Rural Overlay District A Presentation Proposal to Titusville City Council

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Rural Overlay DistrictAPresentation / Proposal
to Titusville City Council

• Submitted by
• Kathleen Burson
• Michael Myjak

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Overview

• The Genesis of This Idea
• Smart, Quality Growth and Responsible Planning
• What Overlay Districts Can Accomplish
• The Rural Overlay District
• Visual Example
• Conventional -vs- Open Space
• Comments And Discussion

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Smart Quality Growth Principles

• Mix Land Uses
• Take Advantage of Compact Building Design
• Create a Range of Housing Opportunities and
  Choices
• Create Walkable Communities
• Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities With a
  Strong Sense of Place
• Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty,
  and Critical Environmental Areas

• Strengthen and Direct Development Toward Existing
  Communities
• Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices
• Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair, and
  Cost-effective
• Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration
  in Development Decisions

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What Are Overlay Districts

• They Describe Special Ordinances Applicable To
  The Unique Character of a Particular Region or
  Area
• A Standard Mechanism Recognized By Cities
• They can
• Protect Existing Home Owners Rights
• Prescribe Future Development Guidelines
• Preserve The Historical, Environmental or
  Rural Integrity of an Area

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Why a Rural Overlay District

• To Preserve the Rural Estate Nature and
  Environmental Integrity Within the Citys
  Proposed Annexation Region
• Specifically
• North To South- Parrish Road to Kings Highway
• East To West - Indian to St. Johns Rivers
• i.e., Annexed Lands outside 2003 Future Land Use
  Map (FLUM)
• To Provide a Compatible Transition between
  Existing and Future Proposed Land Use

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Rural Overlay Highlights

• A Planning-Based Approach
• Low Density Baseline
• Open Space Design
• Conservation Design Options

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Low Density Baseline

• Defined As
• 1 Dwelling Unit Per Buildable Acre
• Excludes from the Equation
• Roads, Storm Water Management, and Primary
  Conservation Areas
• Would Define and Adopt
• Low Density Residential Land Use (1du/acre)
• Rural Estate (RE) Zoning Upon Annexation

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Open Space Design

• RE Zoning With New Qualifications
• Like Existing RE Zoning w/ Cluster Option
• Binding Development Agreements
• Preliminary Site Plans
• Planned Design Common Areas
• 25 Minimum Common Open Space Perimeter Buffers
• Existing Native Vegetation to Remain w/in Open
  Space
• All Lots to Remain Forested Until Permitted
• Further Conservation for Sensitive Lands, as
  identified by the City, USFW, SJRWMD.

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Open Space Design Options

• Allow Developments To Minimize Road Widths And
  Other Impervious Surfaces
• Promote The Development Of
• Single Bike Path Vs- Dual Sidewalks
• Nature Trails And Passive Recreation Uses
• Natural Drainage Systems For Recharge
• Provides for a Variety Of Planning Options
• To Suit A Variety Of Needs

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Why Conservation Planning

• Because Our Natural Resources Are Worthy Of
  Higher Conservation Efforts
• (but 1st We Need A Sector Plan )
• The City Should Own its Identification of
  Sensitive Lands and could Include
• All Ground Water Or Aquifer Recharge Areas
• State Or Federally Endangered Or Threatened
  Specie Habitat.
• Lands Already Acquired by Brevard Countys
  Environmental Endangered Lands Program

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Conventional Calculation for Buildable Area
Total Parcel Size
100.0 Acres
Less Primary Conservation Areas
0.0 Acres
Road Construction
10
Storm Water Management
20
Less Required Infrastructure (average)
30.0 Acres
Total Buildable Lands
70.0 Acres
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Example 1 Conventional Buildable Area
Total Parcel Size
102 Acres
Less Primary Conservation Areas
(0) Acres
0
Road Construction
10
(10.2) Acres
Storm Water Management
20
(20.4) Acres
Less Required Infrastructure (average)
30.6 Acres
72.4 Acres
Remaining Developable Acres
Total Buildable Lands
72 Acres
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Conventional Site Example Dwellings Zoned for 1
Acre Lots
102 Acres
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Conventional Site Yield Plan
72 One (1) Acre Dwellings
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Conventional Methodology

• Maximizes Dwelling Yield Not Necessarily ROI
• For Either Developer or Municipality Concerns
• Higher Infrastructure Costs
• Highest Percentage of Land Clearing
• Results Zoning Trumps Planning
• Yields wall-to-wall lot structure
• Produces wall-to-wall housing developments
• Consumes Developable Uplands
• Leaves Little or No Green Space, Buffers, or
  Wildlife
• High(er) Density Lowers Our Quality of Life
• e.g., Our Per Capita Taxable Revenue Bears This
  Out

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Example 2 Natural Resource Sensitive -
Buildable Area
Total Parcel Size
102 Acres
Less Primary Conservation Areas
21.5
(22) Acres
Remaining Acreage
80 Acres
Less Required Infrastructure
10
(8.0) Acres
Remaining Developable Acres
72 Acres
Total Buildable Lands
72 Acres
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Same Site Planning Focus1st - Primary
Conservation Analysis
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Same Site - Identified Secondary Conservation
Areas
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Potential Development Areas
20
Potential Dwelling Sites
72 Dwellings
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Road and Trail Alignments
72 Dwellings
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Same Site with Lot Lines
72 Dwellings
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Completed Conservation Design
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Conservation Planning Development Returns

• Developers Win on Multiple Fronts
• Yields a Higher ROI (?25 - studies show)
• Reduced Infrastructure Costs
• Fewer Roads, Less Underground Pipes, etc.
• The Local Community Wins, Too
• Our Quality of Life Improves
• Our Most Important Natural Resources will Remain

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Conservation Planning Development Returns

• The Local Taxing Authority Wins Too!
• Increased Tax Revenue is Obtained
• Higher Per Capita Returns are Realized
• Both Specific and on Adjoining (!) Developments
• Lower Cost of Services More from Less
• Fewer Higher Valued Homes Than The Alternative
  Increasing Density, Thus Requiring Fewer Services
• Water Sewer, Police, Fire and Rescue, Roads
  Road Maintenance, Schools, etc.

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Green Spaces Pay Their Way

• Simple Example
• 50 Acres of Property
• Acquired _at_ Tax Assessed Value 1,000 / Acre
• Acquisition Cost _at_ 5 Interest ? 80,500
• 30 Homes Affected by Greenway Addition
• Homes Abut the Green Space on 1 Acre Lots
• Taxed Assessed Value of Each Unit ? 50,000
• Example Property Tax Rate
• 0.03 / 1K of Taxed Assessed Value

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In Increased Property Values

• Tax Revenue
• 30 Homes _at_ 50K x 0.03 ? 45,000
• Estimate Property Value Increase 5
• 45,000 x 5 ? 2,250
• Taxes Lost to Greenway Property
• 50 acres x 1,000 x 0.03 ? 1,500
• Net Property Tax Revenue Increase
• 2,250 - 1,500 ? 750

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Summary

• Smaller Lots allow Excess Land Particles to be
  Massed together
• Creates More Useful Community Recreational Spaces
• Preserves the Natural Character of the Site
• Connecting Community Open Spaces means Fewer
  Interconnecting Streets
• Less Through Vehicular Traffic
• Safer for our Children
• Several Neighboring Cities, Counties and States
  Already Have Similar Ordinances On The Books

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Summary

• Environmentally Sensitive Subdivision Design
• Pre-Planning Increases Conservation
• Developers ROI is Significantly Increased
• Citys Tax Revenue Increases
• Proven Concepts Yield Higher Property Values
• Property Values Increase
• ?25 In Many Cases
• Neighboring Settlement Values are Also Increased
• Did I mention the Citys Tax Revenue Increases ?

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- Our Conclusion -or What Were Asking For

• Adopt a Rural Overlay District
• Develop and Support a Citizen-Initiated,
  Consensus-Based, Comprehensive Land Use Plan
• Then We Need to Start Sector Planning
• We Highly Recommend Establishing
• North Mainland Long-Range Planning Committee
• To Include All Interested Parties -
• Land Owners, Developers, Real Estate and
  Appraisal Professionals, Planners, Engineers,
  Landscape Architects, Environmental Consultants,
  And
• Perhaps Moderated by Marilyn Crotty
• Institute of Government at the University of
  Central Florida

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Comments and Discussion
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The Genesis of Smart Growth and Responsible
Planning

• Open Space Zoning What it is and Why it Works
• By Randall Arendt
• http//www.plannersweb.com/articles/are015.html
• http//www.greenerprospects.com/services.html
• The Value of Nature Economics of Urban Trees,
  Parks and Open Space
• http//faculty.washington.edu/kwolf/Wolf_301/Wolf_
  Econ.pdf
• Rivers Trails Conservation Assistance Program
• Sponsored by the National Park Service
• http//www.nps.gov/pwro/rtca/propval.htm

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Smart Growth On-Line
National Center for Smart Growth Research and
Education http//www.smartgrowth.umd.edu/
Getting to Smart Growth II 100 More Policies for
Implementation http//www.epa.gov/livability/
International City/County Management Association
http//www.icma.org
Joint Center for Sustainable Communities
http//www.usmayors.org/uscm/sustainable/gt
National Association of Realtors
http//www.realtor.org/sg3.nsf
Rails-To-Trails Conservancy http//www.railtrail
s.org
Urban Land Institute http//www.uli.org/DK/index.
cfm
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Some States are Already There

• CALIFORNIA Gov. Schwarzenegger (R) embraces
  smart growth.
• SOUTH CAROLINA Gov. Sanford (R) looking to
  enhance S.C.s quality of life.
• NEW JERSEY Gov. McGreevey's (D) anti-sprawl
  agenda renewed.
• MICHIGAN Gov. Granholm (D) fulfilling pledges on
  smart growth.
• MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Romney (R) administration
  promotes smart growth, "fix it first".
• NEW HAMPSHIRE Gov. Benson (R) launches Smart
  Growth Initiative.
• VERMONT Gov. Douglas (R) says smart growth "is
  not left of center, nor is it right of center
  it is the center."

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Smart, Quality Growth -

• Its Good for Business
• Its Good for People
• Its Good for the Health of the City
• And Its Good for the Environment