revised mp upper montclair august 1 2013

7/29/2019 Revised MP Upper Montclair August 1 2013

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From the desk o f Janice Talley Director, Planning and Community Development tel: 973-509-4954 email: [email protected]

Montclair is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

TO: Planning Board

FROM: Upper Montclair Subcommittee (Steve Rooney & Rich McMahon) and J anice

TalleyDATE: August 1, 2013

RE: Unified Land Use and Circulation Plan Upper Montclair Recommendations

Attached is the section in the Unified Plan that addresses Upper Montclair. Thesubcommittee recommends many changes to this section of the Plan, including newsections discussing the districts assets, issues and opportunities. The most significantchange is the elimination of the T(2) Village Core district and redrawing the district lines.

ASSETS

Upper Montclair is a substantial commercial hub, with a mix of national chains andlocally-owned stores that draw both local and regional customers. The buildings arecomprised largely of 2 to 3-story commercial structures, with retail uses on the first floorand commercial or residential uses above. The district stretches along two major roads,with Valley Road as the principal thoroughfare and Bellevue Avenue as a secondarycorridor. Two major grocery stores bookend the Valley Road segment of UpperMontclair, with A&P at the southern end and Kings at the northern end.

Upper Montclair is a locally-designated historic district containing an eclectic mix ofhistoric styles defined by several key buildings, as shown on the attached map whichidentifies key historic buildings and open space areas. The Bellevue Theater, a key

historic building, provides a regional draw for the district. St. J ames Church, located inthe heart of the district, is a key historic building whose front yard provides a gatheringplace for special events in the district.

Figure 1: Historic Bellevue Theater. Figure 2: St. James Church.


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TO: Planning Board PageRE: Unified Land Use and Circulation Plan Upper Montclair August 1, 2013

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The Bellevue Library, for example, is akey historic building that includes a plazathat defines the eastern edge of thedistrict. Anderson Park, a County-ownedpark designed by Frederick Law Olmsteadthat is on the State and National Registerof Historic Places, defines the westernedge of the district while a small pocketpark defines the southern edge of thedistrict.

Figure 3: Historic Bellevue library where plaza is

important gathering space.


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TO: Planning Board PageRE: Unified Land Use and Circulation Plan Upper Montclair August 1, 2013

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ISSUES

The following additional issues should be added to the discussion:

Maintain the vitality and pedestrian nature of the business district by focusing

retail uses on the first-floor in the village center, with a wider variety of

commercial uses permitted on the first-floor at the edge of the village. Maintain the historic integrity of the business district by ensuring that any new

development maintains the character and scale of the key historic buildings that

define the district.

Ensure an adequate supply of parking by requiring new development to provide

parking, while permitting shared parking as a means of addressing the parking

requirement and existing parking issues.

Ensure free flow of traffic.

OPPORTUNITIES

Another suggestion is to include a section on opportunities, such as the following:

Replace large surface parking lots with structured parking and mixed-use liner

buildings to help maintain the street wall.

Redevelop underutilized parcels that detract from the pedestrian-nature of the

district i.e. drive-through branch banks, auto-related lots and plumbing supply

building.

Encourage the redesign of poorly-designed buildings, such as the CVS (with its

blank walls that line Valley Road and the corner of Valley Road and Cooper

Avenue).

RECOMMENDATIONS

Regulations T3 Village Center T4 Village Edge

Building Height 3 to 5 stories 2 to 3 stories

Building Coverage 75% 65%

Density 50 du/acre 25 du/acre


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UpperMontclairUpperMontclair2.7.2.7.

enact transect-based zoning to reinorce Upper Montclair Station as a sub-regional TOD (page 104)

coordinate land use with circulation recommendations (page 110)

zoning revisions - southern upper montclair gateway (page 110)

make pedestrian, bicycle, and transit improvements (page 110) ease trac congestion (page 112)

adjust parking standards (page 112)

Land Use Pedestrian/Bicycle/Trac Transit Access Parking

establish transect-based zonesto promote sustainable growthand development in key nodes

study the potential o ValleyRoad as a primary north-southbicycle route

work with NJ Transit to addweekend train service

undertake a trac andcirculation study to determineeasibility o let turn lanes alongValley Road

coordinate land use with streetclassication recommendations

provide ample bicycle parkingthroughout the district and atthe train station

Implement an o-street parkingwaynding system

enact recommended zoningrevisions to the southern uppermontclair gateway that mayinclude a orm-based code

improve street crossingsthrough the use o mid-blockcrossings that are signalizedwhere necessary

Investigate the viability o adistrict-wide valet parkingsystem

implement parkingmanagement strategies indevelopment such as car shareand bike share

improve pedestrianconnections between parkinglots and commercial streetsthrough inviting lighting andlandscaping

reduce parking ratios or createparking maximums

develop a parking study tooptimize use o existing

inventory, combined withevaluation o shared parking.

Remove on-street parking stallstriping and lollypop meters

adjust price o parking toincentivize long-term parking ino-street lots

implement a waynding systemto direct motorists to o-streetparking acilities

Recommended Strategies in Upper Montclair Area

Action Matrix

DRAFT MARCH 21, 22.7. UPPER M


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Y

rs23

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Bloomfield Township

Clifton City

Cedar Grove Township

Verona Township

est Orange Township

Glen Ridge Borough

Bellev

Nutle

Bay Street

Walnut Street

Mountain Avenue

Upper Montclair

Watchung Plaza

Montclair Heights

Gro

ve

St

Elm

St

BloomfieldA

ve

WatchungAve

South

Mountain

Ave

Harris

on

Ave O

rang

eRd

Park

St

Park

St

BellevueAve

AlexanderAve

Mt.HebronRd

Normal Ave

North

Mountain

Ave

UpperM

ountain

Ave

Vally

R

d

Valley

Rd

upper montclair focus area

02

DRAFT MARCH 21, 20137. UPPER MONTCLAIR


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ISSUES

Issue 1: There is no weekend train servicnorth o Bay Street Station.

Issue 2: Parking areas surrounding traistations are poorly maintained and unkempt.

Issue 3: There are 12 at-grade crossings thawere recently designated as Quiet Zones however, there is a concern that these QuieZones may ultimately cause saety issues athese crossings.

Issue 4: Transit parking lots are underutilizeon weekends and holidays.

Issue 5: The areas immediately surroundintrain stations are underutilized, oten witsurace parking lots occupying land closest t

the stationsIssue 6: Some Train Station Areas lack thopportunity or retail to be in the station oimmediately adjacent

Issue 7: Theres a lack o adequate bike storagat train stations and in some commercidistricts.

Issue 8: Insucient parking and tracongestion are major obstacles to transioriented growth at commercial centers adjacento train stations.

Issue 9: Despite the availability o publ

transit and proximity, many people still choosto drive to the busier neighborhood commerciacenters.

Issue 10: Excess trac congestion, exacerbateby multi-modal conficts, is an issue in UppeMontclair (especially on Valley Rd) in terms oexiting, entering, passing through, and beinable to nd short-term and long-term parkinnear destinations.

Figure 2.7.a: Community Identified IssuesUpper Montclair, like Montclair Center, is a substantial commercial

hub in the Township, and is both a regional and local draw. The mix o

businesses in Upper Montclair combine both national chains with locally

owned stores and restaurants stretched along Valley Road as the principal

thoroughare, and Bellevue Avenue as a secondary mixed-use corridor with

retail, restaurant, oce, and residential uses. Two major retailers bookend

Valley Road segment within Upper Montclair, A & P at the southern end and

Kings Grocery at the northern. The corridor consists primarily o 2 to 3 story

commercial structures, with some oce or residential in upper foors. As

with other stations north o Bay Street Station, Upper Montclair Station does

not have weekend train service. Although Upper Montclair is the closest

business district to Montclair State University (less than 1 miles away),

business owners eel that the auto-oriented shopping areas along Route 46

siphon o potential visitors rom the University.

Trac congestion and conficts between pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers

are an issue in Upper Montclair, especially along Valley Road, which operates

as one travel lane in each direction with curbside parking on both sides o

the street. Finding parking near desired destinations has been reported as

dicult, and searching or parking and maneuvering to curbside parking

spaces contributes to trac congestion. This makes it dicult to access

the Upper Montclair area, particularly or an uninitiated visitor who can

hold up trac on Valley Road while trying to nd a parking space. Although

convenient o-street parking is available behind businesses, it is dicult to

nd. In addition, because there are no dedicated let turn lanes, northbound

let turns rom Valley Road onto Bellevue and Lorraine Avenues create back-

up along Valley Road. Valley Road also serves buses, with DeCamp buses

stopping behind Valley Road adjacent to the rail station and NJ Transit busestraveling along Valley Road. Overall, the success o this area as a bustling

commercial district that attracts both local and regional visitors contributes

to higher levels o trac and congestion, and steps should be taken to

address congestion through a variety o treatments and solutions.

Existing community concerns related to trac fow and parking, especially

along Valley Road, have in the past led to community opposition to new

development over concerns o exacerbating this issue. The recommendations

that ollow seek to address how Upper Montclair can improve circulation,

while remaining the unique destination it is today.

Land use in Upper Montclair is principally governed by the NeighborhoodCommercial Zone (See Map 2.7.c). This zoning does little to encourage

residential development within 1/4-mile o the station: in the NC zone,

residential units are limited to 28 residential units per acre. With the

surrounding neighborhood limited to single-amily homes or duplexes, the

opportunity or development needed to capitalize on and support transit is

limited.


sert new section

alled ASSETS.clude highlightedxt in new section.

Amend Issuessection to includeadditional issuesas summarized inmemo.

After Issues, include newdiscussion of opportunities assummarized in memo.


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In the area along Valley Road near the station, much o the built orm supports a walkable

urban environment with no building setbacks and consistent street walls. However, these

buildings are located within the NC zone which requires a minimum 20 oot ront yard setback

except where an existing building is being replaced or when the lot adjoins a building with a

lesser setback. This ensures that lots that do not conorm to this walkable urban environment

will encourage urther deterioration o neighborhood character on adjacent parcels i they are

redeveloped.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Upper Montclair is a successul regional commercial center that attracts both local and national

retailers, as well as visitors rom the region, the community, and rom Montclair State University.

The recommendations provided below seek not to change Upper Montclair, but to enhance the

capacity or additional development in the district to support businesses, the train station, and

mobility improvements. In conjunction, this section provides recommendations on how to

reduce trac congestion and ease parking, while simultaneously providing the inrastructure

necessary to encourage walking, biking, or taking transit to the district when possible.

LAND USEThe land use strategy involves the creation o Transect zones that build up density at the core

o the commercial area, and gradually transitions density levels down to the neighborhood

scale. Valley Road and Bellevue Avenue become key streets to activate with development, and

additional zoning revisions are recommended or the area reerred to as the southern gateway

along Valley Road near the A&P grocery store.

In all transects, residents and key stakeholders have expressed general support or increased

density according to the revised standards outlined in each section. However, a more detailed

examination should establish the exact allowable development characteristics that will increasedensity, support transit, and help create a lively and walkable Montclair Center.

Furthermore, in all transects, the land use ordinance should include the ollowing provisions to

support the other circulation recommendations made in this Element.

Require clear pedestrian connections between parking and the ront sidewalk.

There should be developer-provided bicycle share and car share incentives built intozoning to urther support reduced parking needs.

Land use regulation should require quality investments to be made in landscapingtechniques and public realm urnishings that ensure a high quality visitor/residentexperience.

Reduced parking requirements and increased density allowances should be coordinatedwith contributions to improvements in public realm mobility assets including: sidewalks,streets, and public parking improvements.

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Change reducedparking to sharedparking.


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suggested building height5 - 7 stories

approximate density75 units/acre

suggested building coverage

100%

general characterregional and local retailclass A oce spaceresidential elevator fatsmix-use buildingstransit adjacentstructured parking

upper montclair center (T2)

The Upper Montclair Center Transect will be a dense, mixed-use, core that concentrates the

most development potential immediately adjacent to the station. Development will support

increased transit service through more residential density while ground foor retail uses

will contribute to the overall objective o making Upper Montclair a regional commercial

destination.

Land Use recommendations or Upper Montclair Center (T2)

T2 Upper Montclair Center

Bulk and Building Standards

A ormal zoning revision should begin by examining approximately 5 to 7 storybuildings, with 100% building coverage.

Bulk and height o buildings should result in 75 residential units per acre.

Buildings should ront onto the street (primarily Valley Road or Bellevue Avenue)with minimal setbacks, and should orm a consistent, unbroken street wallexcept at intersections and pedestrian ways.

Uses

New development should principally consist o upper foor residential or oceuses with ground foor retail or other active, transparent uses acing the street.

Existing prohibited and conditional uses, as regulated in existing zoningdistricts within the borders o this Transect, should carry over into the land useregulations or this Transect.

Parking

New parking should generally be within new parking decks and garages, and

these structures should be aced with liner buildings o retail and residential orlocated behind buildings.

Due to this Transects proximity to the Upper Montclair Train Station, somestructured parking will be shared with commuters accessing the station.


Eliminate thissection.


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1/4Mile

INWOODA VE

COOPERA VE

SUMMITAVE

ARKSIDE

LORRA INEA VE

GO

SENECAPL

NORM ANRD

FERNWOODAVE

NO

RTHVIEW

OAKWOODAVEINGLESIDERD

SENECA

VALLEYRD

NORTH

MOUNTAIN

AVE

UPPER

MOUNTAIN

AVE

T4- T3 T2 T1

Map 2.7.b: Transects/Zoning Revisions (Upper Montclair)

0.25 0.5 10.0N

Upper MontclairCore (T2)

Upper MontclairVillage (T3)

Upper Montclair Edge(T4)

Southern UpperMontclair Gateway

Focus Area Boundaries

+ For a discussion o Transects and how they relate to Form-Base Codes, see 1.6 Key Concepts in this Plan

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Eliminate T2 andincorporate intosurrounding T3.

Change back toR1.

Change back toR2.

Change back toR3.

Change back toR1.

Change back toR3.

Change to T4.

Change to T3.


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1/4Mile

INWOODA VE

COOPERA VE

SUMMITAVE

ARKSIDE

LORRA INEA VE

GO

SENECAPL

NORM ANRD

FERNWOODAVE

NO

RTHVIEW

OAKWOODAVEINGL ESIDERD

SENECA

VALLEYRD

NORTH

MOUNTAIN

AVE

UPPER

MOUNTAIN

AVE

Hahnes Redevelopment AreaHospital Redevelopment AreaMontclair Gateway Redevelopment Area - Phase 1Montclair Gateway Redevelopment Area - Phase 2

Glenridge Avenue Redevelopment Area

New & Mission / Elm Street Redevelopment AreaBay Street Station Redevelopment AreaPine Street Redevelopment Plan

C1 - Central Business ZoneC2 - General Business & Light Manuacturing ZoneNC - Neighborhood Commercial ZoneRO - Mountainside ZoneRO(a) - One-Family Zone

R1 - One-Family ZoneR2 - Two-Family ZoneR3 - Garden Group ZoneR4 - Three-Story Apartment ZoneOR3 - Garden Apartment & Oce Building ZoneOR4 - Three-Story Apartment & Oce Building ZoneP - Public Zone

Map 2.7.c: Existing Zoning (Upper Montclair)

Montclair Center Border



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upper montclair village (T3)

This Transect should be a medium-scale, dense area that consists principally o mixed-use

retail, oce and residential buildings. This will encourage an active mix o uses adjacent to

the core, but at a slightly lower density to step down development to the adjacent residential

neighborhoods. This Transect will help bolster the viability o the commercial core along

Valley Road and Bellevue Avenue while also establishing a transition between the higherdensity core and the well-established lower-density residential neighborhoods.

Land Use recommendations or Upper Montclair Village (T3)


A ormal zoning revision should begin by examining approximately 3- to 5-story buildings, with 75% building coverage.

Bulk and height o buildings should result in 50 residential units per acre.

Buildings should ront on the street with minimal setbacks, and should orm

a consistent unbroken street wall except at intersections and pedestrianways.

Uses

Provide or a blend o mixed-use buildings and townhomes.

Existing prohibited and conditional uses, as regulated in existing zoningdistricts within the borders o this Transect, should carry over into the landuse regulations or this Transect.

Parking

O-street parking should generally be within new parking decks andgarages, and these structures should be aced with liner buildings o retailand residential or located behind buildings.

When o-street parking is not easible, parking should be provided in lotslocated to the rear o buildings.



suggested building coverage75%

general characterlocal retail servicesproessional oce spacemulti-story residentialsmall groceriesmix-use buildingstransit accessiblestructured parking

T3 Upper Montclair Vilalge

08



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suggested building coverage65%

general charactercompact residentialproessional oce spacetransit accessiblesurace parking

T4 Upper Montclair Edge

upper montclair edge (T4)

This Transect should provide a small-scale, dense area where single-amily homes, apartments,

and proessional oce buildings mix to create an urban village where residents may commute

primarily on transit, by bicycle or on oot. Residents o this area may access most o their daily

needs within Upper Montclair. Transect 4 provides a small-scale transition principally between

the Upper Montclair Station area and the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Land Use recommendations or Upper Montclair Edge (T4)


A ormal zoning revision process should begin by examining approximately 2to 3 story buildings, with approximately 65% building coverage.

Bulk and height o buildings should result in approximately 25 residential unitsper acre.

Uses

Parcels within this Transect lie at the edge o the Upper Montclair Station area,and, as such, represent the greatest opportunities or lower scale residential,commercial, and oce development.

Existing prohibited and conditional uses, as regulated in existing zoningdistricts within the borders o this Transect, should carry over into the land useregulations or this Transect.

Parking

O-street parking should be limited to the rear or side o buildings.



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Coordinate Land Use with Circulation Recommendations

The increased density allowance previously enumerated should be coordinated with public

realm improvements to ensure new construction contributes to the objectives outlined in the

Street Classication recommendations and to the Circulation recommendations made later in

this section.

Within a given transect, parcels that have rontages on more than one street classication type

should ace onto the highest categorized street classication type in the ollowing hierarchy:

Highest Street Classifcation Lowest Street Classifcation

1: PAC 2:SAS 3:TT 4:NT 5:RS

A orm-based code should be developed to regulate bulk, use, and design standards by rontage

type. The ollowing recommendations outline a general strategy or linking street classication

mobility recommendations to development types that will be compatible with the character and

unction o the street.

All Buildings ronting onto Primary Activity Corridors (PAC) should promote these streetsas the highest intensity retail, commercial, and mixed-use corridors that have a high degreeo circulation amenities that accommodate all mobility options.

All Buildings ronting onto Secondary Activity Streets (SAS) should be principally residentialand oce in use, while allowing limited local serving retail and commercial development.

All Buildings ronting onto Township Thoroughares (TT) should comprise a mix o retail,commercial, oce, and residential uses.

All Buildings ronting onto Neighborhood Thoroughares (NT) should be predominatelyresidential while allowing or a moderate amount o small proessional-oce development.

All Buildings ronting onto Residential Streets (RS) should be primarily residential in use,or other associated uses currently allowed in the Townships residential zones.

zoning revisions southern upper montclair gateway

This area is more than a mile rom the Upper Montclair train station; thereore increased

densities are not justied. Nonetheless, it is an important extension o the regional commercial

center, and zoning changes should be considered in conjunction with the above Transect

recommendations and corresponding mobility recommendations. It is recommended that

this area be examined as part o a orm-based code process that addresses the larger Upper

Montclair district. There is a particular need to revisit zoning in this area, in part because it is

currently segmented into three dierent zones, and as a gateway to the business district, this

area should provide a coordinated environment that is more welcoming to all visitors.

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1/4Mile

INWOODA VE

COOPERA VE

SUMMITAVE

ARKSIDE

LORRA INEA VE

GOD

SENECAP

L

NORM ANRD

FERNWOODAVE

NORTHVIEW

OAKWOODAVEINGLESIDERD

SENECA

VAL

LEYRD

NORTH

MOUNT

AIN

AVE

UPPER

MOUNT

AIN

AVE

Primary Activity Corridor (PAC) Transect 1

Street Classications Transects

Secondary Activity Streets (SAS) Transect 2

Township Thoroughares (TT) Transect 3

Neighborhood Thoroughares (NT) Transect 4

Residential Streets (RS) Form-Based Code only

*Note: Transect Colors have been changed to acilitate legibility o the Street Classications

Map 2.7.d: Upper Montclair Transects and Street Classification System Map



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CIRCULATIONA variety o measures should be implemented in Upper Montclair to improve mobility and

circulation throughout the core shopping district. Travel demand should be shited to other

modes where possible. This should be achieved by developing robust multi-modal alternatives

to the personal vehicle. However, it is equally important to take steps to reduce congestion on

Valley Road and reduce rustration or drivers searching or parking in this area.

make pedestrian, bicycle, and transit improvements

Study the potential o Valley Road as a primary north-south bicycle route: This should be

addressed as part o a Bicycle Master Plan, and include specic recommendations or the

Upper Montclair business district.

Provide ample bicycle parking: Throughout the district and around the train station, bike

parking acilities should be provided to improve multi-modal access to area amenities.

Improve street crossings: To encourage walking throughout the area, implement pedestrian

circulation enhancements such as mid-block crossings, signalized where necessary.

Expand rail service: Initiate Township dialogue with the county and NJ Transit to expand

weekday and weekend rail and bus service to provide shoppers rom outside the Township

with an attractive travel alternative to personal vehicles.

ease traffic congestion

To ease congestion the ollowing actions are recommended.

Undertake a trac and circulation study: This should be done to determine the easibility o

implementing let turn lanes at key intersections along Valley Road.

Implement an o-street parking waynding system: This system should guide vehicles to

the nearest parking areas to reduce parking-related trac circulation. There is ample parking

in the area and drivers should not need to look or a spot.

Investigate a district-wide valet parking system: As a destination commercial district with a

strong local and regional draw, the Township and the business district should investigate the

easibility o creating a shared valet parking system to ease the burden o visitors looking or

parking, and to ease the burden on business owners to provide parking or visitors.

adjust parking standards

Since most parcels covered by the two proposed transects are well within a ve minute walk

(1/4-mile) o the Upper Montclair Station, it is recommended that the ollowing parking

strategies be implemented to better account or the share o visitors and residents who walk,

bike, and take transit to access services.

Create parking maximums: Parking maximums should be set in all Transects according to

the ratios outlined in Section 2.2, Montclair Center (gure 2.2.m) to better account or the

number o residents and visitors who commute by transit, bicycle, or on oot.

Allow shared parking: Arrangements should be made to allow shared parking or the parcels

within all transects. Furthermore, development around the station area should use station

parking as part o an overall shared parking strategy

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of a north-southbicycle route usingValley Road or otherTownshipthoroughfares.


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Replace Individually striped on-street parking spaces: In Upper Montclair (particularly on

Valley Road and Bellevue Avenue) striped spaces should be replaced with multi-space meters

and striped as a parking lane. Multi-space meters can increase parking supply by between 10

and 20 percent. This would maximize the on-street parking supply within Upper Montclair.

Make pricing o on-street spaces refect their higher level o demand: On-street parking

spaces should cost more than parking lots or uture parking structures. This system wouldencourage drivers to stop searching or on-street parking, park in a lot or structure and then

walk to their destination.

Develop a waynding system that guides drivers to o-street parking acilities.

Implement Parking management strategies: these should include incentives or car share

and bike share to reduce parking demand or development projects.

Improve pedestrian amenities: the Township should ensure pedestrian cut-throughs rom

parking to destinations are created and enhanced with inviting lighting and landscaping to

encourage pedestrian circulation and making multiple trips on oot.

2 7 UPPERM

revised mp upper montclair august 1 2013

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