1. Alderman Tony Thomas, District 6
New Zoning Ordinance
Alderman Tony Thomas, District 6
Town Hall Meeting
November 1, 2018

2. Tonight’s Agenda What is NewZO? Review Map Summarize Articles
Discuss timeline
Questions

3. NewZO: Zoning Map & Zoning Ordinance
General Provisions (1.0)
Review Bodies and Administrators (2.0)
Application and Review Procedures (3.0)
Measurements and Exceptions (4.0)
Base Zoning Districts (5.0)
Special Purpose Districts (6.0)
Historic and Other Overlay Districts (7.0)
Use Standards (8.0)
General Site Standards (9.0)
Natural Resources (10.0)
Nonconformities (11.0)
Violations, Penalties and Enforcement (12.0)
Definitions and Abbreviations (13.0)
Zoning Ordinance Chapters

4. Article 2: Review Bodies and Administrators
Outlines responsibilities for:
Metropolitan Planning Commission
Zoning Board of Appeals
Historic Preservation Commission
Historic District Board of Review
Describes responsibilities for:
Planning Director
City Manager

5. Article 2: Review Bodies and Administrators
Planning Director:
Comprehensive Plan amendments
Zoning Map and Text amendments
Planned Development districts
Planning Commission Development Plans
City Development Plans
Traffic analyses
Special Use permits
Subdivisions
Local historic district designations including amendments to height and contributing resources maps
Local historic property designations
Certificate of Appropriateness for local historic districts and properties
Historic Preservation Commission
Historic Downtown Historic District Board of Review

6. Article 2: Review Bodies and Administrators
City Manager:
City development plans
Temporary uses permits
Home occupation permits
Sign permits
Proactive preservation
Written interpretations
Wetlands assessments [as applicable]
Wetland and marsh buffer modifications
Traffic Impact Analysis

7. Article 3: Application and Review Procedures
Consolidates procedures for review of major development & zoning/approval processes submitted to review bodies/administrators in one Article
Development Plan Review
Traffic Impact Analyses
Special Use Permits
Historic District & Property Designations
Certificates of Appropriateness
Proactive Preservation
Zoning Board of Appeals
Nonconforming Uses & Structures
Written Interpretations
States public notice requirements
Clearly articulates review standards
Outlines who may initiate
Provides application submittal requirements
Cross-references other sections of the Ordinance

8. Article 3: Application and Review Procedures
Clarifies Development Plan Review Process [Sec. 3.8]
City’s process for temporary use permits, accessory structures/uses and other development plans (minor)
Pre-application conference and requirements
Approving authority and criteria
Planning Commission process for rezoning for PD, rezoning or text amendment with a development plan, special use permits, and other items associated with development plans (major)
Neighborhood meetings
Public notice
Development Plan Revisions
Approved Development/Concept Plans

9. Article 4: Measurements & Exceptions
Describes in detail specific forms of measurement used to include:
Area
Density
Setback
Building measurements
Height
Block Measurements
Frontages
Distance Measurements
Visibility triangle
Exceptions & Modifications

10. Article 5: Base Zoning Districts
Outlines base zoning district:
Conservation
Residential
Nonresidential
Mixed-use
Provides Principal Use Table:
Identifies zoning districts where uses permitted
Outlines development standards for each district:
minimum lot area/width
minimum building setbacks
maximum building coverage percentages
maximum building height
Reduces number of base zoning districts from appx 65 to 40
Includes new RSF-5 district to reduce nonconforming residential lots

11. Article 6: Special Purpose Districts
Planned Development Districts
Replaces Planned Unit Developments [PUD]
Provides greater flexibility with site design requirements compared to based zoning districts
Form-Based Planned Development Districts [FBPD]
Allows projects that would not otherwise be permitted under the strict application of zoning district development standards or general site standards
Provides prescriptive form-based regulations that may be used to seek approval of a development master plan
Establishes predictable built-form compatible with adjacent neighborhoods while promoting flexibility in use
Military Installation District
Applies to federal military properties [exempt from Zoning Ordinance]

12. Article 7: Historic & Other Overlay Districts
Supplements existing base zoning district with additional and different sets of standards and conditions
Airport, Airfield
Manufactured Home
Canal District [Reserved]
Short-term Vacation Rentals
Historic Property
Savannah Downtown Historic
Victorian Historic
Cuyler-Brownville Historic
Streetcar Historic
West River Street Area
Hotel Development
Alcohol Density
Conservation [Ardsley Park-Ardmore]

13. Article 8: Use Standards
Provides specific standards for special and limited uses
Residential Use Standards for Limited & Special Uses
Agriculture and Resource Extraction Use Standards for Limited & Special Uses
Civic Use Standards for Limited & Special Uses
Commercial Use Standards for Limited & Special Uses
Industrial Use Standards for Limited & Special Uses
Transportation, Communication and Utilities Use Standards for Limited & Special Uses
Accessory Structures and Uses
Temporary Uses
Wireless Communications Facilities
Cluster Development Standards

14. Article 9: General Site Standards
Provides details of site planning and project design ensuring development has consistent and desirable character
Standards in addition to Base Zoning Standards [Art. 5], Planned Development Standards [Art. 6], Overlays [Art. 7] and other requirements in Ordinance

15. Article 9: General Site Standards
Access Management & Connectivity
Off-Street Parking and Loading
Screening and Buffers
Fences & Walls
Principal Use Outdoor Storage & Display Areas
Lighting
Signs
Removed requirement to close existing driveways
Added pedestrian connection or stub-out for future linkages, must be provided where a new development lies within ½ mile of a school or existing/planned transit route
Changed grandfathering of off-street parking requirement; will not apply if the building space is increased by 40% or more
Added bicycle requirements for day care facilities, pharmacies and hotel/motel/inn
Prohibited light strips around windows, including those inside the structure that are visible from the ROW

16. Article 10: Natural Resource Standards
Protects open spaces, natural resources, community character and the quality of water and land while reducing future vulnerability to natural hazards and cultivating a sense of space
Protected River Corridor Buffer
Groundwater Recharge Area
Wetlands Assessment
Wetland and Marsh Buffers

17. Article 11: Nonconformities
Establishes regulations and limitations on continued existence of uses that came into existence legally but do not conform to one or more of the Ordinance requirements
General Standards
Nonconforming Uses & Structures
Nonconforming Lots of Record
Nonconforming Signs
Nonconforming Parking Areas
Nonconforming Development Features
Outline Continuance of non conforming structures and uses .
Defines when non conforming uses and structures can be expanded.
Establishes conditions for development on non conforming lots.

18. Article 12: Violations, Penalties & Enforcement
Ensures compliance with Ordinance
Outlines conditions of certificates, entitlements, permits, licenses or other approvals granted
Enforcement:
Handled by City’s Code Compliance Department
Violation investigated
May require inspection
Notice of violation issued
If violation not corrected, city may deny or revoke permit, issue stop work order, or prosecute in Recorder’s Court
Authority granted to confiscate illegal signs

19. Revised Timeline Update to Planning Commission Ongoing
Convene Town Hall Meetings November
Present to Planning Commission Early January
Present to City Council January/February

20. QUESTIONS…COMMENTS Marcus Lotson, Director Bridget Lidy, Director
Development Services Planning & Urban Design
MPC City of Savannah