| | | | | | | |  | Committee Assignments - C4 F
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM |
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| | | | | | | | | TO: | Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission | | | FROM: | Alina T. Hudak, City Manager | | | DATE: | February 1, 2023 | | | |
| | SUBJECT: | REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD - LDR AMENDMENT CODIFYING A REQUIREMENT FOR IDENTIFYING SQUARE FOOTAGE ASSOCIATED WITH FAR INCREASES PRIOR TO APPROVAL OF A BALLOT QUESTION. |
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| | | | | | | | RECOMMENDATION
| | The Administration recommends that the City Commission refer the attached Ordinance amendment to the Planning Board. |
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| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND/HISTORY
| On October 26, 2022, at the request of Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, the City Commission referred a discussion item (C4 O) to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (the “PSNQLC”). This discussion item pertained to providing supplementary information, where permitted by law, illustrating the actual amount of additional square footage of floor area on properties that would benefit from a ballot measure proposing an increase in FAR.
On December 7, 2022 the PSNQLC discussed the item and recommended that the City Commission refer a Land Development Regulation (LDR) Amendment to the Planning Board. Specifically, such amendment would codify a requirement for identifying increases in actual square footage associated with proposed increases in FAR prior to approval of a ballot question. Additionally, Commissioner Alex Fernandez agreed to become a co-sponsor of the proposal. |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS
| The impacts of an FAR increase can vary, depending upon the actual increase in intensity proposed. For instance, the ballot question approved in 2020 that created additional exceptions to FAR (stairs above the roof, bike parking and FPL vaults) had little to no impact on the intensity or massing of a building. However, the FAR increase approved in 2017 for the North Beach Town Center (TC-C) area had a much more significant impact, as the maximum FAR for a larger, defined area, was increased to from a range of 1.25 and 2.75 to 3.5.
The City Commission can request, as needed, an intensity analysis that would show the visual impact of future FAR increases. It is important to note that smaller FAR increases may not always result in new building mass being visible from the street or sidewalk. However, for larger FAR increases, massing studies would clearly show how much additional square footage would be allowed and provide a good comparison to the existing regulations.
The attached draft Ordinance creates Section 142-5 in the Land Development Regulations of the City Code and would apply to a proposal to increase the maximum allowable FAR within any zoning district. As recommended by the PSNQLC, the proposed amendment would require that prior to approval of a ballot question, if required pursuant to the City Charter, or in advance of First Reading of the applicable Amendment to the Land Development Regulations, whichever comes first, the maximum square footage associated with the proposed increase in FAR shall be identified, to the greatest extent possible.
Additionally, a provision has been added that would allow for these requirements to be waived by a 5/7th vote of the City Commission, for any reason.
The Administration believes that the identification of square footage associated with increases in FAR should be considered on a case-by-case basis. This would give the City Commission the flexibility to decide which FAR increases may need to have such an analysis, prior to being placed on a ballot.
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| | | | | | | | SUPPORTING SURVEY DATA
| | N/A |
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| | | | | | | | FINANCIAL INFORMATION
| | No fiscal impact expected. |
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION
| | The Administration recommends that the City Commission refer the attached Ordinance amendment to the Planning Board. |
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| | | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | | Yes | | No | |
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| | | | | | | | Legislative Tracking
Planning |
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| | | | | | | | Sponsor
Commissioner Alex Fernandez and Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez |
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