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Land Management Ordinance (LMO) Amendments Plan

The Town conducted a critical review of its Land Management Ordinance (LMO) and plans to amend the LMO to incorporate policy changes to the code to address:

  • Administrative processes.
  • Residential and commercial development.
  • Design standards.
  • Natural resource regulations.

The amendments will also bring the LMO into alignment with the comprehensive plan, Our Plan, while incorporating the growth framework and district planning recommendations.

LMO Amendments Project Plan

An assessment of the Land Management Ordinance's (LMO) strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) was initiated in January 2023. Town staff with the assistance of a code assessment consultant identified code deficiencies and strategized a plan to update the LMO.

The LMO Amendments Plan is comprised of five phases.

Phase 1. Phase 1

Phase 1 amendments were approved by Town Council on March 7, 2023.

  • Remove staff granted waivers and amend some standards
  • Allow variances from all sections of the LMO other than use, density or height
  • Allow outdoor screened bike storage in the Light Commercial and Community Commercial zoning districts and provide more specificity related to screening
  • Provide clarification in the Manufacturing use classification as it relates to the size of a brewery
  • Replace using June traffic counts with July traffic counts for Traffic Impact Analysis Plan Standards
  • Change when/how plantings are required on single family lots in buffers as part of a subdivision Certificate of Compliance
  • Amend the definition of changeable copy to allow signs to be changed electronically with limitations on frequency and timing
  • Amend the measurement for height calculation
  • Add that owners' consent is required for minor subdivisions as it is currently listed as being exempt
  • Require a public hearing for subdivision amendments.

View the Phase 1 Adopted LMO Amendments

Phase 2. Phase 2

Phase 2 amendments were approved by Town Council on March 7, 2023.

Section 16-2-103.F: Provide standards for deviations from previously platted subdivisions.

View the Phase 2 Adopted LMO Amendments

Phase 3. Phase 3

Phase 3 amendments were approved by Town Council on May 2, 2023.

Phase 3 is intended to address a few small changes to definitions needed for clarification.

  • Definition for single-family
  • Definition for multifamily
  • Eliminate divisible dwelling units

View the Phase 3 Adopted LMO Amendments

Phase 4b. Forest Beach Floor Area Ratio

Phase 4b amendments are intended to address single-family mass and scale in the Forest Beach Neighborhood character Overlay District.

  • Floor area ratio.

View the Floor Area Ratio LMO Amendments

Phase 4. Priority Amendments

The Priority Amendments will address residential and commercial development, design standards, and natural resource regulations.

  • Single-family dwelling mass and scale
  • Single-family parking
  • Residential subdivision regulations
  • Public review of Major Subdivisions and Major Developments
  • Open space standards
  • Transportation Impact Analysis
  • Tree Protection
  • Sign Standards
  • Short-term rentals (Enforcement/Fines and Parking/Occupancy)
  • Adaptive Re-Use - Hotel/Motel Conversion
  • Commercial Mass & Scale
  • Workforce Housing Incentive Program Update

Phase 5. LMO Overhaul

The LMO Overhaul will include a comprehensive review of all chapters, overall code organization, user-friendliness of the code, and will incorporate amendments to further align the LMO with Our Plan and integrate the district planning outcomes through the Town's Growth Framework and District.

  • Comprehensive review of all LMO chapters.
  • Review of overall organization.
  • Review of user-friendliness of the code.
  • Application Process evaluation and Applications Manual.
  • Incentives Chapter.
  • Addition of design guidance graphics.
  • Alignment with Our Plan.
  • Integration of outcomes from Growth Framework and District Plan initiative.

Phased Amendment Process

The amendment content presented in the first four phases correlates directly with input received from the Island community and neighborhoods. The LMO Overhaould will build on the preceding community engagement activities from the Growth Framework and District Plan initiative process.

Feedback provided by the community will be incorporated in addition to public hearings and public meetings that are a part of the LMO amendment approval process.

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Resources

Land Management Ordinance (LMO) Online
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