6 AOP Current Planning Flashcards
Map Scale
Small scale map displays large land area with little detail
Large scale map shows limited land area in great detail
COMMON SCALES:
USGS - uses 1:24,000 aka 1 inch represents 2000 LF
1:62,500 aka 1 inch represents .98 mi
1:500,000 aka 1 inch equals 7.89 mi
1:2,000,000 aka 1 inch equals 31.57
slope guidelines
0-.5%: No drainage, not suited for development
.5 -1%: No problems, ideal for all types of development
1-3%: Slight problems for large commercial areas, acceptable for residential
3-5%: Major problems for commercial / industrial / large scale residential
5-10%: Suitable only for specially designed development
convert map scales
Map scale in inches that you want to convert to linear miles:
Divide map scale by 12 (since there’s 12 inches in a foot)
Then divide that number by 5280 (because 5280 feet in a mile)
Map scale in miles that you watn to convert to inches
Multiply the map scale by 5280
Multiply that number by 12
3 types of map projection
Conic: Cone placed over a globe but cuts through the surface.
Cylindrical: Cone placed over a globe, meet along a latitude line.
Planar: Plane is placed over a globe - plane can touch the globe at the pole, the equator, or another line
Site Plan Review
Scaled drawings that show detailed layout of a development proposal
Include: lot lines, roads, existing and proposed building footprints, major landscape features, utility rights-of-way.
Carried out to guarantee compliance during the zoning permitting process to determine if a variance is necessary.
Floor Area Ratio
Ratio of the gross floor area of a building to its ground area. If a 20,000-square-feet parcel has a FAR limit of 0.5, then the floor area of the building or house on the site may not exceed 10,000 square feet
Subdivision
Division of land into two or more parcels, sites, or lots, for the purpose of transfer of ownership, development, or other forms of valuable interest. This definition varies from state to state and may include minimum acreage requirements.
Plat
Map of a tract or parcel of land.
Replat
Allows for lots to be subdivided further or added back together
Amending plat
Corrects errors or adds additional information to a plat.
Vacating plat
Allows for a plat to be terminated prior to the selling of any lots.
Preliminary plat
To-scale mechanical drawing with precise topography and prescribed intervals showing the calculated location of all lots, streets, drainage patterns, facilities, and proposed dedications.
Final plat
The approved preliminary plat with all bearing, monuments, curves, and notations together with all dedications, easement, and approvals.
Purposes behind subdivision regulations are:
To regulate subdivision development and implement planning policies
To implement plans for orderly growth and development within the city’s boundaries and extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ);
To ensure adequate provision for streets, alleys, parks, and other facilities indispensable to the community;
To protect future purchasers from inadequate police and fire protection;
To ensure sanitary conditions and other governmental services;
To require compliance with certain standards;
To officially register land.
To subdivide land, a property owner must work with the city or county to develop a plat. To plat a property, the following steps must be taken:
The applicant submits a preliminary plat;
A preliminary plat is reviewed by staff for compliance with subdivision regulations;
Plat is then reviewed by the planning commission;
Once the preliminary plat is approved by the planning commission, the property owner prepares the final plat;
Final plat then repeats the process above until it is approved by the planning commission.
Development agreement
a voluntary contract between a local jurisdiction and a property owner detailing the obligations of both parties and specifying the standards and conditions that will govern development of the property. Although the agreements are voluntary, once made they are binding on the parties and their successors.
Performance bonds
A performance bond is an agreement between the property owner and the community to ensure that the final plat is built as shown on the drawings within a certain time period. If the developer fails to meet the requirements, the government may use the bond to cover the cost of constructing the improvements
Dedications
Dedications are gifts of land for public purposes, such as roads, parks, and utilities
Impact fees
. Impact fees are typically charged for off-site infrastructure needed to provide service to a development, such as a water or a sewer main.
Exactions
Property owner / developer required to provide these in the form of dedication of the land or payment in-lieu of dedication.
Purposes of zoning
Protect and maintain property values;
Promote public health and safety;
Protect the environment;
Promote the aesthetic of a community;
Manage traffic;
Manage density;
Limit housing size and type, or encourage a variety of housing types;
Attract businesses and industries.
What does zoning regulate
Land use
Lot Size
Density
Building placement
Building height
Building bulk
Setbacks
Provision of adequate light and air
Parking
Landscaping
Signage
Typical groups that handle zoning decisions
Government staff
City council (or county commissioners)
Planning & zoning commission
Board of zoning appeals
Government staff (zoning staff)
Staff to provide info to public about the zoning ordinances
Staff responsible for reviewing apps & writing reports for the planning & zoning commission and the board of zoning appeals.
Planning and zoning commission (P&Z)
(zoning staff)
P&Z required to issue recommendations in matters of zoning.
These recommendations are made to a governing body. IN SOME CASES: P&Z renders final approval of cases.
P&Z made up of community residents & business owners, members APPOINTED by governing body.
P&Z read staff reports, visit sites, come prepped to talk w/ applicants.
P&Z should think LONG TERM
Board of Zoning Appeals
(zoning staff)
Quasi-judicial board that hears cases for variances, special exceptions to the zoning ordinance, and appeals of staff’s admin of the zoning ordinances.
Members APPOINTED by governing body.
City Council
(zoning staff)
Governing body - often has the FINAL SAY on zoning issues.
The P&Z commission makes recommendations on zoning cases to the city council. The city council is then charged with making the final decision on whether to approve or disapprove a case.
ELECTED officials.
Two types of zoning amendments
1- Amendment to the zoning ordinance / text:
changes requirements for all properties.
2- Amendment to the zoning map:
Changes the zoning district on a particular property.
Euclidean Zoning
It places the most protective restrictions on residential land uses, less on commercial uses, and virtually none on industrial uses.
Cumulative Zoning
Cumulative zoning is less protective of various land uses than Euclidean zoning. Single-family residential districts are the most exclusive
Modified Cumulative Zoning
A modified version of cumulative zoning has been developed to allow cities to provide a greater degree of protection than they could with cumulative zoning. In this type of zoning, districts are typically cumulative by type of land use.
Permitted vs conditional uses
(Conditional use permit aka special use permit aka specific use permit)
If a retail zoning district lists barber shops as a permitted use, a business could open a barber shop without having to ask the city for permission Conditional use permits allow a certain use in a district only when it is compatible with its surroundings. The conditional use permit is also known as a special use permit or specific use permit.
2 ways for conditional use permit to be issued
Nonconforming Use
A property use that existed prior to the adoption of district regulations and is allowed to continue under the “grandfather clause.”
Amortization
sets a definite period of time within which the use must come into compliance with the zoning ordinance.
Accessory use
one that is incidental to the main use of a property
Planned Unit Developments
A unique zoning tool that can offer an alternative to strict zoning regulations. PUDs are typically used for large developments that include a mix of uses. A PUD applies a different set of controls to a tract of land than standard land use zoning
Overlay zoning
overlay zoning districts place more restrictions on the property owner.
Floating zone
A floating zone is a flexible zoning tool that allows for innovative development while maintaining municipal control over land use.
Variance
A legal exception granted to a property owner that allows them to deviate from existing zoning regulations.
Two types of variances:
Area and Use variances.
Hoshin Planning
This method, which originated in post-war Japan, focuses on bridging the gap between strategy and execution by involving all levels of an organization in goal-setting and implementatio
Big-box retail
generally has 50,000 or more square feet in a large box.
Concentrated animal feeding operations
practice of raising farm animals indoors and in high volumes
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
ratio of a building’s total floor area (gross) to the size of the piece of land upon which it is built
Maximum parking standards
Maximum parking standards cap the amount of parking that a property owner or business can provide.
McMansion
Large houses that are mass produced and have perceived negative impacts on the community
Teardown
Demolition of a home for the purposes of building a larger home on the same lot.
