Development Services Director John Wesley has presented the Planning and Zoning Commission with an overview of proposed amendments to site plan review regulations in the Zoning Ordinance.

The commission heard Wesley’s presentation at its Feb. 13 regular meeting.

The Site Plan Regulations are the second phase of the staff update of Chapter 2 of the Zoning Ordinance. A section related to special use permits has been previously updated and approved by the Town Council.

Wesley said staff has identified changes to improve the function and usability of the site plan regulations. Staff is proposing to combine sections A and B into a single section with parts one and two called Purpose and Applicability.

“The first change in this section is to add the clarifying statement that a purpose of site plan review is to review for compliance with the architectural guidelines in…the Zoning ordinance,” Wesley said.

Regarding applicability, there would be a change to the requirement that site plans need to be approved prior to submission of construction plans and that it applies to redevelop or expansion of existing development.

“Staff has been operating on the premise that site plans need to be approved prior to submission of the building permit plans for many years,” Wesley said. “The purpose of the site plan is to ensure conformance with design guidelines and to uncover any significant roadblocks to development.

“This is better and easier to do prior to the applicant making significant investment in construction drawings. Reviewing construction drawings and site plans at the same time also leads to confusion regarding changes to one application that might not get reflected in the other set.”

Other items in the proposed ordinance include updated application requirements to include a project narrative, clarification that site plans need to be prepared by a registered professional and includes a list of information to be included on the site plan.

The amended approval process would provide for administrative approval.

The proposed language also simplifies the process when the application includes a special use permit or temporary use permit. It allows the applicant to process a conceptual plan with the special or temporary use permit and then follow up with a full site plan.

“This recognizes the idea that a developer may not want to go to the expense of preparing a full site plan submittal if they may not get approval of the special or temporary permit,” Wesley said. “They can, however, submit the full site plan at the same time of the other application if they choose.”

The amendment proposal will come back to the commission for a public hearing and discussion of a recommendation to the Town Council.