2009-44 AMENDING ZONING ORDINANCE - XIII B-3 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT - XIX PD PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

Home Browse Search

Excerpts from Plan Commission Minutes of June 4,2009 Cal. No. 09-27 Petition GREG C. CROWE, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, for amendments to the City of Decatur Zoning Ordinance (Ord. #3512, as amended). Ms. Ashe presented the recommendation of staff: The current City of Decatur Zoning Ordinance was adopted in May of 2002. Since the time of adoption, Staff has discovered certain necessary changes, discrepancies and omissions as the new ordinance has been implemented, specifically in SECTION XIII. B-3 PLANNED SHOPPING CENTER DISTRICT and SECTION XIX. PD PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. It is Staff s hope that these changes will make the Zoning Ordinance more comprehensive and applicable to the changing built urban environment all the while keeping the charge of making Decatur a beautiful place to live, work and play. The amendment to the B-3 and the PD will allow the Director of Economic and Urban Development to approve minor amendments to increase the size of the structure administratively. This will allow petitioners an expedited process as opposed to going through Plan Commission and City Council for small increases less than twenty percent(20%) in size. Staff recommends the following amendments: Amend SECTION XIII.G.2 (B-3 Planned Shopping Center District)by adding: "of twenty percent(20%) or more" and"(excluding signage)" Amend SECTION XIX.H.2. (PD Planned Development)by adding: "of twenty percent(20%) or more" Staff recommends approval of the amendments as proposed. Section XXIX.G. of the Zoning Ordinance requires the Plan Commission to hold a public hearing and make recommendations to the City Council on amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. A motion to forward Calendar Number 09-27 to City Council with a recommendation of approval is suggested. Mr. Greg Crowe was sworn in by Mrs. Poland. Mr. Crowe stated that currently the Ordinance for PD's and B-3's allow the Director to make some minor changes. Currently any size change to a building has to go back through the Plan Commission and then on to City Council. This change will allow a size change of less than twenty percent (20%) to be approved by the Director. The developer will have to submit a site plan that would go through all staff levels as the original site plan does. Mr. Edwards stated the Boards, Commissions and Council have a purpose and would rather the percentage increase for Director approval to be ten percent(10%). Chairman Smith stated that City staff knows what they are doing and the Commission is here to facilitate their process. He does not want staff to have to come back with every issue that requires a minor change. He feels this is a waste of time for staff, the Commission, the developer's time and the taxpayer's money. It was moved and seconded (Jackson/John) to forward Cal. No. 09-27 to the City Council with recommendation for approval as presented by staff. Motion carried unanimously.