Chapter 12 — Commercial and Office Districts, Article 2 — URBAN VILLAGE (UV)
Purpose and Intent.
These districts are intended to provide mixed use centers of moderate intensity, including primarily commercial developments that serve the recurring weekly shopping and service needs of residential areas within an approximate one and one-half to two-mile radius. Generally, the uses permitted to locate in the UV district are those that have an economic threshold of between 10,000 and 40,000 population. In any given location, UV districts are not intended to exceed seventy-five acres of land. UV districts do not exceed a total gross leasable floor area of more than 300,000 square feet for retail and service uses. Individual establishments do not exceed 60,000 square feet. “Big box” retail is not considered appropriate in urban village zoning districts unless reduced considerably in scale and intensity and developed according to design guidelines for activity centers. UV districts contain uses of approximately twice the intensity of NS districts but of lower intensity when compared to the Commercial Business zoning district (CBD).
Urban Village zoning districts are intended to discourage the random sprawl of commercial development by concentrating businesses in focus areas at road intersections rather than in a strip or linear pattern. Objectives of the urban village zoning district are to accommodate the automobile but provide environments that facilitate pedestrian access. The urban village should be pedestrian friendly and human scaled, with wide sidewalks, period furnishings and lighting, and landscape planting. Pedestrian safety must be facilitated with crosswalks, crossing lights, and shelters. Vehicular traffic should be slowed within the district and parking developed on-street where permitted and off-street.
Urban villages provide for a mixture of compatible land uses. Some uses that are not retail or service in nature are also allowed so a variety of uses may locate in existing buildings. This district may also include cultural and social activities, museums, and theaters. Objectives of UV districts are to encourage activity centers that have definable edges, to locate shops and services at high visibility places, and to provide for an attractive building arrangement and streetscape.
Permitted and Conditional Uses.
As provided in Table 12.1; and subject to the following provisions which apply to all uses in this district:
Certain specific uses are regulated by Chapter 16.
Performance Standards.
As provided in Table 12.2.
Site Development Regulations.
As provided in Chapter 12, Article 10. In addition, development within the UV district should adhere to the design guidelines for activity centers as specified in Chapter 13. However, newly established UV districts are expected to substantially conform to the design guidelines for activity centers.