ZORO: Zoning Ordinance Reorganization

A project to clarify and reorganize the Zoning Ordinance and ten other development-related Ordinances

The City's land use and development ordinances and regulations are scattered among 11 different chapters of the City Code. Each chapter was prepared and adopted independently and results today in a sometimes confusing, hard to follow format with inadvertent repetition and slight inconsistencies.

Click here for complete details in the revised ZORO Project Plan (pdf).

The Diagnosis and Annotated Outline (pdf) is now available. This document describes concerns of the current city codes related to land use and development and proposes a detailed outline of a new, clarified, reorganized, consolidated chapter.

Project Overview

The goal of the ZORO Project is to present the existing contents of the 11 development-related chapters of the City Code in a more coherent, consistent, concise, and user-friendly manner. These chapters should be comprehensive, clear, usable by seasoned professionals and the general public, enforceable and legally defensible, and adaptable.

The 11 development-related chapters of the City Code are:

Chapter 26 (Solid Waste)
Chapter 47 (Streets and Curb Cuts)
Chapter 55 (Zoning)
Chapter 56 (Prohibited Land Uses)
Chapter 57 (Subdivision and Land Use Regulations, and the attached Land Development Regulations)
Chapter 59 (Off-Street Parking)
Chapter 60 (Wetlands Preservation)
Chapter 61 (Signs and Outdoor Advertising)
Chapter 62 (Landscaping and Screening)
Chapter 63 (Soil Erosion, Sedimentation Control and Storm Water Management)
Chapter 104 (Fences)

Project Schedule and Events

It will take about 14 months to review the current development-related chapters of Code and prepare revised chapters. The general schedule, major events and key milestones of the project are:

Project Kick-Off: December 2009

Public Meeting #1 (Dec. 16, 2009, 7 pm, Downtown Library)

Diagnosis and Annotated Outline: January 2010 to August 2010

consultant develops and provides a detailed diagnosis of the existing chapters and provides an annotated outline of the clarified, reorganized chapters
Public Meeting #2 (Aug. 4, 2010, 6 pm, City Hall)

Drafting the Revised Chapters: August 2010 to December 2010

consultant provides the first complete draft of the revised chapters
Public Meeting #3 (to be announced)

Adopting the Revised Chapters: December 2010 to March 2011

consultant provides the final draft of the revised chapters
Public Meeting #4 (to be announced)
Planning Commission public hearing (to be announced)
City Council public hearing (to be announced)

Project Background

The ZORO Project is the second step of a multi-step City initiative to consolidate and update land use plans and codes.

In Step 1, the four area master plans (Central Area, Northeast Area, South Area and West Area) were consolidated into a single document. The Master Plan: Land Use Element was adopted by the City Planning Commission on May 5, 2009 and by the City Council on November 4, 2009.

In Step 2, the development-related chapters of the City Code will be reviewed and revised to improve navigation, address minor inconsistencies, and enhance user-friendliness.

In Step 3, the Master Plan: Land Use Element will be reviewed for relevancy and appropriateness of its land use recommendations and planning principles. Updating the Plan and broadly applying its recommendations and principles will be much easier because of the consolidation that occurred in Step 1.

In Step 4, the development-related chapters of the City Code, as revised, will be reviewed for changes that reflect and implement the changes to the Master Plan that were identified and made in Step 3. The work done as part of the ZORO Project in Step 2 will make this task significantly easier and more effective.

Questions, Comments and Getting Involved

Seasoned code users and the general public are encouraged to follow along and get involved in this important and exciting project.

If you have a question, please contact the project team at ZORO@a2gov.org or city planner Alexis DiLeo (adileo@a2gov.org or 734-794-6000 x 42610).

Comments can also be emailed to ZORO@a2gov.org or written comments can be dropped off during regular business hours at the Planning and Development Services offices on the 6th floor of City Hall, 100 N. Fifth Avenue.

Four public meetings will be held to introduce the project, provide background information and status updates, and offer opportunities for review and comment.

Public Meeting #1 will be 7:00 pm, Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at the Downtown Library Multipurpose Room. Public parking is available at the Fifth & William Parking Lot or the Fourth & William Parking Deck.

Public Meeting #2 will be 6:00 pm, Wednesday, August 4, 2010 in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor City Hall. More information

Details for public meetings #3 and 4 will be provided as the project develops.