City of Gainesville - File #: 030916

• File #: 030916
• Version: 2
• Name: Land Development Code Amendment - General Business District (B)
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 7/26/2004
• In control: City Attorney
• Final action: 8/9/2004
• Title: LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT - GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (B) Ordinance No. 0-04-46; Petition 30TCH-04 PB An ordinance of the City of Gainesville, Florida, amending the Land Development Code, relating to requirements for the general business (BUS) district; amending section 30-61 by deleting an obsolete reference relating to hotels and motels; deleting the floor area ratio requirement and establishing a maximum building height limit; increasing some side and rear setbacks to 50 feet; adding a provision for placement of trash facilities and requirements for mechanical equipment; making certain other minor modifications for clarification; providing directions to the codifier; providing a severability clause; providing a repealing clause; and providing an immediate effective date.

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
8/9/2004	2	City Commission	Adopted on Final Reading (Ordinance)	Pass
7/26/2004	1	City Commission	Approved (Petition) and Adopted on First Reading (Ordinance), as modified	Pass
7/12/2004	0	City Commission	Continued	Pass

title
LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT - GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (B)

Ordinance No. 0-04-46; Petition 30TCH-04 PB
An ordinance of the City of Gainesville, Florida, amending the Land Development Code, relating to requirements for the general business (BUS) district; amending section 30-61 by deleting an obsolete reference relating to hotels and motels; deleting the floor area ratio requirement and establishing a maximum building height limit; increasing some side and rear setbacks to 50 feet; adding a provision for placement of trash facilities and requirements for mechanical equipment; making certain other minor modifications for clarification; providing directions to the codifier; providing a severability clause; providing a repealing clause; and providing an immediate effective date.

recommendation
The City Commission adopt the proposed ordinance.

explanation
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT
This petition is part of the overall update of the City's Land Development Regulations. Specifically, these amendments are proposed for the general business district (BUS). One of the significant changes is establishment of a maximum building height of five stories. This replaces the maximum floor area ratio for principal structures, and is consistent with the Commercial land use category in Policy 4.1.1 of the City's 2000-2010 Comprehensive Plan.

Concerns about compatibility between BUS and abutting residential land use have led to proposed language regarding the maximum height of buildings on BUS land that is adjacent to residential land. In this situation, the maximum building height would be limited to 3 stories. The side and rear setback was also increased from 25 feet to 50 feet where the side or rear yard abuts property in a residential district or is shown for residential use on the future land use map of the comprehensive plan.

Compatibility concerns between the BUS district and abutting residential land use have also le...