The purpose of this workshop is to introduce the Planning and Zoning Commission to The Hill Community Engagement Strategic Project. Staff will provide a summary of Phase I and the public engagement process with The Hill community and outline next steps.
Project Background
The Hill Subdivision is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the City and, in recent years, has begun to see increased redevelopment. Some residents have voiced concerns regarding the changing character of the neighborhood. Although the area is zoned Hill Area Residential (HR-1), development regulations are largely similar to the City’s Standard Single-Family Residential (R-1) zoning district and do not include specific development requirements that require homes to be built in character with the neighborhood. The 2018 Land Use Plan recommends a project to engage The Hill Community and evaluate whether they desire additional development regulations to maintain the character of the neighborhood. Therefore, in 2018, City Council initiated The Hill Community Engagement Strategic Project to engage the residents and property owners of The Hill. In order to help guide the process, City Council appointed a five-member Steering Committee of four resident owners and one non-resident property owner of The Hill neighborhood. The Committee was tasked with drafting a vision for the future character of The Hill and providing recommendations to City Council reflective of the community’s input.
Phase I Process & Outcomes
When the project began in 2018, it was divided into two phases. The purpose of Phase I was to first establish a vision for the future character of The Hill neighborhood and determine whether changes or additional development regulations were desired in order to maintain the character of the neighborhood. The study area extended beyond the HR-1 zoning district to include homes east of Wood Street on Lakeview Drive up to the drainage ditch. Staff and the Committee executed a public engagement plan that included a series of public meetings and surveys. Reports summarizing the public input received are attached. The Committee analyzed the feedback received and determined that The Hill community would like to maintain the character of the neighborhood. The Committee then drafted the vision for the future character of The Hill and set of recommendations for the next steps in the process, including a recommendation to continue into Phase II of the project.
On October 15, 2019, City staff and the Steering Committee chair presented the results and recommendations of Phase I to City Council. The results revealed that The Hill Community would like to maintain the character of the neighborhood and supports the City using development regulations to do so. Staff also recognized that The Hill Community does not want a homeowners’ association. After reviewing all public feedback, the Committee chair presented the following vision and set of initial recommendations to City Council. City Council did not have any concerns and urged City staff to address the recommendations as soon as possible.
Vision Statement
“The Hill neighborhood with homes dating from the early 1900s has a unique identity. Front porches and sidewalks shaded by mature trees evoke the small-town charm of the original company town. The design of the homes and walkability encourage neighbors to interact - distinct in a city of master-planned communities. The vision of The Hill Community is to recognize and protect the character of the neighborhood while allowing homes to adapt to modern-day needs.”
Recommendations for Phase II
- Modify HR-1 Zoning District to include homes east of Wood St and north of Lakeview Drive into zoning district
- Explore front yard setbacks to allow original homes to add or extend porches
- Explore current garage regulations to address setbacks and height
- Explore methods to preserve scale such as lot coverage, side yard setbacks, etc.
- Explore maintaining existing height regulations (27 feet) but consider design solutions to ensure scale is still in character with other homes
- Define character features of The Hill and build new construction and remodels in character
- Explore how the following character features can be incorporated into the HR-1 zoning district regulations
- Entry features such as porches or stoops
- Pier and beam, block and beam, or imitating the look of pier and beam when building on a concrete slab foundation
- Walkway from the main entrance of the home to the sidewalk or right-of-way
- Protect mature trees
- Include exterior building finishes similar to existing homes*
- Roof pitch and style in character with existing homes
- Explore incentive options in the future
Phase II Process
Phase II kicked off in November 2019 when City Council reappointed The Hill Neighborhood Steering Committee to include an additional member and reassign a current member to an ex-officio role. The Committee now consists of five resident-owners and one non-resident owner in a nonvoting capacity. Phase II, currently underway, will implement the Phase I recommendations above. From the list of recommendations, staff identified initial items to implement immediately in Phase II. This includes proposed Development Code changes related to garages and porches (front yard setbacks) and rezoning the homes east of Wood Street and north of Lakeview Drive to The Hill Area Residential (HR-1) Zoning District. Staff will present the proposed rezoning and changes to the Development Code at the upcoming March 26th Planning and Zoning Commission meeting that will include two public hearings.
The community and the Planning and Zoning Commission will have the opportunity to provide input on the remaining recommendations at a later date. Staff hired a consultant to assist in drafting design regulations. Staff will continue to work with the Steering Committee and engage the public as the regulations are drafted.