Zoning for Compact, Sustainable Development in

RaleighKen Bowers, AICP

Deputy Planning DirectorCity of Raleigh

Outline

• Why Raleigh is relevant• Raleigh’s Comprehensive Plan• Features of Raleigh’s New Development Code• What’s not in the code, and why

Projected Growth by Region (2000-2030)

Figure 3: Interim Projections: Percent Distribution of Population Growth by Region of the United States, 2000 to 2030

7.4

35.2

52.4

5.0

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Northeast Midwest South West

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, Interim State Population Projections, 2005

Raleigh’s Population Growth

Housing Affordability in Select NC Metros

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Year

Med

ian

Ho

me P

rice

/ M

ed

ian

Ho

use

ho

ld I

nco

me

Raleigh-Cary Greensboro-Highpoint Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord U.S.

Daily Vehicle Miles Traveled Per Capita

31.4

22.725.0

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Raleigh-Durham All Urban Areas Medium UrbanAreas

• 8.7 more miles than national norm

• 6.4 more miles than peer metros

• 4.4 more miles than the average of the 10 most sprawling metros on the Rutgers sprawl index

Source: Texas Transportation Institute, “2005 Urban Mobility Study.”

Six Vision Themes Define the Plan

Economic Prosperity & Equity

Expanding Housing Choices

Managing Our Growth

Coordinating Land Use & Transportation

Greenprint Raleigh—Sustainable Development

Growing Successful Neighborhoods & Communities

Growth Framework Map

15 Land Use Categories

• 5 residential categories• 5 mixed-use categories• 3 non-residential

“employment” categories• 2 public and institutional

categories• 2 park and open space

categories• 1 “special study area”

category

Transit and Land Use

“Codes are just that: the DNA of our cities.”

—Andres Duany, Duany Plater-Zyberk

“If the Comprehensive Plan embodies the vision of what Raleigh can become, the UDO constitutes the city's DNA.”

—Mack Paul, News & Observer, March 4, 2010

Consultant Team

3 Big Problems with the Current Code

1. A “context free,” one-size-fits-all approach to a diverse landscape

2. Discretionary review substituting for adequate standards

3. Incompatibility between the zoning districts and adopted land use plans

Key Features of Raleigh’s New Code

• Standards, not incentives

• Height and form, not density and FAR

• As-of-right, not discretionary decisions

Right Rules, Right Places

Proposed UDO Districts

Residential Mixed-Use Special Overlay

R-1R-2R-4R-6R-10

RX ResidentialNX NeighborhoodOP Office ParkOX OfficeCX CommercialDX DowntownIX Industrial

AP AgricultureCM ConservationR-MP Manuf. Hsg.CMP CampusIH Heavy IndustryPD Planned Dev

SHOD-1,2HOD, HOD-2NCODMPODWPODAODTOD

Height & Frontage in Mixed-Use Districts

Use Height Frontage

RXNX*OPOXCXDXIX

-3-5-7-12-20-40

P ParkwayD DetachedPL Parking LimitedG GreenUL Urban LimitedUG Urban GeneralS Shopfront

Sample District: CX-5-PL

* Height cannot exceed 3 or 5 stories in NX

Suburban Frontages

Urban Frontages

Building Types

Expanded Housing Options

• Cottage Court, Backyard Cottage

Block Sizes and Peremiters

Street cross sections and connections

Multimodal Transportation Options

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities

Parking Reductions

Downtown DX DistrictUrban Frontage

Ground floor retail exemptionSmall project exemptionFlat ratio for non-residentialReduced requirements for residential

Bus Transit 10% reduction with 15 minute headways

Affordable Housing 20% reduction

TOD Overlay Same as downtown plus parking maximum of 1 space/300 square feet

Areas of Change

What’s not in the Code?

• Inclusionary zoning. There is no enabling authority for mandatory inclusionary zoning in North Carolina.

• Density bonuses. There are no density bonuses for things such as affordable housing or LEED certification.– Undermine the goal of good urban form and predictability– Contrary to the statutory purpose that zoning districts be

drawn with “reasonable consideration…as to the character of the district and it’s peculiar suitability for particular uses...”

Zoning for Compact, Sustainable Development in

RaleighKen Bowers, AICP

Deputy Planning DirectorCity of Raleigh