New land use regulations, zoning map coming
By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor
The Highlander
New land use regulations and a new zoning map could be approved by the Marble Falls City Council later this year, City Council members learned during a Tuesday, May 1, workshop.
Director of Development Services Valerie Kreger presented an update on the Zoning Advisory Committee's progress so far in rewriting the regulations, which will be sent to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council for approval when complete.
Kreger said the 2016 comprehensive plan adopted by the city of Marble Falls recommended the city revamp its existing land use and development regulations and zoning designations. An official 12-member Zoning Advisory Committee was formed to help identify necessary changes to the regulations and provide feedback before the changes are forwarded to the P&Z and City Council, Kreger said.
The goals of revising the development code are to modernize regulations, strengthen building and site development, simplify and streamline the code, consider the impact it will have on development costs, improve housing choice options, address nonconforming uses, ensure revitalization of the downtown area and preserve the city's uniqueness.
The new regulations do not include changes to temporary uses, signs or non-point source pollution, nor are there changes to subdivision regulations or the plant and tree list.
On the commercial side, the existing C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District has been recoded to NC. This zoning will include nonresidential development compatible with adjacent residential property, typically with smaller overall footprints and a de-emphasis on parking, Kreger said.
Existing C-3 General Commercial District has been recoded to GC and includes nonresidential development along the city's major thoroughfares.
Instead of just having a Main Street District, the city now has a Downtown District (DN) which includes the central core of the downtown area with higher intensity urban character; and a Downtown Transition District (DT) which includes the area surrounding the downtown core with lesser intense urban character than the downtown district. In both cases, these districts include residential and nonresidential use with high lot coverage, build-to requirements and limited parking, Kreger said.
There are two main types of residential districts in the new zoning regulations. The first is the new Downtown Residential District (DR), which is meant to promote infill development and redevelopment while still preserving the character of the downtown area. The idea behind this is to recognize higher density housing adjacent to downtown while providing a buffer zone to lower density housing, Kreger said.
The 11 subdesignations for existing residential neighborhoods were reclassified into the Existing Neighborhood Zone District (ENZ) and there are now five subdesignations the city will use for these areas:
* ENZ.1, which replaces the former RE-1, Single-Family Estates District;
* ENZ.2, which replaces the former R-1, Single-Family District;
* ENZ.3, which replaces the former R-2, RA-1 and RT-3 (Duplex, Single-Family Attached District and Residential Townhouse District);
* ENZ.4, which replaces the former R-3 and R-4 (Condo-Townhouse District and Medium Density And Apartment District); and
* ENZ.5, which replaces the former MH-1 and MH-2 (Manufactured Housing District and Mobile Home Park District).
Zoning designations R-5 (High Density Apartment District) and MH-3 (Mobile Home District) were not carried forward in the new regulations.
There are two district Business and Industrial Districts in the new regulations. The first, Business and Industrial Park District (BP), supports various employment opportunities predominantly related to light manufacturing, light industry or warehousing and its uses are conducted within enclosed buildings with heavy screening of outdoor storage.
The second, General Industrial District (IN) is for higher intensity uses, allowing manufacturing, fabrication and warehousing and may involve heavy truck traffic. These operations may be conducted inside or outside a building and large buffers are required for these businesses.
The regulations include residential standards and amenities required based upon the size of development and number of units. These amenities must be privately constructed and maintained to serve residents of the developments and can include such things as clubhouses, fenced dog parks, picnic areas, laundry areas, swimming pools, sports courts and more.
The new regulations will also establish a Zoning Board of Adjustment, which would oversee special and administrative exceptions to the city's zoning regulations on a case-by-case basis, Kreger said.
