Plain City Council members recently discussed their thoughts on the new Uptown District, in red at the center of the map, that will be included in the zoning code update. The district extends beyond the boundaries of the Uptown Historic District, outlined in light blue, and is intended to allow for the expansion of the Uptown area while preserving historic buildings.
(Graphic submitted)
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As Plain City staff and committee members continue to work out a new zoning code, council members focused on what exactly the Uptown should encompass.
Village Planner Taylor Brill presented an overview of the latest draft of the zoning code rewrite to council during its work session Wednesday.
Of nine new zoning districts she covered, which Brill said were designed to reflect the intent of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the Uptown District (UP) drew the most discussion.
The Uptown District consists of the “historic core” of the village, Brill said, but expands beyond just the Uptown Historic District that is governed by the Design Review Board (DRB). She said it has mostly commercial uses with some residential areas.
She said the intent of creating a larger zoning district than just the Uptown Historic District is to “keep historic boundaries but let the Uptown grow.”
Since the historic district is landlocked, Council President Michael Terry noted that the zoning code will have to allow for some adjacent residential properties to be purchased and converted to commercial uses – like shops or bistros – if council would like to see the Uptown area grow.
While council members were receptive to that idea, they were more skeptical of Uptown District Design Standards that are included in the zoning code rewrite.
Currently, owners of buildings within the Uptown Historic District must go before DRB for approval before making certain changes to their properties.
The Uptown District Design Standards, which allow for some changes to be approved administratively while others must go before DRB, would apply to properties within the entire Uptown District, not just the Uptown Historic District.
Council member John Rucker said he worried that the standards would force homeowners in the Uptown District to “jump through hoops,” even if their building is not historic.
“I would be extremely, extremely upset” if required to go before DRB due to the changes to the zoning code, Rucker told Brill.
Council member Frank Reed agreed, questioning whether the areas of the Uptown District beyond the Uptown Historic District should be changed to just a residential zoning district.
Terry said leaving the Uptown District, which encourages commercial development, would likely be more appropriate. He said the Uptown District Design Standards could be removed.
Still, he wondered if the zoning district alone is “restrictive enough to draw the right type of business.”
Mayor Jody Carney, who also sits on the Planning and Zoning Commission, said she does not want to create an unnecessary burden for homeowners in the Uptown District, but wants to ensure new businesses will fit with the look and feel of the historic center of town.
Council members agreed with her that the design standards could be applied to commercial properties.
Rucker added that he took no issue with the design standards that required administrative approval for certain changes, but did not feel properties in areas outside of the Uptown Historic District should go before DRB. Reed agreed, adding that “DRB is specifically to preserve old buildings.”
Brill said she would reconvene with the project’s consultant and the Planning and Zoning Commission in an effort to implement council’s suggested changes.
She said they will work on creating design standards for commercial properties in the Uptown District that will require administrative approval only.
“One of the goals of all this was to eliminate some red tape,” Terry responded. “I think this would be an accidental add.”
Council members also praised Brill and the Planning and Zoning Commission for their work developing a district called the Village Residential (VR) District.
The district was separated out from the Suburban Residential (SR) District based on the form of permitted buildings, and intends to create neighborhoods with a “mix of character,” Brill said.
She added that it will allow for diverse looks of housing and “alleviate the perception of high-density development.”
“Personally, I love this,” Terry said, adding that it “gives clear purpose statements” and provides clear grounds for rejection of a development.
Council unanimously approved a motion to instruct the Planning and Zoning Commission to set a public hearing on the zoning code rewrite. The work session was an opportunity for council to review the changes thus far, not approve or reject a final proposal.