PAUL CONNER, AICP

Director of Planning & Zoning, City of South Burlington

Presentation to Vermont Downtown Conference

June 8, 2017

Achieving the outcomes you want

6 Simple Ways to Fix Your Zoning (plus 4 more if you’re on a roll)

southburlingtonP L A N N I N G & Z O N I N G

…we all have full work plans

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Lot sizes and setbacks

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The problem: In our villages and downtowns, you can’t build what’s already there. In our

suburban areas, we have setbacks that date to an era of ever-widening roads

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The Fix:

Beginner: Measure existing setbacks & lot sizes and reduce to what you want / what’s actually out there.

Intermediate: establish a build-to range that sets the expectations of what you actually want.

Advanced: drop lot sizes and density altogether and set the basic form standards you want.

Fair Haven Village requires 20’ side

setbacks in areas with 60’ wide lots

Hinesburg Village has front and side

setbacks of 10’ based on a review of

parcels

Location of Parking on a Lot

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The problem: Pedestrian-friendly development almost never has parking front of buildings,

and yet…

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The Fix:

Beginner: No parking in front of buildings (including corner lots).

Intermediate: If parking is allowed to the sides of building, set a max % of the lot

Advanced: Set a building frontage requirement and/or require that parking be to the rear of buildings or set back at least 80’

Trader Joe’s & Pier I Imports, South Burlington

Windows & Doors

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The problem: Most of our towns’ zoning says nothing at all about where doors should be or

how much window space should be provided. And so, what we get is all over the place and

unappealing to the pedestrian.

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The Fix:

Beginner: Set a basic minimum: 40-60% windows / door facing the street, min 7½’ tall for residential and a little less for residential, and a principal door facing the street

Intermediate: 70% windows / doors, and doors must be fully operable in both directions.

Advanced: Set building types and design expectations into the regulations

Parking. Ugh, Parking.

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The problem: Too much parking. And some of it is because towns say it MUST be that way.

Why?

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The Fix:

Beginner: Drop the minimums way down.

Intermediate: Set a maximum for residential parking, set a maximum “guideline” for commercial and give the DRB review authority

Advanced: Set a commercial maximum and employ transportation demand management

2016 Wolcott zoning: “There

shall be no minimum

parking requirements in the

Village Core District, in

recognition of the small size

of existing lots, availability

of public parking, and

natural reduction in parking

needs due to a mixed use

environment. Applicants in

this district shall make a

reasonable effort to provide

parking while meetingg

other standards the Zoning

Regulations.”

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Those &*#@% Use Tables

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The problem: Many of us spend far too much time determining what category the applicant’s

proposed use falls into, and then explaining or defending that decision. “I’m proposing a small

store that will sell food, shampoo, and medicine. What use category do I fall into?”

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The Fix:

Beginner: Look at your most common use categories, consolidate, and regulate by what matters in your community.

Intermediate: Eliminate conditional uses. Regulate based on what your needs are.

Advanced: Regulate by what’s NOT allowed. Everything else is permitted.

Process. Process. Process.

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The problem: Too much time is spent, in many communities, on the process of development

review. If the development fits, allow it. If it doesn’t, don’t. Simplify, especially for small projects!

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The Fix:

Beginner: Look for the simple things (ie, minor site plan amendments) and give the ZA authority to issue the decisions.

Intermediate: Host pre-application meetings and work with applicants to get applicants approvable before they get to the DRB

Advanced: Allow full buildings in villages and downtowns to be approved administratively!

Building Heights

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The problem: Land isn’t a limitless commodity, and walkable areas need people.

The fix: Two story buildings at corners, and the up from there (and allow some exceptions)

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Outdoor Lighting

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The problem: Rule of thumb: if it’s brighter at night than during the day, it’s too bright.

The fix: basic lighting standards. SB Regs: Max average illumination of 3 foot candles on

the property and 0.3 foot candles at the property line. All fixtures must be downcast and

shielded.

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Landscaping

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The problem: Lack of front yard landscaping is a lost opportunity to mask a lot of

problems, and to add a pedestrian scale to the environment

The fix: Establish a minimum landscaping budget for multifamily & commercial projects

and require some of it to be in the front yard if there’s a setback

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Density

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The problem: Density dominates the conversation too much in Vermont. Density limits are

exclusionary and don’t necessarily relate to intensity of use.

The fix: This one’s bigger, but you can replace density with form characteristics or s.f.

maximums on a lot