This document discusses strategies for village planning and implementation in Rhode Island. It outlines the state's 2002 growth center criteria and provides examples of villages that exemplify these criteria. It then discusses tools for village planning, including strategies, design approaches, case studies, and regulatory guidance. The document also addresses barriers to public participation and consensus building. It provides case studies of village planning from within and outside the region and discusses regulatory approaches in Rhode Island, including zoning insights and the state's Growth Centers Program.
4. 2002 RI Growth Center Criteria
•Compact mixed use development
•Diverse housing opportunities
•Transportation choice
•Protection of natural resources
•Design for sense of place
18. Village Planning Requires a Different Approach
Traditional process governed by Robert’s Rules of Order facilitates decision-making, but creates winners and losers.
Because planning and zoning decisions directly affect people’s property values and quality of life, losers get mad, then get even.
19. •We don’t trust you! Public Participation and Consensus Building Techniques.
•Density is Bad! Planning and Design Techniques
•This Can’t Work! Case Studies that show it can.
Barriers in Public Discussion
20. We don’t trust you! Getting Started with Consensus Building
•Reaching out to stakeholders.
•Shared fact-finding
•Mapping out problems and opportunities.
•Analyzing potential conflicts
•Defining community values and vision.
•Exploring alternatives.
21. Game-Playing Exercises
•Games are user-friendly.
•Games help people think outside the box.
•Games are less threatening.
22. A Vision for Exeter
Do we need a village? Where is the best location?
33. Density is Bad! Start by showing them what it looks like…
3-5 units per acre
West Kingston
8 -10 units per acre Peace Dale
12 - 20 units per acre Wakefield
15 - 25 units per acre Westerly
37. Core Natural Systems
Rivers and Streams
Working Landscapes
Historic Roads and Villages
Historic Farms
Mapping Natural and Cultural Ecosystems
Supporting Natural Resources
Trails and Greenways
48. This Can’t Work! Use Case Studies from Outside the Region
Weatherstone, Chester County, PA
Cherry Hill, Canton, MI
White River Junction, VT
Revitalization
New Villages
Old York Village
Chesterfield Twp, NJ
Middle Green Valley, Solano County, CA
Clarksburg, Montgomery County, MD
49. Regulatory and Program Development in Rhode Island
•Zoning Insights
•The RI Growth Centers Program
50. Zoning Insights: Nuts and Bolts
•Mix Uses
•Achieve Density
•Flexibility in Dimension
•Flexibility in Parking
•Design Guidelines or Standards
•By-Right Permits
51. •Key questions…
1.Where will guidelines or standards be applied?
2.New district or overlay district?
3.Which permit process(es) may be applied?
4.What is the role (if any) of the Land Development Regulations?
5.How strict should the standards be?
6.How much is too much?
Zoning Insights: Getting Started with Reform
57. Cottage Zoning: What does it look like?
Basic characteristics – SITE DESIGN
•Cottage development establishes a full “community”. Not one lot at a time.
•A group of cottage-style homes face a central common area.
•Generally includes about 8-20 units.
•Often designed to transition from “Main Street” to lower density neighborhoods.
•Individual lots may or may not be established.
•Parking is often centralized, adjacent to the housing.
•Ornamental landscaping and walkways are important features.
59. Cottage Zoning: What does it look like?
Basic characteristics – ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
•Cottages typically have 900 to 1,200 sq. ft. footprint
•Two-story units with limited second story space under a pitched roof.
•Porches facing into common area.
•Trim and other decorative accents are common.
•Ornamental landscaping and walkways are important features.
•Some models incorporate 2-3 family units.
61. Conservation TDR Subdivision: What does it look like?
Basic characteristics – SITE DESIGN
•Similar to standard conservation design. Preserves the best natural features and “designs around them”.
•Moves the development rights for single family units on one parcel to another parcel to develop single family units at higher density.
•Often a dramatic reduction in the allowable minimum lot size is required.
•Excellent opportunity to use Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater management techniques.
67. Zoning Insights: TDR Success
1.Demand for Bonus Development
2.Customized Receiving Areas
3.Strict Sending Area Regulations
4.Few Alternatives to TDR
5.Market Incentives
6.Certainty of TDR Use
7.Strong Public Preservation Support
8.Simplicity
9.Promotion & Facilitation
10.TDR Bank
68. Zoning Insights: TDR New Approach
Density Transfer Credit or “Fee-In-Lieu of TDR”
•Municipality performs a real estate analysis to determine the financial relationship between the Sending Area and the Receiving Area. Example: One single family home will provide the rights to four multi-family units Every multi-family unit will require a payment of $8,000.
69. Zoning Insights: TDR New Approach
Density Transfer Credit or “Fee-In-Lieu of TDR”
•Money goes into an account that’s dedicated to open space preservation
•The account is usually managed by the municipality
•Money can be “coupled” with other contributions to increase its value.
70. RI’s Growth Centers Program
•State Plan called for these long ago.
•Limited guidance on how to establish them.
•What’s in it for me?
73. Establishing the Growth Center
Tier One
•Simple identification in the Comprehensive Plan Tier Two
•Public process
•Vision
•Typology identified
•Boundary in place
•Constraints analysis (e.g., infrastructure)
•Zoning adopted or deadline set
74. What’s in it for the Town?
Tier One
•Technical Assistance to get to Tier Two
•Funding Tier Two
•Opens doors to tax incentives not available elsewhere
•Streamline permitting
•Priority funding from state programs (infrastructure, housing, etc.)
•Access to loans
75. Discussion
Scott Millar Division of Planning and Development RIDEM 401-222-4700 ext 4419 Peter Flinker Dodson & Flinker 413-628-4496 Nathan Kelly Horsley Witten Group, Inc. 401-272-1717