1. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT • CITY OF NORTHAMPTON
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Wayne Feid"n, rAI P, Directoro( I'I.lnnmgand Development · W(eiden'~ orthalllpton:"IA.gov · 413-587-1265
TO: Zoning Revisions Committee (ZRC) and Planning Board
FROM: Wayne Feiden, FAlCP, Director of Planning and Development
Carolyn Misch, AlCP, Senior Land Use Planner/Permits Manager
DATE: October 1, 2010
RE: Sustainable Northampton Zoning Implementation
The ZRC, Planning Board and the community has been discussing the next steps towards significant
zoning changes. We wanted to offer our recommendations on how to move forward.
"The perfect is the enemy of the good"
Northampton has much to be proud of in our zoning, sustainable elements of which have long
earned widespread accolades. These sustainable elements have played a major part in why
Northampton consistently earns the highest Commonwealth Capital score in the state, why the
American Planning Association gave Northampton its coveted Great Places in America: Streets
award, why we won a Mass. Chapter APA Outstanding Planning Award for Social Advocacy, why
we became one of the National Historic Trust's Dozen Distinctive Places. City Solicitors and Town
Counsels, American Planning Association, the former Office of Commonwealth Capital, and
Department of Housing and Community Development have all asked us to speak at conferences to
highlight some of these zoning successes.
We know, however, that there are substantial opportunities to improve our zoning and there are
sections that we should all be embarrassed about.
Sustainable Northampton includes objectives of a major rewrite of our zoning, including a possible
move towards form-based code. The plan is clear, however, that we first need to address "low-
hanging fruit" zoning changes. A massive revision is a very long term project. If we focus on this
before we work on the low-hanging fruit that is easy to address, we breed discontent with
regulations that we know how to fix and do a disservice to our population.
For example, during the time which we have virtually stopped making zoning changes so the ZRC
can move forward, ignoring low-hanging fruit has led to:
• An indefensible requirement for a permit for a tiny expansion of a medical office building.
• A fast food restaurant needing permission to be more environmentally sound by not having
unneeded parking spaces.
• A bank requiring a more difficult permit than a fast food restaurant needs.
• Rules that create cluster residential developments that do not serve community interests.
• Tables that are unnecessarily complex, confusing residents and wasting public resources.
City Hall· 210 Main Street, Room 11 • Northampton, MA 01060 • www. orthamptonMa.gov· Fax 413-587-1264
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2. • Reliance on outdated dimensional standards that eliminate or severely restrict ability to
upgrade/preserve existing housing stock. (costs are so high they can't be recouped without
adding units).
• Missed opportunities to allow live-work or home occupations within walking distance of
downtown.
• Missed opportunities to allow new single family homes on in fill lots.
• Requiring home owners to traverse the special permit process to create modest additions or new
single family homes.
King Street Rezoning Proposed Next Steps
After four months of review of the Chamber's proposal, OPD and ZRC analysis, and two
community meetings, it is time to all sit down together and move forward .
We recommend holding a joint Planning Board/ZRC/Chamber Economic Development
Committee design and policy workshop/ charrette in late October or early November. A charrette is
the most creative way to work together and not create cross purposes.
The public would be welcome to attend and contribute at a defined public comment session,
perhaps held in the middle of the charrette, but this session would primarily be a work session to
find common ground and creative solutions for those who have worked so hard on this issues. Any
finding, would then be open for public vetting and interactive participation.
Sustainable Northampton Rezoning Proposed Next Steps
We recommend recommitting to:
• Addressing the low-hanging fruit identified in the plan.
• Fixing the basic tables in zoning that make up the huge percentage of the public's use of zoning.
• Replacing text with graphics.
• Expanding the GB and CB business districts in areas recommended by the plan when there is
consensus.
• Expanding range of uses allowed as home office/occupation
• Expanding areas where mixed use is allowed.
• Altering dimensional tables in residential districts where there is consensus
In order to complete these items by the end of the ZRCs two year term, we recommend that OPD
planning staff and Planning Board submit a series of proposals to the ZRC for them to conduct
community outreach and provide review comments. Some of these would be based on the
foundation for proposed changes the ZRC has already created. This would save the ZRC the time
writing, researching and prioritizing proposals and would allow the ZRC to best serve the role it was
created for-involve and represent diverse stakeholders.
The Planning Board could then re-evaluate how effective this somewhat redefined role is in March
or April and renew or reconstitute the ZRC at that time based on what this evaluation.
City Hall · 210 Main treet, Room 11 · orthampton, MA 01060 • www.NorthamptonMa.gov • FaJl. 41 3-587-1264
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3. ZRC Proposed Work Plan, Year 2
This work plan proposes to continue the previous division of committee labor, using two flexible working
groups on each task, an Outreach Working Group and a Technical Working Group. The overarching
purpose of the Outreach group is to develop successful methods for reaching and collecting input from a
wide cross-section of Northampton residents; to gather targeted input to guide zoning changes; and to build
a grassroots network that can be mobilized in support of changes when they go to City Council. The
Outreach group would also be responsible for developing and disseminating educational materials, writing
newspaper and newsletter articles, and developing and maintaining an active email newsletter. Meanwhile,
the Technical group would conduct research and work with City Planning Staff and other appropriate
constituents to develop zoning proposals. The Technical group would also be responsible to incorporating
public input as zoning proposals are developed, for sending additional public input tasks to the Outreach
group as they come up, and for providing technical information to the Outreach group as needed. Finally,
this work plan proposes that certain individuals occasionally take on "special projects" that ties into work
completed by the Outreach and Technical groups.
Phase I: May - September
D Task 1 - Develop "Urban Infill Special Permit" Provisions and Design Guidelines
D Task 2 - Revise the Dimensional Tables to Promote Infill
D Task 3 - Special Projects: Analyze the city's current economic development strategy
D Task 4 - Extend Central Business District along King Street
Task 1 - Develop "Urban Inml Special Permit" Provisions and Design Guidelines
• Technical work group (Joel, Dillon, Steven):
o Draft the urban infill special permit provision to add to the zoning ordinance (Joel).
o Develop design guidelines to be adopted by the Planning Board in interpreting the special
permit provision (Dillon, Steven, Joel).
• Outreach work group (Jim, Peter, Tom, Adin):
o Hold meetings with neighborhood associations and stakeholders to float the general idea
and get specific input on the kinds of design guidelines they would like to see. Report
feedback to ZRC to help develop design guidelines.
o Create and disseminate a pamphlet to explain the proposal to the public.
o Bring draft design guidelines and urban infill special permit provisions to neighborhood
meetings in the affected zoning districts; gather feedback and report back to the ZRC.
o Develop a presentation to explain the proposal to the public. Give presentation and post
presentation to website.
• ZRC as a whole: Take the input and modify the proposal for submission to the Planning Board and
City Council.
Task 2 - Revise the Dimensional Tables to Promote Inrill
• Technical work group (Dani, Dillon, Carolyn, GIS staff):
o Research what other municipalities have done and compare to ours
o Analyze current dimensions of properties in existing neighborhoods to determine
dimensional requirements that would bring 50%, 60% 70% 80% and 90% of properties
into conformance.
o Work with GIS staff to analyze impacts of different scenarios on: 1) Total number of new
residential units that would be created in each scenario and 2) Impacts on open space and
density.
• Outreach work group (Jim, Peter, Tom, Adin):
o Optional : Hold meetings with neighborhood associations to discuss appropriate
dimensional requirements in neighborhoods (lot size, frontage, setbacks, etc)? Administer
visual preference survey (rating photos) developed by OPD to learn what design elements
people like and to determine acceptable densities.
o Optional: Coordinate neighborhood work parties where residents gather info about
existing conditions by measuring lots in their neighborhood, and then discuss appropriate
requirements.
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4. o Create and disseminate a pamphlet to explain the proposal to the public.
o Bring draft changes to neighborhood meetings in the affected zoning districts; gather
feedback and report back to the ZRC.
o Develop a presentation to explain the proposal to the public. Give presentation and post
presentation to website.
• ZRC as a whole: Make final amendments to proposal. Hold off on submission to the Planning
Board and City Council until Design Guidelines are completed in next phase of work.
Task 3 - Special Projects: Analyze the City's Economic Development Strategy
• Conduct an analysis of zoning and the city's current economic development strategy
o How can zoning facilitate economic development?
o How have other cities used zoning changes to stimulate economic development? Are
there techniques we can use?
o How can we encourage job growth in and near downtown and the village centers,
rather than outlying, car-dependent areas?
• Report findings and make recommendations to ZRC
Task 4 - Extend Central Business District along King Street
• ZRC as a whole:
o Receive and discuss King Street recommendations from Chamber of Commerce
o ZRC as a whole: Discuss extension of Central Business along King Street
• Technical Committee (TBD): As necessary, research or analyze outcomes of proposed rezoning
• Outreach Committee:
o Discuss proposal with neighborhood groups and stakeholders, bring feedback to ZRC
o Hold public forum in September on extending Central Business along King Street
• ZRC as a whole: Make final recommendation and send to Planning Board and City Council
Phase II Work Plan: October through January (to be detailed later)
1. Revise residential districts and home based business provisions to allow greater mixed-use.
2. Revise parking and landscaping regulations.
3. Develop design standards and environmental performance standards that will be coupled with
proposed dimensional changes.
4. Special projects, economic development: Analysis of economic feasibility of neighborhood
business centers.
Phase III Work Plan: January through April (to be detailed later)
1. Develop zoning map changes by comparing Zoning Map to Future Land Use Map
2. Determine areas within walking distance to commercial centers whose zoning designation should
be amended (e.g. properties zoned URB that should be zoned URC)
3. Propose locations for neighborhood commercial districts.
4. Special projects, economic development: Identify good parcels for mixed-use development or
multi-unit residential.
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