Unified Development Ordinance
Morrisville, North Carolina
Assessment Report / Outline
May 2011
CLARION ASSOCIATES
Setting the Stage for a
New Unified Development Ordinance
• Do current regulations
effectively implement the
Land Use Plan and other
adopted plans and policies?
• Zoning districts and land uses
• Development standards
• Procedures for approval
Project Initiation, Research, & Analysis
• Background
document review
• Initial project meeting
• Stakeholder
interviews and survey
Work Plan and Schedule
Feb
Mar
TASK 1: Project Initiation, Research, and Analysis
1. Initial Review of Background Documents
2. Initial Project Meeting
3. Interviews and Survey
TASK 2: Assessment Report & Annotated Outline of New UDO
1. Staff Review Draft
2. Public Review Draft
Apr
May
Contents of Assessment Report
• Introduction
• Assessment of Current
Regulations
• Annotated Outline of the New
Unified Development
Ordinance
• Analysis of Current
Development Regulations
Assessment Report:
Major Themes
1. Streamline the Development Review Process
2. Strike a Better Balance Between Flexibility and
Creativity
3. Modify Zoning Districts to Implement the New
Land Use Plan
4. Improve Development Quality
5. Increase User-Friendliness
Theme 1: Streamline the
Development Review Process
• Differentiate between different types of
development review
• Issues:
• Confusion between site plan approval and construction drawings
• Uncertainty and delays in bringing small and straightforward
projects without delay
• Proposal: Offer two separate tracks
• One-step: combined site plan and construction drawings (less
cost for all parties)
• Two-step: general sketch plan followed by detailed construction
drawings (less up-front cost for developer)
Two-Step Review
of Sketch Plan &
Construction
Drawings
Submittal of Sketch Plan
One-Step Review
of Development
Plan
Submittal of
Development Plan
Staff Review and
Recommendation/Action
Staff Review and
Recommendation/Action
Planning & Zoning Board
Review and
Recommendation
Town Council Review and
Decision
Planning & Zoning Board
Review and
Recommendation
Town Council Review and
Decision
Submittal of Construction
Drawings
Staff Review and Decision
Theme 1: Streamline the
Development Review Process
• Delegate some review authority to staff or
Planning and Zoning Board
• Reduce reliance on special use permits and
conditional rezonings
• Formalize a staff development review
committee
• Provide a master plan option
Theme 1: Streamline the
Development Review Process
Standard Review
Procedures
Pre-Application
Conference
• Establish standard review
procedures
Application Submittal
and Acceptance
On-Site Posting of
Application Notice
Staff Review and Action
(Decision or
Recommendation)
Public Hearing
Scheduling and Notice
(only for some uses)
Advisory Body Review
and Recommendation
Decision-Making Body
Review and
Decision
Theme 2: Strike a Better Balance
Between Flexibility and Creativity
• Add an Administrative Adjustment Procedure
STANDARD
Minimum lot width, minimum lot coverage, and minimum setbacks
Maximum height
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE EXTENT
OF ADJUSTMENT
20%
Maximum setback encroachment
20%
Minimum required number of off-street parking spaces, loading,
or stacking spaces
20%
Maximum number of off-street parking spaces
20%
Minimum planting rate
20%
Minimum perimeter landscaping strip width
20%
Minimum perimeter buffer width
20%
Minimum streetscape planting rate
20%
Minimum screening height
1 ft
Maximum fence height
1 ft
Maximum lighting height
10%
Maximum light levels
10%
• Add an Alternative Equivalent Compliance
Procedure
Theme 3: Modify Zoning Districts to
Implement the Land Use Plan
• Establish new activity center districts
•
•
•
•
Neighborhood Activity Center
Business Activity Center
Regional Activity Center
Community Activity Center
Theme 3: Modify Zoning Districts to
Implement the Land Use Plan
Example Image Only – Not Morrisville Specific
Theme 3: Modify Zoning Districts to
Implement the Land Use Plan
• New transit-oriented development planned
development district
• Convert current Agricultural district into verylow residential district
• Add new multi-family residential district and
consolidate single-family residential districts
• Modify the corridor commercial district
• Eliminate the neighborhood and general
business districts
Theme 4:
Improve Development Quality
• Add tree protection and
canopy preservation
standards
Theme 4:
Improve Development Quality
• Broaden open space
protections
Theme 4:
Improve Development Quality
TABLE 19.7.12-1: MENU OF SITE AND BUILDING DESIGN OPTIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY
• Encourage sustainable
development practices
• Mandatory code
requirements
• Menu of optional
sustainability features
SITE OR BUILDING DESIGN FEATURE
POINT
S
DISTRICTS IN WHICH
OPTION IS AVAILABLE
NONRES
/
MIXED
USE
MULTIFAMILY
RESIDTL
OTHER
RESIDTL
1. ENERGY
Intent: Encourage on-site renewable energy production; promote the design and construction of energy
efficient buildings; reduce air, water, and land pollution from energy consumption; and, reduce the heat
island effect
1.1 Renewable Energy Sources
Design and incorporate on-site renewable energy generation technologies such
as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass with production capacity of at least
5% of the project’s annual electrical energy demand, with an additional point
granted for every additional 5% of renewable energy generated. 10 points
maximum
1.2 District Heating and Cooling
Design and incorporate into the project a district heating and/or cooling system
for space conditioning and/or water heating of new buildings in the project (at
least two buildings total must be connected).
1.3 Solar Orientation
Design and orient the project such that 50% or more of the blocks have one
axis within plus or minus 15 degrees of geographical east/west, and the
east/west length of those blocks are at least as long, or longer, as the
north/south length of the block.
OR
Design and orient the project such that 50% or more of the project total
building square footage (excluding existing buildings) such that the longer axis
is within 15 degrees of geographical east/west axis.
1.4 Shade Structures
Where appropriate, provide shade structures over windows/doors to minimize
glare and unwanted solar heat gain. Such structures shall provide shading to at
least 50% of the glazing facing the sun on June 21. Structures may include
awnings, screens, louvers, architectural features, or similar devices.
1.5 Heat Island Reduction
Use any combination of the following strategies for 50% of the non-roof
impervious site landscape (including roads, sidewalks, courtyards, parking lots,
and driveways).

Provide shade from open structures such as those supporting solar
panels, canopied walkways, pergolas, all with a Solar Reflectance
Index (SRI) of at least 29 (SRI is a measure of the roof’s ability to
reject solar heat; a higher SRI yields a cooler roofing choice.). (1
point)

Use paving materials with a Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of at least
29. (1 point)

Use an open grid pavement system (at least 50% pervious). (1 point)
1-10
*
*
*
4
*
*
3
*
*
*
2
*
*
*
3
*
*
*
Theme 4:
Improve Development Quality
• Other issues addressed:
• Increase parking flexibility
• Expand building standards to cover multi-family
and mixed-use
Theme 5:
Increase User-Friendliness
• Consolidate multiple
ordinances into a new UDO
• Reorganize development
regulations more logically
• Add and enhance graphics
• Use supplemental
administrative manuals
Annotated Outline of New UDO
1. General Provisions
2. Administration
3. Zoning Districts
4. Use Standards
5. Intensity and Dimensional Standards
6. Development Standards
7. Performance and Maintenance
8. Nonconformities
9. Enforcement
10.Interpretation and Definitions
Next Steps in Preparing UDO
1. Develop UDO Drafting Options
•
Time
• 1 year - consultant
•
•
•
3 to 5 years - staff
Cost
• 170k to have consultant draft (estimated)
• 20k allocated in current fiscal year budget
Staff capacity
• 20 to 40 hours a month
Next Steps in Preparing UDO
2. Town Council Workshop
•
•
Present Options
Set Priorities
•
•
•
•
•
Streamline development review process
Strike balance between flexibility and certainty
Modify zoning districts to implement Land Use Plan
Improve development quality
Increase user-friendliness
Next Steps in Preparing UDO
2. Town Council Workshop
•
•
Present Options
Set Priorities
•
•
•
•
•
Streamline development review process
Strike balance between flexibility and certainty
Modify zoning districts to implement Land Use Plan
Improve development quality
Increase user-friendliness
green = draft from start to finish
yellow = draft in small sections
Drafting from Start to Finish
(bullets in green on the previous slide)
Benefits
•
•
•
•
•
Addresses all themes in the
same timeframe
Most timely and efficient
option (if consultant is hired)
Decreases likelihood of
conflicting regulations
Allows staff to focus on core
services (if consultant hired)
Reduces inconsistencies
between land use plan and
current development
entitlements
Constraints
• No funding to hire a
consultant to write the UDO
• Current staff capacity (if
consultant is not hired)
Preparing in Small Sections
(bullets in yellow on the previous slide)
Benefits
•
•
Uses existing resources
(budget and staff)
Addresses specific issues:
•
Sign ordinance
•
Tree preservation (Theme 4)
•
Administrative Adjustment
(Theme 2)
•
Alternative Equivalent of
Compliance (Theme 2)
Cons/Constraints
• Does not adequately address
Streamlining the development
review process (Theme 1)
• Adds another regulatory
document which decreases
user-friendliness (Theme 5)
• Costs more money and staff
time
• Loss of revenue by delaying
development, which increases
the tax base
• Increases the likelihood of
conflicting requirements
Unified Development Ordinance
Morrisville, North Carolina
Assessment Report / Outline
May 2011
CLARION ASSOCIATES