2010 Downtown Plan - Fort Myers Business Development

DOWNTOWN FT. MYERS, FLORIDAGENERAL CONTROLSThe Regulating PlanThe layers of complex land use regulations that haveaccumulated over many generations have resulted in theerosion of downtowns, as suburban elements like shoppingmalls, strip commercial areas, offi ce complexes and gardenapartment complexes are placed in neighborhoods that werehistorically urban. The introduction of rural-style landscapingand suburban types of development in cities destroys thepedestrian, mixed-use, urban atmosphere that makescities viable, attractive, competitive places. Likewise, theintroduction of high-rise buildings, attached housing, narrowstreets and formal squares and plazas in rural and suburbancommunities contradicts the ambient qualities that attractpeople to those settings.In order to re-establish the urban character of downtown FortMyers, the Regulating Plan simplifi es the existing zoninginto three categories of internally consistent environments.These categories are Urban General, Urban Center, andUrban Core. The Regulating Plan ensures that everything– the height of the building, the setback, the degree ofcomplexity, the kind of lighting, the kind of landscaping – actsto reinforce the essential character that makes each of thesezones a distinctive place.Two additional categories accommodate more specializedland uses and activities that either cannot or should not becoded: Civic and District. Civic properties are those that arepublicly owned and publicly used and are expected to remainso in the future. They occupy considerable area within thedowntown, some on smaller lots in the historic core, andothers on very large sites along Monroe Street and southof MLK Boulevard. Although they are typically surroundedby another zone, they are not subject to the same rules.The greater regulatory fl exibility allowed of civic usesrecognizes their important roles in reinforcing communityidentity, and expressing democratic ideals and beliefsystems. Government facilities are not only included in theCivic category, they are also permitted in all other transectbasedclassifi cations in downtown, to allow for governmentalfl exibility in acquiring and developing private properties forfuture public uses. Civic properties which are publicly usedfor recreational purposes, either directly or indirectly, will bedesignated as Civic Recreation.Other institutional uses which are not government-owed,such as non-profi ts, private schools, and religious institutionswill also be allowed in all districts, but they are not includedin the Civic category, to allow them fl exibility in future sale ofproperty.Within the transect-based categories of Urban Core andUrban General and along the riverfront, it is important togive high priority to water-dependent uses, such as marinas,yacht clubs, ferry terminals, or boat ramps, as well as mixeduse projects containing these uses. Water enhanced usessuch as resource-based recreational uses, residential,hotel, motel, as well as water-dependent uses will also beencouraged along the river. Also, in accordance with thisPlan, uses which may possibly be enhanced by a waterfrontlocation, such as restaurants, retail, bars, and mixtures of allwater-enhanced uses will be allowed, if they are suitable forthe neighborhood, and if the site plan takes full advantage ofthe location.Districts are set aside for very different reasons, to meetthe more specialized needs of concentrations of offi ce andindustrial uses, and automobile-oriented uses where themixed-use, pedestrian-oriented standards of the downtownare not required. Typical District properties in downtowninclude the Florida Power & Light Substation and the News-Press complex.There are two reasons to support these standards fordistricts. First, the establishment of a pedestrian characteris very diffi cult to maintain and is far less important for thesetypes of uses (e.g., investment in landscaping, plazas andpedestrian walkways are often wasted in conjunction withcar dealerships, drive-through fast food restaurants, and carwashes). Second, by designating areas of the City wherethese types of uses can locate, the code protects the characterof the three principal zones – Urban General, Urban Center,and Urban Core – from being destroyed by incompatibleforms of development. The development standards forDistricts allow the owner the option of developing under theunderlying zoning category, i.e. B-2, or review under theCity’s Planned Unit Development process.2009 Fort Myers Riverfront Development PlanAs described in the FOREWORD, the City commissioned amore detailed riverfront development plan in 2009 for the areabetween the bridges from Bay St. to the river. This plan is arepresentation of a market driven recommendation to connectthe historic downtown district to the river and is found in Tab2.Specifi cally, as it relates to the regulating plan for the Downtownarea, an alternate land use and zoning recommendation hasbeen made for portions of the riverfront geographic areasbetween the bridges from Bay Street to the CaloosahatcheeRiver.Please refer to Tab 2 to review the alternate regulating planrecommendation.III.1