A second reading and possible adoption of ordinance amendments designed to aid downtown Oxford’s growth and revitalization are slated for the Tuesday, April 11 village council meeting.
Council has before it ordinance amendments to change the maximum heights of buildings in the downtown central business district (C-1), regulate drive-throughs as a special use only for financial institutions and oversee sidewalk signs outside businesses.
Currently, buildings in the C-1 district can be no taller than 35 feet.
The new ordinance would allow buildings on Washington Street between East and Broadway streets to be a maximum of 64 feet tall and five stories.
Buildings on Washington Street between Broadway and Ensley streets could have heights up to 52 feet and four stories.
DDA board member Sue McGinnis said these sections form the downtown’s ‘core.?
Any location not specifically mentioned above can have buildings 40 feet tall with three stories, according to the proposed changes.
‘It gives developers more opportunity to grow,? saidAmanda Cassidy, executive director of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority.
‘We want to encourage larger developments than what we’ve seen so far,? McGinnis said.
But don’t worry these four and five-story buildings won’t tower over the downtown like some metropolis.
The ordinance amendment clearly states that ‘where the building height exceeds three stories, the third story (and above) shall be setback 15 feet from the building facade of the second story.?
However, Cassidy said this is an error and it should read that the fourth and fifth stories will be setback 15 feet from the third story’s facade. She said this will be addressed at the April 11 council meeting.
The purpose of the setbacks is to give the appearance of smaller buildings when walking along the sidewalk or driving through town, Cassidy said.
‘It keeps buildings consistent with the historic core, but adds extra opportunity for developers,? said Cassidy.
Most buildings in the downtown are either one or two stories with the tallest being three stories.
Changes to the maximum permitted building height and number of stories are designed to ‘bring us in line? with the new downtown master plan, now being finalized, according to McGinnis.
The proposed master plan calls for more ‘mixed uses? in which the upper stories of downtown retail/office buildings are used for residential purposes such as lofts, condos and apartments.
‘That’s what we’re missing in our downtown right now,? said Cassidy, noting people need ‘more options? for residential besides the existing single family houses.
The ordinance amendments states that in the C-1 district ‘residential uses shall only be located on the second story and above.?
Also in the C-1 district, ‘principal permitted nonresidential uses (i.e. retail, office, etc.) shall be permitted only on the first and second story? unless ‘special use approval? is received for the third story and above.
Cassidy said if a developer wanted a building to be all business or all residential it’s still possible to do so through a special use permit. But right now, the DDA is trying to promote mixed uses.
Promoting people living downtown and attracting new businesses ‘go hand in hand,? Cassidy said.
‘People demand certain things and like to be able to walk to get everything they need,? she explained.
Cassidy said the properties the DDA owns along E. Burdick Street (where the houses are being moved from) are a good example of something that could be developed as a mix of retail/office and residential.
Drive-throughs
A proposed ordinance amendment regulating drive-throughs is part of the DDA’s plan to make the downtown more pedestrian-friendly.
Drive-through facilities will remain for financial institutions (banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations) only as a special use, but with some provisions ? they can’t be seen from M-24, they must be fully screened from residentially zoned areas and their circulation does not interfere with public alleys or parking lots.
Cassidy said it’s necessary to restrict and regulate drive-throughs because they favor vehicles, not people on foot.
‘Bringing in people ? that’s what makes a downtown what it is,? Cassidy said. ‘So we try to cater to the people and not the autos so much.?
Sidewalk Signs
Banning portable sidewalk signs in front of downtown businesses never worked, so the village and DDA are going to attempt to regulate them.
‘We tried to discourage sandwich board signs, but it didn’t work,? McGinnis said. ‘Everybody has them out.?
But not all of them look so good.
‘They vary from nice to not-so-nice. The sidewalk was starting to get littered and kind of junky looking,? McGinnis said.
So, the DDA decided to ‘impose some limits? on sidewalk signs through a proposed ordinance amendment that regulates where a sign can be located, how many a business can have, how tall and wide it can be, when it can be out, the materials it’s made from and its overall appearance.
‘All sidewalk signs must be reviewed and approved by the DDA Design Committee, or their designee, prior to a sign permit being granted by the building official,? reads the proposed ordinance amendment.
Sidewalk signs must also be removed during special events within the DDA district such as Celebrate Oxford.
McGinnis said sidewalk signs ‘can be a positive for the downtown? because they’re ‘another form of advertising? and ‘promote people stopping in? businesses.