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MEMORANDUM Date: September 10, 2012 To: Planning Commission From: Charles Bloom, AICP, Senior Planner Subject: Proposed Amendments creating the Technology and Office Zone District BACKGROUND: As part of the Cirrus Sky Technology Park project staff has been tasked at creating a new zone district to facilitate future development for the area. Staff has proposed the Technology and Office (TO) Zone District. This district caters to the development desires of the City, property owners and the public and not only is available for implementation at the Cirrus Sky Technology Park, but can be utilized in other areas of Laramie. The proposed district has no minimum land area requirements making it easily suitable for other parts of the community. Any property owner will be welcome to apply for this district through the zoning amendment process. The proposed TO District is intended to provide for the development of a mix of office, research and production and technology uses with the emphasis on office, research uses and technology in campus or parklike settings. The TO District promotes perimeter landscaping suitable for large scale development and requires increased setbacks from sensitive development areas such as public open space trails. The proposed TO District regulations are based on feedback from received from local landowners, local developers, Laramie Economic Development Corporation, Cirrus Sky Technology Park consultants, and public comments received at the Cirrus Sky Public Open House on held at Indian Paintbrush Elementary School on August 25, 2012. SUMMARY: Attached are documents relative to the new Technology and Office (TO) Zone District. Applicable amendments are as follows: Amendments to 15.08 This section establishes the zone district and sets the purpose and districtspecific standards. The section includes specific revisions to landscaping that are more appropriate to large scale development, height restrictions and height restrictions from proposed trail corridors. City of Laramie Community Development Department P.O. Box C Laramie, WY 82073 Planning: (307) 7215207 Code Administration: (307) 7215271 Fax: (307) 7215248 Engineering: (307) 7215250 Fax: (307) 7215216 TTD: (307) 7215207 ---PAGE BREAK--- September 14, 2012 l Page 2 Amendments to 15.010.000.E (Use table) These amendments change the Use Table. The amendments rename the “Office” Category to “Office and Technology.” Added to the “Technology and Office” category are new uses such as Business Incubation, Data Center, Medical Research Complex, Office, Pharmaceutical Company and Professional Office Complex. The use “Research Facility (Commercial)” has been relocated to the Office and Technology category renamed “Research Facility” to match its existing definition. In addition, several housekeeping changes are proposed. During the initial draft in 2010, some I1 uses were accidentally left out of the I2 column. In addition, we have also added the use of “Office” to the table to supplement “Administrative and Professional Office.” Amendments to 15.12 (Dimensional Standards) Amendments to this section set the dimensional standards for building setbacks. This is the setback for a building from the property line. Parking can be located in these areas; developments will still be required to meet the landscape bufferyard standards indentified in proposed subsection 15.08.030.L. Amendments to 15.14 Amendments to this section are mostly cross references back to the new subsection 15.08.030.L which has alternative standards for site perimeter landscaping, parking lot perimeter landscaping and commercial design standards that better relate to the large scale of anticipated development. Also, the parking table is being amended to reflect required parking space amounts for new uses added into the “Office and Technology” use category. Amendments to 15.28 Amendments to this section add definitions for new uses added to the use table. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Move to recommend the City Council approve amendments to the Unified Development Code as shown in Attachment A. ATTACHMENT: 1. Proposed Amendments