Long Island Index 2011 Land Use Planning Practices

8/8/2019 Long Island Index 2011 Land Use Planning Practices

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Land UsePlanning Practices

Long Island Government Survey:

Report Prepared by:

Susan Weaver, Weaver Research and Consulting Group

January 2011


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Contents

ExecutiveSummary........................................................................................................................ 2

SurveyPurposeandRespondents................................................................................................. 6

OrganizationoftheReport............................................................................................................ 6

ComprehensivePlans..................................................................................................................... 6

SmartGrowthImplications......................................................................................................... 7

Recommendation ....................................................................................................................... 7

ZoningCodes .................................................................................................................................. 7

SmartGrowthImplications......................................................................................................... 8

Recommendations...................................................................................................................... 9

Housing........................................................................................................................................... 9

SmartGrowthImplications....................................................................................................... 11

Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 12

Downtowns .................................................................................................................................. 12

SpecialAreasorDistricts .......................................................................................................... 12ScaleandDensity...................................................................................................................... 13Incentives ................................................................................................................................. 14CivicSpace................................................................................................................................ 14

MixofUses ............................................................................................................................... 15

Transit....................................................................................................................................... 16

Parking...................................................................................................................................... 17

SmartGrowthImplications....................................................................................................... 18

Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 18

Conclusions................................................................................................................................... 19


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There aresome jurisdictions that arehitting manyof theright notesthe Villages of

Amityville, Mineolaand Patchogue;the Towns ofBabylon, Brookhaven,Hempstead, Islip,and

Riverheadbutmanymorewillhavetogeton-boardwithsmartgrowthandTODifLongIsland

istoholditsownintothefuture.Communitiesthataccommodatepeopleacrossabroadrange

of life stages, occupations and income groups are generally more socially and economically

sustainablethanthosethatdonot.LongIslandisalreadysufferingfromtheexclusionaryeffectsof large-lot zoning and the high real estate prices this engenders. Young people and many

essential service providers, such as firefighters and health care providers, cannot afford to

purchasehomeshere.Theyaremovingtomoreaffordableplacesand,astheyleave,theregion

findsithardertostaffcriticaljobsandtoattractorretainemployers.


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Figure1:PercentageofJurisdictionsApplyingSmartGrowthFactorsbyCommunityType

Mixed-UseAllowedinDowntown

ByRight1

SmartGrowthFactor Cities/Towns Villages

Cities/Towns Villages

ComprehensivePlanorsimilar

documentisinplace(Note:

Plansmaynothavebeen

adoptedandmaybeoutdated)

100% 52% 100% 43%

Mostrecentcomprehensive

zoningcodeupdatewasless

than10yearsago

67% 43% 60% 57%

Typeofzoninginuse 46%Euclidean

20%each

Euclidean,

Modified

Pyramid,Form-

based,

Performance

60%Euclidean

29%each

Euclidean,

Pyramid/Modified

Pyramid,Form-

basedMulti-familyresidentialunits

areeitherallowedbyrightin

anyzone,orallowedbyrightin

specificzonesandbyspecial

usepermitinothers

83% 81%

80%

71%

Residentialrentalprojectsare

allowedbyright69% 57% 40% 43%

Accessoryhousingunitsare

allowedbyrightorspecialuse

permit

69% 32% 100% 44%

Multi-familyresidentialprojects

areallowedindowntown82% 63% 80% 43%

Mixed-useprojectsthatinclude

aresidentialcomponentare

allowedindowntown

69% 68% 80% 71%

ATransit-OrientedDistrictis

established8% 0% 0% 0%

AHistoricPreservationDistrict

isestablished31% 40% 40% 14%

Auxiliarytransitservices

operate,supportingcommuter

rail

77% 62% 80% 71%

Publicparkingindowntownis

metered23% 50% 20% 14%

1Forjurisdictionsthatallowmixed-usedevelopmentby-rightintheirdowntowns,mixed-use

developmentisallowedautomaticallybythezoningcode,providedthedevelopmentmeetsthe

applicablestandardsofthecode.Incontrast,ifmixed-usedevelopmentisonlyallowedbyspecialuse

permitorconditionalusepermit,thenitisonlypermittedsubjecttomeetingadditionalconditionsand

subjecttodiscretionaryapprovalbythejurisdiction.Thespecialusepermitprocessaddsanextrastep

andadditionaluncertaintytotheapprovalprocess.


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Mixed-UseAllowedinDowntown

ByRightSmartGrowthFactor Cities/Towns Villages

Cities/Towns Villages

Newdevelopmentdowntownis

requiredtoaddresscivicspace

and/orprovidepublicamenities

31% 61% 20% 43%

Architecturalguidelineshave

beenestablishedfordowntown50% 53% 67% 57%

Standardsaresetfortransition

areasbetweendifferentuse

zones

64% 50% 80% 57%

Greenbuildingpracticesare

promoted83% 63% 40% 29%

Incentivesareofferedfor

multi-familyresidential

constructiondowntown

46% 20% 25% 0%

Incentivesareofferedfor

adaptivereuseofolderbuildingsindowntown

38% 11% 20% 14%

Incentivesareofferedforinfill

developmentindowntown31% 16% 20% 0%

ATransferofDevelopment

Rights(TDR)Programisinplace31% 5% 40% 0%


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SurveyPurposeandRespondents

The purpose of the survey was to determine the extent to which Long Island

jurisdictionshaveadopted(1)smartgrowthprinciplesthatareassociatedwitheminentlylivable

andhighlysustainablecommunitiesand(2)practicesconsideredsupportiveoftransit-oriented

development (TOD), which reduces dependence on automobiles and hence traffic-relatedproblems.

Thirty-sixjurisdictionsrespondedtotheemailedsurvey14werecitiesandtownsand

22 were incorporated villages. In most cases, responses were evaluated on the basis of

jurisdictiontype.Citiesandtownswerecombinedintoonecities/townscategory,withvillages

constituting their own category. A separate analysis was made of jurisdictions that currently

allow downtown development projects to combine different types of uses (retail, office,

residential)byright,i.e.withoutobtainingaspecialorconditionalusepermit(SUP/CUP).

Nooneclearpatternofpracticesemergedfromtheresponsesreceived.Whilemany

jurisdictionshaveappliedsomeprinciplesconducivetosmartgrowth,inmostinstancesthey

havenotadoptedenoughortherightcombinationstoactuallyresultinsmartgrowth.

OrganizationoftheReport

ThefindingsofthesurveyarediscussedunderfourmajorcategoriesComprehensive

Plans, Zoning Codes, Housing and Downtownswith smart growth implications examined for

each.AsummaryofresponsesreceivedispresentedinFigure1,whichshowstheproportionof

all cities/towns and villages that have adopted key smart growth practices and comparable

figuresfor those jurisdictions that allow mixed-use projectsto be developed by right in their

downtownareas.Whilethereareafewareaswherepercentagesarehigherforjurisdictions

that allow by-rightmixed-use, thedifferences arenot consistent foreither cities/towns or

villages,whichrevealsthepickandchoose,mixandmatchapproachLongIslandjurisdictions

havetakentosmartgrowth.

I. ComprehensivePlans

Whileallofthecities/townsrespondingtothissurveyhaveaComprehensivePlanor

similar document in place, only slightly more than half (52 percent) of villages have one.

Furthermore, many of those jurisdictions that do have Comprehensive Plans either never

formallyadoptedtheplanorhaveanoutdatedplan .ForLongIslandjurisdictionswithnoplan

atallorwithanoutdatedplan,thefirstobstacletosmartgrowthisthelackofanup-to-date

ComprehensivePlanora similardocumentbywhichcommunitymembersestablishavision

for their community and layoutthe policies thatwill guidedevelopmentovertime. Other

regulating documents (e.g., zoning codes and subdivision ordinances) should support thepoliciesoftheComprehensive(orSpecific)Plan.

Because Comprehensive Plans guide standards for subordinate documents such as

subdivision regulations and zoning codes, the lack of a Comprehensive Plan can also have a

negativeimpactonlocallanduseregulations.Thefollowingdifferencesexistbetweenvillages

havingaComprehensivePlanorsimilarpolicydocumentandthosethatdonot:

Only 22 percent of villages with no Comprehensive Plan are considering updatingtheirzoningcode,comparedto46percentofvillagesthathaveaplan.


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Less than half (44 percent) of the villages with no Comprehensive Plan havearchitecturalguidelinesfortheirdowntownareas,comparedto60percentofthose

villagesthathaveplans.

Only one-third of villages with no Comprehensive Plan have set standards fordevelopment that occurs where one use zone (e.g., commercial) transitions to

another(e.g.,residential),comparedto63percentofthosevillagesthathaveplans.

SmartGrowthImplications:

Comprehensive plans embody a communitys vision of itself and a roadmap to

maintainingorachievingthatvisioninthefuture.Assuch,ComprehensivePlanssetboththe

toneandthestandardsforsubordinatedocumentssuchassubdivisionregulationsandzoning

codes.Forunincorporatedjurisdictionssituatedwithinalargerjurisdiction,SpecificPlanscanbe

usedtoestablishpoliciesforthesesmallerbutdistinctplaces.

Astheoldadagesays,ifyoudontknowwhereyouaregoing,anyroadwilltakeyou

there, and the conceptcertainly applies toland use planning. Without a vision and a set of

policiesthatsupportthevision,thefutureislikelytobefraughtwithunintendedconsequences.

Two things includedinthissurvey canhaveagreatimpact on the way acommunitydevelops: architectural guidelines and specific development standards for boundary areas

between different zoning districts. With respect to these, jurisdictions with Comprehensive

Plansandthosewithoutarenearlynegativeimagesofoneanother.

Recommendation:

VillagesthatdonothaveaComprehensivePlanorSpecificPlantoguidedevelopmentoftheirdowntownshouldconsideradoptingone.

Jurisdictionswith aComprehensivePlan that ismorethan10 yearsold shouldupdatetheirplan,andjurisdictionsthathaveaplanbutneveradopteditshouldformallyadopt

anup-to-dateplan.

II. ZoningCodes

Figure2:ZoningTypesbyJurisdictionType

AsshowninFigure2,theprevalentformofzoninginuseinLongIslandcities/townsis

Euclidean zoning,which generallyallowsonlyone type ofusein each zone (e.g.,single family


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residences,generalcommercial,commercialoffice,lightindustrial,etc.),thoughtheremaybe

exceptionsgrantedundercertain circumstances.Villagesare much lesslikelyto useEuclidean

zoningthancities/towns.Theyreportgreateruseofmoreflexibleformsofzoningthatpermita

mixtureofuseswithinthesamezone.MirroringtheirrespectiverelianceonEuclideanzoning,

most cities/towns have established specific development standards for the transitional areas

betweendifferentzones(64percent),whilehalfofthevillageshavedoneso.Establishingthesestandardshelpsreduceproblemswhenusesofdifferingintensitiesabutoneanother(e.g.,retail

commercialandlow-densityresidential).

Withrespecttozoning,wefoundthefollowing:

Villages haveundertakencomprehensive updates to their zoning codes far lessoftenthan cities/towns. It has been 10 years or more since the last major update in 57

percentofvillages.Thecomparablenumberforcities/townsis33percent.

Sixty-fivepercentofvillagesarenotconsideringupdatingtheirzoningcodeatthistime.Thecomparablefigureforcities/townsis31percent.

Only 5 percent of villages are currently drafting zoning ordinance updates. Thecomparablefigureforcities/townsis15percent.

Villages updating their zoning ordinances are primarily drafting form-based andmodified pyramid ordinances. Cities/towns updating their ordinances are primarilydraftingform-basedandother(hybrid)ordinances.

Ofthevillagesconsideringupdatingtheirzoningordinancesorin theprocessofdoingso,63percentaremakingchangesindowntowncodes,while90percentofcities/towns

inthesamecategoryaremakingchangesintheirdowntowncodes.

Morethan70percentofthejurisdictionsincludedinthissurveypromoteatleastsome

greendevelopmentpractices.Only29percentdonot.Themostcommonlypromotedpractices

are the installation of solar energy panels and energy audits or assessments. A higher

percentageofcities/townspromotetheuseofgreendevelopmentpractices,andtheygenerally

promoteawiderrangeofpracticesthanvillagesdo.


Asbuilding practices, economicconditions, and thedemographicmakeup ofplaces

change,zoningcodesbecomeoutdated.It isimperativetotunethemupfromtimetotime.

Many jurisdictions do this on an incremental basis, but over the course of a decade these

incremental revisions often result in ordinances that are neither internally consistent nor

consistentwiththepoliciesestablishedintheComprehensivePlan.

Outdated zoning codescaninhibitthedevelopmentandredevelopmentnecessaryto

maintain a socially, economically and environmentally viable community. Nationally, many

jurisdictionsaremovingtowardsmoreflexibletypesofzoning(form-basedandhybrids)inorder

tobetterrespondtochangingcommunitydemographics,consumertastesandeconomicneeds.ThoseplacesonLongIslandthatareupdatingcodesseemtobefollowingsuit.

Similarly, most jurisdictions in the survey have followed the national trend and are

promotingatleastsomegreenbuildingpractices,thoughwithinsomejurisdictionstherangeof

optionsisverynarrowandlimitedmainlytosolarenergyandenergyaudits.


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Recommendations:

Jurisdictions that have not updated their zoning ordinances in a decade or moreshould do so, and should consider adopting an ordinance that will allow their

community the flexibility to respond to changing community demographics,

consumertastesandeconomicneeds.

Jurisdictionsshouldpromoteawiderrangeofgreenbuildingpractices.III. Housing

Akeyelementofsmartgrowthplanningisprovidingforavarietyofdifferenthousing

typesandsizestoensurethatresidentsofallagesandincomelevelscanbeaccommodated.

Multi-familyresidences,bothowner-occupiedandrentals,andaccessoryhousing(oftencalled

grannyflats),areimportantcomponentsofplansthatpromotehousingbalancebecausethey

generallyoffersmallerlivingspacesacrossarangeofprices.

Figure3:NewMulti-FamilyResidencePermitting

Thevastmajorityofsurveyedcities/towns(83percent)andvillages(81percent)allow

thedevelopmentofnewmulti-familyresidencesbyrightinanyzonewheretheyareallowed,or

byright inspecific zonesand byspecial use permit (SUP)or conditionaluse permit (CUP) in

otherzones,butthequantityofmulti-familyhousingstockthatcanbedevelopeddependson

the development capacity of zones in which it is permitted (see Figure 3). In 8 percent of

cities/townsand5percentofvillages,nonewmulti-familyresidencesareallowed.Eightpercentof cities/towns and 14 percent of villages require a SUP/CUP for all new multi-family

construction.

A SUP/CUP process is a double-edged sword for jurisdictions: it can be beneficial

becauseitgivesacommunitymorecontroloverwhereandhownewconstructionisbuilt,but

it also makes building more difficult, more expensive and riskier. The added layers of

uncertainty tend to dissuade many developers from building multi-family units, and to


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increasethecostsofdevelopmentsthatarebuilt,costswhicharelargelypassedontothe

consumerintheformofhigherpurchasepricesorhigherrents.

Figure4:NewRentalUnitPermitting

In46percentofcities/towns,rentalsareallowedinanyzoneaslongastheyconformto

theotherrequirementsofthezone(seeFigure4).While19percentofvillagesallowrentalunits

inanyzone,10percentdisallowbuildinganyhousingspecificallyintendedforrental.Rentalsare

restricted to specific zones or only allowed by SUP/CUP in more than two-thirds of villages.

Comparablenumbersinbothcategoriesforcities/townsarefarlower.

Figure5:AccessoryDwellingUnitPermitting

Accessoryhousing(alsoknownas grannyflats)isanotherformoftransitionalhousing,

particularly useful for extended families (see Figure 5). Sixty-eight percent of villages and 15

percentofcities/townsrespondingtothissurveydonotallowaccessoryhousing.Amongthose


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thatdoallowit,23percentofvillagesallowitbyrightwhileonly8percentofcities/townsdo.

Mostcities/townsrequireaSUP/CUP,while9percentofvillagesusethisprocess.Bywhatever

meansitisallowed,accessoryunitconstructionisregulatedthroughavarietyofmechanisms.

Usuallyappliedincombinations,thesecontrolmeasuresincludestandardsforplacementofthe

unitontheparcel,sizerestrictions,parkingrequirements,designstandards,andrestrictionson

whomaylivethere.Anothercommonrestrictionistherequirementthattheprimaryresidencebeowner-occupied.

Universal design, which accommodates people with personal mobility restrictions, is

another mechanism that facilitates staying in ones neighborhood as personal circumstances

change.Only14percentofvillagescurrentlyencourageorpromoteuniversaldesignfornewor

modifiedresidentialconstruction,while57percentofcities/townsdoso.

Onewayforjurisdictionstoencouragehousingaffordabilityistoincludeprovisionsin

their zoning and/or subdivisionregulations that promote thedevelopmentof both parcels

and houses of various sizes, not only in separateneighborhoods but within them. Smaller

homesonsmallerlotsaregenerallymoreaffordablesimplybyvirtueoftheirdesign.Thesecan

serve as starter homes, but they also allow empty nesters and elders to find suitably sized

housing options within their own neighborhoodsas their needs change. While 50 percentofcities/townsencourage a mixtureof variouslot anddwellingunit sizes withinneighborhoods,

only19percentofvillagesdo.

Becausemanyjurisdictionsregulationspreventthedevelopmentofhousingforabroad

spectrumofresidents,correctivemeasuressuchastheLongIslandWorkforceHousingLawof

2008havebeentakeninanefforttorestorebalance.Todate,housingunitsresultingfromthis

lawhaveonlybeenconstructedinabout10percentofsurveyedjurisdictions.Somejurisdictions

hadalreadyadoptedpoliciesthatrequiretheinclusionofunitsforlow-andmoderate-income

residents,andtheunitsbuiltundertheseprovisionsarenotrepresentedinthissurvey.Whatis

evidentthoughfromcommentsreceivedisthatinclusionaryzoningandworkforcehousinglaws

can only go so far. In the case of the 2008 Long Island law, developers are reportedly

circumventingitbybuildingonelessunitthanrequiredtotriggeritsprovisions. Itisfarbetterand more effective to plan communities that are naturally inclusive because they offer a

varietyofhousingoptionsthatmeettheneedsofdiverseresidents.


Itisafactoflifethatcommunitiesareinaconstantstateofchange.Residentsageand

move from one life stage to another, and as they do their housing and mobility needs also

change.Youngsingles,youngmarrieds,familieswithchildren,empty-nesters,andeldershave

differing requirements andmeans,and ifhousing optionsare restricted,people areforced to

move as their situations change, often to places at inconvenient distances from family and

friends. Communities that accommodate people across a broad range of life stages,

occupationsandincomegroupsaregenerallymoresociallyandeconomicallysustainablethanthose thatdonot. Long Island is already suffering from the exclusionary effects of large-lot

zoningandthehighrealestatepricesthisengenders.Youngpeopleandmanyessentialservice

providers,suchasfirefightersandhealthserviceproviders,generallycannotaffordtopurchase

homeshere.Theyaremovingtomoreaffordableplacesand,astheyleave,theregionfindsit

hardertostaffcriticaljobsandtoattractorretainemployers.


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Recommendations:

In light of current demographic trends and economic realities, and in order to build

communitiesthataremoresustainableoverthelongterm,LongIslandjurisdictionsshould:

Increasetheabilitytobuildmulti-familyresidences,bothforsaleandforrent;Eliminaterestrictionsontheconstructionofrentalunits;Encourageavarietyoflotanddwellingunitsizeswithinneighborhoods;andEaserestrictionsontheconstructionofaccessoryunits.

IV. Downtowns

Adowntownservesasafocalpointforcommunitylifeandprojectsthepublicimageof

a community. Lively, active downtowns suggest vitality. Empty storefronts, vacant lots, and

deteriorating buildings suggest a place whose time has passed.Thedifference between the

downtownsthatremainbusy,attractiveandvitalandthosethatdonotisoftenfoundinthe

regulationsandincentives(ordisincentives)thatguidedevelopmentinthedowntownarea.

Asbusiness models evolve,thespaceand configuration requirements ofindividualbusinesses

change,sometimessubstantially.2

Ifzoningregulationsandbuildingcodesarenotupdatedforthedowntownarea,businesswillgravitatetosuburbanlocationsorothercommunitiesthatwill

accommodatetheirneeds.

Therearenumerous toolsthat communitiescanuseto ensure that theirdowntowns

remainattractivebothphysicallyandtobusinessesbutnosingleoneisapanacea.Theways

jurisdictionsrespondingtothissurveycombineandmakeuseofthesetoolsvarywidely.

SpecialAreasorDistricts

Figure6:SpecialDistricts

2Aprimeexampleofthisissupermarkets.Thefootprintofsupermarketshaschangeddrasticallyoverthe

lastfewdecadesinresponsetochangingconsumerpreferences/demandsandindustrystandards.Many

downtownshavebeenunabletoaccommodatethenewrequirementsandhavebeenleftwithouta

grocerystoreasaconsequence.


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Establishing a special area or district (e.g., a historic preservation district or Central

BusinessDistrict(CBD))helpstofocusattentionandresourcesonplacesthatarecrucialtothe

communitysimage,economicwell-beingorboth.Typically,specialrulesguidedevelopmentin

theseareasbyallowingorprecludingcertainuses,definingsiteandarchitecturalrequirements,

providingfinancialorotherincentivestodevelopers,orsomecombinationofthese.

MostjurisdictionsmakeuseofatleastoneSpecialDistrict.CBDisthemostfrequentlyusedcategory,with62percentofthecities/townsand45percentofvillageshavingestablished

one(seeFigure6).Onlyonetown/cityhasdefinedaTransit-OrientedDistrict.Novillageshave

doneso.

Aboutaquarterofcities/townshaveestablishedDesignOverlayDistricts.Thesecanbe

establishedin conjunctionwithotherspecialdistrictsandare particularly usefulin buildingor

maintaininga distinctiveimage foraCBD ora TOD.Architectural guidelinesare akeyfacetof

DesignOverlyDistricts,astheyestablishthestandardsthatnewdevelopmentwillberequired

tomeet.

ScaleandDensityinDowntowns

Almost every surveyed jurisdiction specifically regulates the scale of development indowntown areas. Most use a combination of controls by setting height limitations, site

placement requirements and design standards. More than half also establish an acceptable

Floor Area Ratio (FAR), which places a limit on how many square feet of interior space are

allowedrelativetotheareaoftheparcel.

Thespecificcombinationofcontrolsandthespecificmeasures(ormetrics)appliedwill

helpestablishthecharacterofadowntown,butifthesecontrolsarenotreviewedandrevised

from time to time with respect to the current residential and business requirements and

building industry technologies, they may act to deter both redevelopment and new infill

development. These controls are also used in many instances as indirect ways of controlling

density.

Densitythoughcontroversialinsomecommunitiesiscriticallyimportantinprovidingthehousingcapacity sufficient to generate theclientele needed to supportdowntownretail.

Thisistrueforalldowntowns,butitistruerforTODsbecauseoftheadditionalneedfortransit

riders.IneveryLongIslandjurisdictionsurveyed,residentialdensityinthedowntownseither

isnotregulatedorregulationssetacapondensitywithoutalsoestablishingaminimum.Both

maximumandminimumallowabledensityneedtobeestablishedtoensurethatresidential

densityisadequatetosupportdowntownbusinessactivityandtransitservice,regardlessof

whetheritisrailorbusservice.Thoughmanycommunitiesabhordensityongeneralprinciple,

wellthought-outdensity controls that establish minimumsand maximums, along with height,

site placement, and good design standards, can serve to insert both height and density

unobtrusivelyintodowntownssothatacomfortablescaleismaintainedandneitherpedestrians

norexistingbuildingsareovershadowed.

Surveyed jurisdictions indicate that the biggest obstacle both to encouraging

developmentand increasingdensity intheirdowntownsistherequirementtomeetcurrent

on-siteparkingstandards.Asdiscussedbelow,mostjurisdictionsoverplanforparkingandthis

obstacle could easily be reduced or eliminated simply by using better parking management

techniques.


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Incentives

Figure7:IncentivesOfferedforDowntownDevelopment

Variousincentives may be offered by jurisdictions to particularlydesirable downtown

developmentprojects tooffsetthe obstacles erectedby zoningand building codes; however,

the majority of jurisdictions in this survey offer no incentives of any kind to encourage

downtowndevelopment(seeFigure7).Thosethatdoaremostlikelytoofferrelieffromon-

siteparkingrequirements.

Densitybonuses,whichincreasetheallowablecommercialsquarefootageornumberof

housing units that may be built, are offered in very few Long Island communities. Density

bonuses areincluded in theOther Incentives category for all of thedowntowndevelopment

types shown in Figure 7 (i.e., multi-family residential construction, infill development, and

adaptive reuse). Though little used on Long Island, density bonuses are a common incentive

offeredinotherplacestoattract projects todowntowns.Theycanalso helppreservehistoric

buildingsthatshapecommunitycharacter.

Transfer ofDevelopment Rights(TDR) isa densitybonus variation that worksto move

densityfromareaswhereitispermittedbutlessdesirabletothedowntownareawhereitcan

help support business and build transit-oriented areas. About 15 percent of surveyed

jurisdictions currently have a TDR program, but not all of these TDR programs are designed

specificallytoincreasedensityinadowntownarea.

CivicSpace

Civic space plays a vital role in determining whether a downtown is a habitable or

hostileplace.Sidewalks,streettrees,benchesandstreetlightsareessentialtomakepedestrians

feelcomfortableandsafeondowntownstreets.Publicsquares,parksandviewsoflandmark


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buildings(whetherpublicedifices,historicbuildingsorarchitecturallysignificantones)establish

thecharacterofaplaceandsetitapartfromallothers.Soitissurprisingthatsofewsurveyed

jurisdictionsrequirenewdevelopmenttotakecivicspaceintoconsideration.Asuper-majority

ofcities/towns(69percent)donotrequiredevelopmenttoaddresspublicspaceinanyway;the

comparable number for villages is 39 percent (see Figure 8). A higher percentage of villages

requireprivatedevelopmenttocontribute,evenifonlyminimally,tocivicspace.

Figure8:NewDevelopmentCivicSpaceRequirements

MixofUses

Amixofusesisessentialinmaintainingavitaldowntown. Thestrictsegregationof

land uses into separate zones, common in many jurisdictions, has resulted in several

unintendedandnegativeconsequences,nottheleastofwhichisthecreationvirtualdead-

zones afterbusinesshours indowntownswhere residentialusesare excluded.Thevalueof

having a variety of intermixed uses that contribute to lively and safe (by virtue of 24-hour

neighbors)downtowns isnow widely recognizedand manyjurisdictionsarerezoning toallow

them.Nearlyallcities/towns(92percent)allowforbothresidentialandmixedusesintheir

downtowns. About 68percent of villages allow residential uses, but11 percentdo notallow

mixed-use buildings. Downtown mixed-use projects may be built by right in 54 percent of

cities/townsandin 44percentof villages.In theother places,a SUP/CUPorothercontingent

approvalisrequired.

Amongjurisdictionsthatindicatedmixed-usebuildingsareallowedintheirdowntown,

20percentallowsolelycommercialprojects(officesandretail),withhalfallowingthembyright,


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andhalf requiring projects to obtain a SUP/CUP. Theremainder ofthe jurisdictions allowing

downtownmixed-usemakenodifferentiationbetweenstrictlycommercialprojectsandthose

thatincludearesidentialcomponent,andtheyareevenlydividedastowhetherprojectsare

allowedbyrightorrequireaSUP/CUP.Asmentionedabove,aSUPallowsahigherdegreeof

control over a project, but it also adds a layer of uncertainty that often discourages

development.Amongthosejurisdictionsthatallowresidentialusesindowntownareas,36percentof

respondingcities/townsand71percentofrespondingvillageshavenotestablishedresidential

densitystandards. Thosethathavedensitystandards have setmaximums,butnonehaveset

minimumstandards.3Settingonlyaceilingnumbermakesitpossiblefordeveloperstobuild

well below the maximum planned density, which can result in insufficient population to

supportdowntownbusinessortransitservices.

Ofthejurisdictionsthatallownewmixed-usedevelopmentintheirdowntowns,only36

percentofcities/townsand38percentofvillagesallowthedevelopmentofmid-riseapartment

buildings.

TransitTrafficisthelifebloodofcommunities,thoughsometimestoomuchofagoodthingcan

resultwheneveryonerelies(orisforcedtorely)ona singlemodeoftravel.Thecommunities

that function best are those that offer people choiceswalk, bike, drive, or ride the

bus/van/taxi/train. In this respect, Long Island benefits fromhaving Long IslandRail Road

(LIRR)alreadyinplace. ItisdismayingthatsofewLongIslandjurisdictionshavemadegood

useofthisvaluableresourceintheirlandplanning.Asnotedabove,onlyonecity/townandno

villageshavetransit-orienteddistrictsintheirdowntownstoencouragethedensityneededto

supportpublictransit.Transit-oriented developmentcan beused topromote orfacilitatenot

onlycommuterrailservice,buttosupport,facilitateandpromotebusandtramservicesthat

provideconnectionstocommuterrail.

3Communitiesacrossthenationconcernedaboutprovidingsufficienthousingtomaintaineconomic

vitalityand/orsupportingtransit-orienteddevelopmenthavestartedsettingbothminimumand

maximumdensityrequirementstoensurethatdevelopmentreflectstheintentionoftheircomprehensive

plans.Theseinclude,tomentiononlyafew,GrandJunction,CO;Portland,OR;WhatcomCounty,WA;

Sacramento,CA;andCharlotteCounty,FL.


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Figure9:SupportServicesforCommuterRail

Ingeneral,cities/townshavefarmoretransitsupportservicesthanvillages,butnearlya

quarter(23percent) ofcities/towns and38percent ofvillageshaveno supportservicesat all

(seeFigure9).

Parking

Parkingrequirementsareimportantin downtownsforseveralreasons.Of course,itis

imperativetoprovideenoughparkingsothatbusinesscanoperatesmoothly,butrequiringtoo

muchparkingparticularlyifitmustbeprovidedon-sitecanhavedetrimentaleffects.First,

it renders many older parcels either economically or physically unbuildable. Second, the

presenceofmultipleprivatesurfaceparkinglotscandisruptthecontinuityofthestreetscape,

lengthening distances between shops, restaurants and services so that patrons opt to drive

rather than walkbetween destinations. Thishas a knock-on effectfor retail sales, as walking

customers aremorelikely tomakeunscheduled stopsand spontaneouspurchasesthanthose

whodriveby.Third,providingtoomuchparkinghasnegativeenvironmentalimpactsbecauseit

encouragesstop-startshort-hopdriving.

Communities can use parking to their advantage by controlling the amount available

anddictatingwhereitmaybeplaced.Eventhoughallofthejurisdictionsinthesurveyhave

public parking available in their downtowns, approximately two-thirds require new

developmenttoprovideautomobileparkingspaces.Only7percentofjurisdictionsthatrequire

on-site parking set both a minimum and maximum number of spaces. Setting both is the

preferablemethodtopromotewalkabledistricts,pedestriantrafficandtransituse.

Metered parking can also be used to encourage foot traffic and discourage cruising,

which occurs when drivers troll for free parking close to their destinations or drive short

distancesbetweendestinationsthatareinfactwithinwalkingdistanceofoneanother.Only23

percentofcities/townshavemeteredparking,while50percentofvillagesdo.

Ninety-two percent of cities/towns base their parking requirements on use codes to

determinehowmuchparkingmustbeprovided.Villagesmainlyrelyonusecodes(61percent),

but33percentuseacombinationofusecodeanddistrict.Parkingratiosestablishedforvarious

use codesthough in common use for decadesare not based on substantial empirical

evidence, generally relateto peak parkingdays (e.g. Thanksgiving Evefor grocerystores) and


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18

ignore the cumulative impact of previous projects, hence they normally result in providing

excessparking.Communitiesactivelypromotingtransithavestartedrequiringafractionofthe

parkingdictatedbystandardusecodes50percentorlessinmanyinstancesandstillfind

thatthereisampleparkingforthosewhoneedit.

As noted above, having to provide on-site parking can severely limit the ability of

developerstobuildprojectsinthedowntownareasunlesstheycangetawaiverorvariance.Themostcommonjustificationforaparkingvarianceistoshowthatthereissomeplaceelseto

parkonthestreet,inanearbypublicfacilityorinalotsharedorjointlyusedbyotherprivate

propertiesintheimmediatearea.Onlyabout7percentofjurisdictionsallowon-siteparking

reductionsforbeingclosetotransitstopsorfortheprovisionofbicycleparkingoramenities

(e.g.,bikelockersandemployeeshoweringfacilities).


A communitys downtown is a barometer of its health. Healthy communities have

vibrantattractivedowntownswithdistinctivecharactersthatsetthemapartfromsurrounding

places.Somedowntownsthriveforawhilemerelybybeingtherightplaceattherighttime.But

fewcansustaintheirsuccesswithoutadoptingplanningpracticesthatallowthemtorespondtochanging demographics and emerging economic realities so that they can better retain and

attractresidents,whointurnattractthebusinessesthatemploythemandcatertothem.

Recommendations:

ThefollowingrecommendationsaremadeforLongIslanddowntowns:

Make better use of special districts and incentives packages to encourage downtowndevelopment.

Provideincentivesfortransit-orientedandtransit-adjacentdevelopment.Usedesignguidelinestoensurethateachcommunityhasadistinctiveappearancethat

makesgooduseofhistoricresourcesandciviclandmarks.Designguidelinesareessential

ifdesignreviewispartoftheapprovalprocess.Reconsidercontrolsondensity,thescaleofdevelopment,andlanduses,withaneyeto

creating lively, visually appealing downtowns and safer streets with mixed-use

developmentthatkeepseyesonthestreet24/7.

Increaseallowabledensity,particularlynearLIRRstations,anddesignatetransit-orienteddistricts.Inadditiontoencouraginguseoftransitservices,thiswillincreasetheclient

basefordowntownbusinessesandpromoteconstructionofsmaller,lessexpensiveunits

thatcatertotodayssmallerhouseholds(anationaltrend).Designguidelineswillhelp

ensurethatdensitydoesnotdetractfromtheattractivenessofestablisheddowntowns.

Itispossibletoadddensityquiteunobtrusively.

Reconsideron-site parkingrequirementsthat aredeterring thedevelopment ofvacantand underused parcels and the renovation and adaptive reuse of older and historicbuildingsindowntownareas.

Place more emphasison providing supportfacilities foralltypesof transit rail,busesandvans.

Placemoreemphasisonprovidingsupportfacilitiesforbicyclists.Requireallnewdowntowndevelopmenttoaccommodatebicycleparking.

Makebetteruseofparkingcontrolstoreducecruisingforspaces,toencourageretail-supportingfoottrafficincommercialareas,andtoencouragetransituse.


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Conclusions

No single clear pattern of adoption of smart growth practices emerged from the

responsesreceived.Thecombinationsarenearlyasvariedasthejurisdictionsthemselves.While

manyjurisdictions haveappliedsomeprinciplesconducivetosmartgrowth,in mostinstances

theyhavegenerallynotadoptedenoughintherightcombinationstoactuallyresultinsmartgrowth.

There are some jurisdictions, however, that are hitting many of the right notesthe

VillagesofAmityville,MineolaandPatchogue;theTownsofBabylon,Brookhaven,Hempstead,

Islip, and Riverhead. These jurisdictions have planned and, in some cases, successfully built

mixed-useandTODprojects.Eachhascreateditsownrecipeforsmartgrowth.Fiveoftheeight

have updated their zoning codes within the last 5 years. All allow multi-family residential

buildingsintheirdowntowns.Butnoneshareexactlythesamesetofmeasures.

Inthefinalanalysis,allthatmattersisthatthecombinationofmeasuresadoptedbya

community work to bring about smart growth or TOD. Evenwith a near complete set of

measures,successwill hinge ononekey ingredientpolitical willwithoutwhich thebest

laid planswill be stymied. And though the efforts of these eight jurisdictions are laudable,manymorewillhavetofollowtheirexamplesandgeton-boardwithsmartgrowthandTODif

LongIslandistoholditsownintothefuture.

Long Island Index 2011 Land Use Planning Practices

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