Details

Title	City of Dayton Zoning Code Re-Write
Highlights	Areas of the city that are underutilized or contain a lot of deteriorated buildings were not appealing to developers.   Permitting live/work units may assist in the revitalization of areas of the city impacted by underutilized and/or deteriorated buildings.                       The Dayton (Ohio) zoning code was outdated and was hindering proper development.   The city is in the process of updating its zoning code to preserve existing neighborhoods and encourage the development of depressed areas with incentives such as live-work zoning and areas that will permit high density multi-family developments.
Description	This site describes Dayton's efforts to re-write the City's zoning code. It has multiple elements. A schedule details each of the seven phases and the intended timelines for completion. A brochure details the intended impact of the rewritten zoning code. The declared goal is to to preserve, protect and enhance Dayton neighborhoods, business districts and industrial areas. The brochure also explains why the zoning code rewrite is necessary. The main reason given is that when it was written in the 1960s it was anticipated that the city's population would be over 260,000, while today the population is only 160,000. Information is also provided on Phase I and Phase II of the rewrite. Phase I was an evaluation and summary of existing conditions. The report identified weaknesses in the code as it exists and made recommendations to improve it by incorporating practices that have proven successful in other Ohio cities and also creating innovative techniques to address situations unique to Dayton. For example, four categories of existing development were identified: Urban Core, Urban Mature, Urban Eclectic, and Suburban. They recommend that each district be zoned to enable infill development, permit multi-family housing, and ensure the preservation of usable open space. Phase II offers slighly more specific recommendations, and includes all basic provisions of the zoning code to be added, modified and deleted. For example, a single-family residential district will be created for areas that are mature - that is, they are the oldest, close-to-downtown residential areas in the city and they have a traditional urban character. In addition, the new zoning code will create "Live-Work Residential Options," which will expand home-occupation allowances to enable residential districts to accommodate combined working and living spaces. In addition, multi-family residential districts will be established in each development pattern. This is intended to is to promote, preserve and protect neighborhoods intended primarily for multi-family dwellings that are suburban in character. In the mature areas, for example, high-density multi-family housing will be encouraged, as long as it is similar in character to existing development.
Publication Date	2003
Organization	City of Dayton, Ohio
Web Location	http://www.cityofdayton.org/planning/ZCR.asp

Notice: The contents of this record reflect the views of the author and/or promulgating municipality, and should not be construed as representing the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or U.S. HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research. No attempt has been made by U.S. HUD or its contractors to verify the accuracy, currency, or validity of the record contents presented herein.