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Home My WebLink AboutIR 9084INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9084 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council July 14, 2009 Page 1 of 1 SUBJECT: PROPOSED DOWNTOWN URBAN DESIGN DISTRICT ORDINANCE laTe AMENDMENTS This report provides information on proposed amendments to the Downtown Urban Design District standards and guidelines, which are part of the Zoning Ordinance. The purpose of the amendments is to improve process efficiency and ordinance clarity. The attached presentation provides additional information. To increase efficiency, the amendments provide for administrative review and approval of certain projects that are consistent with the standards. This will reduce the case load for the Downtown Design Review Board (DDRB) and reduce review time for applicants. These projects include: • Signage • Landscaping and street lighting • Sidewalk construction including trees and furnishings • Minor modifications to existing buildings • Temporary construction facilities • Restoration of historic buildings to their original condition The DDRB will continue to review new construction, major modifications to existing buildings, and projects that vary from the standards or are referred by staff. To improve clarity, the amendments convert several subjective guidelines to objective standards, while still allowing flexibility and discretion. The changes address: • General development principles and deviation from standards based on the principles • Spacing requirements for trees, sidewalks, and lighting • Size and location of certain types of signage • Restrictions on sidewalk canopies and skywalks • Organization of the standards and guidelines into relevant topic areas. City staff has worked closely with Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. and the DDRB in preparing the amendments. Public hearings for the proposed amendments are scheduled as follows: • August 6, 2009 Downtown Design Review Board • August 12, 2009 • September 8, 2009 Zoning Commission City Council Should you have any questions, please contact Dana Burghdoff, Planning and Development Department Deputy Director, at 817 - 392 -8018. Dal* A. r, P.E. City Manaw Attachment: PowerPoint presentation ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH. TEXAS f DOWNTOWN URBAN DESIGN DISTRICT FoRTWORTH Prepared for the City Council by the Planning and Development Department July 14, 2009 Background • In December 2001, the City Council adopted four sections of DFWPs Downtown Urban Design Guidelines as standards, and created the Downtown Design Review Board to review certain development projects. • In November 2404, the City Council adopted additional sign standards to provide further guidance to Downtown business owners. Do t— Urb" D"Vn District MMD) B-407 s 1 Or! :10 Development Process in Downtown Application received by Planning and Development Department Complies with standards Inform DFWI of project and pending approval Administratively approved Requires waivers Application forwarded to DFWI )FWI staff/Ilrban Design Committe Issues recommendation to Downtown Design Review Board DDRB meeting with input from staff. developer, and DFWI What will DDRB review? • New construction • Major modification of buildings • Items that staff and DFWI refer to DDRB • Cases that vary from standards J 5 6 3 14-0-1 27 z need for a minimum sidewalk width standard for downtown. Recommendation: Minimum Sidewalk Width — 10 feet Pedestrian way: Pedestrian way widths for downtown sidewalks can vary by current level • activity, desired level • activity, and adjacent land uses. Recommendation: Minimum Pedestrian Way Width — 7 feet Bricks for sidewalks: Recommendation: Bricks shall be incorporated as a prominent pattern. Sidewalks — Right of Way Section Pedestrian Way — 7 Foot Minimum go Pedestrian Lighting Style: Recommendation: — Acorn style light shall be used Downtown. AMM s For Sale/Lease Signs: Recommendation: — No more than one non - illuminated real estate sign per occupancy frontage should be permitted for a six -month period. — Signs may be placed in windows only and shall not exceed 10% of the window area or 10 square feet, whichever is larger. Buildings with no windows on the street fagade may have a sign on solid fade. — For vacant properties or parking lots and for buildings with a setback of 20 feet or more, a free- standing sign no larger than 16 square feet per face may be considered. 13 14 7 Skywalks and Underground Passages: Recommendation: — Skywalks and underground passages are not allowed. Exceptions: Exception cases must be heard by the DDRB and meet the following: • Will not result in removing pedestrians from the street that would otherwise utilize the street or sidewalk. • Does not block downtown views. • Is not located on a downtown gateway. • Does not create unpleasant or unsafe conditions for pedestrians below. 17 i E ig- DOWNTOWN URBAN DESIGN DISTRICT ORDINANCE UPDATE FoRTWORTH Prepared for the City Council by the Planning and Development Department July 14, 2009 Background • In December 2001, the City Council adopted four sections of DFW1's Downtown Urban Design Guidelines as standards, and created the Downtown Design Review Board to review certain development projects. • In November 2004, the City Council adopted additional sign standards to provide further guidance to Downtown business owners. ■ no.,.o.. u.aa Dft*. muvn, 2 E Efficiency Reduce unnecessary case load for DDRB members and City staff, and reduce review timft for applicants. Clarity Reduce subjectivity of guidelines by converting I them to objective standards. ki What amendments address efficiency? In M N Yfry Development Process in Downtown Application received by Planning and Development Department Complies with standards Inform DFWI of project and pending approval Administratively approved All- 1-11 9 Requires waivers Application forwarded to DFWI )FWI staflTUrban Design Committe Issues recommendation to Downtown Design Review Board DDRB meeting with input from staff, developer, and DFWI What will DDRB review? • New construction • Major modification of buildings • Items that staff and DFWI refer to DDRB • Cases that vary from standards 5 e 3 . I I I I Add general development principles to guide decision-making on exception requests. • Create spacing requirements for sidewalks and trees. Propose content changes for covered sidewalks, pedestrian lighting style, signage, and skywalks/underground passages. • Divide standards and guidelines into relevant areas: pedestrian realm, building edge, street grid and parking, and signage. General Development Principles Encourage adaptive reuse and support the preservation of historically significant buildings. Encourage creativity, architectural diversity, and exceptional design, M M M, M 9q - i, a need for a minimum sidewalk width standard for downtown. Recommendation: Minimum Sidewalk Width — 10 feet Pedestrian way: Pedestrian way widths for downtown sidewalks can vary by current level of activity, desired level of activity, and adjacent land uses. Recommendation: Minimum Pedestrian Way Width — 7 feet Bricks for sidewalks: Recommendation: Bricks shall be incorporated as a prominent pattern. El Sidewalks — Right of Way Section Pedestrian Way — 7 Foot Minimum 11 Maximum Distance for Tree Plantings: Recommendation: — A maximum 25 foot planting distance. Covered Sidewalks: Recommendation: xtw Orleam — Covered sidewalks on Main Street are not allowed. — All other cases will be considered on a case by case basis. WuM t�l4 Ek 12 RI 0 F Pedestrian Lighting Style: Recommendation: — Acorn style light shall be used Downtown. For Sale/Lease Signs: Recommendation: - No more than one non - illuminated real estate sign per occupancy frontage should be permitted for a six -month period. - Signs may be placed in windows only and shall not exceed 10% of the window area or 10 square feet, whichever is larger. Buildings with no windows on the street fagade may have a sign on solid fagade. - For vacant properties or parking lots and for buildings with a setback of 20 feet or more, a free- standing sign no larger than 16 square feet per face may be considered. 13 14 7 2nd Floor Signs: Recommendation: — Businesses located on a 2nd floor and facing a street may have signs above the second floor windows, with lettering in proportion with the size of the sign and the width of the business. — Wall signs above the 3rd floor finish line are not allowed. Exceptions are building identification signs. Building Identification and Rooftop Signage: Recommendation: — No more than one building identification sign per fagade and a maximum of two signs per building with one message (the name of the building or a tenant). — Rooftop signs are not allowed. 15 16 91 ■ Skywalks and Underground Passages: Recommendation: — Skywalks and underground passages are not allowed. Exceptions: Exception cases must be heard by the DDRB and meet the following: • Will not result in removing pedestrians from the street that would otherwise utilize the street or sidewalk. • Does not block downtown views. • Is not located on a downtown gateway. • Does not create unpleasant or unsafe conditions for pedestrians below. ,7 �011'.