§ 62.410. Virginia Drive Special Plan.

(a)

Relationship to the Growth Management Plan. The Growth Management Plan (GMP) calls for an Urban Design Plan for the Virginia Drive corridor (Urban Design Objective 1.4 and Policy 1.4.2), performance standards for mixed-use corridors in the Traditional City (Urban Design Element Goal 2, Objective 2.1, and Goal 4, Objective 4.1, and Policy 4.1.1), encourages redevelopment in this corridor (Future Land Use Policy S.14.13), and has standards for complete streets (Transportation Objectives 1.33 through 1.36 and associated policies). This Special Plan implements the recommendations from the Urban Design Plan (the Virginia Drive/Lake Highland Transportation and Land Use Study) and establishes performance standards.

(b)

Support Document. The Virginia Drive Special Plan implements the Virginia Drive/Lake Highland Transportation and Land Use Study, which was completed in 2017. The purpose of this study was to develop a multimodal transportation network that supports the community's vision of sustainability, vitality, mobility, and safety within the corridor, promotes responsible development and re-use and provides a framework that encourages economic investment. The study outlines strategies to improve the study area in terms of pedestrian, bicycle, transit, roadway, infrastructure and aesthetic projects.

(c)

Objectives. The overall purpose of the Virginia Drive Special Plan is to strategically guide transportation improvements and development activities to preserve and strengthen the historic, cultural and social character of the Virginia Drive area.

The specific objectives of this Special Plan are to:

1.

Establish rights-of-way needed for the following roadways: Virginia Drive, Brookhaven Drive and Alden Road.

2.

Establish certain cross section criteria for the following roadways: Virginia Drive, Brookhaven Drive, Lake Highland Drive and Alden Road.

3.

Establish a review requirement for a proposed pedestrian underpass.

4.

Establish urban design principles for redevelopment and new development of properties within the overlay area.

The Virginia Drive Special Plan is depicted in Figure 62.410-1.

(d)

Review Process. All properties undergoing site and external building improvements, substantial improvement, substantial enlargement, or redevelopment are subject to this special plan overlay. Existing legally non-conforming uses, buildings or sites are not required to meet this special plan until the property undergoes redevelopment, subject to this review process. Review for compliance with the overlay must be accomplished through one of the following procedures:

1.

Master plan pursuant to Chapter 65, Part 2H.

2.

Where a master plan is not required, the applicant must submit a request for a Final Site Plan Approval by the Planning Official by way of a determination application.

3.

Appearance Review by the Planning Official through a determination application.

No building permit will be issued until this review process has been completed.

(e)

Complete Streets. This Special Plan implements the complete streets concept, which is an approach that encourages roadways to be planned, designed, constructed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of their mode of transportation, be it walking, bicycling, driving or riding public transportation. The roadway improvements listed below will help balance travel modes, prioritize routes and accommodate expected growth.

1.

Rights-of-Way and Easement Requirements. Projects with frontage along the following roads must be evaluated with each project to determine if any additional right-of-way or easements are required. Below are the final roadway widths for planning purposes.

a.

Virginia Drive width shall be 72 feet total width or 36 feet from the centerline to the property line.

b.

Brookhaven Drive width shall be 60 feet total width or 30 feet from the centerline to the property line.

c.

Alden Road width shall be 72 feet total width or 36 feet from the centerline to the property line.

d.

Alden Road is proposed for realignment. Properties with frontage along Alden Road from Princeton Street to Magnolia Avenue must be evaluated for right-of-way needs.

2.

Cross Section Criteria. The City's vision is to create complete streets for Virginia Drive, Brookhaven Drive, Lake Highland Drive, Alden Road, and Orange Ave. This will be accomplished through a combination of City-initiated capital improvement projects and participation by property owners proportionate to the scope of their redevelopment plans. Each redevelopment project will be evaluated to identify the type and location of required improvements.

a.

All street frontages must adhere to the City's policy on Complete Streets and include dedicated space for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles. On-street parking and appropriate landscaping must also be included. The specific configuration of all 5 of these elements within the available right-of-way will be determined as part of the final engineering and design for the street improvements.

b.

Virginia Drive is envisioned with an active public realm for all transportation modes.

i.

Interim improvements (within existing right-of-way) must include wider sidewalks, improved landscaping and street trees, sharrows or other interim bicycle improvements, and on-street parking where feasible.

ii.

Final improvements (based on final right-of-way width) must include dedicated space for bicycles (such as multiuse path, bike lanes, buffered bike lanes or a cycle track), green parkway, on street parking, wide sidewalks, street trees, streetscape amenities, and underground utilities.

iii.

Limited or no vehicular access to projects that front Virginia Drive.

c.

Brookhaven Drive is envisioned as a low speed street to provide primary access to larger projects, transit routes, residential development and parking areas. The improvements must include on-street parking, wider sidewalk on the north side, street trees and streetscape amenities.

d.

Lake Highland is envisioned as a low speed street that balances vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle access and provides connections to destinations both within and outside the study area. Improvements to the portion of Lake Highland Drive between Highland Avenue and Ferris Avenue will include on-street parking, bulb outs in place of striped pavement, street trees, and a sidewalk on the south side of the road.

e.

Alden Road is envisioned to provide increased connectivity throughout the area. The portion between South Lake Formosa Drive and Princeton Street is envisioned as an active public realm including vehicular traffic, the existing multi-use path along Lake Formosa, sidewalks wide enough to accommodate increased pedestrian use as well as outdoor cafes.

3.

Pedestrian/Cyclist Underpass.

a.

A pedestrian and cyclist underpass under the railroad tracks at E. New Hampshire Street is desired by the City.

b.

As part of any redevelopment proposal on Alden Road at New Hampshire Street, the proposal should be evaluated for potential to preserve right-of-way for a future underpass.

c.

The proposed pedestrian/cyclist underpass project is subject to engineering feasibility and funding availability.

4.

Pedestrian Pass-Through. A pedestrian pass-through between Virginia Drive and Brookhaven Drive is desired by the City. Any redevelopment proposal on the south side of Virginia Drive between Alden Road and Ferris Avenue will be evaluated for feasibility of dedicating rights-of-way or providing a public easement.

(f)

Permitted and Prohibited Uses. In order to encourage redevelopment in accordance with the vision for this area, the following restrictions and changes to allowable uses are required.

1.

The following uses are prohibited on property within the Mixed Use Corridor Medium Intensity future land use designation: parking/principal use, intensive retail and automotive service.

2.

Commercial uses are required on the street level along Orange Avenue. If office uses expand into this area, mixed use buildings should be designed with offices and/or residential uses above commercial. Commercial uses on the street level are encouraged along Virginia Drive and Alden Road. Any redevelopment must include the appropriate floor to ceiling height to support commercial use.

3.

In the I-G/T zoning district, industrial uses may be substituted within the same building. No existing industrial use shall be expanded. No industrial use shall be established in a new building, or in a building previously used for non-industrial purposes.

(g)

Industrial Rezoning. I-G/T property must be rezoned to MU-1/T or PD/T. Application fees will be waived for the GMP amendment, zoning amendment and plat applications provided the proposal is consistent with this Special Plan.

(h)

Infrastructure Needs. Projects resulting in increased density or intensity must be evaluated to determine if a transportation study or sanitary sewer infrastructure study is required.

(i)

Height Limits. All buildings are subject to the maximum height in the zoning district. In addition, for buildings facing the following locations, the following height limits apply. If requirements conflict, the more restrictive height limit is applicable.

1.

Alden Road, north of S. Lake Formosa Drive and south of Virginia Drive: 7 stories

i.

At the southeast and southwest corner of Alden Road and Virginia Drive for a depth of 200 feet: 7 stories

2.

Virginia Drive: 5 stories

3.

Orange Avenue: 5 stories

4.

Orlando Urban Trail: 3 stories

Nothing precludes the master plan or Planning Official review from providing building height transitions and massing projects appropriately.

(j)

Design Standards. All new site and external building improvements requires an Appearance Review. These urban design standards will be utilized during the appearance review process. A site is expected to meet the urban design principals to the extent feasible.

1.

Buildings on Virginia Drive and Brookhaven Drive must front the street with parking in the rear.

2.

Sites must provide cross access to adjacent sites and shared parking where feasible.

3.

Sites adjacent to the Orlando Urban Trail must provide pedestrian connections from the site to the Orlando Urban Trail. Fencing must be CPTED style fencing, not privacy fencing. The lighting must be pedestrian in scale. Lighting for the trail is encouraged, and an exception to Section 63.405(a) of the City's lighting code may be approved to provide offsite illumination that serves the trail.

4.

Site plans should incorporate a gridded street network with short block lengths, consistent lot sizes, a unified urban form along street frontages, and pedestrian connections that break up long blocks and building masses.

5.

Buildings should maintain clear design themes, consistent use of materials, styling and design details.

6.

Scale, massing and architectural style of infill buildings should respect the context of the location and should avoid abrupt discrepancies in scale and height to provide transitions to the surrounding neighborhood.

(Ord. No. 2017-56, § 1, (Exh. A), 11-13-2017, Doc. #1711131207)