GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS The University of Iowa Libraries NA9127 18B37 1I 11111 1111111111111111111111 1111111 11111 1111111111 11 111 111111 3 1858 046 843 904 GOV OPT Land use and zoning; IHaMand Bartholome Associates. NA9127.18 8371*c.1 DATE DUE bIJ/ ~~ y.,, ~ - .r'\. dW I~ "'----- - JIlll ",... "" .... V .... DEMCO, INC . 38·2931 Preliminary Report Upon LAND USE AND ZONING Iowa Ci ty, Iowa CITY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION Harland Bartholomew and Associates City Planners St. Louis, Missouri September, 1959 HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW AND ASSOCIATES v. CITY PLANNERS· CIVIL ENGINEERS· LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ~ \ '1 317 NORTH ELEVENTH STREET 8 . J SAINT LOUIS 1. MISSOURI HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW ASSOCIATES RUSSELL H. RI LEY GANnKLD 1·2107 CLAIRE AVIS ROBERT B. JONES HARRY W. ALEXANDER CHARLES P. CLAYTON J . ROBERT MOORE ELDRIDGE LOVELACE JOHN I. COFER FREDERIC M . ROBINSON DONALD H. WOLBRINK ERNEST W. COMBS J . M . STEVENS WILLIAM S. POLLARD. JR. September, 1959 J. WOOD City Planning a nd Zoning Commission City of Iowa City, Iowa Gentlemen: In accordance with our agreement we are pleased to submit the following preliminary report upon "Land Use and Zoning", which is the second of the several parts of the Comprehensive City Plan. The arrangement and intensity of land use in the community establish its basic pattern and determine the requirements for streets and utilities, schools and par k s and the various other community facilities and services . The guidance of land use development through zoning i s consequently a most important measure for carrying out the Comprehensive Plan - effective and impartial enforce­ ment of the zoning regulations is a prerequisite to achieving a favorable and desirable urban environmentn The maximum benefit from comprehensive planning i s gained when the planning procedure is extended through­ out the urban area. Johnson County is currently con­ Sidering a proposed zoning ordinance to guide and dire ct land utilization in unincorporated territory, and the Town of Coralville is likewise considering a proposed revision of its zoning ordinance. Iowa City, Coralville and the County are all fortunate in this present interest and collaboration. The proposed regulations have been carefully interrelated and integrated, and both the cit y reSident and the farmer will benefit from their enactment and enforcement. We wish to gratefully acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of many citizens and officials of Iowa City in the preparation of this report. Much of the basic work was undertaken by Mr. Donald Reynolds, our field representative. Respectfully submitted, HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW AND ASSOCIATES tP --//' 2:h I /' By ~ ' ~"--' 'k t~ -'--'L- s~.., ... c 1.: , •. ~. ·' .... f I ~a L. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION •••••. • • • • • • • • • 1 BASIC CONSIDERATIONS •••••••• q • • 4 Scope of Zoning • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 Mechanics of Zoning • • • • • • • • • • 4 Purposes of Zoning. • • • • • • • • • • 4 Effect of Zoning o G • • • • • • • • • • 7 LAND USE. • • • 6 • ~ 0 • • • • ~ • a • • 8 The Land Use Surve:.J • e • • • • • • • • 8 General Land Use Pattern. • • • • • • • 9 Land Value Patterns • • • • • • • • •• 12 Residential Uses ••••••••• e • • 13 Land Use Areas ••••••••• ~ • • • 13 Details of Land Use Development 0 • • • 16 Land Use Problems • • • • • • • • • •• 17 EXISTING ZONING REGULATIONS • • • • • • • 19 Iowa City Regulations ••••••• 19 Coralville Zoning Regulations ••• o • 23 PROPOSED ZONING REGULATIONS ~ • • • • • • 25 Proposed District Regulations • • • •• 25 Location of the Districts • • • • • •• 29 Area of the Zoning Districts. • • • •• 32 Nonconforming Uses c • • • • • • • • •• 34 Other Features of the Proposed Ordinance • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 Board of Adjustment • • • • • • • .. 3 8 Summary • • • • • • · . • • • • • ~ . .. 3 8 APPENDIX A - AMENDED ZONING ORDINANCE INDEX TO PLATES Plate No. Page 1 Location of Vacant Land. • • 14 2 Representative Examples of Land Use • • • • • • • • • • • 16 3 Zoning District Map •••• • Q • Opposite 25 INDEX TO TABLES Table No. Page 1 Lot Area Per Family in Existing Residential Development in Various Cities ••••••• ~ 13 2 Land Use in Iowa City Urban Area . • . • . • . • 13 3 Percent of Total Developed Area and Total Corporate Area Occu­ pied by Major Land Uses - By Political Subdivisions •••• 14 4 Acres Per 100 Persons in Urban Area in Comparison with Eleven Urban Areas •••••••.•• 15 5 Estimated Future Land Use Areas. 15 6 Comparison of Areas Presently Zoned with Land Used ••••• 21 7 Areas Provided Under Proposed Zoning Plan for Urban Area • • 32 8 Areas of Proposed Zoning Districts - Iowa City Urban Area • ~ • • • • • • • . 34 9 Nonconforming Uses Under Proposed Zoning Regulations for Urban Area • • • • . • • • • • • • • 35 INTRODUCTION Many different types of land uses are found in a modern city. In addition to places in which to live - single-family homes, duplexes, apartments, boarding houses - and the places in which people work such as stores, offices and industries, there are public uses such as streets, parks, and schools, and semi-public uses such as churches and institutions. The arrangement of these many different buildings and land uses, their relationship one with another, and the manner in which the pattern of land uses is adapted to the site of the city, very largely determine the character, efficiency and quality of the community. The different parts of the city, however - particu­ larly the buildings - are not static but are constantly changing as they are adapted to new conditions, new con­ cepts of human needs, and new technological improvements 0 Plans for the future development of Iowa City should be based on the assumption that the great majority of exist­ ing buildings will be replaced when they have outlived their usefulness. The control of the use of land through zoning is the most important part of city planning in any communitY d The type and intensity of land use form the basic com­ munity pattern. Harmonious relationships between these are the first essential to a sound and satisfactory city. None of the other phases of city planning such as the planning of streets, sewers, schools, or parks, can be successful unless the basic land use pattern is satis­ factory. Control of land use through zoning is essential to avoid the hodge-podge and chaotic pattern with resi­ dential, commercial, industrial and public and semi-publ i c uses all intermingled - that is the inevitable result whp-n there is no community control. A reasonable but relatively stringent control will promote and encourage private development. By and large, our communities are built by the individual construction of separate buildings. The successful use and operation of any individual building is dependent very largely upon the particular physical environment surrounding this build­ ing. For example, a single-family home in an industrial district is not a satisfactory place in which to live; -2- nor is a small isolated store as good a business enter­ prise as a store that is grouped with others at a stra­ tegic location where the entire group serves the needs of a large surrounding residential area. If there is no consistent community control of land use there is no method whereby a man who desires to erect a building can ascertain the character of the environment upon which the building will be so dependent. Where the land use is con­ trolled under reasonable and sound zoning regulations the character of the future environment of any building can be ascertained with considerable accuracy and the man buying or building a home or investing money in any com­ mercial or industrial enterprise can proceed with confi­ dence. Reasonable land use control, consequently, is not only essential in order that a desirable and sound com­ munity may result but also in order that the individual citizens who build the different parts of the city can proceed with a confidence unimpaired by any doubts re­ garding the future city land use pattern. The city of the future will grow gradually out of the present community. Within the present city is an arrangement of land use that has been adjusted through supply and demand to meet the needs of the people of the city . This arrangement consists of a certain amount of single-family residential area, apartment area, commer­ cial area, industrial area, etc. In general, these areas are in proportion to the needs and desires of the people of the city although their arrangement may leave much to be desired. Any land use plan (or zoning ordinance) must be related to these existing land uses and a most careful study must be made of existing land use because it is the basis for the future community patterns Through a comparison of the amount of land used and the present population a ratio of land-area-to-population can be a scertained for the various land uses. Such a ratio furnishes an important basis for estimates of the com­ munity's future land use needs. If a zoning ordinance is to properly direct the future growth of a city, the area of the various zoning ( districts must be carefully related to the amount of land that will be needed for the different land uses. -3- This chapter of the city plan contains a study of existing land use, estimates of future land use require­ ments, an analysis of the present zoni ng regulations, a presentation of a proposed new zoning ordinance, and a discussion of the administration and enforcement of a zoning ordinance. Control of land use is essential for the entire urban area - not just the part within the present city limits. Zoning is most effective in the control of new growth and most of this will take place beyond the pr esent city limits. Fortunately, a zoning study is currently in process for Johnson County. This report includes a zoninG plan for the Iowa City urban area, much of which is now unincorporated. Part of this plan may be put into effect by a new zoning ordinance recommended for Iowa City~ Much of the remainder will be an integral part of the zoning plan for Johnson County. Enactment of the county z oning regulations will enable the community to obtain f ull benefit from planning and zoning by applying them t o areas of potential growth before the growth takes pla ce.