Area Performance Planning streamlining process for mixed-use developments
Early in the Area Performance Planning process, stakeholders made it clear that – as a community – we need to make the process easier for developers to construct high-quality, unique projects that are popular in the market today. Across the country, mixed-use developments, or those that accommodate a variety of residential, commercial and recreational uses, are increasingly popular among residents, customers and business owners.
Under Spartanburg County’s current land-use system, these projects have been challenging to accommodate. The draft of the Area Performance Planning document spells out specific rules for mixed-use projects. As discussed in previous blog posts, APP provides the flexibility to accommodate market principles while balancing private property rights and land use compatibility. The draft of the APP ordinance sets forth a set of compatibility standards for buffering, setbacks, height, screening, light, glare, noise and other aspects in order to make good neighbors. So the question is not where you can locate a use, it is how your use fits in with its neighbors?
In the case of mixed-use developments, the internal compatibility standards may be determined by the design of the project, allowing for creative and innovative smart growth, mixed-use projects. Compatibility standards with respect to surrounding properties would remain the same as with all other activities.
Under the APP draft, internal would be defined as those compatibility standards intended to determine the relationship between properties contained wholly within the boundaries of the project. Setbacks from internal rights-of-way for roads to be constructed as part of the project may also be reduced provided all off-street parking requirements, sight distances, and applicable building code restrictions are met.
To read more about how APP would address mixed-use developments, click here to read the draft of the ordinance.
