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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-03-05 City CouncilCity of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: CITY MANAGER MARCH 5, 2001 DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT CMR:155:01 ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE: ISSUES IDENTIFICATION This is an informational report to update the City Council regarding the progress of the Zoning Ordinance Update (Update), particularly the issues identification phase. No Council action is required. DISCUSSION Staff has spent considerable time compiling an initial inventory of issues to be addressed in the Update. The basis for the inventory was the 55 programs and policies identified in the Comprehensive Plan to be implemented as part of the (then) future Update program. Staff also sought input from the public at three community forums and through newspaper advertisements, and continues to seek input through a dedicated website on the City’s web page (www.city.pal0-alto.ca.us/zoning/). Staff discussed the Update program with the Architectural Review Board, Historic Resources Board, and other department staff members to identify their concerns with the current Zoning Ordinance. Two focus groups (one primarily focused on residential and the other on non-residential development) were also convened to discuss the Zoning Ordinance from the perspective of the development community. The result of this effort is a list of over 460 comments regarding the current Zoning Ordinance. Staff has prepared a summary list containing 102 items (Attachment B) which combines similar issues and categorizes them for Council information. The more extensive list is maintained on a database and will continue to be expanded as new issues are identified. While the issues list and associated outreach effort are an important aspect of the Update effort, the issues list should be reviewed within the larger context of the Update work program, which includes the systematic analysis, with Planning and Transportation Commission oversight and Council direction, of the Zoning Ordinance (e.g., review of use classifications, alternate zoning code models such as performance based and integrated development codes). CMR:155:01 Page 1 of 3 On December 13, 2000, the Planning and Transportation Commission (Commissirn) reviewed staff’s list of. initial issues. In its comments, the Commission strongly emphasized the need to limit the scope of the Update, with the goal of developing a short, systematic, clearly written, and flexible Zoning Code that reflects the .community’s values. Commissioners Bonnie Packer and Owen Byrd were identified as liaisons to the City Council for the Update program. Based on the Commission’s direction, staff expects the Update to address those ordinance issues identified in the summary list in the following categories: Format and Organization, Uses and Districts, Development Standards, Procedures, Nonconforming Uses and Noncomplying Structures, and Definitions. Several of the programs identified in the Comprehensive Plan will be included in a work program(s) subsequent to the initial two-year effort. These programs include 1) development of design guidelines, 2) preparation of area-specific Zoning studies, and 3) substantive rezoning of parcels from one classification to another. These programs would either be premature in advance of adopting a revised code, or would require such intensive geographically focused study that the progress of the Zoning Ordinance update would be substantially compromised. The issues identified were, for the most part, consistent with those in the Comprehensive Plan or already included in the work program. However, there were a number of issues raised that staff believes are outside the scope of a zoning ordinance update, such as issues related to growth management, infrastructure and impact fees, traffic calming, the administration of the development review process, and code enforcement. They are included at the end of the initial issues list summary as "supplemental issues" and will be independently reviewed by Planning management staff. Staff is currently researching, a wide array of publications and other zoning codes to collect and review information regarding zoning ordinance techniques and formats. A copy of the zoning library catalog is attached (Attachment C). Council and Commission members and other interested persons are encouraged to contact staff to review or request copies of any of the available literature. Staff has developed matrices for all current uses and development standards by zone district, is currently compiling data on the acreage and number of parcels by zone district, and is reviewing interpretation logs and variance requests, and other relevant background information. A history of the Palo Alto Zoning Ordinance is also being developed, to assist staff and public officials in understanding the context for the current Code provisions. The initial topic areas for analysis include format and organization of the ordinance, and analysis of uses and zone districts. Staff anticipates seeking the assistance of community members, former Commission and Council members and staff as part of this effort. This material will be presented as part of the next scheduled Planning and Transportation Commission study session. CMR:155:01 Page 2 of 3 Staff also expects that one or more workshops or seminars with consultants will be scheduled in that time frame to provide additional perspectives on those issues. :To provide a framework for these initial discussions, the firm of Crawford, Multari, and Clark prepared a "white paper", "Updating the Zoning Ordinance -Issues and Considerations" (Attachment D). The paper introduces many of the topics that will be analyzed over the coming months. For many years, Mr. Crawford has taught a class on updating zoning ordinances through the University of California Extension program. Staff is discussing with Mr. Crawford an abbreviated and focused version of this class as part of the Update program. .ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Issues Identification Diagram Attachment B: Summary of Initial Issues List Attachment C: Zoning Library Catalog Attachment D: Zoning "White Paper" (Crawford Multari & Clark) PREPARED BY:Curtis Williams, Contract Planner Joan Taylor, Planning Manager DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: G. EDWARD GA~ Director of Planning and Community Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: HARRISON Assistant City Manager cc:Planning and Transportation Commission Architectural Review Board Historic Resources Board CMR:155:01 Page 3 of 3 Attachment A ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE ISSUES IDENTIFICATION :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :" :’ : SUPPLEMEntAl ISSUES: "::: Attachment. B o ¯¯¯ 0 Attachment C Zoning Ordinance Update Library Catalog Title Subtitle Copyright Year City of Bitytown, TX Zoning Ordinance Author(s) ¯ Duncan Associates (Coiasultants) Title Subtitle City of Calabasas, CA Land Use & Development Code Copyright Year Title Subtitle Copyright Year Author(s) Crawford Multad Clark & Mohr (Consultants) City of Chico, CA Land Use & Development Regulations Author(s) Craighead Paula M. (E.d.) Title Subtitle City of Clovis, NM Zoning Ordinance Copyright Year Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Author(s) Lane Kendig (Consultant) Page I of ll Title City of Davis, CA Subtitle Zohing Ovdinance Copyright Year Title: Subtitle. Author(s) Sedway Consulting (Consultant) City of Fort Worth, TX Zoning Ordinance Copyright Year Author(s) Duncan Associates (Consultants) Title City of Jacksonville, FL Subtitle . Zoning Code Copyright Year Author(s) Duncan Associates (Consultants) Title City of Novato, CA Subtitle Zoning Ordinance Copyright Year Author(s) Crawford Multari Clark & Mohr (Consultants) Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page 2 of 1"1 Title Subtitle City of San Buenaventura, CA Zoning Regulations Copyright Year Author(s) Sedway Consulting (Consultant) Title Subtitle City of South San Francisco, CA Zoning Ordinances Copyright Year Title Subtitle Author(s) Sedway Consulting (Consultant) City of Tuscon, AZ Land Use Code Copyright Year Title Subtitle Copyright Year Author(s) Dyett & Bhatia (Consultants) County of Marin, CA Zoning Code Author(s) Crawford Multari Clark & Mohr (Consultants) ¯ Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page 3 of I 1 Title Subtitle City of Mountain view, CA Zoning Ordinance (PreIbninary Draft). Copyright }’ear Title Sttbtitle Author(s) Crawford Multari & Starr (Consultants) City of Menlo Park Zoning Ordinance Copyright Year Author(s) Unknown Title Subtitle Copyright Year Sustainable Communities A New Design Synthesis for Cities, Suburbs and Towns 1986 Author(s) Calthorpe Peter Van tier Ryn Sim Title Subtitle State Property Rights Laws The bnpacts of Those Laws on MyLand Copyright Year 1999 Author(s) dacobs Hawey M. Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page 4 of l l Title Subtitle California Env’ironmental Law and Land Use Practice Chapters 60 (Zoning) and 62 (Planning) Copyright Year Title Subtitle 2000 Author(s) Manaster Selmi Kenneth A. Daniel P. Guide to the California Environmental Quality Act ( C 1999 (Tenth Edition) Copyright Year 1999 .Author(s) Remy Thomas Moose Manley Michael H. Tina A. James G. Whitman F. Title Subtitle. 2000 Zoning and Planning Law Handbook Copyright Year 2000 Author(s) Mans Deborah (Ed.) Title Subtitle Journal of the Atnerican Planning Association Volume 67; Number 1; Winter 2001 Copyright Year Author(s) Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page 5 of 11 Abbott Cad (Ed.) Adler Sy (Ed.) Howe Deborah FAICP (Ed.) Title Subtitle New Illustrated Book of Development Definitions Copyright Year 1993 Author(s) Moskowitz Lindbloom Harvey S. Cad G. Title Subtitle Franklin Covey Style Guide For Business and Technical Communication Copyright Year 1997 Author(s) Freeman Lawrence H. .Title Subtitle Sign Regulations (2 copies) For Small and Midsize Communities Copyright Year 1989 Author(s) Meshenberg Raso Michael J. Gary J. Wedn’esday: February 28, 2001 Page 6 of ll Title Subtitle City of Tucson, AZ Design Guidelines Manual Copyright Year Title Subtitle 1999 Auihor(s) The Planning Center (Consultant) City of San Jose Commercial Design G=iidelines Copyright Year Title ,Subtitle Author(s) " City of San Jose City of San Jose Residential Design Guidelines Copyright Year Title Subtitle Author(s) City of San Jose Design Review Copyright Year 1995 Author(s) Hinshaw Mark L. Wednesday, FebruaO’ 28, 2001 Page 7 of 11 Title Subtitle Copyright Year Hidden Design in Land Use Ordinances Assessing the Visual bnpa~t of Dimensions Used for Town Planning In Maine Landscapes 1991 Author(s) Craighead Paula M. (Ed.) ¯Title Subtitle Copyright Year .Visions for a New American Dream Process, Principles, and an Ordinance to Plan and Design Small Communities 1994 Author(s) Nelessen Anton Clarence Title Subtitle Glossary of Zoning Development, and Planning Terms Copyright Year 1999 Author(s) Dolnick Davidson Fay (Ed.) Michael (Ed.) Title Subtitle Copyright Year Incentive Zonihg (2 copies) Meeting Urban Design and Affordable Housing Objectives 2000 Author(s) Morris Marya Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page 8 of l l Title Subtitle Preparing a Conventional Zoning Ordinance (2 copies. Copyright Year 1995 Author(s) Lerable Charles A. Title Subtitle Survey of Zoning Definitions (3 .copies) Copyright Year Title Subtitle 1989 Author(s) Burrows Tracy (Ed.) Designing and Imple~nenting Effective.Zoning Ordinan UCLA Extension--public Policy Program Copyright Year 1998 Author(s) Crawford Jacobson Pflugrath Paul AICP Bruce Ron AICP Title Subtitle New Standards for Nonresidential Uses Copyright ’Year 1987 Author(s) Kendig Lane Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page 9 of 11 Title Subtitle Industrial Performance Standards for a New Century Copyright Year 1993 Author(s) Schwab Jim Title Subtitle Enforcing Zoning & Land-Use Controls Copyright Year 1988 Author(s) Kelly Edc Damian Title Subtitle Languageof Zoning, The A Glossary of Words and Phrases Copyright Year 1976 Author(s) . Meshenberg MichaelJ. Title Snbtitle Planning Commission, The Its Composition and Function, 1987 Copyrigh.t Year 1987 Author(s) Getzels Sanders Judith Welford Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page I 0 of 11 Title Subtitle Administration of Flexible Zonng Techniques Copyright Year 1976 Author(s) Meshenberg Michael J. Wednesday, February 28, 2001 Page 11 of ll Attachment D Updating the Zoning Ordinance - Issues and Considerations By Paul Crawford, AICP, and Susan Clark, AICP December 4, 2000 Introduction California law makes the general plan (comprehensive plan) the centerpiece of each community’s planning program, but the zoning ordinance is, in many ways, a more significant determinant of community form and character. The general plan is intended to provide broad- brush guidance for how and where the community will accommodate physical growth and change. Even though California cities have included ever increasing detail in their general plan policies and standards over the past 20 years, general plans remain conceptual in comparison with the tools used to implement their direction. Implementation tools include specific plans, zoning and subdivision ordinances, and capital improvement programs; but zoning ordinances have more day-to-day effect on the built environment than all of the other implementation tools. As the primary tool for general plan implementation, zoning ordinances are comprehensive "cookbooks" for day-to-day development decisions within each community. They expand on the information in general plan maps and text by providing parcel-specific regulations for the location of different land uses and detailed specifications for the site planning and design of proposed development. This paper provides an overview of the typical components of zoning ordinances. It also introduces some of the issues that are useful to consider when updating a zoning ordinance. I. Zoning Ordinance Components A zoning ordinance regulates development through its five major components. These include: a zoning map that divides the community into separate zoning districts; a list of the types of land uses that may be allowed in each zoning district; standards for site planning and development; rules and procedures for obtaining City approval for development and new land uses; and rules for zoning ordinance administration, including establishing the authority for decision-making, interpretations, and enforcement. Each component is described below. Zoning map The zoning map divides the community into separate zoning districts established by the zoning ordinance text, consistent with the land use diagram of the-general plan. Zoning districts and general plan land use categories typically segregate land uses by type, such as residential, commercial, and industrial. City zoning ordinances and their maps often have several different residential, commercial, and industrial zoning districts, as well as others serving special purposes (for example, Public Facilities or Open Space). The distinctions between different zoning districts in the same major category (such as residential) are usually.that different types of land uses are allowed. (For instance, apartments are not allowed in a single-family residential zone, but are allowed in multi-family residential.) The zoning map is important because it shows where in the community different zoning requirements apply to specific parcels; but the requirements themselves are found in the zoning ordinance .text. Over the past 20 years, urban communities have become increasingly aware that the standard zoning practice of rigidly segregating land uses by type can have undesirable ~ide effects. Primary among those effects are residents and workers dependency on the automobile for transportation. Segregated zoning has produced cities that are not "walkable," and are also too dispersed to support economically viable transit. In response, many cities have updated their general plans and zoning ordinances with increased emphasis on opportunities for mixed-use development combining commercial and residential uses. They have also provided for higher densities in residential areas near downtowns and other commercial districts, to make it easier for people to walk for convenience shopping, other errands and, where possible, employment. Other responses to this problem include those being pursued by the New Urbanists, who recommend an entirely different approach to regulating the distribution of land uses. Rather than using single-use zoning districts as the "regulatory. geography" of a city, the New Urbanists instead divide a community into "neighborhoods," "districts," and "corridors." Neighborhoods are always mixed-use, contain activity centers of civic and commercial uses, public gathering spaces, such as squares or greens, and also contain a range of residential densities to provide a wider range of housing choices than typical monolithic subdivisions of single-family homes. Districts generally focus on specific interrelated activities such as entertainment centers, downtowns, or manufacturing areas. Corridors are the connections between the neighborhoods and districts and may emphasize commercial or residential activities, but are also intended to be mixed-use. Actual land uses are regulated not by use type, but by the type, mass, and form of the buildings. This approach to regulating development has been most often used in new towns and other large-scale developments on vacant land. It can be difficult and complicated to apply the New Urbanist approach to an existing built community and its full realization will only occur over time as infill and redevelopment occur. However, all aspects of New Urbanism canbe useful to consider in any zoning ordinance update. Zoning districts, allowable land uses and permit requirements The zoning ordinance provisions that determine how individual parcels may be used include three key parts. First, the purpose and intent of each mapped zoning district is described, including the categories of land use that are appropriate, and how each zoning district relates to the land use designations of the general plan. Zoning ordinances then list, in detail, the land uses that may be allowed within each zoning district. Finally, these "allowable use" lists note the type of.City approval required to establish each use. The purpose of these lists is to classify and identify the activities the community desires in each zoning district, and by exclusion, the uses the community does not want. The zoning district designations and the land use lists together implement the vision of the general plan for each area of the City. Land uses are normally listed as "permitted" if they reflect the primary purposes of the zoning district, and if their 9ossible adverse effects can be mitigated by the development standards 2 of the zoning ordinance. Permitted uses are typically allowed without the need for any City approvals other than building, grading, or other construction permits, although design review may also be required for certain permitted uses in cities with a design review process. Other uses that may be appropriate in a zoning district are listed as "conditional." Conditional uses may be compatible with, and supportive of, the permitted uses and the overall intent of the zoning district. They are not simply "permitted" because the severity or undesirability of their possible side effects (e.g., traffic, size, hours of operation, noise, etc.) may vary according to the location and characteristics of the site and the nature of surrounding land uses. Therefore, conditional uses cannot be assumed to be appropriate on any given site without some public, discretionary review to verify "compatibility" and the ability for the City to hold the development accountable for its potential adverse impacts through required compliance with conditions of project approval. This review is typically through a conditional use permit, or other similar discretionary review and approval process. Defining zoning districts, the land uses allowed within them, and the type of City approval required for each use is one of the most important tasks in a zoning ordinance update. The mixture of land uses allowed in each zone will affect community form and character, and how different activities in a city relate to one another. The types of commercial uses allowed, or not allowed, will also affect the economy. The designation ofsome uses as permitted and others as conditional will determine the extent to which the public may be involved in the City’s decisions on individual development projects. It will also determine the workload of the decision-making bodies, and the amount of time required for a developer to find whether the City will approve, deny, or require modifications to a proposed project. Development standards All zoning ordinances establish development standards that determine the allowable location on a parcel and size of proposed structures, in addition to regulating many other aspects of development project planning, design and operation. Zoning ordinances contain three types of development standards, zone-specific standards, use-specific standards, and general standards that apply to a variety of land usesin different zones. Zone-specific standards establish the scale and character of development unique to each zoning district. These standards can address a wide variety of project location and design details, but the most common zone-specific standards include setback requirements, height limits, site coverage and floor area ratio restrictions, and residential density limitations. Setback requirements determine the distance, if any, by which certain structures must be separated from the street, other property lines, and/or other structures. Height limits specify the maximum allowed height of new structures, identify how the allowed height must be measured (e.g., from the curb in front of the site, from the highest point on the lot, across the entire lot in an imaginary plane parallel to the surface of the lot, etc.), and sometimes provide for exceptions to the height limit for architectural features such as chimneys, towers, steeples, and certain roof-mounted equipment. Site coverage requirements specify the maximum. percentage of the site area that may be covered by structures (and in some cities, by structures and pavement). Floor area ratio (FAR) standards determine how much floor area a building may have in relation to the area of the site (for example, a FAR requirement of 0.50 would allow a 10,000 square foot site to be developed with a 5,000 square foot building (10,000 x 0.50 = 5,000), provided that the building also satisfies any applicable height limit, setback, site coverage, and other zoning ordinance requirements such as parking). Residential density requirements determine the number of housing units that may be developed on a site based on its size. Use-specific standards apply to the development and operation of particular land uses that are known to have the potential for similar adverse effects regardless of their location. The most common use-specific standards found in zoning ordinances address: adult entertainment businesses, animal keeping, bed and breakfast inns, day care facilities, drive-in and drive through facilities, home occupations, outdoor uses (such as merchandise display and sales, and storage), service stations, and wireless telecommunications facilities. Each city is likely to have other specific land uses that have proven problematic in the past, for which the community would like to see more effective control. The substance of use-specific standards can range from the same issues addressed by zone-specific standards (for example, requiring a large landscaped setback for office parks that supercedes the minimum front setback required by the zoning districts), to limitations on hours of operation, or detailed standards for the site layout and facilities associated with a particular use. An example of the latter can be found in zoning ordinances that provide standards for multi-family projects, such as the minimum area of private outdoor space for each unit, and/or the minimum area of common outdoor space based on the total number of units. General development standards are those that apply to avariety of land uses in different zones. They include such topics as off-street parking and loading requirements, sign regulations, landscaping requirements, hillside development standards, tree removal regulations, affordable housing requirements and incentives, and other topics. Zoning ordinance updates often include both subtle refinements and wholesale revisions to their development standards. The objectives of these changes are typically to ensure that new development is a good "fit" with surrounding land uses and the community, and to work toward positive shifts in the character of particular areas of the community. An example of the latter are revisions to zoning standards to provide for greater pedestrian orientation in commercial and residential areas, or to respond to economic changes that have caused unexpected Shifts in demand for certain uses, such as a proliferation of offices occupying ground floor space in retail areas, 4 Permitting and development review procedures The permitting and development review procedures within a zoning ordinance include provisions for the preparation~ filing, processing, and evaluation of land use permit applications by City staff. The procedures then provide criteria for the approval or denial of the permit applications by the assigned decision-making body (for example, a planning commission or zoning administrator). These procedures usually address each type of land use approval separately, with individual chapters or sections on conditional use permits, variances, and design review. There are a number of variations among cities, in how specific types of approvals are handled. For example, some cities have both "use permits," and "minor use permits." The difference between the two is typically that a use permit is subject to a public hearing, while a minor use permit is "heard," and approved or denied by a City staff person designated as "zoning administrator." Some cities use a similar arrangement for variances (variances and minor variances). The "minor" version of the use permit is provided for situations where the City has determined that a particular type of land use needs discretionary review, but that the issues an individual project will raise are likely to be not significant or complicated enough to warrant a public hearing or existing policies are well established. Otherwise, the minor use permit process is identical to the use permit in terms of public notice, a hearing, and the extent of discretion that may be exercised in the decision. The advantage of this approach is for cities that are interested in streamlining their land use permit review process. The capability for a zoning administrator to review and act upon some discretionary land use permit applications can shift workload from an overloaded commission or City Council and provide for greater flexibility in the scheduling of public hearings on the "minor" applications. Rules for zoning ordinance administration The last major component of a zoning ordinance (other than a glossary containing definitions of the technical terms, and phrases used in the ordinance) is a series of rules for the administration of the zoning ordinance. These provisions include procedures for public hearings and appeals, zoning ordinance interpretations, property rezonings and amendments to the zoning ordinance text, zoning ordinance enforcement, and regulations for nonconformities. With the exception of nonconformities, the substance of these provisions is significantly influenced by State law requirements, and tends to be similar in different cities. Regulations for nonconformities play a unique role in zoning ordinances. Nonconformities are land uses and structures legally established and/or constructed in compliance with the zoning ordinance requirements that applied at the time, but would not be allowed in the same way (or in some cases, at all) by the current zoning ordinance. Depending on the preferences of a city, regulations for nonconformities either: allow them to continue indefinitely as long as they are not changed, and until they are voluntarily removed or discontinued by the property owner; do not allow them to be re-established after involuntary destruction; require them to be phased out over some specified period of time; or a combination of all of the above. Because any change to the allowable uses or development standards of a zoning ordinance can create nonconformities, proposed zoning ordinance changes should also be evaluated to ensure that these effects are understood. Then, the regulations for nonconformitiescan be adjusted as needed to either relax or maximize the effect of the changes on existing.uses. Other issues, other solutions A~ noted above, a zoning ordinance is one tool for general plan implementation, and it is not necessarily the most effective vehicle to address all issues of development. Some particular development and growth-related concerns are more often dealt with through separate documents and/or local ordinances placed in sections of a municipal code other than those related to zoning. These typically include design guidelines, growth management regulations, development impact fees, and others. II. Zoning Ordinance Update Issues Primary concerns The most important goal for a zoning ordinance update should be for the document to become as effective as possible in helping the community obtain the type and .quality of development desired. The zoning ordinance should accomplish this goal by effectively implementing the general plan, satisfying State mandates, and efficiently guiding day-to-day development decisions through clear expression of the City’s expectations for development. The scope of substantive changes in a zoning ordinance update should be determined through several means. Input should be obtained from zoning ordinance users, including staff, decision-makers, clients of the City’s development review process, and the general public. A thorough, multi-part analysis should then examine the various aspects of the zoning ordinance. One part of the analysis should review the current zoning ordinance in relation to the policies of the general plan, and determine whether all applicable plan policies are effectively addressed by zoning ordinance provisions. The analysis should also review current zoning ordinance provisions along with a variety of built development projects that are regarded by the community as desirable and successful .results of the City’s review .process; and, at the same time, other projects and uses that are generally seen as undesirable, .no longer appropriate, or otherwise problematic. After determining how well the existing requirements are working, whether new land use regulatory issues have emerged in the community that are not addressed by existing requirements and need new standards, and what procedures need to be changed, augmented, or discarded, the actual revision work can begin. A variety of resources can then be drawn upon to provide source material for revisions. These include reviewing the zoning ordinance provisions of other communities, using zoning and land use consultants with experience in drafting standards to address issues that have not been addressed by other communities, and taking advantage of insights and inputs from City staff on how to address land use regulatory issues in ways that will work within the community’S social and political framework. Usability issues A zoning ordinance update should also focus on document usability. It is important that zoning information be readily accessible and understandable to all users. The following are some important format and content features that zoni~ig documents should include to improve ease of use. Logical organization - The table of contents and the intemal structure of chapters should be organized to reflect the sequence in which ordinance users most commonly need to find specific information. For example, the fact that many existing ordinances place their "Definitions" at the beginning of the document would appear to suggest that users will routinely read the definitions before any other portion of the ordinance, which in fact rarely occurs. While keeping the definitions at the front of a zoning ordinance makes sense if maintaining the ~ame format in all segments of a municipal code is considered important, a primary question to ask in deciding how to organize a zoning ordinance is "Where will users most intuitively expect to find specific information?" People working with zoning documents tend to be interested in first finding whether particular land uses are allowed in particular zones, then the regulations and standards that apply to the design and development of a use, and finally the details of the required approval process. The. ordinance should be organized to reflect these procedural sequences and the order in which decisions about the applicability of provisions must be made. Clear language and readability - Zoning documents must be clearly written, avoiding ambiguity, jargon and lengthy narrative, and use the simplest terms possible to describe the requirements. Regulations should be consolidated into easy-to-understand tables, whenever possible. Overall, the format should employ effective graphic design and page layout techniques to enhance readability. Navigation tools - Zoning ordinance users need to be able to easily find their way around in the ordinance, and readily identify the ordinance provisions that apply to their project or otherwise affect their interests. Therefore, a zoning ordinance should include, ’ at minimum, the following "navigation" tools. Informative table of contents. Chapter and section titles should be descriptive, as in "Standards for Specific Land Uses" rather than an ambiguous "General Provisions," so that the table of contents can be easily scanned to identify provisions of interest. Cross-references. While reviewing regulations on a particular topic, ordinance users must be made aware of other related regulations that may affect their interests. A zoning ordinance should include cross-references to its other relevant provisions, as well as references to potentially-applicable regulations (e.g., building, environmental; grading, subdivision, etc.) in other portions of the municipal code, where appropriate. Headers and footers. Each page of.the zoning ordinance should provide headers and/or footers that identify the first section number on the page, and the section title, to allow easy browsing. Extensive use of graphics - An ordinance should use graphics to assist in illustrating the applicability and/or effect of regulations wherever illustration can improve understanding. ¯Formal procedure for interpretations - The administration of zoning documents inevitably involves the need for interpreting their provisions, where the applicability or effect of a particular requirement may become uncertain because of a situation that was not anticipated when the ordinance was drafted. These situations often include new land uses that did not exist when the ordinance was prepared (e.g., video game arcades in the case of ordinances drafted in the 1960s). A zoning document must clearly define the authority for interpretations, include a formal procedure, and provide a definitive means for incorporating into the ordinance through amendment, or otherwise ensuring they will be effectively recorded for future retrieval and use. Simplified permitting procedures - An ordinance should employ the least complicated permitting procedures possible, consistent with State law requirements and the need to ensure effective project review and proper implementation of the general plan. Discretionary permits may not be necessary if clear development or performance standards can effectively address all community concerns about a particular land use through a ministerial permit process. Organization to accommodate changes - Ordinance chapters and sections should be organized and numbered to accommodate amendments without the need for extensive renumbering of existing sections. The initial drafting of the ordinance should anticipate the need for additional regulatory topics in the future, and provide space in the numbering system for their later inclusion. Paul Crawford, AICP, and Susan Clark, AICP, are with Crawford Multari & Clark Associates, consultants in planning, resource management, and public policy, based in San Luis Obispo, California. 8