The Mayor and Aldermen approved the text amendment request following a zoning hearing at the November 9, 2017 City Council Meeting. The action being considered now is the approval of the ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance regarding residential density.

The City of Savannah, petitioner (File No. 17-002807-ZA), wishes to amend the zoning ordinance to remove certain development standards related to residential density for zoning districts located within the Savannah Historic District as identified by Section 8-3030. The intent is to incentivize both infill and large-scale residential development in order to promote greater residential density throughout the downtown area.

On October 10, 2017, the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the proposed text amendments to the following sections:

Article A. (Generally): Sec. 8-3002 (Definitions) to establish a definition for Historic Structure.

Article B. (Zoning Districts): Sec. 8-3021 (Established) to amend the intent statements for certain zoning districts; Sec. 8-3025(b) (Business and Industrial Use Schedule; Use 4, Upper-story residential) to amend the conditions for the upper-story residential use; Sec. 8-3025(d-g) (Schedule of Development Standards) to amend the development standards for certain zoning districts; Sec. 8-3030(n) (Design Standards) to amend the height design standards; Sec. 8-3030(p) (Variances) to amend the variance procedure for the Historic Height Map.

Article D. (Off-Street Parking and Service Requirements): Sec. 8-3090 (Exempted uses and special off-street parking requirements for specified zoning districts) to amend the parking standards for the R-B-C zoning district.

Approval