Planning commission prepares to implement new zoning ideas
By Michaela Kennedy

The Planning Commission has set its focus on learning about SmartCode, a unified land development ordinance template. SmartCode is the tool that will be used to implement form-based zoning for downtown Jamestown, according to members of the planning department.

At the commission's March 5 meeting, Town Planner Lisa Bryer noted that creating an updated zoning ordinance with SmartCode would take much time and effort. She reported that consultant Don Powers expected to have the downtown design guidelines completed by next week, and the board would have it by the next meeting. "We're still looking at SmartCode. We're hoping to have that on the agenda sometime in April," Bryer said.

Commissioner Richard Ventrone asked the town planner if she needed more time for the zoning project. He made a motion to put off receiving any new development plan applications and to dedicate one or two meetings to SmartCode. "We are so busy, unless we give her the time to do that, it won't get done," Ventrone said.

The board approved the motion after commissioner Michael Swistak mentioned it would be unfair to put off anything that was "already in the pipeline."

Bryer suggested forming two or three sub-committees to scrutinize sections of the proposal. Acting chairman Barry Holland added that two or three "dedicated meetings" should be devoted to SmartCode.

Bryer offered a history of traditional zoning to present-day community design concepts. She started from the Industrial Revolution, a time when the first planning of its kind was adopted. "We have many industrial towns, where houses and factories were built side by side," she said.

Bryer went on to explain planned developments, where every aspect of a community is planned before construction. She then explained urban renewal, creating interstates, before and after the war, and continuing into the 1970s with urban sprawl. "We had a lot of vacant storefronts in the seventies. Mid-to-late eighties, new urbanism ideas emerged," she noted, offering "great designs that have happened in the last 20 years" in a slide show.

One design example Bryer illustrated was the idea of smaller schools. "A lot of school funding comes from the federal level. They try to encourage them (cities and towns) to relocate schools within communities where the kids can walk to school."

After fielding questions about implementation from the commission, Bryer said that many of the questions would have to be looked at more closely and they could see what works.

"I feel this is really the answer for us. We really are developed in the village, but there's room for in-fill. This will help us guide how we want to develop. We developed our vision based on who we are. The vision will translate into the code for development," she explained.

In other business, the commission elected officers. Holland was elected as the vice chairman, and commissioner Jean Brown was elected to the office of secretary, both with unanimous votes.

Swistak asked if historically the secretary had a function. Bryer noted that "quite a lengthy job description" was written in the bylaws. More recently, however, the planning assistant or the planner wrote up minutes and handled correspondence, traditional duties of the secretary in the past.

Alexandra Nickol was nominated and elected unanimously as liaison for the Ft. Getty Master Plan Committee. Commissioner Nancy Bennett volunteered for the tree committee, and also expressed interest in joining the wind energy committee.

In a building and facilities report, Bryer noted that the committee was still touring town buildings and facilities to complete the town's inventory. "For example, we look at the sewer treatment plant. How big is it, does it need maintenance, have any surveys ever been done, anything that relates to the building, former use, and future use," Bryer explained.

In a report from the parking committee, Brown said members made a decision to eliminate the no parking restriction on Union Street from the first home on the street, and move the sign down to the first driveway at the community center.

Commission chairman Gary Girard was absent.