Mebane Planning

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March 13

• Development Ordinance: Parking and Sign Updates

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Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

Phase 2

Parking

The commission heard a proposal aimed at reducing parking and development requirements. Within non-residential development, a new proposal allows projects to exceed minimum parking standards before needing a parking demand study. Concurrently, they pursued adjustments to the minimum required parking for an array of uses.

In residential construction, for example, the proposal recommended a parking ratio of 1.5 instead of 1.75 for two-bedroom units.

The changes also included:

• Increasing the percentage by which non-residential developments can exceed minimum parking standards before requiring a parking demand study.

• Altering the minimum required parking for different uses.

The proposal for government land use includes adjusting parking requirements for various establishments, such as hotels, motels, medical offices, and industrial spaces.

Changes encompass revising hotel/motel parking to five spaces plus one per room, medical offices to 1.25 spaces per exam room and one per employee, and manufacturing/industrial uses to one space per 1,000 gross floor area.

Sign Ordinance

The proposed changes include the prohibition of pole signs in the office and institutional zoning district, the central business district, and the neighborhood business district, reserving their usage solely for single-tenant businesses.

The sweeping changes extended to maximum sign area and sign height for properties in the vicinity of the interstate, with reductions to 200 SF and 35ft respectively. Beyond these properties, the maximum sign area would be limited to 100 SF, and the height capped at a modest 20ft. The commission also entertained the introduction of four new sign types: neon, gasoline canopy, murals, and window signs, adding a touch of vibrancy to the landscape.

A proposal to incentivize ground or monument signs was also laid on the table. As the conversation unfolded, they inquired about the fate of existing signs, wondering if they would be grandfathered in. It was explained that nonconforming signs could remain, as long as no significant changes were made.

Staff report

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