Greenwood to host open house today before it finalizes new zoning code

<p>Greenwood is ready to pull back the curtain on the results of a years-long process to overhaul its decades-old zoning code, and it wants the community’s input before it’s etched in stone. </p><p>The City of Greenwood’s zoning code is nearly 40 years old and has become outdated as the city continues to expand and grow. After two years of research, the city is working to finalize the new code, and officials are looking for the public’s take on the new plans. </p><p>The zoning code is the city’s guide to land use and dimensional specifications for everything from street lights and signs to how wide a garage can be depending on the square-footage of a home. </p><p>&quot;There has not been a comprehensive update to this document really in those 40 years,&quot; said Dale Davis, the city’s planning director. </p><p>The city does not want to finalize the plan without first getting feedback from the public, Davis said. An open house is planned today at the Greenwood Amphitheater, and Greenwood residents are encouraged to stop by to ask questions and learn about the new plan.</p><p>Greenwood has three times the number of residents today as it did in 1982, when the zoning code was first introduced, and more and more businesses are also expanding or relocating to the city.</p><p>One key change was leveling the standards across the city, Davis said. Standards for architecture and land use were added as the city developed over the last few decades, but nothing was changed to make the whole code cohesive city-wide.</p><p>&quot;You may be able to build one building over by Interstate 65 that you can’t build over by (State Road) 135 … the new standards create a level playing field,&quot; Davis said.</p><p>Most of the residential standards will remain the same, such as requiring single-family homes to have brick or stone masonry on the front, but new options will be added for custom home builders, which will accommodate several residents’ and the city’s desire to build more estate-level homes in the area, he said. </p><p>For example, if a builder wants to have a bigger garage than what is in the current code, or a different facade on a house, they would no longer have to go to the board of zoning appeals to build those.</p><p>Last year, 24 use variance petitions were approved by the city’s board of zoning appeals, which reviews all change requests against the current zoning code, Davis said. The board must conduct a public hearing to either approve or deny every request.</p><p>Most variance petitions were from homeowners or businesses wanting to renovate older properties in the downtown area, he said. The current code does not allow for much renovation in that area.</p><p>&quot;We’ll have people that want to add onto their home, and we have a pretty good base of people who want to buy an old property and almost rebuild it, but in doing so, our current R-2, where all those properties are zoned, is not meant for that,&quot; Davis said. &quot;We’re trying to allow, with the new code, this reinvestment without having to jump through so many hoops.&quot;</p><p>Another change is the number of single-family residential zones Greenwood will offer. The city has five categories a residential neighborhood can fit into—R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-2B and R-3—all based on the size of the homes and the architectural standards, he said.</p><p>The new code combines those into three categories—residential medium, residential large and residential attached.</p><p>&quot;The intent is to simplify,&quot; Davis said. &quot;Those options are all still there; we just took a few of the extra classifications out to streamline the ordinance.&quot;</p><p>The goal is to simplify the code, and also add enough pathways so builders, businesses and homeowners don’t have to petition the city every time they want to do something that is not outlined in the zoning standards, he said.</p><p>At the open house, several tables will be set up around the room, each touching on topics such as residential and commercial standards, subdivisions and current city projects. The new zoning map will also be on display.</p><p>&quot;The new zoning map is a migration of our current map, aligning current zoning with what will fit closest with the new categories,&quot; Davis said.</p><p>The city plans to compile all public feedback and questions and adjust the proposed plan accordingly. Once that is done, the new zoning plan will go to the planning commission for a public hearing.</p><p>&quot;I’m very excited about this effort,&quot; Davis said. &quot;I think this is a great way for the city to move forward.&quot;  </p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>What: The City of Greenwood is hosting an open house for the public to learn more about its new proposed zoning code.</p><p>When: Today, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.</p><p>Where: The Greenwood Amphitheater,  300 S. Washington St., Greenwood</p><p>How: If you cannot attend, visit the City of Greenwood’s website Thursday for a webinar explaining the new zoning plan. The proposed plan and an online form for feedback can be found under the &quot;Planning&quot; tab on the city’s website.</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]