PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

AsapartoftheMontgomeryCounty ZoningRewrite,thePlanning Departmentisbeginningtheprocess ofreviewingthepotentialconversion fromexistingtoproposedzones. MontgomeryCountyhasmorezones thanalmostanyotherjurisdiction with123zones,manyofwhichare similarornolongerused. Theproposedzoneshavebeen developedasapartoftheongoing ZoningRewriteproject,andthis presentationdescribestheprocessof convertingexistingzonesintothe proposednewformat.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Insomecases,similarzonesarebeing combined. Forexample,letslookatthe proposedRMD6(Residential MediumDensity 6)zone.Underthe draftproposal,itisbeingcreated from3existingzones: R60 R40 RMH Asyoullseeinthenextslide,these zoneshaveverysimilardevelopment standardsforadetachedhouse. R60isthemainzoneinthisexample, makingup98%ofthelandarea proposedtobeconvertedtoRMD6. Theotherzones,R40andRMH, eachhavelessthan200acres.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Asyoucansee,thesestandardsare similar. Forsinglefamilydetachedhouses,R 60andR40haveidenticalstandards. Thosestandardsarebeingcarried forwardtotheRMD6zone. Weareproposingtheeliminationof thesumofsidesetbacks requirementandhaveproposed changingthewayheightismeasured. RMHisazonedesignedformobile homes.Webelievethatthenew RMD6zonesstandardswillbeable toaccommodateinclusionoftheR MHzone.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

ForAgriculturalandRuralzones,the conversionisaonetooneprocess. TheRDTzonebecomesthe AgriculturalConservation(AC)zone. TheRuralzonebecomestheRural Residential(RR)zone. RuralCluster(RC)andLowDensity RuralCluster(LDRC)wouldbe combined.Ourcurrentzoningmap indicatesthatthereisnoLDRCzoned landinthecounty. RuralNeighborhoodCluster(RNC) wouldcontinuetobecalledRural NeighborhoodClusterorRNC.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Forthesinglefamilyresidential zones,werecombiningsimilar zonesaswasoutlinedearlierwith regardtotheRMD6zone. ResidentialEstate2and2Carebeing mergedintotheRE2zone. RE1staysRE1. R200,R150,andRMH200are beingmergedintoanewRLD20 zone. R90becomesRMD9. R60,R40,andRMHarebecoming RMD6asoutlinedearlierinthe presentation.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Withthetownhouseandmultiunit zones,thesameschemeisused. RT6andRT8arebeingcombined intoTownhouseLowDensity(TLD). RT10andRT12.5arebeingmerged intoTownhouseMediumDensity (TMD). RT15becomesTownhouseHigh Density(THD) R30isbecomingRHD3.(Currently, thereisnoR4plexzonedinthe county). R20becomesRHD2. R10andRHarebeingmergedinto RHD1.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Thesametypeofconversionisbeing proposedforthecountysindustrial zones. ThelightindustrialzonesRS,I1,and I4arebecomingIndustrial,Light(IL). TheheavyindustrialzoneI2is becomingIndustrial,Heavy(IH). I3hashistoricallydevelopedasan officeparkthereforetheproposed conversionforI3isintoan employmentzoneinsteadofan industrialzone.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Forcommercialandmixedusezones, theprocesswasmoreinvolved. First,considerthe6zonesproposed forcommercialandmixeduseareas. TheCR,CRT,andCRNzonesalready existinthecounty.Theyallowfor mixedusedevelopmentatvarying densitiesandheights.Welldiscuss howthosezonesworkinalittlebit. Theother3zonesarethe employmentzones.Theywere introducedtothePanelatthe November30,2011ZoningAdvisory Panelmeeting.

"ZoningConversionProcess"

PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel
LetsreviewhowtheCRzoneswork. TheCRzoneisreallyafamilyof zones.Eachzoneasappliedona parcelhasaspecificdensityand heightallowancethatcanbeunique. Eachapplicationofthezonehas5 elements: TheZoneGroup definesthesetof usesthatareallowedinthezone.In thisexample,itsCRT(CRTown). TheOverallFAR isthetotalamount ofdensityallowedonthesite. TheCommercialFAR isthetotal amountofcommercial FARallowed onthesite. TheResidentialFAR isthetotal amountofresidential FARallowedon thesite. EventhoughtheCandRcomponents mayaddtomorethantheOverall FAR,thedensitycannotexceedthe OverallFARlimit. TheMaximumHeight limitshowtall (infeet)buildingscanbe.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel
Becauseoftheformula,sitesinthe CR,CRT,andCRNzonescanbefine grainedfortheappropriateuseof mixesanddensitiesforeach particularsetting. ThereisnotoneCRdensity,butmany. ACRzoneinonepartofthecounty mightallow4.0FAR,whileone elsewheremayonlyallow1.0. Therangeofdensitiesandheightsfor the3Commercial/Residentialzonesis showninthechartontheleft.TheCR zone,forexample,canhaveanoverall FARanywherefrom0.5FARupto8.0 FARdependingonlocationand/or MasterPlanrecommendations. Theemploymentzoneshavebeen structuredinasimilarfashion.Each employmentzonehasanoverall densityandamaximumheight,but theemploymentzonesdonothave thespecificCommercialorResidential densitycomponents.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Thisconversionprocessisamaster plandriveneffort. Wehavereviewedall39ofthe activeMasterPlansinthecounty. AllMasterPlanrecommendations regardingcommercialormixeduse propertieshavebeenreviewedand usedtoformulateCR,CRT,CRN,EG, EOF,orELSzonestoexactlyreflect thoserecommendations.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

TheprocessofreviewingeachMaster Planentailedseveraliterativereviews ofeverycommercialand/ormixed useparcel. Werecurrentlyenteringthe proposedrecommendationsintoour GISsystem forcomparisonanalyses. Thenextstepistodistribute/postthe mapsforpublicreviewinaneffortto obtainfeedbackfromresidents, propertyowners,andother stakeholders.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Thisslideshowsthegeneralized decisiontreeweusedforcommercial andmixeduseproperties.Aspecific treeexistsforeachofthecurrent zones. Foreachcommercialandmixeduse parcelinthecounty,thefirstquestion was: IsthereaspecificMasterPlan recommendationforthisparcel? Iftheanswerisyes,athenewzone wasformulatedtofitthose recommendations. If,ontheotherhand,theMasterPlan didnotmakeanyspecific recommendationsaboutaparcel,we usedadecisiontreetodeterminewhat zoneformulashouldbeusedtoreflect existingdensityandheightallowances. Thegoalforthisprocessistoreflect thedensityandheightcurrently permittedineachzoneand compatiblewiththeMasterPlanfor eachparcel.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel
Heresanexampleofhowthe decisiontreeworked. C1isarelativelycommon commercialzoneinthecounty.It currentlyhasnomaximumFAR,but doesallowheightsupto45incertain cases. Ifaparcelisnotinavillageortown centerandisusedforautocentric developmentnoteasilyaccessibleon foot,oritisaregionalmall,itis convertedtoEG1.0H45. Onparcelswithinavillageortown centerthatdonotabutorconfront detachedresidentialhousing,the zoningconversionisCRT1.0C0.75R 0.75H45. Iftheparcelabutsdetached residentialhousing,theC1zoneis convertedtoCRN0.5C0.5R0.25H 35designation;ifitisacrossaroad fromdetachedresidentialhousing,it isconvertedtoCRN0.75C0.5R0.5 H45. Theseconversionsaremodeledon thedensitiesandheightsthatcould beachievedundertodayszoning limitationsandallowances.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

AnotherexampleistheC2zone.It hasarangeofdevelopmentpotential inthecurrentcodewhichmeansthat thedensityallowedtodayvaries dependingonparticularsite conditions,applicationprocesses,and proposeduses. Currently,maximumdensityfora parcelzonedC2iseither1.5FARfor completelycommercialuses,or2.5 FARformixedusedevelopment. Themaximumheightforaparcel zonedC2iseither3storiesor45, unlessthenewdevelopmentisan expansionofexistingdevelopment, thenthemaximumheightis5stories or60andrequiresasiteplan.Last,if acurrentlyzonedC2parcelisnot nearpropertyzoneddetached residentialanditdevelopsasamixed useproject,themaximumheightis 75.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

COisacurrentofficezone. Inmanyinstances,theMasterPlan recommendedlowerdensityand heightwithoutspecifyingwhatthat heightshouldbe. Inthosecases,theproposed recommendationisEOF1.5H45. FARandheightweredeterminedby ananalysisofCOdevelopment approvedunderthisgeneralMaster Planrecommendation. IfthereisnoMasterPlan recommendation(specificor general),thezoneconversion recommendationisEOF3.0H100, thedensityandheightallowed undertheCOzone.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Ifthereisnospecific recommendation,thezone conversionrecommendationisCR 2.5C1.0R2.0H145forTSRzoned parcelsand CR3.0C2.5R2.5H200 forTSMzonedparcels,thedensities andheightsallowedunderthe respectivezones. IftheMasterPlandoesmakea specific recommendation,itis reflectedintheindividualized formula.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

TheCBDzonesareeasiertoconvert becausethezonesthemselvesspell outthelimitsoncommercialdensity withinmixeduseprojectsinaddition tothemaximumallowabledensity andheight. Inmanycases,however,theCBD zoneshavespecificrecommendations intheMasterPlan,whichmeansthey wonthavethedefaultconversion shownonthisslide,theywillreflect thelimitationsrecommendedinthe MasterPlan.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Heresanexample: Tokeepthingssimple,weregoingto focusonthemaximumheightinthis example. Highlightedingreenonthisslideisa blockinDowntownSilverSpring.Its surroundedbyEasternAvenue, NewellStreet,KennettStreet,and 13th Street. Thiswholeblockiscurrentlyzoned CBD1. ThezoningordinanceallowsCBD1 parcelstoachieveaheightof143.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Butinthecaseofthisblock,the MasterPlanhasspecific recommendationsforsomeparcels inthisblock. AnyparcelfrontingonEasternAvenue islimitedto90inheight,and within 60feetofthestreet,buildingsmay notexceed45. Theareashowningreenontheslide ismadeupoftheparcelsthatfront onEasternAvenue.Thoseinlightblue donot(sotheMasterPlanrestriction onheightdoesnotapplytothem).

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Ifyouweretobuildstructuresonthis block,theMasterPlanwouldlimit theirheightsasshowninthegraphic. Thebuildingsonlotsthatdonotfront onEasternAvenuecouldreach143. Buildingsonthelotsfrontingon EasternAvenuecouldachieve90, exceptwithin60feetofEastern Avenue,wheretheywouldbelimited to45inheight.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

SincethisblockhasspecificMaster Planrecommendations,thezone conversionincorporatedthe recommendedlimitations,withone exception. ThegreenparcelsreceivedaCRzone withaHeightcomponentof90.The furtherrestrictionalongEastern Avenuetoaheightof45wasnot incorporatedinthezoneasitwould requiresplitzoningtheproperty. Eventhoughtheentireareashownin greenhasaheightlimitof90, developmentwouldstillbeboundby theMasterPlan anddevelopment couldnotexceed45alongEastern Avenue. Theblueparcelsgotadefault conversionto145inheight.(CR zonesonlyallowheightmaximumsto bemeasuredin5footincrements).

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Wevetalkedabitaboutthenon defaultparcels.Thoseareparcels wheretheMasterPlanmadea specificrecommendation. IntheCBDareas(SilverSpring, Bethesda,FriendshipHeights),those areverycommon,becausethe MasterPlansareveryspecific. InDowntownSilverSpring,38%of theparcelshavesomespecific recommendation(theyreshownin orangeontheslide).

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Butintheresidentialareanorthof SilverSpringsCBD,everysingleparcel receivedadefaultconversion throughthedecisiontree. ThisisbecausetheMasterPlandid notmakespecificrecommendations thatchangedthedefaultdensityor heightconversion.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

InthesefoursampleMasterPlans, youcanseethatthevastmajorityof parcelsconvertedusingthedefault method.

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Wevecategorizedthereasonsa parcelwouldnotreceivedefault conversioninto9categories. ItiscommonfortheMasterPlanto limitheightsordensities.Insome cases,themixofusesisalso specified. Overlayzonesalsoplayarole.They oftenregulatedensityandheight, makingitlowerthanwouldotherwise beallowedinthezone. Otherreasonsaparcelwouldnotbe giventhedefaultconversionare: Restrictionsinthesiteplan Conditionsofrezoning Conditionsonthesitethat precludethedefault

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PresentationtotheZoningAdvisoryPanel

1/11/2012

Wewantyourfeedbackaboutthis processandabouttheproposed zoningordinance. Ifyouhavequestions,concerns,or comments,pleaseletusknow. Youcanfindmoreinformationabout theRewriteat http://ZoningMontgomery.org

Correspondencecanbesentto: PamelaDunn ProjectManger Pamela.Dunn@mncppcmc.org 301.650.5649

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