Staff Report - Height Map - The MPC

MPC STAFF REPORT TEXT AMENDMENT Historic District Height Map

March 11, 2014 MPC File No. 14-000709-ZA

TEXT AMENDMENT/HEIGHT MAP AMENDMENT SUMMARY

Report Status

Initial Report

Petitioner, Property

SRD, LLC d/b/a The Kessler Corporation, petitioner, owner

Owner, Agent Information Harold Yellin, agent

Existing Height Zone

Three stories above River Street Two stories above River Street

Requested Zoning Subject Area Location

Policy Analysis Recommendation

Three stories, or 45 feet, above Bay Street One story above Bay Street

The amendment proposes to allow a maximum of three-stories or 45 feet above Bay Street in the northwestern corner of the Savannah Historic District extending approximately 775 feet along the Savannah River to the east and west of the Power Plant Site.

The amendment also proposes to allow a maximum of one story above Bay Street extending approximately 375 feet along the Savannah River to the east of the Power Plant Site as illustrated in the attached application and submittal.

Additional height in the subject area, both to the east and west of the Power Plant is consistent with the surrounding context and is supported by the 1992 recommended height limits developed in Chadbourne's Report. Transitioning to lower heights on the north side of River Street is critical to being compatible with the low, smaller scale buildings which exist north of River Street further east.

Staff recommends approval of an alternative amendment to the Historic District Height Map, referenced in Section 8-3030(n)(2) of the Savannah Zoning Ordinance, to allow "five stories above River Street" to the area west of and including the Power Plant site, and to allow "three stories above River Street" to the area east of the Power Plant site. Development may qualify for a "bonus story" as permitted in the Historic District Ordinance.

TO:

The Planning Commission

FROM:

MPC Staff

DATE:

March 11, 2014

SUBJECT:

Text Amendment to the City of Savannah Zoning Ordinance

Re:

Amendment to the Historic District Height Map

(established in Section 8-3030(n)(2), Historic District,

Design Standards, Height, of the City of Savannah Zoning

Ordinance) to modify the height zones in the northwest

quadrant of the historic district.

Petitioner: SRD, LLC d/b/a The Kessler Corporation

Agent:

Harold Yellin

MPC File No. 14-000709-ZA

Ellen I. Harris, AICP, MPC Project Planner

NATURE OF THE REQUEST:

The petitioner is requesting to amend the Historic District Height Map (established in Section 83030(n)(2), Historic District, Design Standards, Height, of the City of Savannah Zoning Ordinance) to modify the height zones in the northwestern quadrant of the historic district. The amendment proposes to allow a maximum of three-stories or 45 feet above Bay Street (effectively six stories) in the northwestern corner of the Savannah Historic District extending approximately 775 feet along the Savannah River to the east and west of the Power Plant Site.

The amendment also proposes to allow a maximum of one story above Bay Street (effectively four stories) extending approximately 375 feet along the Savannah River to the east of the Power Plant Site as illustrated in the attached application and submittal.

HEIGHT MAP BACKGROUND:

In 1992, a report entitled, "A City of Streets and Squares: Savannah Design Guidelines for the Historic District" was prepared for the City of Savannah by Christopher Chadbourne with Clarion Associates, Inc. Also known as the Chadbourne Report, it made recommendations for measurable design standards in the Savannah Historic District to help preserve the historic character and provide predictability to property owners and residents. The Report stressed the importance of height guidelines to bring "predictability to the development community, surety to the neighborhoods and continuity to the historic city which is at the root of the city's tourist economy." This report included the first height map developed for the historic district (Figure 1).

Text Amendment ? Historic District Height Map MPC File No. 14-000709-ZA March 11, 2014

Page 3

Figure 1. Height Limits map, Figure 10.0, from A City of Streets and Squares, Savannah Design Guidelines for the Historic District, prepared for the City of Savannah in April 30, 1992, revised October 30, 1992 by Christopher Chadbourne and Associates with Clarion Associates, Inc. The approximate location of subject area is outlined in blue.

A citizen steering committee, using the Chadbourne recommendations as a guide, revised the historic district ordinance including a new height map, and was officially adopted by the Mayor and Alderman in 1997 (Figure 2).

Text Amendment ? Historic District Height Map MPC File No. 14-000709-ZA March 11, 2014

Page 4

Figure 2. Historic District Height Map as adopted by the Mayor and Aldermen in 1997, from the Manual for Development in the Savannah Historic District and Historic District Zoning Ordinance, 1997. The approximate location of subject area is outlined in blue.

In 2003, the height map was subsequently reevaluated and amended, but the changes did not impact the subject area (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Historic District Height Map, Section 8-3030(n)(2), Historic District, Design Standards, Height, of the City of Savannah Zoning Ordinance.

Text Amendment ? Historic District Height Map MPC File No. 14-000709-ZA March 11, 2014

Page 5

FINDINGS:

1. Most of the area requested to be modified is within the Savannah National Historic Landmark District and the local historic zoning overlay but a portion is only within the local historic zoning overlay (Figure 4). The entire area is subject to the Historic District Height Map.

Figure 4. Map of the Savannah National Historic Landmark District, showing in purple, and the local historic zoning overlay district, outlined in black. The approximate location of the subject area under consideration is outlined in blue.

2. In the Chadbourne Report, detailed descriptions are provided for the redevelopment of the area in question. The western portion of the area in question is called the West Riverfront, which consists of the area between Bay and the River, abutting and including the Power Plant site. Chadbourne notes that, "The transformation of this area is dependent on the conversion of this plant and the reuse of plant and land for hotel/commercial purposes..."

Specifically regarding the Power Plant, the report states, "If the SEPCO site is abandoned it is recommended that the brick building be retained as a shell for new uses. Its depth may require a portion of it becoming an atrium or a courtyard. It is further recommended that infill construction within the shell not exceed shell height or the height of permitted buildings on River Street and that, should infill construction exceed shell height, it be set back at least 20 feet from the shell." Clearly the Report envisions the Power Plant the pinnacle feature of this area.

Regarding the area to the west of the Power Plant, "The guidelines envision a required park (or inlet subject to review by the Army Corps of Engineers) extending westward at the foot of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard which would open up sites on the south side of River Street and provide a fitting public terminus to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; a continuous riverfront pedestrian walk; the maintenance of commercial retail bounding River Street to and surrounding this park, and leveraging of these features to open up development sites one block off the water..."

The report further notes that, "Buildings north of Williamson and Indian Streets should not exceed 5 stories above River Street..."

The eastern portion of the area in question (east of the Power Plant) is within an area called Factors Walk and the Riverfront.

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download