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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ - Staff Report Page 1 HEARING DATE: 7/6/2023 TO: Planning & Zoning Commission FROM: Bill Parsons, Current Planning Supervisor 208-884-5533 SUBJECT: ZOA-2023-0001 2023 UDC Text Amendment LOCATION: Citywide I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Meridian Planning Division has applied for a Unified Development Code (UDC) text amendment to update certain code sections AND add new standards within Chapters 2-5, Title 11 of Meridian City Code. II. APPLICANT INFORMATION A. Applicant: City of Meridian Planning Division 33 E. Broadway Ave, Suite #102 Meridian, ID 83642 III. NOTICING Planning & Zoning Posting Date City Council Posting Date Notification published in newspaper 6/21/2023 Public Service Announcement 6/21/2023 Nextdoor posting 6/20/2023 STAFF REPORT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT Page 2 IV. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ANALYSIS (Comprehensive Plan) A. Comprehensive Plan Text (https://www.meridiancity.org/compplan): Below are the applicable policies within the City’s Comprehensive Plan relative to the proposed UDC Text Amendments. Staff’s analysis is in italics below the policy. 3.01.01B - Update the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code (emphasis added) as needed to accommodate the community's needs and growth trends. Many of the requested code changes associated with this text amendment are meant to serve community needs, support current growth trends and maintain the integrity of the Plan and Code. 3.04.01B – Maintain and update the Unified Development Code (emphasis added) and Future Land Use Map to implement the provisions of the Comprehensive Plan. City Staff keeps a running database of code revisions needed. The Department is tasked with keeping the code current and relevant. Staff believes the proposed changes encompass the vision of the Plan and is largely supported by those who participated in the process to update the UDC. V. UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE ANALYSIS (UDC) The proposed text amendments provide a broad range of changes and additions to multiple code sections. Staff believes the proposed changes enhance the UDC, making it more user-friendly and represents the community’s needs. This phase of text changes includes several modifications throughout Chapters 2-5 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) and are largely “clean-up” items that have been identified since the last code update. All the proposed changes to the UDC are included as part of the record for this application. Staff has purposely not attached the table of changes in the staff report to minimize the size of the report and improve the review quality of the document for the public, Commission, and Council. Commentary associated with proposed changes are also part of the table that explains the reason for the modification or addition to the code. A summary of the most notable text changes are below: 1. Table 11-2A-2 – Allowed use table in the residential districts: Proposes to allow family daycares (up to 6 children) in the R-2 zone; 2. UDC 11-2B-3A.3 – Commercial standards: Proposes to allow a maximum height of 100 feet in some the commercial districts. 3. UDC 11-4-3-2 Arts, entertainment or recreational facility, indoor or outdoor specific use standards: Proposes to require conditional use permit for outdoor lighting if compliance with the lighting standards is not proposed. 4. UDC 11-4-3-10 Drinking establishment specific use standards: Proposes to remove the prohibition of this use when it is within three hundred feet of a church or education institution. All of the proposed changes went through an extensive and collaborative review process over several months with City staff and the UDC Focus Group. In summary, City Staff believes the proposed changes will make the implementation and use of the UDC more understandable and enforceable. Page 3 VI. DECISION A. Staff: Staff recommends approval of the proposed text amendment to the UDC based on the analysis provided in Section IV and V, modifications presented in Exhibit A and the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in Section VIII. B. Commission: Enter Summary of Commission Decision. C. City Council: Enter Summary of City Council Decision. Page 4 VII. EXHIBIT A. Proposed Table of Text Changes – Click here to review the changes VIII. FINDINGS 1. UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS: (UDC 11-5B-3E) Upon recommendation from the Commission, the Council shall make a full investigation and shall, at the public hearing, review the application. In order to grant a text amendment to the Unified Development Code, the Council shall make the following findings: A. The text amendment complies with the applicable provisions of the comprehensive plan; Staff finds that the proposed UDC text amendment complies with the applicable provisions of the Comprehensive Plan. Please see Comprehensive Plan Policies and Goals, Section IV, of the Staff Report for more information. B. The text amendment shall not be materially detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare; and Staff finds that the proposed zoning ordinance amendment will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare if the changes to the text of the UDC are approved as submitted. It is the intent of the text amendment to further the health, safety and welfare of the public. C. The text amendment shall not result in an adverse impact upon the delivery of services by any political subdivision providing public services within the City including, but not limited to, school districts. Staff finds that the proposed zoning ordinance amendment does not propose any significant changes to how public utilities and services are provided to developments. All City departments, public agencies and service providers that currently review applications will continue to do so. Please refer to any written or oral testimony provided by any public service provider(s) when making this finding.