03-12-2015, 11:21 AM
Commercial adds complexity to a project.
Currently, that plot of land is zoned R-9. This allows the following commercial uses:
To have a restaurant, you would need a rezoning.
To have townhouses with an adjacent commercial service building, you would need a rezoning.
To have smaller townhouse building with commercial uses, you would need a rezoning.
Not to mention, the parking requirements for commercial tend to be steeper than residential, cutting further into the land you have to develop on.
I don't blame any developer for wanting to avoid all that.
It really does come down to, as you say, "the question of why the municipality doesn't encourage it, especially on a corridor where rapid transit is planned."
Currently, zoning rules actively discourage it. Reading between the lines, you can see that residential zoning says "residential ONLY, but okay okay, if your apartment building is large enough, you can have your property management office or a convenience store too"
Currently, that plot of land is zoned R-9. This allows the following commercial uses:
- Convenience Retail;
- Day Care Facility;
- Financial Establishment;
- Office;
- Personal Services
Quote:a retail outlet serving the day-to-day, non-comparison shopping needs of a consumer including, for example, a variety store, bake shop, drug store or small food/grocery store, and shall also include a florist, photo depot (no processing on site) and video film outlet, but except for a video film outlet, shall not include any retail outlet having its main product line involving hardwares, housewares, apparel, footwear or fashion accessories.And this commercial use must be located on the ground floor of an apartment building of at least 20 units, and occupy no more than 20% of the floor area.
To have a restaurant, you would need a rezoning.
To have townhouses with an adjacent commercial service building, you would need a rezoning.
To have smaller townhouse building with commercial uses, you would need a rezoning.
Not to mention, the parking requirements for commercial tend to be steeper than residential, cutting further into the land you have to develop on.
I don't blame any developer for wanting to avoid all that.
It really does come down to, as you say, "the question of why the municipality doesn't encourage it, especially on a corridor where rapid transit is planned."
Currently, zoning rules actively discourage it. Reading between the lines, you can see that residential zoning says "residential ONLY, but okay okay, if your apartment building is large enough, you can have your property management office or a convenience store too"