By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Whitewater’s extensive zoning rewrite project unofficially ended more than two years ago, but the document continues to evolve, as evidenced by the adoption of nearly three dozen changes that are aimed at clarifying definitions.
The Common Council on Feb. 2 adopted the changes, which were put under the microscope in September when an appointed subgroup was tasked with digging into such details as stormwater management, residential zoning provisions and the oft-discussed parking issues.
City Attorney Wally McDonell said the most recent set of amendments are a work in progress. Future amendments will come down the pike in the months ahead as the subgroup offers up further recommendations.
“It’s coming back in stages, in part because there are some areas that have been difficult to work with, in terms of coming to a consensus,” McDonell said.
Three council members have been serving on the subgroup: Stephanie Goettl, Chris Grady and Ken Kidd. The trio has been working with McDonell and City Planner Chris Munz-Pritchard as recommendations come before the full council for further deliberation and definitive action.
In some instances, Munz-Pritchard said the specific items detailed within the three dozen most recent code changes are wordsmithing or are designed to sync up to changes in state statutes.
But there were some more substantive changes as well, including more specific definitions for parking spaces in residential areas, lot coverage and some provisions for impervious surface requirements as it relates to stormwater management.
Munz-Pritchard went through a formula that has now been baked into the code for lot areas as they apply to residential districts. By definition, the city has set parameters around lot sizes for single-family and two-family residences.
Moving forward, properties in conformance with city code will have a lot size area of about 8,000 square feet, while a two-family lot is to be comprised of about 12,000 square feet. As with any scenario, properties not in conformance with this provision can seek a variance from the Plan and Architectural Review Commission.
The most recent sets of changes are also designed to add more specificity to the broad concept of multi-family units and their lot sizes. By definition, the city is calling for all multi-family lots to encompass at least 15,000 square feet, though property owners with denser developments will be required to make additional accommodations.
While there were a few changes linked directly to impervious surface, the subgroup continues to review the overarching concept. Concerns about the technicalities intertwined within the city’s existing impervious surface formula sparked the formation of the subgroup in September.
One core issue amid the current debate is whether a one-size-fits-all approach for impervious surface calculations works in Whitewater, which has different lot sizes in different portions of the community.
While the city already has impervious surface limitations in place for properties, the numbers vary. The lot surfaces for residential properties cannot exceed 30 percent, while commercial and industrial sites have a 40-percent threshold.
