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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/1/2026 - Joint 1 Vinton Town Council Joint Work Session with the Vinton Planning Commission Council Chambers 311 South Pollard Street Tuesday, September 1, 2026 AGENDA Consideration of: A. 4:00 p.m. - ROLL CALL AND ESTABLISHMENT OF A QUORUM 1. Vinton Town Council 2. Vinton Planning Commission B. WORK SESSION 1. Review and discuss proposed amendments to the Town’s zoning ordinance that are designed to reduce barriers to housing development and redevelopment, expand housing opportunities, support economic growth, and encourage reinvestment in strategic areas of the community. C. DISCUSSION/COMMENTS D. DINNER E. ADJOURNMENT NOTICE OF INTENT TO COMPLY WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. Reasonable efforts will be made to provide assistance or special arrangements to qualified individuals with disabilities in order to participate in or attend Town Council meetings. Please call (540) 983 -0607 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date so that proper arrangements may be made. Bradley E. Grose, Mayor Laurie J. Mullins, Vice Mayor Keith N. Liles, Council Member Sabrina M. McCarty, Council Member Michael W. Stovall, Council Member Vinton Municipal Building 311 South Pollard Street Vinton, VA 24179 (540) 983-0607 Meeting Date September 1, 2026 Department Planning and Zoning Issue A joint work session of the Town Council and Planning Commission will be held to provide an update on the proposed amendments to the Town’s zoning ordinance. Summary The zoning ordinance update project is being undertaken by the consultant team, 3TP Ventures and its subconsultant, New Paradigm, in close collaboration with the Town’s Planning and Zoning, Economic Development, and Administration staff. The purpose of the Vinton Zoning Updates project is to recommend amendments to the Town’s zoning ordinance to promote housing development, as called for in the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted in July 2025. The zoning update process began in March 2026 with a review of the existing zoning ordinance in relation to the adopted Comprehensive Plan, engagement with key users of the Town’s zoning code, and coordination with Town staff to identify desired improvements and amendments to the code. The focus of this joint work session is for the consultant team to present the outcomes of these initial discussions and findings, which will help inform the development of specific zoning recommendations. The work session will also provide an opportunity for the Town Council and Planning Commission to provide feedback and direction to the consultant team. Attachments • Vinton Zoning Updates – Goals, Issues, and Opportunities Summary • PowerPoint Presentation Recommendations No Action Needed Town Council Agenda Summary 1 VINTON ZONING UPDATES GOALS, ISSUES, AND OPPORTUNITIES SUMMARY July 14, 2026 INTRODUCTION The purpose of the Vinton Zoning Updates project is to recommend amendments to the Town’s zoning code to promote housing development, as called for in the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2025. The zoning updates effort began in March of 2026 with a review of the existing zoning relative to the new Comprehensive Plan, engagement with key users of the Town’s zoning code, and coordination with staff on desired improvements and amendments to the code. This document captures the outcomes of these early discussions that inform the subsequent specific recommendations. GOALS Goals are the guidance principles for the recommended updates. Their purpose is to keep the updates organized and focused. They are written to be consistent with the overall direction, vision, and goals of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. Zoning should implement the Comprehensive Plan (as per the state code), so the goals of the zoning update derive directly from the Town’s adopted plan. The goals also deal with important needs, such as modernizing and updating the ordinance and ensuring strong community input in the process. The proposed goals for this effort are: 1. Better alignment between the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance. 2. Modernize standards. 3. Seek and incorporate community input. 4. Greater flexibility in permitted housing types. 5. Facilitate a more active downtown through infill mixed use development. 6. Promote revitalized commercial corridors. 7. Promote walkability. ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES Comprehensive Plan Goals Relevant to the Zoning Updates The 2050 Comprehensive Plan includes several goals that are relevant to the Town’s zoning code. The Town’s consulting team reviewed the existing code with the following goals in mind: • Increase the number of housing units within walking distance of downtown. • Increase opportunities for tourists and visitors to stay overnight downtown. • Protect the historic character of downtown while encouraging compatible reuse. • Improve parking efficiency downtown. • Increase the Town’s housing stock. • Increase the supply of starter homes and homes affordable to the Town’s workforce. 2 • Ensure new infill housing is compatible in scale with its surroundings. • Encourage redevelopment or repurposing of aging and outdated buildings to new housing, especially underutilized buildings near downtown. • Encourage transformation of aging strip development along major corridors to a more vibrant mix of uses, including housing. • Encourage a more flexible land use policy within areas where revitalization and transformation are desired. • Make desired development and redevelopment easier by aligning zoning ordinances with Town goals. • Encourage adaptive reuse of older buildings, especially downtown, that contribute to the Town’s authentic sense of place. Future Land Use Map and Zoning Map Alignment The Comprehensive Plan also includes a future land use map that indicates the land use policies for each parcel within the Town. The future land use districts are not a perfect match with the existing zoning districts. However, the graphic below shows how they generally align. The zoning updates will aim to help bring the zoning district requirements and standards into better alignment with the policies of the Comprehensive Plan. Key Findings of the Code Assessment The consulting team reviewed the existing zoning ordinance with the goals for this project, and the relevant goals within the Comprehensive Plan, as key lenses. First the consulting team identified 3 the standards that are most relevant to the project and comprehensive plan goals and summarized the existing conditions within the residential and commercial districts, as shown in the chart below. Note - The standards are applicable to lots served by public water and sanitary sewer services. Residential District Findings The assessment yielded the following potential issues with the existing residential standards: • All residential districts except for R-3 are focused on low-density single-family housing. Single-family residential development is allowed by right on about 60% of the Town’s land area, whereas townhomes are allowed by right on about 7.5%, two-family on about 15%, and apartments on about 4.5%. o To encourage development of missing middle housing types, the Town should consider relaxing some standards, particularly for the R-2 district.1 o Continuing to require large lot sizes may drive up the cost of housing, discourage infill development, and result in a lower housing supply. • Dimensional standards for R-3 multifamily discourage smaller multifamily housing development, which contributes to a gap in supply between the low-density single-family homes and larger apartment buildings. o The standards don’t easily lend themselves to missing middle housing types, such as small multiplexes or single-family retrofits that would have 3 or more units. • The code is silent on some residential types that would appear appropriate for Vinton including stacked townhomes and cottage courts. The assessment also identified the following potential opportunities for addressing the issues: 1 “Missing middle housing” refers to products such as townhomes, fourplexes, and small apartment buildings that fall between the traditional single-family detached home and larger apartment complexes. STANDARDS CB GB RB R3 R2 Min Lot Size None None 6,000*6,000*6,000* Min Lot Width None None 50'*50'*50'* Height Max/Min 45' (max) or 4 stories 35' or 60' (max)*35' (max) 45' (max) 35' (max) Require Ground Floor Height Suitable for Commercial No No No No No Maximum Building Size None None None None None Setbacks Front/Rear/Side 0' F - 0' R - 0' S 20' F - 0' R - 0' S 15' F - 25' R - 5' S 25' F - 25' R - 5' S 25' F - 25' R - 5' S Max Lot Coverage None None None 35%None Density Maximum None None 12 du/acre (TH)*24 du/acre*12 du/acre (TH)* Ground Floor Residential Permitted No No Yes Yes Yes Mixed-Use Permitted or Required Permitted Permitted Permitted No No Permitted Housing Types Mixed-Use Bldgs Mixed-Use Bldgs SF, Duplex, TH (SUP)*All SF, Duplex, TH (SUP)* ADUs Permitted No No Yes*Yes*Yes* Parking Exclusion Yes* (not for housing)None None None None Parking Max/Min 2/du (1.5 if MU bldg) 2/du (1.5 if MU bldg) 2/du (1.5 if MU bldg)2/du 2/du Bike parking requirements None None None None None Shared Parking Yes*Yes*None None None Offsite Parking Yes*Yes*None None None Parking Location Relegated None Relegated for Non-Res None None Sidewalk Standards None None None None None At Least One Main Entrance Oriented Towards Street None None None None None Inter-Parcel Access None None None None None Tree Canopy Requirement 20%10%10%10%20% Open Space Requirement None None None None None Buffer/Landscape Requirements Yes*Yes*Yes*None None Connectivity Landscaping Vinton Zoning Standards - Existing Dimensions Parking Uses 4 • Reduce dimensions for lot size, width, and setbacks in the R2 and R3 residential districts. • Decrease lot sizes for duplexes. • Allow townhouses as a by-right use in the R-2 district. • Allow greater heights in R-3 district. A 4-story building is likely to exceed 45 feet. Consider allowing greater height through step backs, special use permits, etc. • Update R-2 to be a true medium density residential district. Commercial and Mixed-Use District Findings The assessment yielded the following concerns with the central business (CB), general business (GB), residential-business (RB), and mixed-use development (MUD) districts: • There is limited flexibility for integrating residential uses within these districts. o Stand-alone residential buildings are not allowed in CB and GB. o Dwelling units must be in the upper floors or to the rear of other uses in a mixed-use building in CB and GB. • Parking is not required for commercial uses in CB but is required for residential uses. • The existing MUD district is minimally used throughout the Town. • The PUD and MUD districts may be redundant; no properties zoned PUD in the Town. • Mixed-use building is not defined. The assessment also identified the following potential opportunities for addressing the issues: • Allow residential only development within CB, but outside of the historic core where the Comprehensive Plan calls for continuing to require non-residential ground floor uses to increase street-level activity. • Allow more housing types in RB and relaxing requirements for residential uses in the CB and GB districts. • Increase allowances for residential mixed-use in business districts, especially near the downtown core where more housing units can contribute to retail demand. • Combine the PUD and MUD districts and review standards for conformance with the Comprehensive Plan goals. QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS The Town developed and distributed a stakeholder survey in June of 2026 to obtain input from parties that are familiar with the code or work with it on a regular basis, such as builders, developers , and real estate professionals. Nearly half of the people to whom the survey was sent responded, for a total of 18 responses. The survey responses largely affirmed the concerns and opportunities highlighted in the previous section, and the proposed approach to updating the zoning code to promote housing. The key takeaways from the survey include the following: • The missing-middle housing types called for in the Comprehensive Plan are among the hardest to build. • There is interest in higher density and new housing types (cottage courts, for example). 5 • Density bonuses, infrastructure investment, and affordable housing financial incentives are seen as relatively effective tools to encourage new housing development. • The focus of the zoning updates should be on improvements to development standards and relaxing land use standards to allow for more housing. The complete results for the survey are attached to this document. The results from a few of the key questions are provided below. 6 RECOMMENDED APPROACH TO ZONING UPDATES The Town developed conceptual approaches for updating the key zoning districts, based on the findings from the assessment and stakeholder survey. The approaches described in the following sections are high-level and mostly avoid specific recommendations for text changes. Specific recommendations will come following engagement with the Town Council, Planning Commission, and general public. Below are the initial recommendations for the key commercial districts. The concepts presented below will also inform targeted updates to the R3 and R2 residential districts. Additionally, the recommendations aim to achieve the Comprehensive Plan and zoning update project goals through zoning text changes rather than rezoning any properties. 7 Central Business (CB) The CB district is applied to the historic downtown of Vinton and covers only about one percent of the Town’s land area. While the area is small, it is highly valuable from an economic standpoint. CB zoning is applied to a couple of contexts – the historic core of downtown along Lee Avenue and Pollard Street, and the edge areas that include several land uses. It is the edge areas, which extend to Jefferson Avenue on the south, Poplar Street on the east, and Walnut Avenue on the west where there is significant opportunity for infill development and redevelopment that will support the Comprehensive Plan’s goal for more housing downtown. Additional housing downtown also supports the Town’s goal for a more active and economically successful downtown. The following recommendations are built on a premise that commercial uses should not be required beyond the historic downtown core. Housing with no commercial use on the ground floor should be allowed in order to increase housing supply and enliven underutilized parcels downtown. The Town considered three broad approaches for reforming the CB District: 1. Zoning text changes that clarify where a ground-floor active use is required (Lee/Pollard) and where ground-floor residential is allowed without a commercial use (all other areas). 2. A special use permit requirement for applicants who want to build ground-floor residential units in CB. 3. An overlay for the historic district that would require active ground floor uses, and possibly deal with other items such as parking, while relaxing standards for the base CB district. The recommended approach is zoning text changes, as it would achieve the goals of the Comprehensive Plan while imposing the least administrative burden. In additional to the general approach, the following are recommendations for updating the standards of the CB District: 1. Use height and form, rather than residential density or parcel size, as the main way to regulate development intensity in the downtown area. 2. Consider a 12 (or more) foot ground floor clear ceiling height requirement to encourage adaptability, which is a key comprehensive plan goal. The intent is to allow buildings to evolve as the market changes. While ground floor retail use may not be market viable now, a taller ground floor may make it easier to convert ground floor space to commercial uses in the future. 3. Alleviate parking requirements for residential and mixed-use buildings in the downtown area. These uses have parking requirements while commercial uses are exempt. Residential-Business District (RB) The RB district is mostly applied to the major roadway corridors where some residential uses have converted to commercial uses. RB parcels are most prevalent along Washington Avenue, Hardy Road, and Virginia Avenue. The RB parcels act as a buffer between these busy commercial corridors and the lower intensity residential uses behind them. About 6.6 percent of Vinton’s land area is zoned RB. 8 The proposed objectives for the RB district include: 1. Allow diversity of missing middle housing types on lots that can accommodate them. 2. Protect existing lower density residential neighborhoods. 3. Ensure there is sufficient room on small lots to allow for on-site parking. The recommended approach for updating the RB district is as follows: 1. Slightly increase the height and density to allow small apartment buildings that can fit into a single-family residential context. 2. Reduce parking requirements and setbacks to provide flexibility for housing on typical lots, which are 50 feet x 150 feet in this district. In fact, this is the typical lot size throughout the Town based on original platting patterns. 3. Establish a minimum lot dimension for which these standards can be applied. It is worth noting that analysis confirmed that the typical 50’ x 150’ dimension lot can accommodate a duplex, but will not fit a small multifamily building under the existing standards. Rather than creating an overlay district and applying it only to lots that are greater than 50 feet wide or 150 feet deep, the text of the RB district should be modified so that the increase in density and reduction in standards only applies to lots that are this size or larger. For smaller lots, the existing standard 3 story and 35-foot height limit would still apply, but the new setbacks could be the same as for larger lots. This approach should also protect existing single-family areas by ensuring that higher density can only be accommodated on lots that have sufficient room for adequate buffering. On larger lots the Town should consider increasing the maximum height to 45 feet or 4 stories and allowing up to 12 residential units per building. Additionally, detailed analysis of the feasibility of small apartment buildings on 50’ x 150’ lots (7,500 square feet) shows that the Town’s parking requirements and drive aisle standards (25 feet) would make such buildings infeasible on the typical lot. Therefore, either the lot size may need to be adjusted upwards, or parking and drive aisle requirements may need to be adjusted down. Initial testing of different housing types shows that 75 feet of width is needed for multifamily (if parking is placed behind the building) and that stacked townhomes would require a 60-foot-wide parcel. General-Business District (GB) The GB district is the most prevalent commercial district in Vinton. It is applied to many parcels along the major corridors and to the larger shopping plazas. About 10.3 percent of Vinton’s land area is zoned GB. As with CB, ground-floor residential units are not allowed in the GB district. Residential units in GB are only allowed within a mixed-use building. The proposed objectives for the GB district are: 1. Allow more flexibility and density for various housing types while preserving capacity for business uses. 2. Protecting adjacent lower density residential neighborhoods. 3. Ensuring sufficient area for commercial uses on large parcels. The recommended approach for updating the GB district is as follows: 9 1. Allow residential-only development within the GB district while ensuring larger parcels remain available for commercial development. 2. Update the maximum height, similar to the recommended approach in RB, so that it is graduated by lot size: a. 3 stories or 35 feet for small lots. b. 4 stories or 45 feet for lots at least 50’ x 150’. c. 5 stories or 60 feet for lots at least 100’ x 150’. 3. Some reduction of parking requirements and setbacks to provide flexibility for housing. 4. Require lots of 20,000 square feet or larger to have ground floor retail (if housing is above) or all commercial. The purpose of this requirement is to maintain the larger commercial areas that are important to the Town’s tax base. Need to address how to limit subdivision into smaller lots to allow residential without commercial. Mixed-Use Development District (MUD) and Planned Unit District (PUD) The MUD and PUD districts are uncommon in Vinton. In fact, the PUD has yet to be applied on the zoning map to any parcel. MUD applies to about 1 percent of Vinton’s land area, and has been used to support adaptive reuse projects such as school conversions to housing and the Gish Mill. The proposed objectives for the MUD and PUD districts are: 1. Foster missing middle housing types. 2. Allow planned development to be applied to a greater range of properties including smaller sites and infill/redevelopment opportunities. 3. Ensure protection of existing neighborhoods and maintenance of best practices for development standards. The proposed approach to updating the PUD and MUD districts is as follows: 1. Eliminate the PUD district (if feasible): a. There are no existing PUD districts mapped. b. The PUD district requires a larger district size than is feasible for most properties in the town. c. The PUD development standards are not as robust and modern as the MUD development standards. 2. Continue the MUD district as a floating zone: a. Review the current development standards with respect to the objective of increasing missing middle housing types and adjust as necessary. b. Review the impact of any proposed changes on the already zoned MUD parcels. c. Consider potential streamlining of the development process to stimulate economic development. . ATTACHMENT – STAKEHOLDER SURVEY RESULTS What best describes your role in development within Vinton? (select all that apply) 12%Developer 9%General Contractor 12%Home Builder 3%Design Professional 15%Realtor 30%Property Owner 9%Business Owner/Operator 9%Other Results Option Score Developer 24% General Contractor 18% Home Builder 24% Design Professional 6% Realtor 29% Property Owner 59% Business Owner/Operator18% Other 18% 17 17 / What type of development are you primarily involved with? 10 1 3 0 5 2 Residential Commercial Mixed Use Industrial All None Results Option Score Residential10 Commercial1 Mixed Use 3 Industrial 0 All 5 None 2 17 17 / How familiar are you with the Town's zoning code? 2 12 3 Very familiar Somewhat familiar Not familiar Results Option Score Very familiar 2 Somewhat familiar12 Not familiar 3 1 17 17 / Rank by level of importance the following possible goals for the zoning updates: 5. Promote walkability 4. Promote revitalized commercial corridors with mixed-use development 3. Modernize standards 2. Facilitate a more active downtown through infill mixed-use development 1. Increase flexibility in permitted housing types Results Option Position Increase flexibility in permitted housing types 1 Facilitate a more active downtown through infill mixed-use development2 Modernize standards 3 Promote revitalized commercial corridors with mixed-use development 4 Promote walkability 5 13 13 / 9 9 / What other goals should guide the Town's zoning ordinance updates? Look at options to increase density in residential districts to address the housing shortage. Reduce lot sizes to accommodate greater density housing Limit SUP requirements for higher density Leverage PPP with ROCO for housing projects Use height and setbacks to regulate density not DU/acre The permitting process is way to cumbersome and lengthy. Make it easier for permits to be obtained to further beatify Vinton. Make an easier process to convert older housing into commercial space Addressing blighted residential properties. Freedom of creative building strategies that will benefit residential and commercial prosperity. Be a business friendly town to everyone and dont cater to one specific developer Promotion of missing-middle housing types Revision of lot standards to allow for pocket courts and other unconventional housing types Reduction of mandatory min parking requirements where appropriate Transportation options Walk, bike, bus 9 9 / What other goals should guide the Town's zoning ordinance updates? no change Rank the following housing types by feasibility to build in Vinton. 7.Multi-family apartments 6.Affordable/workforce housing 5.Senior housing 4.Mixed-use developments (such as housing over retail) 3.Duplex 2.Townhome 1.Single-family detached Results Option Position Single-family detached 1 Townhome 2 Duplex 3 Mixed-use developments (such as housing over retail)4 Senior housing 5 Affordable/workforce housing 6 Multi-family apartments 7 11 11 / Which of the following typical obstacles to housing development are the most significant in Vinton? (select up to 3) 21%Land use restrictions 21%Development standards (such as setbacks, parking, height, lot size, etc.) 4%Special use permit process 7%Building code requirements 14%Stormwater requirements 11%Site characteristics 14%Financial returns 0%Neighborhood opposition 7%Rezoning or approval timelines Results Option Score Land use restrictions 55% Development standards (such as setbacks, parking, height, lot size, etc.)55% Special use permit process 9% Building code requirements 18% Stormwater requirements 36% Site characteristics 27% Financial returns 36% Neighborhood opposition 0% Rezoning or approval timelines 18% 11 11 / Which incentives could be most effective for boosting housing development in Vinton (select up to 3) 16%Density bonuses 3%Reduced parking requirements 6%Expedited permitting 3%Fee waivers/reductions 16%Flexible setbacks 13%Tax incentives 16%Public infrastructure investment 9%Mixed-use flexibility 19%Affordable housing financial incentives Results Option Score Density bonuses 45% Reduced parking requirements 9% Expedited permitting 18% Fee waivers/reductions 9% Flexible setbacks 45% Tax incentives 36% Public infrastructure investment 45% Mixed-use flexibility 27% Affordable housing financial incentives55% 11 11 / 5 5 / What is working well with the existing zoning ordinance to promote new housing? Willingness to be flexible with code interpretation is an asset of the team. Vinton Town staff. Ethan is very adaptable to understanding the issues. Collaboration with town. Willingness to help financially towards a mutual goal Not much zoning staff are professional that's important he feel as though the service you provide as a builder a developer is appreciated 7 7 / Do you have any other comments or suggestions for the zoning ordinance update? Recommend some other options for increasing density. Possibly some cluster development options or reducing setbacks/lot sizes in exchange for providing open space or preserving sensitive areas. Infrastructure challenges are a deterrent to housing development. Partnerships & programs need to be developed in conjunction with Roanoke County and the WVWA to encourage and support new growth Let's make it easier to commercialize the Washington Ave and Hardy Rd corridors. Great flexibility in housin Great work with the immediate downtown area businesses. It would be unfair to those who have already spent extra money to pay the town's expensive fees and abide by the restrictions to then end up competing against others who are given incentives. no Vinton Zoning Code Updates for Housing Joint Work Session/Check-In Meeting 9/1/2026 Agenda •Purpose •Schedule and Progress •Major Findings and Initial Recommendations •Key Questions Purpose Purpose •Project: Update and bring the Zoning Ordinance into alignment with the housing and downtown vitality goals of the Comprehensive Plan. •Today’s Meeting: Share proposed goals, key findings, and preliminary recommendations; and receive feedback. Relevant Comprehensive Plan Goals 1.Increase the number of housing units within walking distance of downtown. 2.Increase the Town’s housing stock. 3.Increase the supply of starter homes and homes affordable to the Town’s workforce. 4.Encourage transformation of aging strip commercial development along major corridors to a more vibrant mix of uses including housing. 5.Encourage adaptive reuse of older buildings. Land Use Vision Project Goals 1.Better alignment between the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance. 2.Modernize standards. 3.Seek and incorporate community input. 4.Greater flexibility in permitted housing types. 5.Facilitate a more active downtown through infill mixed use development. 6.Promote revitalized commercial corridors. 7.Promote walkability. Schedule and Progress Schedule Task September October November December 1 – Exploration/Engagement (done) 2 – Draft Updates to Ordinance 3 – Engagement and Adoption Findings Missing Middle Housing Source: Opticos Design, Inc. / MissingMiddleHousing.com Existing Zoning Standards STANDARDS CB GB RB R3 R2 Min Lot Size None None 6,000*6,000*6,000* Min Lot Width None None 50'*50'*50'* Height Max/Min 45' (max) or 4 stories 35' or 60' (max)*35' (max)45' (max)35' (max) Require Ground Floor Height Suitable for Commercial No No No No No Maximum Building Size None None None None None Setbacks Front/Rear/Side 0' F - 0' R - 0' S 20' F - 0' R - 0' S 15' F - 25' R - 5' S 25' F - 25' R - 5' S 25' F - 25' R - 5' S Max Lot Coverage None None None 35%None Density Maximum None None 12 du/acre (TH)*24 du/acre*12 du/acre (TH)* Ground Floor Residential Permitted No No Yes Yes Yes Mixed-Use Permitted or Required Permitted Permitted Permitted No No Permitted Housing Types Mixed-Use Bldgs Mixed-Use Bldgs SF, Duplex, TH (SUP)*All SF, Duplex, TH (SUP)* ADUs Permitted No No Yes*Yes*Yes* Parking Exclusion Yes* (not for housing)None None None None Parking Max/Min 2/du (1.5 if MU bldg)2/du (1.5 if MU bldg)2/du (1.5 if MU bldg)2/du 2/du Bike parking requirements None None None None None Shared Parking Yes*Yes*None None None Offsite Parking Yes*Yes*None None None Parking Location Relegated None Relegated for Non-Res None None Sidewalk Standards None None None None None At Least One Main Entrance Oriented Towards Street None None None None None Inter-Parcel Access None None None None None Tree Canopy Requirement 20%10%10%10%20% Open Space Requirement None None None None None Buffer/Landscape Requirements Yes*Yes*Yes*None None Connectivity Landscaping Vinton Zoning Standards - Existing Dimensions Parking Uses Where is New Housing Possible Now? •Conducted a geospatial zoning analysis, looking at: •Existing zoning and development standards •Parcel dimensions •Vacant and town-owned parcels •Purpose was to understand where various housing types could be built in Vinton today under existing zoning, in a best-case scenario. Single-Family Residential Allowed by right on 73% of the Town’s land area (1,477 acres) 182 acres are vacant (12.3%) These figures do not fully account for unbuildable parcels. Townhomes Allowed by right on 22% of the Town’s land area (449 acres) 59 acres are vacant (13.1%) These figures do not fully account for unbuildable parcels. Duplex Allowed by right on 31% of the Town’s land area (632 acres) 85 acres are vacant (13.4%) These figures do not fully account for unbuildable parcels. Apartments Allowed by right on 21% of the Town’s land area (426 acres) 55 acres are vacant (12.9%) These figures do not fully account for unbuildable parcels. What Do Code Users Think? •Targeted questionnaire outreach to people that use the code on a regular basis – builders, real estate professionals, etc. •Missing-middle housing types called for in the Comp Plan are among the hardest to build. •Interest in higher density and new housing types (cottage courts, for example). •Need for improvements to development and use standards. Summary of Key Findings Residential Districts •Current dimensional standards discourage smaller multifamily products (missing middle). •Some missing middle housing products are not allowed by right (townhomes in R2) or excluded from the code (cottage courts and stacked townhomes) •Limited flexibility for including residential uses within CB and GB •Parking required for residential in CB but not commercial •MUD and PUD districts may be redundant Initial Recommendations Issue 1 – Thriving Downtown •Address Comp Plan goal for more housing downtown and facilitating a more active downtown with mixed use. •Propose to allow residential-only buildings (no ground floor commercial), in the CB zone, but only outside of the central business core. •Propose that clarify where a ground-floor active use is required (Lee/Pollard) and where ground-floor residential is allowed. •Propose to give more flexibility in density, parcel size, setback, and parking requirements for residential development in CB; propose that height be the primary mechanism to regulate the intensity of development in CB. Issue 2 – Modernize Standards •Address Comp Plan goals for adaptive reuse, commercial corridor revitalization, and compatible infill development. •Conducted CAD analysis of typical lots to understand what changes to the development standards would make more housing types feasible. •Tested new standards for the RB districts looking at missing middle housing types: •Two-family houses •Stacked townhomes •Apartment houses Two Family Homes What is a practical minimum lot size for a duplex development? •Analysis shows a duplex would fit on a 5,000 sf lot (50’x100’ - with modified setbacks) •Current standards require a 12,000 sf lot and a 75 ft lot width •Also – current standards require rental or condo ownership – can’t subdivide the lot and sell as two separate homes Two Family Homes NOTE Sample floor plans and rendering shown for illustrative purposes only and not intended to indicate a preferred development proposal Stacked Townhomes What is a practical minimum lot size for a Stacked Towns development? •Analysis shows a Stacked Town would fit on a 6,000 sf lot (60’x100’ - with modified setbacks) •Current standards already allow these as multifamily with a 6,000 sf min. lot size Stacked Townhomes NOTE Sample floor plans and rendering shown for illustrative purposes only and not intended to indicate a preferred development proposal Apartment Homes What is a practical minimum lot size for an “Apartment Home*” development? •Analysis shows a 6-unit building would fit on an 11,250 sf lot (75’x150’ - with modified setbacks) •Current standards already allow these as multifamily with a 12,000 sf min. lot size is a modern term for small-scale multifamily housing like duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and courtyard layouts Apartment Homes Would require reduction in parking from 2 spaces per unit (for 1-2 BR) to 1.5 units per unit + some reduction in setback standards NOTE Sample floor plans and rendering shown for illustrative purposes only and not intended to indicate a preferred development proposal Issue 3 – Missing Middle Housing •Address Comp Plan goal for more housing types and more starter homes. •Developed concepts for: •Residential-Business (RB) District •General Business (GB) District •MUD/PUD Consolidation Residential Business (RB) District Objectives: •Allowing a greater diversity of missing middle housing types on lots that can accommodate them. •Protecting existing lower density residential neighborhoods. •Ensuring there is sufficient room on small lots to allow for on site parking. RB District Concept •Allow small multifamily buildings that can fit into a single-family residential context. •Some reduction of parking requirements and setbacks to give more flexibility for housing on lots. •Establish a minimum lot dimension for which these standards can be applied. •For smaller lots, the existing 3 story and 35 ft height limit would still apply General Business (GB) District Objectives: •Allowing more flexibility and density for housing types while preserving capacity for business uses. •Protecting adjacent lower density residential neighborhoods. •Protecting commercial use on large parcels. GB District Concept •Similar to RB with graduated height by lot size: •3 stories/35’ for small lots •4 stories/45’ for lots at least 50’x150’ •5 stories/60’ for lots at least 100’x150’ •Some reduction of parking requirements and setbacks to give more flexibility for housing on lots. •Require lots of 20,000 sf or larger to have ground floor commercial (if housing is above) or all commercial. GB District Concept, cont. In the example: •Small lots (smaller than 50’x150’ = 3 stories or 35’. •Medium lots (more than 50’x150’) = 4 stories or 45’. •Large lots (more than 100’x150’) = 5 stories or 60’. •Parcels at least 20,000 sf would require ground floor commercial or all commercial. MUD/PUD District Concept •Eliminate PUD district (if feasible): •There are no existing PUD districts mapped. •The PUD district requires a larger district size then is feasible for most properties. •The PUD development standards are not as robust and modern as the MUD development standards. • Continue the MUD district as a floating zone: •Revise current standards to encourage missing middle housing types. •Ensure no negative impacts on already zoned MUD parcels. •Consider streamlining of the development process to stimulate economic development. Key Questions Feedback •Reactions to project goals & stakeholder input. •Is there anything we should be adding or looking at more closely? •Obstacles or issues to be aware of. •Guidance on proceeding with public input and education in the coming months. •Reactions to preliminary recommendations. •Community Open House – September 24, 2026.