Attachment B - Staff Report - GPA-CC-2-24-7.pdf
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GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT STAFF ANALYSIS November 27, 2024 Application: GPA-CC-2-24-7 Applicant: City of Phoenix Planning Commission Location: 7th Avenue between Washington Street and Jefferson Street Proposal: General Plan Amendment to update the Place Type in the ReinventPHX Transit Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework (and the PlanPHX 2025 General Plan) for the 7th Avenue / Washington and 7th Avenue / Jefferson station location from Medium Urban Center to Downtown Core Staff Recommendation: Approval, as shown in the recommended text in Exhibit A BACKGROUND In 2013, the Phoenix City Council adopted the Transit Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework (Framework) via GPA-1-09. The Framework added additional policy guidance to the Phoenix General Plan regarding growth and redevelopment within the city’s light rail corridors. The City Council approved an update to the Framework in 2016 via GPA-CE-CC-SM-1-15-6-7-8, which incorporated the South Central light rail extension and the new 50th Street light rail station. In 2018, the City Council approved GPA-3-17 to update additional station area designations based on analysis of multiple factors, including transportation connections and employment. One of the prominent policy elements of the Framework is the establishment of Center Place Types for each of the light rail station areas (0.25-mile radius from the station). Place Types are planning typologies that describe an area and help avoid a “one-size- fits-all” approach for future growth and redevelopment. A Center is a term used to describe a concentration of activities within a location. The Framework’s Centers provide policy guidance for the scale (building height) and intensity (density and mix of uses) of development within the light rail station areas. The Framework contains eight Center Place Types, each with its own unique recommendations for scale and intensity of development or redevelopment. The table below summarizes the Framework’s Center Place Types. ATTACHMENT B Staff Analysis GPA-CC-2-24-7 Page 2 Center Scale Intensity Downtown Core 6+ Stories Highest Intensity Regional Center 5-10 stories (Incentive 20 stories) High Intensity Major Urban Center 4-8 stories (Incentive 15 stories) Medium to High Intensity Medium Urban Center 3-6 stories (Incentive 10 stories) Medium Intensity Minor Urban Center 2-5 stories (Incentive 7 stories) Medium to Low Intensity Suburban Commuter Center 2-4 stories (Incentive 7 stories) Medium to Low Intensity Neighborhood Center 2-4 stories (Incentive 5 stories) Low Intensity Historic Neighborhood Center 2-4 stories (Incentive 5 stories) Low Intensity The Planning and Development Department partnered with the Village Planning Committees to assign one of the eight Center Place Types to each of the light rail station areas. This initial collaboration with the Village Planning Committees combined staff’s analysis of each station area’s land use pattern, zoning, employment, housing and transit density with the Village Planning Committee members’ perspectives regarding the type of scale and intensity that would be appropriate for the station area. In November 2024, Phoenix voters approved the PlanPHX 2025 General Plan, which incorporated the Transit Oriented Communities Place Types on page 80 of the plan. This request is to revise the designation of the Center Place Type for the 7th Avenue / Washington Street / Jefferson Street station area from Medium Urban Center to Downtown Core. This request is a companion case to Z-TA-6-24-7, a text amendment to the Downtown Code to increase the maximum height and density allowed for an area bounded by Adams Street to the north, 7th Avenue to east, Jefferson Street to the south, and 8th Avenue to the west. ANALYSIS The planned light rail stations at 7th Avenue / Washington Street and 7th Avenue / Jefferson Street are located within the Business Core Character Area of the Downtown Code. The Business Core is intended to function as a strong regional center for employment, entertainment, conventions, tourism, and cultural institutions, drawing visitors from around the country and attracting residents from throughout the region. The greatest development intensity within the region should be located within this Character Area. New development should be innovative and incorporate small public spaces that promote pedestrian movement and comfort. The Business Core Staff Analysis GPA-CC-2-24-7 Page 3 should have vibrant pedestrian activity and be served frequently by multiple modes of high quality public transit. Designating the station area at 7th Avenue / Washington Street / Jefferson Street as Downtown Core will better reflect the fact that the location is within the core of downtown and will enhance the ability of the surrounding area to meet the goals of the Business Core Character Area of the Downtown Code. Since the previous designation of a station area Place Type at this location, additional planning work has been done for the Capitol Extension project with specific station locations identified. The map below indicates the most up-to-date route and station location proposal. Downtown Code Character Areas Map, Source: City of Phoenix Capitol Extension Route Map, Source: Valley Metro CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the General Plan Amendment as shown in Exhibit A. The updated Center Place Type will serve as a policy guide for future land use decisions and investments within the station area. Writer Anthony Grande November 27, 2024 Staff Analysis GPA-CC-2-24-7 Page 4 Team Leader Racelle Escolar Exhibits A: ReinventPHX Transit Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework revisions EXHIBIT A Application No. GPA-CC-2-24-7: General Plan Amendment to update the Place Type in the ReinventPHX Transit Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework (and the PlanPHX 2025 General Plan) for the 7th Avenue / Washington and 7th Avenue / Jefferson station location from Medium Urban Center to Downtown Core Staff Proposed Language That May Be Modified During the Public Hearing Process is as follows: Amend the TOD Typology Map on page 14 of the ReinventPHX Transit Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework by removing the old map and inserting the new map as follows: Amend page 18 of the ReinventPHX Transit Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework by removing the old page and inserting the new page as follows: