Written by Ouray News
Posted by:
Erin Eddy
www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com
December 12, 2008
TELLURIDE — An ordinance that proposes to relax Telluride's Planned Unit Development process — allowing the town's planning and zoning commission more negotiation powers in dealing with PUD applicants — divided the town council on Tuesday.
On one side of the issue were council members who wanted the ordinance — a dense and complicated document — continued until January for more public digestion. On the other were members who said they were ready to pull the trigger on the ordinance, which has been in the works since April.
After a drawn-out hearing that saw one motion narrowly defeated and a spate of public comment for and against passage, the ordinance was approved by a vote of 4-3.
The ordinance was created by P&Z and staff as a way to allow for more flexibility in the design and development of a PUD project — larger type developments, such as condominiums, that eclipse the town's regular review process. The entities have been hammering it out since last April, on direction of council, and it was born as part of an effort to create more vitality in the town's commercial area.
Under the ordinance, rather than developing a project under the basic zoning requirements, applicants and the P&Z commission would negotiate in an exchange of variances for public benefits.
This way, drafters say, the town could get things like common open space, commercial space or parking spaces in exchange for say, increased building height or floor space, making the PUD process more effective.
But some have criticized it for giving P&Z too much oversight and for opening opportunities for developers to provide less affordable housing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment