Title
Zoning code text amendments related to Low Impact Development (LID) - Deliberation
Recommended Action
Deliberate and formulate a recommendation to the City Council.
Report
Issue:
Discussion of potential minor amendments to the Olympia Municipal Code (OMC). All amendments proposed intend to clarify or adjust language adopted in 2016 related to making Low Impact Development the common and preferred approach.
Staff Contact / Presenter:
Nicole Floyd, Senior Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3768
Background and Analysis:
Background
The LID code revision project began in February of 2014 as a State mandate and was completed in December of 2016 as a community supported effort to change the paradigm of development towards a more environmentally sensitive approach to stormwater management. The update included revisions to a vast number of City codes, standards, and manuals in order to make LID the preferred and commonly used approach to site development. The strategy emphasizes careful site planning and small-scale stormwater management practices that integrate into project designs.
Analysis
Now, a year and a half after the LID update, staff have identified a few areas in need of modification to fully implement the intent of the 2016 update. These proposed amendments are based on daily practical application and intend to refine and clarify specific sections that have been challenging to implement. These modifications are not substantive; for the most part, they simply clarify the code. The full set of proposed amendments are shown in Attachment 1. Proposed changes include, but are not limited to:
1. Increased Hard Surface Limits: Setting hard surface limits at approximately 20% higher than impervious surface limits within residential zones will help incentivize their use.
2. Schools, Parks, and Places of Worship: Proposed amendments establish increased coverage allowances for non-residential uses within the residential zones s...
Click here for full text