Spring 2004
PLACES: Visalia Approves Smart Growth Development Standards
 The
Visalia City
Council recently approved several development changes
to promote smart growth in the city. The focus was on the typical
residential street and front yard area.
The local street width standard was reduced from 36 feet to 30
feet from curb to curb (32 feet on cul-de-sacs) and sidewalks widened
from 4 feet to 5 feet with parkways between the curb and sidewalk
to make neighborhoods more pedestrian friendly. A new policy was
also approved to promote better street connectivity within neighborhoods
to distribute traffic and provide more route choices for drivers,
pedestrians and bicyclists. New neighborhoods will be required
to have at least one north-south local street and one east-west
local street that connect through a typical 1/2 square mile.
Regarding front yards, the Council approved changes in the zoning
ordinance that reduce minimum front yard building setbacks from
25 feet to 15 feet for living space and side-loading garages and
22 feet for front-loading garages. The change will give developers
more flexibility in designing neighborhoods and enable higher densities
and more efficient use of land, which can contribute to more housing
choices and reduced housing costs.
The Council will be reviewing a street tree ordinance on June
29 that would require street trees in the parkways. If the ordinance
is adopted as planned, City staff will develop tree guidelines
that specify preferred species, spacing requirements and planting
guidelines in coordination with the Urban Tree Foundation.
“Developers are embracing the new policies,” says Visalia
City Planning Manager Steven Brandt. “A number of them have
asked to apply the standards to approved but still un-built local
streets to take advantage of the reduced right of way requirements.”
For more information about the new standards, contact Steven Brandt
at (559) 713-4369.
|
