Village

Planning and

Implementation

in Rhode Island

SNEAPA 2014

2002 RI Growth Center Criteria

•Compact mixed use development

•Diverse housing opportunities

•Transportation choice

•Protection of natural resources

•Design for sense of place

Rhode Island villages leading the way.

Harrisville Redevelopment, Burrillville

Harrisville/Stillwater Mill (Burrillville, RI)

South County Commons

A Vision for Exeter A Game Plan for Our Future

What’s the potential for village development?

Village

Planning

Tools

• Planning Strategies

• Design Approaches

• Case Studies

• Regulatory

Guidance

Village Planning Requires a Different Approach

Traditional process

governed by Robert’s Rules

of Order facilitates decision-making, but

creates winners and losers.

Because planning and

zoning decisions directly

affect people’s property values and quality of life,

losers get mad, then get even.

• We don’t trust you! Public Participation and

Consensus Building Techniques.

• Density is Bad! Planning and Design Techniques

• This Can’t Work! Case Studies that show it can.

Barriers in Public Discussion

We don’t trust you!

Getting Started with

Consensus Building

• Reaching out to stakeholders.

• Shared fact-finding

• Mapping out problems and

opportunities.

• Analyzing potential conflicts

• Defining community values

and vision.

• Exploring alternatives.

Game-Playing Exercises

• Games are user-friendly.

• Games help people think

outside the box.

• Games are less

threatening.

A Vision for Exeter

Do we need a village? Where is the best location?

Buildout analysis shows 3,000+ new homes, more than doubling the existing population

Using GIS, the map of the town was transformed into a

game board.

“Housing Hot Spots” identified by compiling the

results of all game boards

Preferred locations for future village development

CENTER TYPES + TOD

Density is Bad!

Start by showing them what it looks like…

3-5 units per acre

West Kingston

8 -10 units per acre

Peace Dale

12 - 20 units per acre

Wakefield

15 - 25 units per acre

Westerly

Existing Conditions

How can density support conservation?

Conventional Large-Lot Development

Not like this…

Core

Natural

Systems

Rivers and

Streams

Working

Landscapes

Historic

Roads and

Villages

Historic

Farms

Mapping Natural and Cultural Ecosystems

Supporting

Natural

Resources

Trails and Greenways

Conservation Development

Designing for Village Density

Great places balance a

diversity of forms, uses and

experiences within a unified

composition.

Build the design

around shared

public space.

Connect the Village to the landscape

Agricultural Village:

Little Compton

Mill Village: Peacedale Harbor Village: Wickford

A street hierarchy

provides for access

and parking while

keeping the village

pedestrian-friendly.

Design of Streets

Complete Street in Hamburg, NY (Dan Burden)

This Can’t Work!

Use Case Studies from Outside the Region

Weatherstone,

Chester County, PA Cherry Hill,

Canton, MI

White River

Junction, VT

Revitalization

New Villages

Old York Village

Chesterfield

Twp, NJ

Middle Green

Valley, Solano

County, CA

Clarksburg,

Montgomery County,

MD

Regulatory and Program

Development in Rhode Island

• Zoning Insights

• The RI Growth Centers Program

Zoning Insights: Nuts and Bolts

• Mix Uses

• Achieve Density

• Flexibility in Dimension

• Flexibility in Parking

• Design Guidelines or Standards

• By-Right Permits

• Key questions…

1. Where will guidelines or standards be applied?

2. New district or overlay district?

3. Which permit process(es) may be applied?

4. What is the role (if any) of the Land Development Regulations?

5. How strict should the standards be?

6. How much is too much?

Zoning Insights: Getting Started with Reform

Is something simple all you need?

Or do you need this…

Or this…

Or this?

Zoning Insights:

Single Family Homes for Villages

• Cottage Zoning

• Conservation TDR

Cottage Zoning: What does it look like?

Basic characteristics – SITE DESIGN

• Cottage development establishes a full

“community”. Not one lot at a time.

• A group of cottage-style homes face a central

common area.

• Generally includes about 8-20 units.

• Often designed to transition from “Main Street” to

lower density neighborhoods.

• Individual lots may or may not be established.

• Parking is often centralized, adjacent to the housing.

• Ornamental landscaping and walkways are

important features.

Image Source: Union Studio Architects

Cottage Zoning: What does it look like?

Basic characteristics – ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

• Cottages typically have 900 to 1,200 sq. ft. footprint

• Two-story units with limited second story space under

a pitched roof.

• Porches facing into common area.

• Trim and other decorative accents are common.

• Ornamental landscaping and walkways are

important features.

• Some models incorporate 2-3 family units.

Image Source: Union Studio Architects

Conservation TDR Subdivision:

What does it look like?

Basic characteristics – SITE DESIGN

• Similar to standard conservation design. Preserves

the best natural features and “designs around them”.

• Moves the development rights for single family units

on one parcel to another parcel to develop single

family units at higher density.

• Often a dramatic reduction in the allowable minimum

lot size is required.

• Excellent opportunity to use Low Impact Development

(LID) stormwater management techniques.

The Concept: Existing Site

Conventional Buildout:

Approximately 100 lots

Conservation Subdivision Design:

Cluster the units to protect natural features

Conservation TDR Subdivision:

Transfers additional units from off site.

More compact housing,

more open space…

Image Source: Union Studio Architects

Zoning Insights: TDR Success

1. Demand for Bonus Development

2. Customized Receiving Areas

3. Strict Sending Area Regulations

4. Few Alternatives to TDR

5. Market Incentives

6. Certainty of TDR Use

7. Strong Public Preservation Support

8. Simplicity

9. Promotion & Facilitation

10. TDR Bank

Zoning Insights: TDR New Approach

Density Transfer Credit or “Fee-In-Lieu of TDR”

• Municipality performs a real estate analysis to

determine the financial relationship between

the Sending Area and the Receiving Area.

Example:

One single family home will provide the rights

to four multi-family units

Every multi-family unit will require a payment of

$8,000.

Zoning Insights: TDR New Approach

Density Transfer Credit or “Fee-In-Lieu of TDR”

• Money goes into an account that’s dedicated

to open space preservation

• The account is usually managed by the

municipality

• Money can be “coupled” with other

contributions to increase its value.

RI’s Growth

Centers

Program

• State Plan called

for these long ago.

• Limited guidance

on how to

establish them.

• What’s in it for me?

CENTER TYPES + TOD

Status

• Program is not finalized

• Adoption very early 2015

Establishing the Growth Center

Tier One

• Simple identification in the Comprehensive Plan

Tier Two

• Public process

• Vision

• Typology identified

• Boundary in place

• Constraints analysis (e.g., infrastructure)

• Zoning adopted or deadline set

What’s in it for the Town?

Tier One

• Technical Assistance to get to Tier Two

• Funding

Tier Two

• Opens doors to tax incentives not available

elsewhere

• Streamline permitting

• Priority funding from state programs

(infrastructure, housing, etc.)

• Access to loans

Discussion

Scott Millar Division of Planning and Development RIDEM 401-222-4700 ext 4419 Peter Flinker Dodson & Flinker 413-628-4496 Nathan Kelly Horsley Witten Group, Inc. 401-272-1717