2002-104 AMENDING ZONING ORDINANCE - SECTION XX - SPECIAL DISTRICTS

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ECONOMIC AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MEMORANDUM No. 02-116 November 13, 2002 TO: Mayor Terry M. Howley and City Council Members FROM: Steve G , City Manager A. J. Krie , Economic and Urban Development Department Steven J. Van Steenhuyse, Planning Mana�� �9' � SUBJECT: Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance: Special Districts (Institutional Overlay District) SLTMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the attached Section XX to the Zoning Ordinance, establishing the I-OL Institutional Overlay District. BACKGROUND: At the time the new Zoning Ordinance was drafted, there was discussion of creating overlay districts to address specific issues in particular neighborhoods. An overlay district provides regulations in addition to the existing underlying zoning. Section XX was purposely reserved and left blank for this purpose. In response to the recent growth of the City's major institutions such as Millikin University, St. Mary's Hospital and Decatur Memorial Hospital, it was determined that an overlay district for institutions was needed. The proposed language allows an institution to propose overlay district boundaries that anticipate future growth. The institution must provide justification of these boundaries in the form of a master plan, site plan, land use projections, or similar justification. The overlay district has specific provisions for setbacks, height, signage, etc. for institutional growth. The district provides protections to the surrounding neighborhoods by requiring a Planned Development review process for all expansions unless the following conditions are met: the expansion site must be at least one acre in area, it must be contiguous to the existing institutional campus, and it cannot surround a one or two family property on more than two sides. Finally, variances within the overlay district must be reviewed by the Plan Commission and approved by the City Council rather than going to the Zoning Board of Appeals. This action only provides the legislative framework for creation of an Institutional Overlay District and does not actually create any such districts or propose future boundaries. If this amendment is passed, in order for an institution to take advantage of the Institutional Overlay District it must follow the same process as rezoning(petition to create the overlay district, followed by a public hearing before the Plan Commission and final approval by the City Council). The intent of the Institutional Overlay District is to strike a balance between the expansion of the City's growing institutions and the protection of the surrounding residential neighborhoods.