Downtown Owensboro Proposed Zoning Overlay District Standards Owensboro City Commission July 22, 2009

Illustrative Master Plan

Master Plan Adopted in February 2009 Recommended key catalyst projects Identified different “Character Areas” with distinct development potential Recommended regulatory changes to implement the Master Plan – specifically the Character Zones Ensure “adjacency predictability” to attract new and protect existing investment in downtown Make it “easy to do the right thing”

Recommendations for Regulatory Framework Retain existing B-2 Zoning with changes to development standards and limited use restrictions Strengthen historic preservation standards Appropriate design standards to implement the vision for each Character Zone Clear standards for approval and appeals Revise sign standards to complement downtown development

Existing Zoning

Value Capture Why Downtowns are an attractive investment? Sustaining value, not just cash flow, is the new business model

Conventional Development single use pods of development buffers instead of transitions lack of a transportation network not pedestrian-friendly, not transit- friendly narrowly stratified market planned obsolescence, so constructed accordingly scrape, rezone and sometimes re- subdivide to redevelop value drops when the intended use no longer viable

Neighborhood Development Downtown Development mixed use transitions instead of buffers a network of transportation, encouraging choice easy to walk broad market (age, socio-economic, etc.) planned to endure change of use often times instead of redeveloping value holds when the current use is no longer viable

Proposed Downtown Overlay Zones Ordinance Text & Graphics – including Building Form Standards for each character zone Regulating Plan – establishes the overlay district boundaries and other standards Historic Preservation Standards Design Standards Sign Standards Approval Process

Proposed Overlay “Character” Districts Historic Core Downtown Core Riverfront Core Riverfront Edge Downtown Transition Frederica Blvd. Corridor Downtown Campus Neighborhood

Form & Development Standards by Overlay “Character” District – Historic Core

Form & Development Standards by Overlay “Character” District – Downtown Core

Form & Development Standards by Overlay “Character” District – Riverfront Core

Historic Preservation Standards

Design Standards for New Development

Sign Standards

Current Approval Process in Downtown

Proposed Approval Process

Downtown Design Administrator (DDA) – Appointed by the City Manager to administer the Downtown Overlay District standards Creation of a Downtown Development Coordination Committee (DDCC) – a city/OMPC staff committee appointed to facilitate coordinated development review of all downtown projects Development that meets all regulations including Downtown Overlay Standards to be approved administratively by the DDCC Historic Preservation Board (HPB)– Final decision on demolition of historic buildings, appeals, and major civic buildings Zoning Board of Adjustment – Final decision on dimensional variances

Goals of the Regulatory Changes Implement the Downtown Master Plan and achieve the vision Attract high quality, pedestrian- oriented, mixed use development Improve predictability of development outcomes Protect public and private investment in downtown (existing and future) Ensure leveraging of public investment in downtown (Riverfront park, Market Plaza, etc.)