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City Council Public Hearing

The City Council will be reviewing and considering various policy amendments and rezoning recommendations related to the Bridge Vista area. The proposals aim to create a comprehensive plan for development and address the needs of the community. These recommendations include changes to allowed uses, design guidelines, parking and landscaping standards, and the creation of a new Pedestrian Oriented District.

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City Council Public Hearing

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Presentation Transcript

  1. City Council Public Hearing June 1, 2015

  2. Bridge Vista Recommendations • Adopt Comprehensive Plan policy amendments • Rezone Tourist Commercial (C-2) zone to combination of General Commercial (C-3) and Shoreland (S-2) • Adopt Bridge Vista overlay zone • Changes to selected allowed uses • New overwater development and access standards • New design and development guidelines • Updated parking, landscaping standards • Create new Pedestrian Oriented District within part of Bridge Vista area • Differences in selected allowed uses • Differences in design and development standards

  3. Planning Commission Recommendation and Comments • Recommend approval by City Council • No further changes identified by APC • Amendments not perfect or satisfactory to all community members but represent good work by staff and APC: • Balanced approach to addressing economic development view protection goals • Design and development guidelines help achieve Riverfront Vision Plan objectives • Very important step forward compared to existing requirements • Adoption should not be delayed

  4. Planning Process • Four work sessions with Planning Commission • Town Hall meeting • Alternatives and options for development code and zoning concepts and amendments • Overwater development visualizations • Multiple drafts of potential code amendments • City Council briefing • Planning Commission public hearing • Information and public comments via email, city Website, telephone, in-person meetings and work sessions

  5. Bridge Vista Planning Vision Plan Land Use Assumptions and Objectives • Continue to support water-dependent uses; allow for commercial and residential uses that support but don’t compete with the Downtown core. • If development is to occur, promote new uses that are consistent with Astoria’s “working waterfront.” • Encourage design of new or rehabilitated buildings that respect Astoria’s character. • Encourage new development along the River to improve and celebrate the River Trail and provide visual and periodic physical access to the water.

  6. Bridge Vista Planning Vision Plan Land Use Assumptions and Objectives • Improve physical connections to adjacent neighborhoods. • Use setbacks, stepbacks and other measures to ensure an open feel and continued visual access to the river. • Change zoning of area west of 2nd Street from Tourist Commercial to other commercial zone. • Expand (Uniontown) design overlay for the historic district to accentuate the historic area (north of US 30) and create a more prominent gateway for the urban core.

  7. Comprehensive Plan Policies • Note importance of River vistas • Emphasize uses that complement Downtown • Incorporate references to Riverfront Vision Plan • Reference commercial & industrial development definitions • Ensure consistency with shoreland designation policies • Ensure consistency with other land use policies

  8. Overwater Development Approach • Height restrictions to protect key vistas – east and west of bridge and area near 2nd Street • Allow overwater development in most other areas • Limit building widths and heights; provide view corridors (prevent a wall of buildings)

  9. Overwater Development Limitation Areas

  10. Building heights • Within limitation areas: Top of bank • Outside limitation areas: 35 feet

  11. Building width requirements • Building size limitation: Maximum building width of 150 feet • Total width of all buildings: Maximum total width (all structures) 60% of contiguous parcel width • View corridors between buildings: 40 feet

  12. Building width requirements

  13. Visual Simulations Hypothetical Scenario

  14. Visual Simulations – View from 2nd Street

  15. Visual Simulations – Views from River Trail From Near Astoria Warehouse From Basin Street

  16. Visual Simulations – Views from Uphill From Grand Street From Exchange Street

  17. River Access Requirements – Similar to Civic Greenway • Three options – required for new uses • Access hours to be determined by parks, police • Walkways, piers 10-14 feet wide, extending beyond structure to allow views up/down river

  18. Building Height, Setbacks and Stepbacks (land zones) • Maximum Heights: Base height of 35 feet; heights can be increased to 45 feet with stepbacks • Setback: • 70’ view corridor north/south sts. • 10’ setback S. of trail; 20’ N. of trail • 5’ on Marine Dr. • Stepback: Required 10’ stepback above 24 feet

  19. Bridge Vista Zoning Recommendations • Rezone Tourist Commercial (C-2) zoning west of 2nd Street to General Commercial (C-3) • Convert most of the existing Tourist Commercial (C-2) zoning near the bridge to a new pedestrian-oriented zone (C-3 base zone) • Extend portion of existing S-2 zoning to areas of existing C-2 zoning • Limit specific uses in all zones, compared to current zoning

  20. Bridge Vista Potential Rezoning

  21. In Aquatic, Shoreland zones, don’t allow: • Fossil fuel and petroleum product terminals • Residential uses • Auto sales and gas stations • Wood processing • Retail (aquatic) • Eating and drinking (aquatic) • Indoor entertainment • Hotels/motels (except existing) • Professional, medical • Conf. centers (except S. of River Trail)

  22. Allowed Uses – Recommended Uses Within C-3, Pedestrian Oriented Zone Don’t permit these uses in C-3 zone: • Auto sales & service, gas stations • Single family homes, duplexes • Manufacturing without retail Prohibit these additional uses in Pedestrian area: • Dog kennels, hospitals, animal hospitals • Drive-through facilities, commercial parking • Conference centers • Warehouses, transp. services, similar uses

  23. Design Guidelines and Standards • Emphasize working waterfront and historic character • Strengthen pedestrian orientation • Incorporate additional design guidelines and standards from Gateway Overlay Zone & Civic Greenway Overlay Zone • Vary standards for industrial and non-industrial uses • Different standards in pedestrian zone • Applicable to new construction, major renovation

  24. Types of Standards and Guidelines • Building and roof forms • Roofing and exterior materials • Doors and windows • Awnings and Lighting • Signs

  25. Landscaping • Limit trees north of River Trail • Parking area landscaping – max tree heights and widths • Encourage or require pedestrian amenities adjacent to development • Use native plant species • Encourage plazas, courtyards north of River Trail • Use columnar species for street trees; limit heights

  26. Off-Street Parking • Reduce requirements for uses <5,000 square feet by 50% • Waive parking requirements for existing uses that cover the maximum allowable portion of a site • Exempt expansions of 10% or less

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