Boundary Street Master Plan presentation

8/11/2019 Boundary Street Master Plan presentation

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City of Beaufort

Boundary Street Master Plan

Proposed Code ChangesCity of Beaufort Planning Department | September 23, 2014



BOUNDARY STREET | CURRENT STATUS

City of Beaufort Planning Department | September 23, 2014

• Interconnect it all

• Create traffic capacity & safety & character

•

Plan for feasible, phase-able pieces• Make Boundary a walkable ‘great street’

• Grow a mix of uses & mix of housing types

• Assemble a green network; link marsh views

• Grow a memorable entrance to town

7 Fundamental Goals





Since 2006, the imagery has not changed much…

…but $23 million is about to be invested in infrastructure





Implementation

The city wants to encourage growth and

development along this corridor – Public

Investment should go hand in hand with PrivateInvestment





Brief Timeline of Project & Code Change Process

• Jun. 2006 – Boundary Street Master Plan completed

• Feb. 2007 – B.S. Redevelopment District Code adopted

• Nov. 2011 – McDonalds – 1st significant project in BSRD

• Dec. 2011 – Tiger Grant funds awarded for B.S. Project

• Nov. 2013 – Starbucks project began approval process• Jul. 2014 – Ashley Pointe 56-unit apartments have current

building permit application

• Jul. 10, 2014 – 303 Associates met with RDC to express concerns

about BSMP as it impacted Starbucks development

• Jul. 22, 2014 – City Council directed staff to proceed with

changes to the B.S. Code as discussed at the work session

• Aug. 22, 2014 – Focus Group with planning staff, 303 Associates,

and local architects to discuss potential code changes



BOUNDARY STREET | DISCUSSION OUTLINE

Focus Group Meeting – Aug. 22, 2014Attended by

City Planning Staff – Libby Anderson & Lauren Kelly

303 Associates & Development Team – Dick Stewart,Courtney Worrell, Marty Miley

Local Architects – Cooter Ramsey, Bill Harris (MPC

Member), Joel Newman (HRB Chair)Redevelopment Commission - Jon Verity (Chair)




BOUNDARY STREET | DISCUSSION OUTLINE

Focus Group Meeting – Aug. 22, 2014Discussion Items:

Concerns from the Development Community

Input from Local ArchitectsWhat others in the Region are Doing

Thoughts Going Forward – potential code

modifications




BOUNDARY STREET | FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION


• 2-story building requirement is not viable

• Glazing requirement is not clear

•

Let’s focus on creating a successful, vibrant,walkable district

Concerns from the Development Community





• 2-story building requirement may not be a

necessity with the right building placement

•

Have to address economic realities and unify apre-2007 plan with 2014 economic conditions

Overall: Focus on getting the building in the right

place, and getting the building and frontage details

right. Don’t force something if the market isn’tthere yet. Set up the urbanism to evolve in the best

way possible.

Input from the Architecture Community





• Port Royal adopted code:

• Heights: T4UC & T5MS require 2 stories

• Frontage Requirements (a.k.a. Façade Zone):

T3/T4 – 75% min., T5 – 90% min.; 50% at sidestreets in T3, T4 & T5 districts

• Drive-Thru restaurants: Conditional Uses in T4

& T5 Zones

Form-Based Codes in the Region – Port Royal





• Beaufort County Community Development Code

DRAFT:

• Heights: T4NC requires 2 stories

• Frontage Requirements (a.k.a. Façade Zone):

T3N/T4 – 75%, 50% at side streets

• Drive-Thru Restaurants: Special Exceptions in

T4 Zones

Form-Based Codes in the Region – Beaufort County





• Mt. Pleasant Overlay Districts

• Heights: 2 stories required when fronting

Coleman Blvd.; False second floors are not allowed for buildings in

which multiple stories are required. However, a mezzanine…or an atrium located

between the floor and ceiling equivalent to two-story spaces, may be utilized to

fulfill this requirement.

• Drive-Thru restaurants: not permitted

• Frontage Requirements: 100% of its frontage,except for adequate allowance for one curb

cut. The total required building frontage may be accomplished through a phased

development plan.

Form-Based Codes in the Region – Mt. Pleasant





• Hwy. 17, West Ashley, Charleston, SC - historic

Similar Existing Context Areas





• Hwy. 17, West Ashley, Charleston, SC - new

Similar Existing Context Areas





• Height: Boundary Street requires 2-story

buildings, or mezzanines, along its entirety

• Drive-thru restaurants: Permitted by Special

Exception

• Frontage Build-Out: 16’ minimum building width,

160’ maximum building width; no minimum %

Current Ordinance Requirements

Focus on a GREAT:

Building, Frontage, Streetscape & District

Goal of Potential Solutions & Ideas





• Building Height: Consider removing the 2-story

minimum requirement EXCEPT:

• For residential buildings fronting Boundary

Street

• For buildings within 250’ of the 2 Special

Intersections

• For 1-story buildings, clear floor height of 14’minimum

Potential Solutions & Ideas Discussed with Focus Group





Potential Solutions & Ideas – 2-Story Overlay Zones





• Building Design: Want Authentic Architecture

with Integrity – focus on architectural details and

frontage types

• Windows: % glazing, true shopfronts vs.

traditional double-hung windows;

• Building Disposition: Consider a minimum % of

building frontage. Typically T4 areas are ~60%minimum build out at setback; T5 ~80%

Potential Solutions & Ideas





• Question of Drive-Thrus: as we’re advocating

reducing sprawl and walkable environments, are

drive-thrus inherently in conflict with that?

• Most surprising things from recent research:• General acquiescence to 1 story buildings in this

area

• Surprise that DTs are even allowed as a SpecialException – need to really think about whether or

not GREAT walkable environments and DT’s are

compatible






• Addressing Land Use devoted to Vehicles:

• Need a parking maximum – propose to use

the generally accepted standards in our

current ordinance as on-site maximums

• Consider a Maximum Lot Coverage by Vehicle

Uses (parking, circulation, and drive-thrus).

Result: If you have a Drive-thru, you can’tALSO have the maximum parking count. There

is a limit in this walkable district.






• Reconsider Building Height as discussed

• Add some additional architectural standards to

ensure authentic buildings

• Add a minimum % of building at lot frontage

• Add maximum parking standards

• Consider additional conditions for drive-thru

special exceptions

Potential Solutions & Ideas - Summary



BOUNDARY STREET | PROPOSED CODE CHANGES


PROPOSED CODE

CHANGES





• Change Appeal Process from MPC to DRB• Address SC DOT Ownership of the majority of the

roads

• Two-Story Building Heights – eliminate requirement

for the majority of the district

• Frontage Goals – add minimum frontage goals

• Glazing Requirements – clarify

• Maximum Parking Requirement – added to code

• Drive-Thru Special Exception – standards

updated/clarified

Summary of Proposed Code Changes





Appeal Process – Staff is proposing changing the

appeal body from the Planning Commission to the

Design Review Board (DRB). The purpose of the

DRB is to review plans for new construction, and so

seems the appropriate board to consider appeals

regarding design issues.

Proposed Code Changes





SC DOT Ownership of the majority of the roads –

Staff is proposing changes that give staff more

flexibility to adjust the build-to lines and build-to

zones to accommodate building frontages that are

not currently be permitted in the SC DOT right-of-

way. These include colonnades, arcades and

balconies.






Two-Story Building Heights – Staff is proposing to

eliminate the two-story building height

requirement for non-residential buildings and

apply a taller minimum first floor height for one-

story buildings. This would apply in all areas

EXCEPT in a new two-story overlay zone, proposed

to be located at the primary intersections of RibautRoad & Boundary Street and Robert Smalls

Parkway & Boundary Street.






Frontage Goals –A minimum frontage goal was added, along with

the associated definitions. This regulates the

percentage of building that needs to be builtalong the street frontage at the setback or build-

to line. Generally it’s 60% in the more urban

areas, and 40% in the less urban areas. Staff has

some flexibility in administering this, particularly

as it relates to large parcels that will be

developed over time.






Frontage Goals –Benefits to the walkable urban environment:

• Maintains interest and sense of enclosure

along the corridor by reducing the amount ofgaps and space between buildings

• Reduces the amount of curb cuts that are

possible, creating a safer, more contiguous

streetscape for pedestrians that is not

interrupted by cars






Frontage Goals






Frontage Goals –The 2-story requirement in the current ordinance helps

to ensure the proper street enclosure and mix of uses. If

that requirement is removed, other mechanisms, such

as frontage %, should be added to maintain those

important elements.Port Royal & the draft Beaufort County FBCs regulate this. They

use a minimum of 75% frontage in most more urbanized areas. In

Port Royal’s most urban T5 zone, that’s increased to 90%. The

current county ordinance also has a 60% minimum building

frontage requirement in the Lady’s Island Village Center district.






Glazing Requirements - Glazing requirements wereclarified to distinguish between general residential

and commercial buildings.

Maximum Parking Requirement – added to the

code, so there are minimum and maximum parking

standards, like the other city zoning districts.

Drive-Thru Special Exception – these standards

were updated and clarified.






• Change Appeal Process from MPC to DRB• Address SC DOT Ownership of the majority of the

roads

• Two-Story Building Heights – eliminate requirement

for the majority of the district• Frontage Requirements – add minimum frontage

requirements

• Glazing Requirements – clarify

• Maximum Parking Requirement – added to code

• Drive-Thru Special Exception – standards

updated/clarified

Summary of Proposed Code Changes

Documents

Boundary Street Master Plan presentation