The Janesville Culver’s Scoopie Night Work Group, has seen firsthand the ways in which an old code can cause issues. “A large portion of the difficulties that people are struggling with is the ability to redevelop existing sites or potentially find sites that could be viable options for redevelopment,” he said. Part of this struggle comes from the way land use is dictated in Janesville’s current zoning code. Under the current code, and in line with the preferences of older codes, land use in Janesville is currently divided into residential, commercial, industrial and special zoning districts that do not overlap with each other. Each type of land use can only occur in its respective zone, in other words. Steve Sage, land development manager at Advantage Homes, Inc., said that the strict division of land use up to this point has limited what families can do in their neighborhoods. “These families do not have anywhere to take their walk or take their children or grab a bite to eat,” Sage said. “The current subdivision that we've been developing phases in does not have a city park or any shops nearby. And that's been a real source of frustration. These are younger families, in general, with children, and they have to drive into town to find a community park.” According to Connors, this type of zoning can also become quite limiting for developers. “When you have very narrow zoning districts that allow only some very thin sliver of what could be developed allowed in that district, it forces developers many times to ask for rezoning,” he said. Rezoning efforts become timely and costly very quickly, Connors said. And it’s never a guarantee at the end that the developer’s request will be approved. “The rules were written in a way that often stifles development,” he said. That could begin to change soon, though, as these rules get rewritten. Cherek said that the new zoning code will allow for more overlap between the different types of land uses, notably now allowing residential uses in all commercially zoned districts. More flexibility in land use provides the opportunity for more mixed-use neighborhoods, meaning that homes could be developed within walking distance of restaurants, businesses and other components of daily life that previously would have been much farther away. Cherek said this goal is in line with Janesville’s comprehensive plan, which aims to “achieve what’s referred to as more complete neighborhoods. It’s trying to look more holistically at development.” Brian Schweigl, senior planner for the City of Janesville, added that some of Janesville’s residential zoning districts will also begin to allow for the development of housing options with more units rather than just single-family homes. “So this would hope to establish some of that missing middle housing,” he said. “The intent is to provide a degree of flexibility that the code doesn’t have today so that we can achieve that variety of residential construction.” This flexibility is something that Connors believes has the potential to transform the way residents live. “When you have a variety of housing options within a neighborhood, it allows somebody to start in the neighborhood, say a young couple without kids,” he said. “And they want one kind of housing, and then later, they decide to have a family, and they want to move to a different kind of housing. They don’t have to leave the neighborhood. They’ve got an option to purchase something within the neighborhood that works for them. And then later, when the kids are gone, and they don’t want to have to bother taking care of the house, they’ve got something else they can go to within the same neighborhood where their friends are. So that’s the idea of having multiple housing options within a neighborhood is that it provides for the people to stay in that neighborhood as their housing needs change. It helps with social connection.” THE COST OF A MODERN LIFE As everything from the cost of construction to the sticker shock of finished homes continues to rise, one of the key components of the new zoning code is its attempt to offset some of these costs. “The expectation with this code is to try and respond to those needs and demands,” Cherek said. Prioritizing the development of more affordable housing options, such as apartment complexes and townhomes, can both provide options beyond pricey single-family homes and increase the amount of units available, Cherek said. And incorporating more mixed use into a neighborhood can improve its walkability and reduce the need for costly forms of transportation, he added. Still, with rising expenses associated with acquiring land and construction work, there are plenty of other factors that drive up costs. “The cost of construction per square foot has never been higher,” Cherek said. “And as a result, every square foot matters because it translates into the overall cost.” To ensure that every square foot is as cost effective as it can be, the new code will reduce the minimum setbacks on everything from lot sizes to lot widths and dimensional standards in singlefamily and low-density residential neighborhoods. “This Cottage court housing, higher-density housing built around a shared common space, is a newer housing format that would be more easily built in Janesville under the updated zoning and subdivision code regulations. www.forwardjanesville.com | 9 “So that’s the idea of having multiple housing options within a neighborhood is that it provides for the people to stay in that neighborhood as their housing needs change. It helps with social connection.”
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