and Rohret Rd
are only two connections over 218)
◦Traffic Concerns (especially on Rohret and Kitty Lee Roads)
Concerns about involuntary annexation
Planning
Framework
Residential Uses
Compact, orderly development
Mix of housing types
Form-based land use
Appropriate transitions, design,
and scale
Non-Residential Uses
Neighborhood centers to
serve basic needs
High levels of public services
(schools, emergency services,
etc.)
Transportation
Interconnected and aligned
streets for safety/navigation
Range of mobility options
Link amenities with ped.
pathways
Parks & Open Space
Neighborhood amenities
(parks, rec center, etc.)
Preserve sensitive features
Manage stormwater at the
regional level
Changes to Background
Information
•Adds description of this project
•References IC2030 adopted in 2013
•Updates maps (current uses, 2021
Fringe Area, etc.)
•Revises text to reflect changes over
the past two decades (e.g. transit
overhaul, RFC redevelopment, etc.)
•Retains original planning principles
but removes reference to Carson
Lake Concept Plan
Changes to Section on Rohret
South Subarea
•Retains many original
aspects, including the
planning principles
•Primary Changes:
•Covers full subarea (including
2021 growth area boundary)
•Adds new neighborhood
centers
•Utilizes form-based land use
categories
•Incorporates new future land
use and thoroughfare maps
•Will facilitate use of Form-
Based zones in SW District
2002 Concept
Form-Based Land Use
•Framework to organize land uses from Natural to Urban
•A spectrum of 6 “transects”
•From T1 = most rural
•To T6 = most urban
Kitty Lee RdMaier AveSlothower RdFuture Highway 965Future Land Use Map
Kitty Lee RdMaier AveSlothower RdFuture Highway 965
Kitty Lee RdMaier AveSlothower RdFuture Highway 965
Kitty Lee RdMaier AveSlothower RdFuture Highway 965Slothower RdFuture
School
Site
Future
School
Site
Regional
Park
Neighborhood
Center
Neighborhood
Center
Neighborhood
Center
Neighborhood
Center Neighborhood
Center
Rec
Center
Fire
Station
Local
Park
Future
School
Site
Future
School
Site
Regional
Park
Neighborhood
Center
Neighborhood
Center
Neighborhood
Center
Neighborhood
Center Neighborhood
Center
Rec
Center
Fire
Station
Local
Park Existing
Commercial
Area
Kitty Lee RdMaier AveSlothower RdFuture Highway 965Thoroughfare Map
Kitty Lee RdMaier AveSlothower RdFuture Highway 965
Kitty Lee RdMaier AveSlothower RdFuture Highway 965Serviceable after
sewer under 218
Serviceable after
east area develops
+ lift station
Serviceable after
lift station to the
south
Serviceable long-
term
Approval Criteria
An amendment to the comprehensive plan
must meet the following approval criteria (14-
8D-3D):
1.Circumstances have changed and/or
additional information or factors have
come to light such that the proposed
amendment is in the public interest
2.The proposed amendment will be
compatible with other policies or
provisions of the comprehensive plan,
including any district plans or other
amendments thereto.
Circumstances have Changed
Regulation & PolicyDemographics & Development
Significant changes have occurred over the past 20 years
•+12,600 new residents since 2002 &
another +19,000 expected by 2040
•Most land east of US-218 is developed
and RFC is redeveloping
•Substantial investments in public
infrastructure (Camp Cardinal Blvd,
McCollister Blvd)
•Meanwhile, annexations decreased
•Updated Zoning Code (2005) and
Subdivision Code (2008)
•New form-based zoning districts for
greenfield sites (2021)
•Updated Comprehensive Plan (2013)
and Fringe Area Agreement (2021)
•Climate Action & Adaptation Plan
(2018)
•Resolution 20-159 to enhance social
justice and racial equity (2020)
Circumstances have Changed
Issue Climate Action Social Justice/Equity
Policies Climate Action/Adaptation Plan (2018)Resolution 20-159 (2020)
Goals Reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030
& to net zero by 2050
Promote social justice and equity, often
through housing diversity and
affordability
Conventional
Zoning Issue
Single use, low density zoning contributes
to higher greenhouse gas emissions
•Makes personal car a requirement
•Reinforces auto-oriented
development
•Increases traffic congestion
•Higher parking minimums assume
car-ownership and increase prices
Has supported racial/class segregation
•Explicitly racial zoning (pre-1917) and
exclusionary practices thereafter
•Worked with other policies: redlining,
“slum” demolition
•IC: ~81% of residential land is single-
family; over half of that low density
Form-Based
Planning
•Help improve the City’s building and
transportation systems
•Develops compact neighborhoods
•Easily traversed by foot, bike, and bus
in addition to cars
•Increases housing choice and allows a
mix of housing types / price points
•Mitigates one barrier to providing
more affordable housing options
Compatibility with the
Comprehensive Plan
Future Land Use
◦Includes similar building types, except for Large Lot/Rural Residential
◦Organized as form-based land use categories which allows mix of building
types throughout rather than segregating them
◦Covers the full subarea rather than just areas expected to develop first
◦Non-residential uses and denser building types in new neighborhood centers
are spread throughout
◦Incorporates Thoroughfare Map with pedestrian passages
Proposed changes align with existing goals and objectives
Also aligns with other City policies
◦City Council’s Strategic Plan
◦Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
◦Black Lives Matter & Systemic Racism Resolution
Compatibility with the Comprehensive Plan
Comprehensive Plan Goals Southwest District Plan
Encourage Mix of Housing
Types
Ensure a mix of housing types within each
neighborhood, to provide options for households of all
types…and people of all incomes.
Encourage housing diversity in new neighborhoods.
Pedestrian-Friendly
Neighborhoods
Encourage pedestrian-oriented development and
attractive and functional streetscapes that make it
safe, convenient, and comfortable to walk.
Build streets that enhance neighborhood quality
Provide adequate street and pedestrian access to
recreational facilities and other public amenities
Neighborhood Commercial Plan for commercial development in defined
commercial nodes, including small-scale neighborhood
commercial centers.
Encourage commercial development that serves local
residents
Preserving Open Space Support preservation of valuable farmland, open
space, and environmentally sensitive areas.
Preserve natural features and topography
Emphasis on Accessible Parks Ensure that future parks have visibility and access
from the street
Discourage parks that are surrounded by private
property; encourage development of parks with
single-loaded street access
Reserve space for neighborhood parks and trails that
connect to other areas of the City
Establish a public focal point for new neighborhoods,
such as a lake or park
Next Steps
(Greenfield Form-
Based Zones)
Comprehensive Plan Amendment -
Planning & Zoning Commission
recommendation to City Council
(December 2022)
Annexation (if needed) –P&Z
recommendation to City Council
Rezoning to Form-Based Zone –P&Z
recommendation to City Council
Preliminary Plat –P&Z
recommendation to City Council
Final Plat (including a Neighborhood
Plan) –City Council
Site Plan –Staff Review
Building Permits –Staff Review
Planning & Zoning Commission
Recommendation
On December 7, the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended
approval of CPA22-0002, a proposed amendment to the Southwest
District Plan to update background information and the section on the
Rohret South Subarea, as proposed in Attachment 1 in your agenda
packet.