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Land UsePlanning Practices
Long Island Government Survey:
Report Prepared by:
Susan Weaver, Weaver Research and Consulting Group
January 2011
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Contents
ExecutiveSummary........................................................................................................................ 2
SurveyPurposeandRespondents................................................................................................. 6
OrganizationoftheReport............................................................................................................ 6
ComprehensivePlans..................................................................................................................... 6
SmartGrowthImplications......................................................................................................... 7
Recommendation ....................................................................................................................... 7
ZoningCodes .................................................................................................................................. 7
SmartGrowthImplications......................................................................................................... 8
Recommendations...................................................................................................................... 9
Housing........................................................................................................................................... 9
SmartGrowthImplications....................................................................................................... 11
Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 12
Downtowns .................................................................................................................................. 12
SpecialAreasorDistricts .......................................................................................................... 12ScaleandDensity...................................................................................................................... 13Incentives ................................................................................................................................. 14CivicSpace................................................................................................................................ 14
MixofUses ............................................................................................................................... 15
Transit....................................................................................................................................... 16
Parking...................................................................................................................................... 17
SmartGrowthImplications....................................................................................................... 18
Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 18
Conclusions................................................................................................................................... 19
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There aresome jurisdictions that arehitting manyof theright notesthe Villages of
Amityville, Mineolaand Patchogue;the Towns ofBabylon, Brookhaven,Hempstead, Islip,and
Riverheadbutmanymorewillhavetogeton-boardwithsmartgrowthandTODifLongIsland
istoholditsownintothefuture.Communitiesthataccommodatepeopleacrossabroadrange
of life stages, occupations and income groups are generally more socially and economically
sustainablethanthosethatdonot.LongIslandisalreadysufferingfromtheexclusionaryeffectsof large-lot zoning and the high real estate prices this engenders. Young people and many
essential service providers, such as firefighters and health care providers, cannot afford to
purchasehomeshere.Theyaremovingtomoreaffordableplacesand,astheyleave,theregion
findsithardertostaffcriticaljobsandtoattractorretainemployers.
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Figure1:PercentageofJurisdictionsApplyingSmartGrowthFactorsbyCommunityType
Mixed-UseAllowedinDowntown
ByRight1
SmartGrowthFactor Cities/Towns Villages
Cities/Towns Villages
ComprehensivePlanorsimilar
documentisinplace(Note:
Plansmaynothavebeen
adoptedandmaybeoutdated)
100% 52% 100% 43%
Mostrecentcomprehensive
zoningcodeupdatewasless
than10yearsago
67% 43% 60% 57%
Typeofzoninginuse 46%Euclidean
20%each
Euclidean,
Modified
Pyramid,Form-
based,
Performance
60%Euclidean
29%each
Euclidean,
Pyramid/Modified
Pyramid,Form-
basedMulti-familyresidentialunits
areeitherallowedbyrightin
anyzone,orallowedbyrightin
specificzonesandbyspecial
usepermitinothers
83% 81%
80%
71%
Residentialrentalprojectsare
allowedbyright69% 57% 40% 43%
Accessoryhousingunitsare
allowedbyrightorspecialuse
permit
69% 32% 100% 44%
Multi-familyresidentialprojects
areallowedindowntown82% 63% 80% 43%
Mixed-useprojectsthatinclude
aresidentialcomponentare
allowedindowntown
69% 68% 80% 71%
ATransit-OrientedDistrictis
established8% 0% 0% 0%
AHistoricPreservationDistrict
isestablished31% 40% 40% 14%
Auxiliarytransitservices
operate,supportingcommuter
rail
77% 62% 80% 71%
Publicparkingindowntownis
metered23% 50% 20% 14%
1Forjurisdictionsthatallowmixed-usedevelopmentby-rightintheirdowntowns,mixed-use
developmentisallowedautomaticallybythezoningcode,providedthedevelopmentmeetsthe
applicablestandardsofthecode.Incontrast,ifmixed-usedevelopmentisonlyallowedbyspecialuse
permitorconditionalusepermit,thenitisonlypermittedsubjecttomeetingadditionalconditionsand
subjecttodiscretionaryapprovalbythejurisdiction.Thespecialusepermitprocessaddsanextrastep
andadditionaluncertaintytotheapprovalprocess.
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Mixed-UseAllowedinDowntown
ByRightSmartGrowthFactor Cities/Towns Villages
Cities/Towns Villages
Newdevelopmentdowntownis
requiredtoaddresscivicspace
and/orprovidepublicamenities
31% 61% 20% 43%
Architecturalguidelineshave
beenestablishedfordowntown50% 53% 67% 57%
Standardsaresetfortransition
areasbetweendifferentuse
zones
64% 50% 80% 57%
Greenbuildingpracticesare
promoted83% 63% 40% 29%
Incentivesareofferedfor
multi-familyresidential
constructiondowntown
46% 20% 25% 0%
Incentivesareofferedfor
adaptivereuseofolderbuildingsindowntown
38% 11% 20% 14%
Incentivesareofferedforinfill
developmentindowntown31% 16% 20% 0%
ATransferofDevelopment
Rights(TDR)Programisinplace31% 5% 40% 0%
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SurveyPurposeandRespondents
The purpose of the survey was to determine the extent to which Long Island
jurisdictionshaveadopted(1)smartgrowthprinciplesthatareassociatedwitheminentlylivable
andhighlysustainablecommunitiesand(2)practicesconsideredsupportiveoftransit-oriented
development (TOD), which reduces dependence on automobiles and hence traffic-relatedproblems.
Thirty-sixjurisdictionsrespondedtotheemailedsurvey14werecitiesandtownsand
22 were incorporated villages. In most cases, responses were evaluated on the basis of
jurisdictiontype.Citiesandtownswerecombinedintoonecities/townscategory,withvillages
constituting their own category. A separate analysis was made of jurisdictions that currently
allow downtown development projects to combine different types of uses (retail, office,
residential)byright,i.e.withoutobtainingaspecialorconditionalusepermit(SUP/CUP).
Nooneclearpatternofpracticesemergedfromtheresponsesreceived.Whilemany
jurisdictionshaveappliedsomeprinciplesconducivetosmartgrowth,inmostinstancesthey
havenotadoptedenoughortherightcombinationstoactuallyresultinsmartgrowth.
OrganizationoftheReport
ThefindingsofthesurveyarediscussedunderfourmajorcategoriesComprehensive
Plans, Zoning Codes, Housing and Downtownswith smart growth implications examined for
each.AsummaryofresponsesreceivedispresentedinFigure1,whichshowstheproportionof
all cities/towns and villages that have adopted key smart growth practices and comparable
figuresfor those jurisdictions that allow mixed-use projectsto be developed by right in their
downtownareas.Whilethereareafewareaswherepercentagesarehigherforjurisdictions
that allow by-rightmixed-use, thedifferences arenot consistent foreither cities/towns or
villages,whichrevealsthepickandchoose,mixandmatchapproachLongIslandjurisdictions
havetakentosmartgrowth.
I. ComprehensivePlans
Whileallofthecities/townsrespondingtothissurveyhaveaComprehensivePlanor
similar document in place, only slightly more than half (52 percent) of villages have one.
Furthermore, many of those jurisdictions that do have Comprehensive Plans either never
formallyadoptedtheplanorhaveanoutdatedplan .ForLongIslandjurisdictionswithnoplan
atallorwithanoutdatedplan,thefirstobstacletosmartgrowthisthelackofanup-to-date
ComprehensivePlanora similardocumentbywhichcommunitymembersestablishavision
for their community and layoutthe policies thatwill guidedevelopmentovertime. Other
regulating documents (e.g., zoning codes and subdivision ordinances) should support thepoliciesoftheComprehensive(orSpecific)Plan.
Because Comprehensive Plans guide standards for subordinate documents such as
subdivision regulations and zoning codes, the lack of a Comprehensive Plan can also have a
negativeimpactonlocallanduseregulations.Thefollowingdifferencesexistbetweenvillages
havingaComprehensivePlanorsimilarpolicydocumentandthosethatdonot:
Only 22 percent of villages with no Comprehensive Plan are considering updatingtheirzoningcode,comparedto46percentofvillagesthathaveaplan.
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Less than half (44 percent) of the villages with no Comprehensive Plan havearchitecturalguidelinesfortheirdowntownareas,comparedto60percentofthose
villagesthathaveplans.
Only one-third of villages with no Comprehensive Plan have set standards fordevelopment that occurs where one use zone (e.g., commercial) transitions to
another(e.g.,residential),comparedto63percentofthosevillagesthathaveplans.
SmartGrowthImplications:
Comprehensive plans embody a communitys vision of itself and a roadmap to
maintainingorachievingthatvisioninthefuture.Assuch,ComprehensivePlanssetboththe
toneandthestandardsforsubordinatedocumentssuchassubdivisionregulationsandzoning
codes.Forunincorporatedjurisdictionssituatedwithinalargerjurisdiction,SpecificPlanscanbe
usedtoestablishpoliciesforthesesmallerbutdistinctplaces.
Astheoldadagesays,ifyoudontknowwhereyouaregoing,anyroadwilltakeyou
there, and the conceptcertainly applies toland use planning. Without a vision and a set of
policiesthatsupportthevision,thefutureislikelytobefraughtwithunintendedconsequences.
Two things includedinthissurvey canhaveagreatimpact on the way acommunitydevelops: architectural guidelines and specific development standards for boundary areas
between different zoning districts. With respect to these, jurisdictions with Comprehensive
Plansandthosewithoutarenearlynegativeimagesofoneanother.
Recommendation:
VillagesthatdonothaveaComprehensivePlanorSpecificPlantoguidedevelopmentoftheirdowntownshouldconsideradoptingone.
Jurisdictionswith aComprehensivePlan that ismorethan10 yearsold shouldupdatetheirplan,andjurisdictionsthathaveaplanbutneveradopteditshouldformallyadopt
anup-to-dateplan.
II. ZoningCodes
Figure2:ZoningTypesbyJurisdictionType
AsshowninFigure2,theprevalentformofzoninginuseinLongIslandcities/townsis
Euclidean zoning,which generallyallowsonlyone type ofusein each zone (e.g.,single family
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residences,generalcommercial,commercialoffice,lightindustrial,etc.),thoughtheremaybe
exceptionsgrantedundercertain circumstances.Villagesare much lesslikelyto useEuclidean
zoningthancities/towns.Theyreportgreateruseofmoreflexibleformsofzoningthatpermita
mixtureofuseswithinthesamezone.MirroringtheirrespectiverelianceonEuclideanzoning,
most cities/towns have established specific development standards for the transitional areas
betweendifferentzones(64percent),whilehalfofthevillageshavedoneso.Establishingthesestandardshelpsreduceproblemswhenusesofdifferingintensitiesabutoneanother(e.g.,retail
commercialandlow-densityresidential).
Withrespecttozoning,wefoundthefollowing:
Villages haveundertakencomprehensive updates to their zoning codes far lessoftenthan cities/towns. It has been 10 years or more since the last major update in 57
percentofvillages.Thecomparablenumberforcities/townsis33percent.
Sixty-fivepercentofvillagesarenotconsideringupdatingtheirzoningcodeatthistime.Thecomparablefigureforcities/townsis31percent.
Only 5 percent of villages are currently drafting zoning ordinance updates. Thecomparablefigureforcities/townsis15percent.
Villages updating their zoning ordinances are primarily drafting form-based andmodified pyramid ordinances. Cities/towns updating their ordinances are primarilydraftingform-basedandother(hybrid)ordinances.
Ofthevillagesconsideringupdatingtheirzoningordinancesorin theprocessofdoingso,63percentaremakingchangesindowntowncodes,while90percentofcities/towns
inthesamecategoryaremakingchangesintheirdowntowncodes.
Morethan70percentofthejurisdictionsincludedinthissurveypromoteatleastsome
greendevelopmentpractices.Only29percentdonot.Themostcommonlypromotedpractices
are the installation of solar energy panels and energy audits or assessments. A higher
percentageofcities/townspromotetheuseofgreendevelopmentpractices,andtheygenerally
promoteawiderrangeofpracticesthanvillagesdo.
SmartGrowthImplications:
Asbuilding practices, economicconditions, and thedemographicmakeup ofplaces
change,zoningcodesbecomeoutdated.It isimperativetotunethemupfromtimetotime.
Many jurisdictions do this on an incremental basis, but over the course of a decade these
incremental revisions often result in ordinances that are neither internally consistent nor
consistentwiththepoliciesestablishedintheComprehensivePlan.
Outdated zoning codescaninhibitthedevelopmentandredevelopmentnecessaryto
maintain a socially, economically and environmentally viable community. Nationally, many
jurisdictionsaremovingtowardsmoreflexibletypesofzoning(form-basedandhybrids)inorder
tobetterrespondtochangingcommunitydemographics,consumertastesandeconomicneeds.ThoseplacesonLongIslandthatareupdatingcodesseemtobefollowingsuit.
Similarly, most jurisdictions in the survey have followed the national trend and are
promotingatleastsomegreenbuildingpractices,thoughwithinsomejurisdictionstherangeof
optionsisverynarrowandlimitedmainlytosolarenergyandenergyaudits.
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Recommendations:
Jurisdictions that have not updated their zoning ordinances in a decade or moreshould do so, and should consider adopting an ordinance that will allow their
community the flexibility to respond to changing community demographics,
consumertastesandeconomicneeds.
Jurisdictionsshouldpromoteawiderrangeofgreenbuildingpractices.III. Housing
Akeyelementofsmartgrowthplanningisprovidingforavarietyofdifferenthousing
typesandsizestoensurethatresidentsofallagesandincomelevelscanbeaccommodated.
Multi-familyresidences,bothowner-occupiedandrentals,andaccessoryhousing(oftencalled
grannyflats),areimportantcomponentsofplansthatpromotehousingbalancebecausethey
generallyoffersmallerlivingspacesacrossarangeofprices.
Figure3:NewMulti-FamilyResidencePermitting
Thevastmajorityofsurveyedcities/towns(83percent)andvillages(81percent)allow
thedevelopmentofnewmulti-familyresidencesbyrightinanyzonewheretheyareallowed,or
byright inspecific zonesand byspecial use permit (SUP)or conditionaluse permit (CUP) in
otherzones,butthequantityofmulti-familyhousingstockthatcanbedevelopeddependson
the development capacity of zones in which it is permitted (see Figure 3). In 8 percent of
cities/townsand5percentofvillages,nonewmulti-familyresidencesareallowed.Eightpercentof cities/towns and 14 percent of villages require a SUP/CUP for all new multi-family
construction.
A SUP/CUP process is a double-edged sword for jurisdictions: it can be beneficial
becauseitgivesacommunitymorecontroloverwhereandhownewconstructionisbuilt,but
it also makes building more difficult, more expensive and riskier. The added layers of
uncertainty tend to dissuade many developers from building multi-family units, and to
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increasethecostsofdevelopmentsthatarebuilt,costswhicharelargelypassedontothe
consumerintheformofhigherpurchasepricesorhigherrents.
Figure4:NewRentalUnitPermitting
In46percentofcities/towns,rentalsareallowedinanyzoneaslongastheyconformto
theotherrequirementsofthezone(seeFigure4).While19percentofvillagesallowrentalunits
inanyzone,10percentdisallowbuildinganyhousingspecificallyintendedforrental.Rentalsare
restricted to specific zones or only allowed by SUP/CUP in more than two-thirds of villages.
Comparablenumbersinbothcategoriesforcities/townsarefarlower.
Figure5:AccessoryDwellingUnitPermitting
Accessoryhousing(alsoknownas grannyflats)isanotherformoftransitionalhousing,
particularly useful for extended families (see Figure 5). Sixty-eight percent of villages and 15
percentofcities/townsrespondingtothissurveydonotallowaccessoryhousing.Amongthose
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thatdoallowit,23percentofvillagesallowitbyrightwhileonly8percentofcities/townsdo.
Mostcities/townsrequireaSUP/CUP,while9percentofvillagesusethisprocess.Bywhatever
meansitisallowed,accessoryunitconstructionisregulatedthroughavarietyofmechanisms.
Usuallyappliedincombinations,thesecontrolmeasuresincludestandardsforplacementofthe
unitontheparcel,sizerestrictions,parkingrequirements,designstandards,andrestrictionson
whomaylivethere.Anothercommonrestrictionistherequirementthattheprimaryresidencebeowner-occupied.
Universal design, which accommodates people with personal mobility restrictions, is
another mechanism that facilitates staying in ones neighborhood as personal circumstances
change.Only14percentofvillagescurrentlyencourageorpromoteuniversaldesignfornewor
modifiedresidentialconstruction,while57percentofcities/townsdoso.
Onewayforjurisdictionstoencouragehousingaffordabilityistoincludeprovisionsin
their zoning and/or subdivisionregulations that promote thedevelopmentof both parcels
and houses of various sizes, not only in separateneighborhoods but within them. Smaller
homesonsmallerlotsaregenerallymoreaffordablesimplybyvirtueoftheirdesign.Thesecan
serve as starter homes, but they also allow empty nesters and elders to find suitably sized
housing options within their own neighborhoodsas their needs change. While 50 percentofcities/townsencourage a mixtureof variouslot anddwellingunit sizes withinneighborhoods,
only19percentofvillagesdo.
Becausemanyjurisdictionsregulationspreventthedevelopmentofhousingforabroad
spectrumofresidents,correctivemeasuressuchastheLongIslandWorkforceHousingLawof
2008havebeentakeninanefforttorestorebalance.Todate,housingunitsresultingfromthis
lawhaveonlybeenconstructedinabout10percentofsurveyedjurisdictions.Somejurisdictions
hadalreadyadoptedpoliciesthatrequiretheinclusionofunitsforlow-andmoderate-income
residents,andtheunitsbuiltundertheseprovisionsarenotrepresentedinthissurvey.Whatis
evidentthoughfromcommentsreceivedisthatinclusionaryzoningandworkforcehousinglaws
can only go so far. In the case of the 2008 Long Island law, developers are reportedly
circumventingitbybuildingonelessunitthanrequiredtotriggeritsprovisions. Itisfarbetterand more effective to plan communities that are naturally inclusive because they offer a
varietyofhousingoptionsthatmeettheneedsofdiverseresidents.
SmartGrowthImplications:
Itisafactoflifethatcommunitiesareinaconstantstateofchange.Residentsageand
move from one life stage to another, and as they do their housing and mobility needs also
change.Youngsingles,youngmarrieds,familieswithchildren,empty-nesters,andeldershave
differing requirements andmeans,and ifhousing optionsare restricted,people areforced to
move as their situations change, often to places at inconvenient distances from family and
friends. Communities that accommodate people across a broad range of life stages,
occupationsandincomegroupsaregenerallymoresociallyandeconomicallysustainablethanthose thatdonot. Long Island is already suffering from the exclusionary effects of large-lot
zoningandthehighrealestatepricesthisengenders.Youngpeopleandmanyessentialservice
providers,suchasfirefightersandhealthserviceproviders,generallycannotaffordtopurchase
homeshere.Theyaremovingtomoreaffordableplacesand,astheyleave,theregionfindsit
hardertostaffcriticaljobsandtoattractorretainemployers.
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Recommendations:
In light of current demographic trends and economic realities, and in order to build
communitiesthataremoresustainableoverthelongterm,LongIslandjurisdictionsshould:
Increasetheabilitytobuildmulti-familyresidences,bothforsaleandforrent;Eliminaterestrictionsontheconstructionofrentalunits;Encourageavarietyoflotanddwellingunitsizeswithinneighborhoods;andEaserestrictionsontheconstructionofaccessoryunits.
IV. Downtowns
Adowntownservesasafocalpointforcommunitylifeandprojectsthepublicimageof
a community. Lively, active downtowns suggest vitality. Empty storefronts, vacant lots, and
deteriorating buildings suggest a place whose time has passed.Thedifference between the
downtownsthatremainbusy,attractiveandvitalandthosethatdonotisoftenfoundinthe
regulationsandincentives(ordisincentives)thatguidedevelopmentinthedowntownarea.
Asbusiness models evolve,thespaceand configuration requirements ofindividualbusinesses
change,sometimessubstantially.2
Ifzoningregulationsandbuildingcodesarenotupdatedforthedowntownarea,businesswillgravitatetosuburbanlocationsorothercommunitiesthatwill
accommodatetheirneeds.
Therearenumerous toolsthat communitiescanuseto ensure that theirdowntowns
remainattractivebothphysicallyandtobusinessesbutnosingleoneisapanacea.Theways
jurisdictionsrespondingtothissurveycombineandmakeuseofthesetoolsvarywidely.
SpecialAreasorDistricts
Figure6:SpecialDistricts
2Aprimeexampleofthisissupermarkets.Thefootprintofsupermarketshaschangeddrasticallyoverthe
lastfewdecadesinresponsetochangingconsumerpreferences/demandsandindustrystandards.Many
downtownshavebeenunabletoaccommodatethenewrequirementsandhavebeenleftwithouta
grocerystoreasaconsequence.
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Establishing a special area or district (e.g., a historic preservation district or Central
BusinessDistrict(CBD))helpstofocusattentionandresourcesonplacesthatarecrucialtothe
communitysimage,economicwell-beingorboth.Typically,specialrulesguidedevelopmentin
theseareasbyallowingorprecludingcertainuses,definingsiteandarchitecturalrequirements,
providingfinancialorotherincentivestodevelopers,orsomecombinationofthese.
MostjurisdictionsmakeuseofatleastoneSpecialDistrict.CBDisthemostfrequentlyusedcategory,with62percentofthecities/townsand45percentofvillageshavingestablished
one(seeFigure6).Onlyonetown/cityhasdefinedaTransit-OrientedDistrict.Novillageshave
doneso.
Aboutaquarterofcities/townshaveestablishedDesignOverlayDistricts.Thesecanbe
establishedin conjunctionwithotherspecialdistrictsandare particularly usefulin buildingor
maintaininga distinctiveimage foraCBD ora TOD.Architectural guidelinesare akeyfacetof
DesignOverlyDistricts,astheyestablishthestandardsthatnewdevelopmentwillberequired
tomeet.
ScaleandDensityinDowntowns
Almost every surveyed jurisdiction specifically regulates the scale of development indowntown areas. Most use a combination of controls by setting height limitations, site
placement requirements and design standards. More than half also establish an acceptable
Floor Area Ratio (FAR), which places a limit on how many square feet of interior space are
allowedrelativetotheareaoftheparcel.
Thespecificcombinationofcontrolsandthespecificmeasures(ormetrics)appliedwill
helpestablishthecharacterofadowntown,butifthesecontrolsarenotreviewedandrevised
from time to time with respect to the current residential and business requirements and
building industry technologies, they may act to deter both redevelopment and new infill
development. These controls are also used in many instances as indirect ways of controlling
density.
Densitythoughcontroversialinsomecommunitiesiscriticallyimportantinprovidingthehousingcapacity sufficient to generate theclientele needed to supportdowntownretail.
Thisistrueforalldowntowns,butitistruerforTODsbecauseoftheadditionalneedfortransit
riders.IneveryLongIslandjurisdictionsurveyed,residentialdensityinthedowntownseither
isnotregulatedorregulationssetacapondensitywithoutalsoestablishingaminimum.Both
maximumandminimumallowabledensityneedtobeestablishedtoensurethatresidential
densityisadequatetosupportdowntownbusinessactivityandtransitservice,regardlessof
whetheritisrailorbusservice.Thoughmanycommunitiesabhordensityongeneralprinciple,
wellthought-outdensity controls that establish minimumsand maximums, along with height,
site placement, and good design standards, can serve to insert both height and density
unobtrusivelyintodowntownssothatacomfortablescaleismaintainedandneitherpedestrians
norexistingbuildingsareovershadowed.
Surveyed jurisdictions indicate that the biggest obstacle both to encouraging
developmentand increasingdensity intheirdowntownsistherequirementtomeetcurrent
on-siteparkingstandards.Asdiscussedbelow,mostjurisdictionsoverplanforparkingandthis
obstacle could easily be reduced or eliminated simply by using better parking management
techniques.
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Incentives
Figure7:IncentivesOfferedforDowntownDevelopment
Variousincentives may be offered by jurisdictions to particularlydesirable downtown
developmentprojects tooffsetthe obstacles erectedby zoningand building codes; however,
the majority of jurisdictions in this survey offer no incentives of any kind to encourage
downtowndevelopment(seeFigure7).Thosethatdoaremostlikelytoofferrelieffromon-
siteparkingrequirements.
Densitybonuses,whichincreasetheallowablecommercialsquarefootageornumberof
housing units that may be built, are offered in very few Long Island communities. Density
bonuses areincluded in theOther Incentives category for all of thedowntowndevelopment
types shown in Figure 7 (i.e., multi-family residential construction, infill development, and
adaptive reuse). Though little used on Long Island, density bonuses are a common incentive
offeredinotherplacestoattract projects todowntowns.Theycanalso helppreservehistoric
buildingsthatshapecommunitycharacter.
Transfer ofDevelopment Rights(TDR) isa densitybonus variation that worksto move
densityfromareaswhereitispermittedbutlessdesirabletothedowntownareawhereitcan
help support business and build transit-oriented areas. About 15 percent of surveyed
jurisdictions currently have a TDR program, but not all of these TDR programs are designed
specificallytoincreasedensityinadowntownarea.
CivicSpace
Civic space plays a vital role in determining whether a downtown is a habitable or
hostileplace.Sidewalks,streettrees,benchesandstreetlightsareessentialtomakepedestrians
feelcomfortableandsafeondowntownstreets.Publicsquares,parksandviewsoflandmark
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buildings(whetherpublicedifices,historicbuildingsorarchitecturallysignificantones)establish
thecharacterofaplaceandsetitapartfromallothers.Soitissurprisingthatsofewsurveyed
jurisdictionsrequirenewdevelopmenttotakecivicspaceintoconsideration.Asuper-majority
ofcities/towns(69percent)donotrequiredevelopmenttoaddresspublicspaceinanyway;the
comparable number for villages is 39 percent (see Figure 8). A higher percentage of villages
requireprivatedevelopmenttocontribute,evenifonlyminimally,tocivicspace.
Figure8:NewDevelopmentCivicSpaceRequirements
MixofUses
Amixofusesisessentialinmaintainingavitaldowntown. Thestrictsegregationof
land uses into separate zones, common in many jurisdictions, has resulted in several
unintendedandnegativeconsequences,nottheleastofwhichisthecreationvirtualdead-
zones afterbusinesshours indowntownswhere residentialusesare excluded.Thevalueof
having a variety of intermixed uses that contribute to lively and safe (by virtue of 24-hour
neighbors)downtowns isnow widely recognizedand manyjurisdictionsarerezoning toallow
them.Nearlyallcities/towns(92percent)allowforbothresidentialandmixedusesintheir
downtowns. About 68percent of villages allow residential uses, but11 percentdo notallow
mixed-use buildings. Downtown mixed-use projects may be built by right in 54 percent of
cities/townsandin 44percentof villages.In theother places,a SUP/CUPorothercontingent
approvalisrequired.
Amongjurisdictionsthatindicatedmixed-usebuildingsareallowedintheirdowntown,
20percentallowsolelycommercialprojects(officesandretail),withhalfallowingthembyright,
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andhalf requiring projects to obtain a SUP/CUP. Theremainder ofthe jurisdictions allowing
downtownmixed-usemakenodifferentiationbetweenstrictlycommercialprojectsandthose
thatincludearesidentialcomponent,andtheyareevenlydividedastowhetherprojectsare
allowedbyrightorrequireaSUP/CUP.Asmentionedabove,aSUPallowsahigherdegreeof
control over a project, but it also adds a layer of uncertainty that often discourages
development.Amongthosejurisdictionsthatallowresidentialusesindowntownareas,36percentof
respondingcities/townsand71percentofrespondingvillageshavenotestablishedresidential
densitystandards. Thosethathavedensitystandards have setmaximums,butnonehaveset
minimumstandards.3Settingonlyaceilingnumbermakesitpossiblefordeveloperstobuild
well below the maximum planned density, which can result in insufficient population to
supportdowntownbusinessortransitservices.
Ofthejurisdictionsthatallownewmixed-usedevelopmentintheirdowntowns,only36
percentofcities/townsand38percentofvillagesallowthedevelopmentofmid-riseapartment
buildings.
TransitTrafficisthelifebloodofcommunities,thoughsometimestoomuchofagoodthingcan
resultwheneveryonerelies(orisforcedtorely)ona singlemodeoftravel.Thecommunities
that function best are those that offer people choiceswalk, bike, drive, or ride the
bus/van/taxi/train. In this respect, Long Island benefits fromhaving Long IslandRail Road
(LIRR)alreadyinplace. ItisdismayingthatsofewLongIslandjurisdictionshavemadegood
useofthisvaluableresourceintheirlandplanning.Asnotedabove,onlyonecity/townandno
villageshavetransit-orienteddistrictsintheirdowntownstoencouragethedensityneededto
supportpublictransit.Transit-oriented developmentcan beused topromote orfacilitatenot
onlycommuterrailservice,buttosupport,facilitateandpromotebusandtramservicesthat
provideconnectionstocommuterrail.
3Communitiesacrossthenationconcernedaboutprovidingsufficienthousingtomaintaineconomic
vitalityand/orsupportingtransit-orienteddevelopmenthavestartedsettingbothminimumand
maximumdensityrequirementstoensurethatdevelopmentreflectstheintentionoftheircomprehensive
plans.Theseinclude,tomentiononlyafew,GrandJunction,CO;Portland,OR;WhatcomCounty,WA;
Sacramento,CA;andCharlotteCounty,FL.
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Figure9:SupportServicesforCommuterRail
Ingeneral,cities/townshavefarmoretransitsupportservicesthanvillages,butnearlya
quarter(23percent) ofcities/towns and38percent ofvillageshaveno supportservicesat all
(seeFigure9).
Parking
Parkingrequirementsareimportantin downtownsforseveralreasons.Of course,itis
imperativetoprovideenoughparkingsothatbusinesscanoperatesmoothly,butrequiringtoo
muchparkingparticularlyifitmustbeprovidedon-sitecanhavedetrimentaleffects.First,
it renders many older parcels either economically or physically unbuildable. Second, the
presenceofmultipleprivatesurfaceparkinglotscandisruptthecontinuityofthestreetscape,
lengthening distances between shops, restaurants and services so that patrons opt to drive
rather than walkbetween destinations. Thishas a knock-on effectfor retail sales, as walking
customers aremorelikely tomakeunscheduled stopsand spontaneouspurchasesthanthose
whodriveby.Third,providingtoomuchparkinghasnegativeenvironmentalimpactsbecauseit
encouragesstop-startshort-hopdriving.
Communities can use parking to their advantage by controlling the amount available
anddictatingwhereitmaybeplaced.Eventhoughallofthejurisdictionsinthesurveyhave
public parking available in their downtowns, approximately two-thirds require new
developmenttoprovideautomobileparkingspaces.Only7percentofjurisdictionsthatrequire
on-site parking set both a minimum and maximum number of spaces. Setting both is the
preferablemethodtopromotewalkabledistricts,pedestriantrafficandtransituse.
Metered parking can also be used to encourage foot traffic and discourage cruising,
which occurs when drivers troll for free parking close to their destinations or drive short
distancesbetweendestinationsthatareinfactwithinwalkingdistanceofoneanother.Only23
percentofcities/townshavemeteredparking,while50percentofvillagesdo.
Ninety-two percent of cities/towns base their parking requirements on use codes to
determinehowmuchparkingmustbeprovided.Villagesmainlyrelyonusecodes(61percent),
but33percentuseacombinationofusecodeanddistrict.Parkingratiosestablishedforvarious
use codesthough in common use for decadesare not based on substantial empirical
evidence, generally relateto peak parkingdays (e.g. Thanksgiving Evefor grocerystores) and
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ignore the cumulative impact of previous projects, hence they normally result in providing
excessparking.Communitiesactivelypromotingtransithavestartedrequiringafractionofthe
parkingdictatedbystandardusecodes50percentorlessinmanyinstancesandstillfind
thatthereisampleparkingforthosewhoneedit.
As noted above, having to provide on-site parking can severely limit the ability of
developerstobuildprojectsinthedowntownareasunlesstheycangetawaiverorvariance.Themostcommonjustificationforaparkingvarianceistoshowthatthereissomeplaceelseto
parkonthestreet,inanearbypublicfacilityorinalotsharedorjointlyusedbyotherprivate
propertiesintheimmediatearea.Onlyabout7percentofjurisdictionsallowon-siteparking
reductionsforbeingclosetotransitstopsorfortheprovisionofbicycleparkingoramenities
(e.g.,bikelockersandemployeeshoweringfacilities).
SmartGrowthImplications:
A communitys downtown is a barometer of its health. Healthy communities have
vibrantattractivedowntownswithdistinctivecharactersthatsetthemapartfromsurrounding
places.Somedowntownsthriveforawhilemerelybybeingtherightplaceattherighttime.But
fewcansustaintheirsuccesswithoutadoptingplanningpracticesthatallowthemtorespondtochanging demographics and emerging economic realities so that they can better retain and
attractresidents,whointurnattractthebusinessesthatemploythemandcatertothem.
Recommendations:
ThefollowingrecommendationsaremadeforLongIslanddowntowns:
Make better use of special districts and incentives packages to encourage downtowndevelopment.
Provideincentivesfortransit-orientedandtransit-adjacentdevelopment.Usedesignguidelinestoensurethateachcommunityhasadistinctiveappearancethat
makesgooduseofhistoricresourcesandciviclandmarks.Designguidelinesareessential
ifdesignreviewispartoftheapprovalprocess.Reconsidercontrolsondensity,thescaleofdevelopment,andlanduses,withaneyeto
creating lively, visually appealing downtowns and safer streets with mixed-use
developmentthatkeepseyesonthestreet24/7.
Increaseallowabledensity,particularlynearLIRRstations,anddesignatetransit-orienteddistricts.Inadditiontoencouraginguseoftransitservices,thiswillincreasetheclient
basefordowntownbusinessesandpromoteconstructionofsmaller,lessexpensiveunits
thatcatertotodayssmallerhouseholds(anationaltrend).Designguidelineswillhelp
ensurethatdensitydoesnotdetractfromtheattractivenessofestablisheddowntowns.
Itispossibletoadddensityquiteunobtrusively.
Reconsideron-site parkingrequirementsthat aredeterring thedevelopment ofvacantand underused parcels and the renovation and adaptive reuse of older and historicbuildingsindowntownareas.
Place more emphasison providing supportfacilities foralltypesof transit rail,busesandvans.
Placemoreemphasisonprovidingsupportfacilitiesforbicyclists.Requireallnewdowntowndevelopmenttoaccommodatebicycleparking.
Makebetteruseofparkingcontrolstoreducecruisingforspaces,toencourageretail-supportingfoottrafficincommercialareas,andtoencouragetransituse.
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Conclusions
No single clear pattern of adoption of smart growth practices emerged from the
responsesreceived.Thecombinationsarenearlyasvariedasthejurisdictionsthemselves.While
manyjurisdictions haveappliedsomeprinciplesconducivetosmartgrowth,in mostinstances
theyhavegenerallynotadoptedenoughintherightcombinationstoactuallyresultinsmartgrowth.
There are some jurisdictions, however, that are hitting many of the right notesthe
VillagesofAmityville,MineolaandPatchogue;theTownsofBabylon,Brookhaven,Hempstead,
Islip, and Riverhead. These jurisdictions have planned and, in some cases, successfully built
mixed-useandTODprojects.Eachhascreateditsownrecipeforsmartgrowth.Fiveoftheeight
have updated their zoning codes within the last 5 years. All allow multi-family residential
buildingsintheirdowntowns.Butnoneshareexactlythesamesetofmeasures.
Inthefinalanalysis,allthatmattersisthatthecombinationofmeasuresadoptedbya
community work to bring about smart growth or TOD. Evenwith a near complete set of
measures,successwill hinge ononekey ingredientpolitical willwithoutwhich thebest
laid planswill be stymied. And though the efforts of these eight jurisdictions are laudable,manymorewillhavetofollowtheirexamplesandgeton-boardwithsmartgrowthandTODif
LongIslandistoholditsownintothefuture.