\u201cStaff is in the midst of drafting a major revision to the zoning map to retire all of the old zoning districts \u2026 and replace them with UDO districts, which is a pretty mammoth undertaking,” said Deputy Planning Director Ken Bowers during Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting. <\/p>\n
These old zoning districts are called legacy districts. Bowers said legacy districts are any zoning districts that appear in the old development code but do not appear in the UDO.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe remapping is the process of retiring all of the legacy districts off the map and replacing them with the closest equivalent UDO district that matches up with the existing zoning, existing use, and the city’s land use policies,\u201d Bowers said.<\/p>\n
According to Bowers, about one-third of the city’s land area will be remapped in some way, but it will primarily affect income-producing property, commercial and multi-family property. Most residential property will not be affected.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we’re trying to do is implement the UDO throughout the city,\u201d Deputy City Attorney Ira Botvinick said. \u201cWe’re trying to maintain the status quo as best we can but apply the UDO zoning districts.\u201d<\/p>\n
City planning staff has been working on the map for more than a year. Once the draft is complete, it will be available for public review. From there the new zoning map will go to the Planning Commission to review before an official public hearing is set. The City Council table will be the last stop. <\/p>\n
While he was hesitant to give any specific dates or guarantee a specific time frame, Bowers expects the initial draft of the new zoning map to be complete this spring.<\/p>\n
![\"rezoning_map_UDO\"](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/rezoning_map_UDO-771x492.png\")
<\/a>Image provided by City of Raleigh <\/p>
A map showing the areas that will be changed for the UDO, with legacy districts shown in pink.<\/p><\/div>\n
The public will have about four to six months to review the draft map before the Planning Commission begins its review. <\/p>\n
The public can offer comments during all four stages of review via email, phone and mail as well as a special website that will be setup for the process. Planning staff will be doing presentations at Citizen Advisory Councils and some homeowners association meetings. <\/p>\n
Residents within a 100-foot radius of an affected property will be notified by mail about the rezoning.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Adam Terando questioned the 100-foot radius.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 100-feet radius seems a little stingy to me as far as the notice given to the surrounding neighborhoods,\u201d Terando said.<\/p>\n
Bowers said that staff can consider extending the radius so that more people are notified but added that the related two scheduled mailings will already cost about $30,000. <\/p>\n
Bland Road Property Rezoning Approved<\/strong> The property owners plan to sell the property and realized they would make more of a profit by selling it for commercial use instead of residential because of the property’s location.<\/p>\n The case was sent to the Committee of the Whole in October to allow more discussion on the proposed rezoning, and to give the applicant time to reach out to nearby property owners about rezoning several of the properties at one time.<\/p>\n Commissioner Isabel Mattox said although the proposed rezoning is inconsistent with the Future Land Use Map and the Comprehensive Plan, it is consistent with the character of the surrounding area.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is reasonable and in the public interest because there is a good bit of office in the area,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Commissioner Eric Braun echoed her sentiment. <\/p>\n \u201cIf the property develops as office it would complement the other retail and office development that is in the area as well,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\nCommissioners Tuesday approved a request to rezone a 0.8-acre piece of land on Bland Road<\/a> just east of its intersection with Wake Forest Road.<\/p>\n