Infill and Redevelopment for Diverse Housing Needs
Elisabeth Dang, AICP
Brian Canin, AIA, FAICP, CNU-A
Douglas Metzger, AICP, LMT
Katy Magruder, AICP, CNU-A, LEED GA
Zoning for Infill in Orlando
Elisabeth Dang
• Orlando is facing a housing shortage as well as an affordability crisis.
• About 8,600 units are needed to close the gap (down from a peak of 12,000 units in 2021)
Housing Shortage
Orlando's Strategies
• Leverage opportunities for new subsidized affordable housing, permanent supportive housing and assistance to homeless service providers
• Update the zoning code to make it easier to build market rate housing
• Allow residential in commercial corridors (1991)
• Reduce parking requirements (2018 and 2022)
• Encourage infill and missing middle development (2018)
• Make it easier to build small units by reducing parking standards and allowing accessory units in more places.
Goals
• Make it easier to build on small lots by allowing more site planning flexibility for townhomes, duplexes and small multifamily buildings.
• Promote infill development that is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
2018 Code Amendments
• Presented a holistic package of amendments to the Planning Agency and City Council:
• Townhomes
• Small apartment buildings (multiplex)
• Accessory Dwelling Units
• Duplexes (2017)
• Well-received and no significant obstacles during the process
Zoning criteria to encourage infill
• Flexibility for setbacks, minimum lot size, shared access, parking
• Allow for platting of unusually shaped lots or lots without frontage (access easements)
• Limit unit size to ensure neighborhood compatibility
• Keep the review process simple and limit the need for public hearings
Accessory Dwelling Units
• Allowed in all residential zones
• May be attached to the house, detached in a separate building, or above a garage
• Maximum 500 sq ft (1000 sq ft on large lots)
• Maximum Floor Area Ratio – 0.50 (includes house and ADU)
• Parking requirements
• None for an ADU 500 sq. ft. or less
• One independent space for ADUs 501 sq. ft. to 1,000 sq. ft. (not in a two-cargarage)
Townhomes
• Allow smaller minimum lot size
• Encourage efficient layout on unusual lots
Duplex and Single-Family Tandem
• Duplexes are two attached units. Tandem are detached but on the same sized lot as a duplex.
• Lots may be split fee simple.
• Maximum floor area ratio of 0.5.
• Design standards to differentiate between units, avoid large driveways and avoid large garages facing the street.
Multiplex
• Small multifamily development up to 8 units per lot.
• Majority of units must be 750 sq. ft. or smaller
• May be attached or detached (cottage homes, tiny homes, etc)
• May retain existing single family home to build multiple ADUs
Lessons learned in 5 years of implementation
Share of the City's total housing units added, 2019-2023
• Changing the zoning is a start, but it is not sufficient
• Our most successful strategy is our oldest strategy: encouraging large scale multifamily on commercial corridors
• ADUs are the most successful missing middle housing choice, but they are mostly in new construction
• Small apartment buildings are still very challenging
Small site development hurdles
• Is there enough land area zoned to allow missing middle?
• Subdivision regulations: 3 or more units requires stormwater. The platting process itself can be lengthy/difficult.
• If wastewater lines must be built to the site, the number of units needed to support the cost may be higher than the number that would be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood
• Limited financing options – too small for a CDD or other suburban solutions
• Impact fees usually do not account for smaller units. The smaller the unit, the higher the cost per square foot.
• 3 or more units requires multifamily (commercial) building code
• Single family construction costs ($152/sq. ft.) are substantially lower than multifamily construction costs ($350/sq. ft.)
Resources
Resources
Infill Small Lot and Redevelopment
Brian Canin
Why Small Lot Infill and Redevelopment Typologies?
• There are many small parcels not favored by big developers – They just sit there for years.
• Parcels Range from 50'x140' (lots) to Parcels under 1 acre (492 in Orange County Targeted Area)
• Need for Attainable Workforce Housing for sale and for rent.
Where Do These Fit- Almost Everywhere
Titusville, FL Downtown
Winter Park, W. Fairbanks Avenue
Note: Parcels under 2 acres = 5,673 DU (50% of Total Units)
NCTE 492/649 lots are under 1 acre
Vacant Small Parcels Under 6 Acres in Orange County Targeted Areas
What
Are These Small Lot Typologies
• They fit on a 50’x140’ Lot
• Detached (5’ side yards) 40’ Building Envelope
• One, two or three stories
• High Density 16-30+ DU/AC
• Designed for rental or ownership
• Have mixed use potential (small office, corner store, etc.)
• Most of them self park on the lot
• Front or rear loaded
Genesis of a New Neighborhood with 50'x140' lots
W. Fairbanks Avenue Redevelopment Area
The Lower Floor Can Start As Residential and Evolve into a Non-Residential Use
Great Street Presence With Mixed-Use Potential
Total of
Units 20 Dwelling Units/Acre
On larger Parcels 12 Buildings Can Form A Small Neighborhood to Own or to Rent
A New Small Neighborhood of Attainable Housing
A New Small Neighborhood of Attainable Housing
Principles and Lessons Learned
• Market Based Design – Identify needs and opportunities
• A New Opportunity – for Missing Middle Typologies and Workforce housing
• A way to create activity in redevelopment target areas for small local developers at density
• Matches or exceeds conventional apartment building density
• Maintains a neighborhood scale
Infill Development Challenges
Doug Metzger
Development Context
Regulatory Context
Development Types
Development Types
Development Zones
Appearance Zone
Service Zone
1. Service Connection to Site
• Transformer
2. Service Connection to Unit
• Meter/Cut-off Switch
3. Easements
• Source to Transformer
• Transformer to Meter
• Meter to Unit
• Unit thru Unit
Transformers
Meters
Water
1. Service Connection to Site
• POC Service Control Valve
2. Service Connection to Unit
• Meter
• BFP - Potable
• BFP - Fire
• BFP - Irrigation
3. Easements
• POC to Meter
• Meter to Unit
• Thru Units
BFP’s
Fire Flow
Sewer
1. Service Connection to Site
2. Service Connection to Unit
• Clean-Out Valve
3. Private System
4. Easements
• Common Ownership or HOA
• Mainline to Clean-Out
• Clean-Out to Unit
HVAC
1. Compressor Location
• Rear/Side/Roof/Front
• Screening
2. Service Connection to Unit
• Location/Access
• Efficiency Distance
3. Easements
• Compressor Location
• Compressor to Unit
HVAC
HVAC
Solid Waste
1. Individual Containers
• Trash & Recycle
• Storage/Access/Pick-Up
2. Dumpster
• Trash & Recycle
• Enclosure/Access
3. Easements
• Dumpster Enclosure
• Access
Solid Waste
Access
1. Pedestrian/Resident Access
• Front/Rear/Across
2. Vehicle Access
• Street/Alley/Driveway
• Emergency Vehicles
• Garbage Truck
3. Parking
• Internal
• Visitor
• On-Street
4. Easements
• Cross Access
• Common Ownership/HOA
Pedestrian
Vehicle
Emergency
Emergency
Appearance Zone
Architecture
Architecture
Mass and Scale
Transitions
Transitions
Public Realm
Public Realm
Infill
on Small Lots and Redevelopment
Katy Magruder
Alexan @ Mills 50
Initial Conditions:
• 2.1 acres
• Long vacant property
• Brownfield restoration completed
Previous Proposal
Initial Conditions:
• Gas station
• 400 ft. long block
• Denied:
• Suburban scale
• FAR minimum
• Transparency
• Failure to meet streetscape requirements
Alexan @ Mills 50
Neighborhood Context:
• Mills 50 Main Street
• Major east/west corridor
• Surrounded by neighborhoods one block north and south of Colonial Dr.
• Traditional City Overlay District
Alexan @ Mills 50
Alexan @ Mills 50
Proposal:
• 246 dwelling units
• 5 stories
Zoning incompatibility:
• Height
• Density
Photo
Alexan @ Mills 50
Benefits to the City:
• Dog park
• Mural on the parking garage + public art
Photo courtesy of @mojometalworks
Alexan @ Mills 50
• Active ground floor uses
• On-street parking
• Enhanced streetscape
• Creating urban form along a City Main Street
• Increase in housing stock
Milk Stacks
Initial Conditions:
• 1.3 acres
• Offices and residential turned office
• Milk District Main Street
• Surrounded by neighborhoods one block east and west of S Bumby Ave.
• Traditional City Overlay District
• Office Low Intensity
Proposal:
Stacks
• 25 dwelling units
• 2 live/work units
• Large front and streetside setbacks Milk
Zoning incompatibility:
Photo courtesy of Atrium Capital Group
• Active ground floor uses
• Creating urban form along a City Main Street
• Enhancing streetscape
• Increase in housing variety Milk Stacks
Photo courtesy of Atrium Capital Group
Questions?
