1. What’s the problem? West Main Street is within an Architectural Control District (ACD.) That means in addition to following the zoning ordinance, all new development must meet design guidelines and be reviewed by the Board of Architectural Review (BAR.) Despite these added safeguards however, the Flats is seen by many as being out of step with the character of Charlottesville. According to the March 2015 Existing Conditions Report by the City’s West Main Street consultant, Rhodeside Harwell, “Many of these developments along the corridor have been perceived by the public as too big, too tall, lacking in open spaces and character, and not compatible with adjacent streets and neighborhoods.” What I’ve heard on the street confirms this observation. Many people flat-out don’t like the Flats and fear it is a foretaste of the future. As a design professional, I know something is wrong with the process. As an elected official, I know I am duty-bound to try and fix it.

2. How did we get here? According to the 2001 Comprehensive Plan, there was “a fragile nature to the Charlottesville economy” because the City’s share of the regional retail sector was declining and not enough housing was being built to meet demand. The City’s zoning ordinances were changed in 2003 in large part to turn this situation around by allowing more density, more mixed use and taller buildings all “by right.” Developers could exceed “by right” densities and building heights with a special use permit (or SUP) which also meant they had to either build more affordable housing or contribute to the housing fund. From a fiscal standpoint, that strategy worked. Recently approved projects on West Main Street will eventually generate roughly $3 million in property tax revenue which is 18 times more revenue than from the previously empty lots and garages. (That’s about 5 to 6 cents on the real estate tax rate.) Revenue from growth keeps our taxes low and pays for services like education and police. Plus more supply drives rental rates down. But just as people deserve more than empty parking lots and abandoned garages, they deserve development that creates the kind of places we grow to love and value.

3. Is Status Quo Inevitable? Existing zoning has been the law of the land since 2003, and most people don’t realize that councilors cannot vote against a project simply because they don’t like the aesthetics or style of a building. Back in December 2012 I expressed concern about how the ACD guidelines left a lot of room for interpretation by 21 people (7 PC members, 9 BAR members, 5 councilors.) The 2013 PLACE Design Task Force Annual Report summed up the problem best however. “The different character of West Main along its length was not reflected in the planning guidelines and codes governing the corridor, and the expectations for development were not clear, creating a difficult review process for those wishing to build along the corridor.” City councilors must follow the law and strict standards of review which means there are no short cuts. If we want new development to reflect the best of Charlottesville, now is the time to put new rules in place with the force of law.

4.  How can we move forward?   The March 2015 Existing Conditions Report by Rhodeside Harwell also stated, that the factors that contribute to the character of a place “include the height and mass of existing buildings, as well as the relationship between buildings and the street.” On March 17, Rhodeside Harwell presented their recommendations to City council on how to change our zoning ordinance so that new development contributes to the character of the place we call West Main. Strong points for me included:

• Restricted and reduced building heights along West Main Street, especially east of the Drewary Brown Bridge.
• Rear building heights that step down to match the heights of adjacent residential neighborhoods.
• Measurable standards instead of design guidelines subject to unlimited review and interpretation.

I believe the changes proposed by Rhodeside Harwell will head us in the right direction without hurting the City’s bottom line or discouraging the kind of redevelopment we need. That’s why on April 20, (with the help of Councilor Szakos,) I introduced a resolution to initiate a public process to consider zoning ordinance changes within the West Main Street Corridor District, using Rhodeside Harwell ’s recommendations as point of departure. That resolution and the proposed zoning code changes will be discussed on May 18.