LEGISLATIVE ACTION ITEM
SPONSOR: Ashton J. Hayward, III, Mayor
SUBJECT:
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Public Hearing - Proposed Amendment to the Land Development Code- Section 12-14-1 Definitions- Building Height.
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RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
That City Council conduct a public hearing on February 9, 2017 to consider a proposed amendment to Section 12-14-1 of the City’s Land Development Code pertaining to the definition of “Building Height”.
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Public Hearing Required: Public
SUMMARY:
In an ongoing effort to improve our ability to provide flexible development options within the City of Pensacola, amendments to the Land Development Code are needed. For years, there have been concerns expressed regarding the aesthetic and environmental impacts of the proliferation of surface parking. The “Pensacola Parking Syndrome” is a term that has been used to describe cities that construct parking lots in an effort to lure more people downtown, to the detriment of the aesthetic and historic value of the area. When dealing with private development, in recent years the City has approved amendments to the Land Development Code that reduced parking requirements and implemented parking “maximums”. Another step that may be taken to incentivize the reduction of surface parking lots in future development, would be to revise the definition of “building height” in Section 12-14-1 of the City’s Land Development Code, to allow for building height to be measured from the lowest habitable floor elevation instead of the current definition which measures it from the average elevation of the finished grade of the site.
On December 13, 2016, the City’s Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the proposed amendment, but wished to exclude the City’s residential districts and the R-NC District from the amendment.
PRIOR ACTION:
None
FUNDING:
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None
CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW: Yes
12/30/2016
STAFF CONTACT:
Eric W. Olson, City Administrator
Sherry H. Morris, AICP, Planning Services Administrator
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Proposed Ordinance
2) December 13, 2016 Planning Board Minutes
PRESENTATION: Yes
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