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Map Amendments
A Map Amendment is the official process by which a property's Planning Area designation is changed. In other communities, this term is referred to as a "rezoning." Since the Town of Davidson utilizes a form-based code, which emphasizes a building's orientation on its lot and its architecture in addition to its use, the Town uses the comprehensive term "Planning Areas" in place of the strictly use-based term "zoning" to refer to a property's land use designation. These Planning Areas are illustrated in the Davidson Planning Ordinance's Planning Areas Map; therefore, changes to the map are referred to as Map Amendments. Below is information about the most recent Map Amendments proposed.
Text Amendments
A Text Amendment is the official process by which the language of the Davidson Planning Ordinance (DPO) is changed. The DPO includes the guidance, rules, and regulations governing planning and development within town limits, as well as the town's extra-territorial jurisdiction - areas outside the town limits but within Davidson's planning jurisdiction that are subject to the standards. The standards represent legally-enforceable measures to implement adopted plans and manage development projects. Proposed changes generally encompass: Clarifying existing standards; outlining new criteria and/or instituting best practices; correcting errors and/or inadvertent omissions; and, aligning the ordinance with state statutes. The DPO is a living document updated consistently; it reflects years of collective experiences and incorporates this knowledge along with best practices to ensure a high quality of life for citizens.
Map Amendments
There are currently no map amendments that have been proposed.
Text Amendments
Targeted Conditional Zoning (2019-2020)
Description
The Board of Commissioners directed staff to explore strategies to better control the pace of development – specifically targeted conditional zoning. Staff brought information to the Board in July 2019 and was directed to explore creative strategies to implement a targeted conditional requirement for residential development.
Davidson is not immune to growth pressures, which seem to have amplified in recent years. The regional economy remains strong and Davidson is an attractive place to live—the college, historic buildings, and intentional design/regulations contribute largely to this. Davidson has had success in determining what type of development should go where; Davidson has not had much success in controlling the timing of development. Implementing a targeted conditional zoning mechanism could improve the town’s ability to better control the pace of development, while simultaneously providing opportunities to secure specific town goals—such as affordable housing units constructed. Implementing targeted conditional thresholds would provide the Board of Commissioners greater control over approvals that were previously administrative.
Planning staff analyzed development patterns over the last 20 years in the Village Infill, Neighborhood Edge, and Rural Planning Areas –those deemed to be most susceptible to residential development pressure. In November 2019, staff presented the Board options on dwelling unit and acreage thresholds based upon these data metrics including high, medium, and low thresholds for targeted conditional triggers. The Board provided direction using the lower numbers. All options assume the existing planning area designation as a baseline for any development proposal. Staff developed initial draft text and shared it with the PBOC (Planning Board Ordinance Committee) to solicit input.
After a several-months pause due to the health pandemic, staff revisited targeted conditional with the BOC at their July work session meeting to share with them the draft text developed based upon the direction given in November 2019. Commissioners provided new feedback targeting a more conservative threshold approach and also added Lakeshore Planning Area to the mix.
In summary, proposed thresholds listed in the Planning Areas below would trigger a conditional approval by the Board of Commissioners:
Planning Area Targeted Threshold
Village Infill Planning Area: 8 or more dwelling units
Lakeshore Planning Area: 8 or more dwelling units
Neighborhood Edge Planning Area: 36 or more dwelling units OR 35 or more acres
Rural Planning Area: 36 or more dwelling units OR 15 or more acres
The draft text amendments include proposed changes to Section 2 (Planning Areas) and Section 14 (Administration and Procedures).
UPDATE (December 2020):
At the December Board of Commissioners meeting, Planning Director Jason Burdette and Planning Board member Nora Barger presented an update on the growth management committee’s work to date. The committee discussed six different options grounded in the Comprehensive and Strategic Plans. The committee recommends prioritizing the Growth Management Framework, including the utility and annexation criteria. Additionally, the committee sees incorporating various aspects from the other options discussed: 1) Improving the development process; 2) Addressing building compatibility, integration, and affordability; and 3) Conditional thresholds. Of note, the committee felt there were more viable options to include conditional thresholds than the unit count or acreage metrics discussed earlier. In the coming months, the committee will work to develop what a consolidation of these options could look like and bring back specific examples for discussion with the Board of Commissioners.
Documents
Please see the following for additional information regarding these proposed changes. The Proposed Changes documents list the proposed ordinance text with explanatory comments in the right margin.
Proposed DPO Changes to Sections 2 + 14:
Draft DPO Text
Reports:
9/24/2020 Consolidated Public Input Session Report
Videos:
8/27/2020 Public Input Session
9/15/2020 Public Input Session
12/8/2020 Growth Management Options BOC Video
Presentations:
7/27/2020 Planning Board Presentation
8/27/2020 Public Input Session Presentation
9/15/2020 Public Input Session Presentation
12/8/2020 Growth Management Options BOC Presentation
Memo: 7/27/2020 Planning Board Memo
Timeline (Tentative)
2020
TBD: BOC action
TBD: Planning Board recommendation
TBD: BOC public hearing
December 8, 2020: Growth Management Options, formulated by the Growth Management Committee, presented to Board of Commissioners.
September 15, 2020: 2nd Public Input Session
September 8, 2020: Staff will provide an update on the Public Input Session comments to the BOC.
August 28, 2020: Staff hosted a virtual Public Input Session and will produce a Public Input Session Report in the coming days. See the Documents section above for a copy of the presentation and accompanying video.
July 2020: Staff provided an update to the Planning Board, who recommended further consideration and public engagement.
July 2020: Staff reengaged the Board of Commissioners on the targeted conditional zoning topic at their work session after a several-month pause due to the pandemic. Staff provided text based upon direction given in November 2019 for Village Infill, Neighborhood Edge, and Rural Planning Areas. Commissioners provided new feedback targeting a more conservative threshold approach and also added Lakeshore Planning Area to the mix.
May 2020: Staff provided an update to the Planning Board.
Spring 2020: Working with the Planning Board Ordinance Committee (PBOC), staff developed draft DPO text language based upon the direction given by the BOC.
March 2020: Draft BOC Strategic Plan includes the action item: “Implement targeted conditional zoning.”
January 2020: Davidson Comprehensive Plan Adopted. Recommended implementation actions include: “Consider thresholds for targeted application of conditional master planning process.” (Policy 2.1.4)
2019
November 2019: Staff analyzed development patterns in the Village Infill, Neighborhood Edge, and Rural Planning Areas over the last 20 years looking at number of dwelling units and acreage of developments. At the work session, staff presented a menu of metrics which looked at unit count and parcel acreages. Staff presented high, medium, and low thresholds for targeted conditional triggers based upon existing development patterns, as well as hybrid options. The BOC provided direction that favored using the lower numbers.
September 2019: At their work session, the BOC provided feedback on a variety of threshold options provided by staff. This included focusing on the Village Infill, Neighborhood Edge, and Rural Planning Areas –those planning areas identified by staff as experiencing the most growth pressure and not including commercial development.
July 2019: At the BOC work session, staff presented targeted conditional as a potential growth management tool. The BOC asked staff to develop further.
Fall 2018/Spring 2019: Staff engaged a consultant to examine growth management tools/implications; conditional thresholds were recommended.
2018
Spring 2018: Board of Commissioners (BOC) adopts Strategic Plan in 2018 directing staff to review areas on the “cusp of development” and examine tools to slow growth/share implications.
Public Notification Opportunities
Public Input Session, September 15, 2020: Town of Davidson planning staff will host another Virtual Public Input Session to solicit feedback on the proposed Davidson Planning Ordinance (DPO) text amendments related to Targeted Conditional Zoning. The Public Input Session will be held Tuesday, September 15, 2020 from 6-7:30 p.m. on Zoom. Staff will give a presentation on the proposed text amendments; a moderated question and answer session will follow via the chat function. To participate in the meeting, please use the link: https://tinyurl.com/DavidsonPublicInput9152020 to register or join by phone at (646) 558-8656 (Webinar ID: 850 2683 1157). If you choose, you may also text questions during the Public Input Session to 704-251-9441. Lastly, you may also submit comments via email to planning@townofdavidson.org (please include “Targeted Conditional” in the subject line). Information gathered at the Public Input Session will be shared with the board of commissioners.
Town of Davidson Newsletter: August 2020
Planning Department Monthly E-Crier: February 2020, July 2020, August 2020
***NOTE: If you are not currently signed up for the Planning Department E-Crier and would like to do so, please click HERE.