richmond 300: a guide for growth advisory council...

Advisory CouncilJuly 2020

Changes from CC#2 to CC#3

Richmond 300: A Guide for GrowthAdvisory Council Meeting July 8, 2020

Advisory CouncilJuly 2020 2

- 1,015 surveys- 71 draft strategy

comments - 44 written

comment cards- 463 map

comments- 22 emails and

letters

CC#2


PDR used the surveys to create the descriptions for the nodes:

- Chapter 1: Priority Growth Node Descriptions

- Appendix C: All other node descriptions (except micro nodes)

Stony Point Fashion Park

Greater Scott’s Addition

Downtown

Rt. 1Bellemeade

BellsSouthside

Plaza

Surveys


PDR received 71 comments from 9 individuals/organizations on the draft strategies- 41 comments were on the housing

section - 10 comments where on the

environment section- 7 comments were

observations/agreements- 8 comments were not incorporated

because:- The suggestions were too detailed

for a land use plan- Staff did not agree with the

comment (see comment at right)- 54 comments were incorporated into

the Draft Plan and/or already addressed in the Plan

Strategy CommentsComment from Richmond Area Realtors: Residential density of 1-3 units per acre is to low, especially when the amount of land in the future land use map dedicated low-density neighborhoods is taken into account….In no way are we suggesting the demolition of existing neighborhoods, but allowing for the creation of new low density single family in these areas, while prohibiting denser development will stymie growth and have the end effect of inflating the costs of housing throughout Richmond.

Response: In order to become more equitable and sustainable over the next 20 years, it's important for homes and jobs to be located near enhanced transit corridors in a gridded network that supports walking and biking. Therefore, R300 is focusing most growth along those areas. Allowing all of Richmond to become more dense everywhere could create situations where there are pockets of housing/jobs in areas that are not very accessible to transit and not connected. Via R300, the City is trying to direct growth, not just allow it to happen everywhere. Many of the current R zoning districts allow landowners to subdivide their large parcels by right; therefore, more infill development could easily happen throughout the city. Additionally, the Residential category allows ADUs a primary use and the secondary uses will allow additional housing units which will determined during rezoning. Finally, there continues to be a strong demand for single-family homes in single-family neighborhoods.

Comments & Responses (link to Excel document)


Written Comment CardsPDR received 44 written comment cards from 30 individuals during the Fora and Sharing Sessions:- 7 comments were

observations/agreements- 8 comments were not incorporated

because:- The suggestions were too detailed

for a land use plan- Staff did not agree with the

comment (see comment at right)- 29 comments were incorporated into

the Draft Plan and/or already addressed in the Plan

Comment from Daniel Klein: Low density residential has the highest carbon footprint, why not increase density there?

Response: In order to become more equitable and sustainable over the next 20 years, it's important for homes and jobs to be located near enhanced transit corridors in a gridded network that supports walking and biking. Therefore, R300 is focusing most growth along those areas. Allowing all of Richmond to become more dense everywhere could create situations where there are pockets of housing/jobs in areas that are not very accessible to transit and not connected. Via R300, the City is trying to direct growth, not just allow it to happen everywhere. Many of the current R zoning districts allow landowners to subdivide their large parcels by right; therefore, more infill development could easily happen throughout the city. Additionally, the Residential category allows ADUs a primary use and the secondary uses will allow additional housing units which will determined during rezoning. Finally, there continues to be a strong demand for single-family homes in single-family neighborhoods.

Comments & Responses (link to Excel document)


Map CommentsPDR received a total of 463 comments on the draft Future Land Use and Future Connections maps. Some were received during in-person meetings, while the vast majority were received online through the interactive mapping applications.- 11 comments were

observations/agreements- 96 comments were too detailed for a

land use plan- 63 comments were not incorporated

into the draft plan- 293 comments were incorporated

into the Draft Plan and/or already addressed in the Plan

Map Comments & Responses (link to online map)


Land Use vs. ZoningExisting Land UseThe current use of the parcel, as determined by the City Assessor’s Office

Future Land Use How an area should look and feel in the future; not necessarily what the area is like today – Future land use is the focus of the Master Plan

ZoningLaws that govern what owners can and cannot do with their property –any changes to the Zoning Ordinance include a series of community meetings and formal hearings – Rewriting the Zoning Ordinance is “Big Move” to implement after the Master Plan is adopted and will be a 3-5 year long process with community engagement


Letters and EmailsPDR received 22 letters and emails, from the following groups:- Randolph Neighborhood Association- The Fan District Association- Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association and Oregon Hill residents- Hermitage Road Historic District Association- Westhampton Citizens Association- Ginter Park and Sherwood Park Neighborhood Associations- Shockoe Partnership- Venture Richmond- 6 individuals on various items:

- Hotels not mentioned in future land use categories- Do not allow ADUs in the Fan and add Team members to the Richmond 300 website- Rezoning in exchange for community benefits- Eliminating taxes, regulations, licenses, and subsidies - Limit height to 6 stories on N. 25th and 7 stories on E. Main in Church Hill area

Letters & Emails (link to PDF)


Letters and Emails: RandolphSummary of Concern: Randolph is a single-family residential neighborhood – not mixed-use

Response: The Neighborhood M-U category is intended to preserve the character of urban neighborhoods and encourage the development of similar urban form in areas of the city that currently are single-use, like apartment courts in South RichmondNeighborhood M-U areas are predominantly residential and generally have small parcel sizes (less than 5,000-sf). The proposed Neighborhood M-U category has been amended to say that non-residential uses are limited and to reduce the height to say buildings are generally 2-4 stories and buildings taller than 4 stories are at corner sites and along prominent streets.

Neighborhood Mixed-Use

Residential

Residential Lot Size Map: https://arcg.is/8Kbuf0


Randolph – Land UseExisting Land Use Map http://www.richmond300.com/maps

Future Land Use Map https://wikimapping.com/richmondfuturelanduse.html


Letters and Emails: Fan District AssociationSummary of Concern: 1. Neighborhood Mixed-Use is the wrong

designation (or needs changes) 2. Robinson should be the same future land

use as the rest of the Fan3. Any changes to land use or zoning should

be in tandem with an overlay district

Response:1. See response to Randolph regarding

Neighborhood M-U2. Noted, Robinson Street area changed to

Neighborhood M-U3. Yes, PDR envisions the zoning ordinance

rewrite to incorporate form elements within the categories so the City doesn’t have to have underlying districts AND overlays – but rather, just one set of zoning laws to follow



Fan – Land Use

Existing Land Use Map http://www.richmond300.com/maps

Future Land Use Maphttps://wikimapping.com/richmondfuturelanduse.html


Letters and Emails: Oregon Hill Neighborhood AssociationSummary of Concerns (CC#2 emails): 1. Building height is too tall;

Predominantly single-family (not mixed-used) –should be medium-density residential with 35’ height limit

2. Oregon Hill not named on a map

Summary of Concerns (CC#3 emails):A. Medium-density

residential, not neighborhood M-U

B. VCU Node overlaps with Oregon Hill

C. ID Monroe Park as oldest municipal city-owned park

Response:1. See response to Randolph regarding

neighborhood mixed-use. PDR combined “low-density” and “medium-density residential” into one “residential” category because the previous “medium density” category was misleading and not actually medium-density at only 4-8 dwelling units per acre. The new “residential” category is not a good fit for Oregon Hill.

2. The R300 plan doesn’t have a section that shows all the names of the neighborhoods of the city. That said, Oregon Hill is labeled in the Manchester aerial illustration

A. See response #1 aboveB. The Nodes circles were not intended to denote

absolute boundaries but rather general locationsC. Noted, the next version of R300 will include a

new section to the plan, likely under Goal 17 Existing Context, labeling all parks in the city including Monroe Park



Oregon Hill – Land UseExisting Land Use Map: https://www.richmond300.com/maps



Letters and Emails: Hermitage Road Historic District AssociationSummary of Concern: 1. E. side of the 3800, 3900 and

4000 blocks should be Low Density category

2. 4211, 4213, 4215, 4217 and 4219 should be Low Density Residential not Institutional (New Community School-owned single-family dwellings)

Response:1. See response to Oregon Hill

on change to Residential category

2. This area is currently an institutional use and seems like a good place for continued institutional uses in the future




Letters and Emails: Westhampton Citizens Association

Summary of Concern: 1. Medium-density is not appropriate

– should all be single-family2. No small apartments and duplexes3. No ADUs

Response:1. See response to Oregon Hill on

change to Residential category2. Small apartment buildings are

currently found along major corridors in the West End and these should continue to exist –more should be added to expand the geography of housing opportunities in the city and help reach the Inclusive Housing Goal

3. PDR is currently evaluating ADUs



West End – Land Use

Existing Land Use Map: https://www.richmond300.com/maps



Letters and Emails: Sherwood Park and Ginter ParkSummary of Concern: Balance of Westwood Tract should be institutional

Response:Noted. Future Land Use Map has been changed.




Letters and Emails: Shockoe PartnershipSummary of Concern (CC#2 Letter): 1. Shape of the Shockoe node is incorrect –

need to extend into Downtown, up to Oliver Hill Way and down to 25th St

2. Shockoe Bottom should be part of Downtown

Summary of Concern (CC#3 Email):A. Height reductions from CC#2 to CC#3 in

Neighborhood M-U and Corridor M-U are not in keeping with the Pulse Corridor Plan

Response:1. Noted. Node outline has been changed2. Parts of Shockoe are Downtown, but it is a

distinct place with its own character, apart from Downtown – see new shapes of the nodes for Downtown

A. Considering a different land use designation for these areas


Letters and Emails: Venture RichmondSummary of Concern (CC#2 Email): 1. The Downtown Node should include Oregon

Hill, Shockoe Bottom, Manchester, and Rockett’s Landing

Summary of Concern (CC#3 Meeting):A. Downtown should have an intro section in the

plan before the descriptions of the Downtown Nodes

Response:1. Changed the Nodes for Downtown, but didn’t

include Rockett’s Landing or Oregon Hill as part of Downtown

A. Noted. An intro. section to be added to the plan


Letters and Emails: Rocketts LandingSummary of Concern (CC#3 Email):Currently shown as Neighborhood M-U, but should be Destination M-U

Response:Pulse Corridor Plan shows it as Neighborhood M-U.


Future Land Use Category Changes


CC#2 – Draft Strategies

Residential ChangesCC#3 – Draft Plan

2 Residential Categories- Low-density residential:

Lot sizes generally ranging from 10,000 to 20,000+ sq. ft. Residential density of 1 to 3 housing units per acre.

- Medium-density residential: Lot sizes generally less than 10,000 sq. ft. Residential density of 4 to 8 housing units per acre

1 Residential Category:Neighborhood consisting primarily of single family homes on large or medium-sized lots more homogeneous in nature.Development Style: Houses on medium-sized and large-sized lots in a largely auto-dependent environment. Homes are setback from the street. New developments continue and/or introduce a gridded street pattern to increase connectivity.Mobility: Bicycle and pedestrian access are prioritized and accommodated. Low residential density means that it is not possible to provide frequent transit within these areas; however frequent transit may be found at the edges of these areas within more intense future land use designations. Many homes have driveways and/or garages, which are located off an alley behind the home if an alley is present.Intensity: Lot sizes generally ranging from 5,000 to 20,000+ sq. ft. Residential density of 2 to 10 housing units per acre Primary Uses: Single-family houses and accessory dwelling unitsSecondary Uses: Duplexes and small multi-family residential (typically 3 to 10 units), live/work uses, open space, churches, and other civic uses


Residential

Neighborhood consisting primarily of single family homes on large or medium-sized lots more homogeneous in nature.



Neighborhood Mixed-Use Changes

CC#3 – Draft Plan

Cohesive highly-walkable urban neighborhoods that are predominantly residential but have a mix of retail, office, personal service, and institutional uses, which are usually found on major roads and at corner sites.Development Style: The building size, density, and zoning districts for these areas will vary depending on historic densities and neighborhood characteristics. New development should be in scale with existing context. These areas feature a variety of building types. Setbacks, plazas and parks create a sense of place and community gathering areas.

Cohesive highly walkable urban neighborhoods that are predominantly residential with a small, but critical, percentage (around 10%) of parcels providing retail, office, personal service, and institutional uses. Development Style: These areas feature a variety of building types that are very close to one another and create the perception of a unified street wall. The building size, density, and zoning districts for these areas vary depending on historical densities and neighborhood characteristics. New development should be in scale with existing context. Setbacks, plazas and parks create a sense of place and community gathering areas. New developments continue and/or introduce a gridded street pattern to increase connectivity.



Neighborhood Mixed-Use Changes (continued)

CC#3 – Draft Plan

Ground Floor: Regardless of use, buildings should have street-oriented facades with windows and door openings along street frontages. Appropriate setbacks and open space should be provided for residential uses. Access: New driveways prohibited on Priority Street and Principal Street frontages. Vehicular access to parcels should use alleys wherever possible. Parking lots and parking areas should be located to the rear of street-facing buildings. Bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access are prioritized and accommodated.

Ground Floor: Regardless of use, buildings should engage the street with features such as street-oriented facades with windows and door openings along street frontages. Appropriate setbacks, open space, front porches, and other features that provide a sense of privacy should be provided for residential uses.Mobility: Bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access are prioritized and accommodated. Bike parking is provided. New driveways are prohibited on priority and principal street frontages. Vehicular access to parcels should use alleys wherever possible. Parking lots and parking areas should be located to the rear of street-facing buildings.



Neighborhood Mixed-Use Changes (continued)

CC#3 – Draft Plan

Density/Height: Medium density, 2 to 8 stories. Lots generally less than 5,000 sq. ft. Residential density of 10 to 20 housing units per acre. Primary Uses: Single-family attached and detached homes, and multi-family residential. Secondary Uses: Retail, office, personal service, cultural, institutional and governmental uses, and open space.

Intensity: Building heights are generally two to four stories. Buildings taller than four stories are found at corner sites and along prominent roads. Parcels are generally between 1,500 and 5,000 sq. ft. Residential density of 10 to 30 housing units per acre.Primary Uses: Single-family houses, duplexes, small multi-family residential (typically 3 to 10 units)Secondary Uses: Large multi-family residential (10+ units) are found at corner sites and along major roads, retail, office, personal service, cultural, institutional and governmental uses, and open space


Cohesive highly walkable urban neighborhoods that are predominantly residential with a small, but critical, percentage (around 10%) of parcels providing retail, office, personal service, and institutional uses.

Neighborhood Mixed-Use



Corridor Mixed-Use Changes

CC#3 – Draft PlanFound along major commercial corridors and envisioned to provide for medium-density pedestrian-and transit-oriented development.Development Style: The building size, density, and zoning districts for these areas may vary significantly depending on historical densities and neighborhood characteristics. New development should be in scale with existing context. Uses are mixed horizontally in several buildings on a block or vertically within the same building. Developments continue and/or introduce a gridded street pattern to increase connectivity.Ground Floor: Ground floor uses engage with and enliven the street. Monolithic walls are discouraged, while windows, doors, storefronts, and other features that allow transparency and interaction between building and street are encouraged. Active commercial ground floor uses are required on street-oriented commercial frontages.

Found along major commercial corridors and envisioned to provide for medium-density pedestrian-and transit-oriented development.Development Style: The building size, density, and zoning districts for these areas will vary depending on historic densities and neighborhood characteristics; new development should be in scale with existing context or respond to unique site characteristics and opportunities for redevelopment. Uses are mixed horizontally in several buildings on a block or vertically-mixed within the same building.Ground Floor: Ground floor uses that engage with and enliven the street. Monolithic walls are discouraged, while windows, doors, storefronts and other features that allow transparency and interaction between building and street are encouraged. Active commercial ground floor uses required on Street-Oriented Commercial Frontages.



Corridor Mixed-Use Changes

CC#3 – Draft Plan

Mobility: Bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access are prioritized and accommodated. Bike parking is provided. Driveway entrances are required to be off alleys whenever possible; new driveways are prohibited on priority and principal streets. Parking lots are located to the rear of buildings and require screening; shared parking requirements are encouraged. Intensity: Buildings generally ranging from two to eight stories depending on the historic context and stepping down in height adjacent to residential areas. New buildings that are taller than historical buildings should step back from the build-to line after matching the height of the predominant cornice line of the block. Primary Uses: Office, retail, personal service, multi-family residential, and cultural usesSecondary Uses: Single-family attached, institutional and governmental uses, and open space

Access: Driveway entrances required to be off alleys whenever possible; new driveways prohibited on Priority Street and Principal Street frontages. Parking lots and areas are located to the rear of buildings and require screening; shared parking requirements are encouraged to allow for commercial development while ensuring adequate residential parking. Bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access are prioritized and accommodated.Density/Height: Medium density, buildings generally ranging from 2 to 10 stories, stepping down near residential areas.Primary Uses: Office, retail, personal service, multi-family residential, and cultural uses.Secondary Uses: Single-family attached, institutional and governmental uses, and open space.


Corridor Mixed-Use

Found along major commercial corridors and envisioned to provide for medium-density pedestrian- and transit-oriented development.


Next StepsContact Information

646-6348 [email protected]

richmond300.com

facebook.com/richmond300

instagram.com/richmond300

- July 13: All comments due (including from Advisory Council members)

- July 14-July 26: PDR refines the Plan based on feedback and review

- July 27: Revised Plan sent to Advisory Council

- July 31: Advisory Council comments due

- August 5: Advisory Council meeting to approve the Plan

- August 17: City Planning Commission meeting to adopt the Plan

- September 14: City Council meeting to introduce the ordinance to adopt the Plan


Thank you!

Q&A

richmond 300: a guide for growth advisory council...

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