Transcript Utah APA Fall Conference - American Planning Association

Business Friendly Codes
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John Janson – Planning Solutions
Rene Oehlerking – Garbett Homes
Adam Lankford – Wasatch Advantage Group
Bill Peperone – Provo City Planning
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Processes can be an impediment to
development
Codes can be an impediment to development
We should change that!
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Across the Country surveys continue to raise
issues with zoning
◦ Exclusionary
◦ Not pro-development
◦ An impediment to development
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When our economy is rough, why wouldn’t we
look to ourselves for what we can do to
facilitate development
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The Counter
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Least experienced planner gets the job
First contact
Regulator or helper?
Complicated ordinances may result in confusion
 Training, checklists, sketches, diagrams
◦ Is it clear what we want?
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Permitted Uses
◦ These should be the uses you want to see happen
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Conditional Uses
◦ These are the ones that you aren’t sure if they fit
◦ Imposing conditions versus denial
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Is it more predictable for developer to be in a
permitted use process or a conditional use
process?
How can a permitted use process be
upgraded to get what you want?
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We have to work to make them simpler and
more understandable
We need to move away from being known as
regulators, to be the facilitators of a vision
for our communities
Codes need to implement that vision
It needs to be clear what you want
Are there ways to minimize the number of
contentious hearings?
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Adam Lankford
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Who are developers?
What world do developers live in?
Predictability ….. Flexibility
Vision Collaboration
Density
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Rene Oehlerking
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The City’s development review process is being
evaluated with the objective to make it more
efficient
New downtown zones have been adopted that
allow for greater development potential than the
previous CBD zone
Parking standards have been reduced
New multi-family zones have been written
permitting up to 80 u/a without going through
the PRO process or ordinance
The City has discontinued the Land Use
Committee
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Intended to promote a vision
More clarity and a streamlined process
Focus on the public space from building face
to building face
Emphasis is on how a center functions as a
place for people not so much on what the use
is within a building
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Design, Density, and land use issues
addressed upfront
Makes the transit and land use connection
Promotion of Place, connections, walkability
Fewer contentious public hearings after
adoption
A better understanding of what will be built
because it is easier to understand and
interpret
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Model Code – a resource for communities
interested in better ways to approach the
creation of a center in your community
Manual – a guide to help the community
apply and customize the model code
Anticipated completion is December
20122012
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Is there something you do that is business
friendly within your code or process that you
would like to share?
Idea – and innovative zoning techniques
committee