(a) Purpose. The Neighborhood Corridor District (NCD) is established to foster medium density, mixed-use development that is economically viable, pedestrian oriented and contributing to the place making character of the built environment. The Neighborhood Corridor District is designed to provide new development and redevelopment opportunities in the form of neighborhood scaled mixed-use structures that relate to the street, enhance the streetscape, offer services for the surrounding neighborhoods, and provide pedestrian facilities along connector corridors throughout the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Enhancing and maintaining the transportation function and capacity of the corridor is also a goal of this district and will be accomplished by encouraging the following: shared parking among parcels and uses, internal connections between parcels, and reducing the number of allowable curb cuts.
(b) Allowable land uses. All permitted uses, special uses, conditional uses and uses expressly prohibited are identified in subsection 7-8-1(d), Table of Permitted Uses. Standards for special uses and conditional uses can be found in article XVI of this chapter.
(c) Reserved.
(d) Reserved.
(e) Reserved
(f) Development standards.
(1) Density standards. Maximum residential density shall be 35 dwelling units per acre but may be increased up to a maximum of 70 dwelling units per acre if affordability incentives are met according to the Community Incentive Table. Projects including affordable units must provide a declaration of deed restrictions ensuring that rents or sale prices will remain affordable for the first ten years after completion, increasing by no more than three percent per year, or the annual increase in the Consumer Price index, whichever is lower. Also, such units must be reserved for qualified households in a form satisfactory to the city attorney.
(2) Building Templates:
A). Mid-Block Parcel: Mixed use/Single Use Structures
7-8-23-1
B). Corner Lot Parcel: Mixed Use/Single Use Structures
7-8-23-2
C). Additional Features and Site Additions
Courtyard: Buildings incorporating courtyards may have the courtyard portion of the building recessed beyond the main building facade up to 1/2 of the overall depth of the building.
Landscape/Hardscape/Openspace:
(3) Building size: Building size is limited to a maximum footprint of 12,000 square feet, except for grocery stores which are allowed a maximum building footprint of 24,000 square feet. The maximum total building floor area shall be 24,000 square feet but may be increased to up to 48,000 square feet per the Community Incentive Table.
(4) Lot size: There are no lot size or lot width requirements.
(5) Setback standards: As noted below, and landscape and buffer standards shall also apply.
Front and street side: Minimum zero feet and maximum of 15 feet from right-of-way line.
Side: None.
Rear: None.
(6) Height standards: Minimum two stories and maximum three stories. Buildings can be constructed to four stories in height with a maximum height of 45 feet per the Community Incentive Table. The height of automobile related businesses is governed by the requirements of the uses by right subject to special requirements section.
(7) Impervious surface standards. The maximum impervious surface coverage in the Neighborhood Corridor District shall be 90 percent. Where feasible, the pervious surface areas should be located at the lower sections of the site to intercept storm water runoff and provide opportunities for ground water recharge.
(8) Landscaping/buffering standards. Landscaping and/or buffering shall be provided as required by section 7-11-3 of this chapter with the exceptions noted below. In the Neighborhood Corridor District, street trees may be provided in the front building setback or the street right-of-way (with an approved encroachment agreement) as a part of a streetscape plan that may be proposed or in place for the corridor. Landscape bufferyards shall be a minimum of a 'B' buffer. Automobile related businesses shall provide a minimum of a 'C' buffer. In determining bufferyard requirements for uses in the NCD, the measure of application shall be that the adjacent property is not zoned NCD and the neighboring use is exclusively residential. The intent of the bufferyard requirement as applied to the Neighborhood Corridor District is to provide an effective screen to buffer residential uses. With this in mind and respecting site topography, plantings should be included at the highest points of original slopes or fill slopes along property lines where the buffer is required. As an alternative to these landscaped buffer requirements, a landscaped buffer ten feet wide is allowed with plantings provided consistent with a Type "A" buffer and the provision of a fence eight feet in height that complies with the standards outlined in subsection 7-11-3(d)(17). Landscaped bufferyards shall be a type 'B' buffer except as indicated below.
(9) Parking/loading standards. Parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required by section 7-11-2 of this chapter with the following additions:
a. Parking shall be provided at the side or rear of the structure and not closer to the street than the face or edge of the structure; On corner lots, the side of the building that fronts on the secondary street is also considered a front or face of the building.
b. Parking may be provided in the street right-of-way adjoining the property as on-street parking with the approval of the city traffic engineer or the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
c. Uses in the Neighborhood Corridor District are permitted a 50 percent reduction in the minimum number of parking spaces required by section 7-11-2 of this chapter provided that a walking amenity and bike racks are provided (walking amenities may include but are not limited to public courtyards, drinking water fountains, benches, shade structures, pocket green spaces and public access restrooms).
d. Shared and remote parking is encouraged and may count for up to 100 percent of the required parking so long as the parking is within 500 feet of the property. Parcels that are sharing parking areas or providing remote parking shall bring the parking lots into compliance with parking and landscaping requirements found in article 11 [of the UDO], at a minimum, the area that is provided as a part of the shared use. Rules requiring that shared and remote parking areas must be found in the same zoning classification are waived in the Neighborhood Corridor District. Residentially zoned areas may not be used to provide shared or remote parking space for this district except that non-residential uses in residential districts may be used. Parcels will require a recorded agreement for the shared or remote parking arrangement.
e. Parking structures may be provided as a secondary use in meeting a project's parking requirements.
(10) Sidewalk standards. Sidewalks shall be provided as required by and pursuant to the requirements for sidewalks as set forth in section 7-11-8 of this chapter. In addition, sidewalk connections may be required to ensure and provide a safe passageway for pedestrians and patrons to maneuver through the parking area to the entrance of the businesses. If internal cross-access is provided between businesses and parcels, then sidewalks shall be also provided along accessways as needed to insure pedestrian connectivity.
(11) Open space standards. Open space shall be provided as required by the requirements found in section 7-11-4 of this chapter with the addition that all uses (projects) exceeding 10,000 square feet of gross floor for commercial projects or eight residential units are required to comply. Sidewalk spaces featuring public-pedestrian amenities, outside dining facilities and vest pocket parks are supported and shall count towards open space requirements.
(12) Design and operational standards.
a. Orientation. The front of the building shall be orientated towards the primary access corridor. Building sides should appear similar to their fronts. On corner lots the building or portions of the building must be located at the street corner respecting setback standards unless prohibitive terrain issues are present.
b. Entrances. All buildings shall include a well-defined operable entrance at regular intervals not exceeding 45 feet on each primary façade to encourage access by pedestrians. Secondary entrances may face second tier streets, driveways or parking areas. Buildings on corner lots may place the entrance at the corner, eliminating the need for dual entrances.
c. Windows. Windows shall be evenly distributed at pedestrian level across the length of the façade on the first floor of the building. Windows will create a more effective pedestrian environment if they are un-tinted and non-reflective. Windows shall make up at least 45 percent of the first floor façade facing the primary streetfront. If located on a corner property, windows shall make up at least 40 percent of the first floor façade facing a side street.
d. Façades. When new building façades will be wider than 45 feet, the façade surface shall be subdivided into portions not exceeding this distance by varying setbacks, roof forms, or adding design details such as pilasters or other architectural treatments.
e. Variances. Requests for variances of the design and operational standards set forth in this subsection 12 may be granted by the Asheville Planning and Zoning Commission, which is hereby designated to perform the duties of a board of adjustment for this purpose. Requests for variances shall be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Department and considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission at their next available regularly scheduled meeting.
(13) Access and connectivity standards. As determined by the director of planning and development, sites that are of sufficient size, location and are topographically workable, require a network of internal streets and driveways. Shared access and cross-access with adjoining properties instead of access from the corridor is required where practical to improve and sustain the capacity of the corridor, reduce the number of curb cuts, ensure driver and pedestrian safety, improve the unity of the streetscape, and encourage trip chaining and pedestrian mobility. Stub out connections to neighboring parcels may be constructed if cross access is not available at time of permit approval.
(14) Community Incentive Table
Incentives | Mixed Use | Residential | Existing Historic Structures |
Density greater than 35 units per acre | Buildings more than 80 feet wide fronting on corridor must incorporate retail or office uses into the street-level façade. | In combination with: 20 percent of units provided are designated affordable | Compatible adaptive reuse and/or additions to historic structures |
Building square footage greater than 24,000 square feet | Minimum of 50 percent of street level gross square footage is used for retail and building setbacks adjacent to residentially zoned properties are a minimum of 40 feet | In combination with: a minimum of 25 percent of the building square feet is residential uses and a minimum of 25 percent of the units are less than or equal to 700 square feet each | Compatible adaptive reuse and/or additions to historic structures |
Height greater than 3 stories to a maximum of four stories (45') | Minimum of 50 percent of street level gross square footage is used for retail and building setbacks adjacent to residentially zoned properties is expanded to a minimum of 40 feet | In combination with; a minimum of 25 percent of the building square feet are residential units and building setbacks adjacent to residentially zoned properties is expanded to a minimum of 40 feet | Compatible adaptive reuse and/or additions to historic structures |
(15) Emergency wireless communications. Communication requirements shall be provided as required by section 7-11-9 of this chapter.
(Ord. No. 2973, § 1a, 11-12-02; Ord. No. 3156, § 1, 8-24-04; Ord. No. 3207, § 1, 1-25-05; Ord. No. 3272, § 1(b), 7- 26-05; Ord. No. 3262, § 1(c), 7-12-05; Ord. No. 3483, § 1(b), 6-2-07; Ord. No. 3583, § 1(a), 2-12-08; Ord. No. 3643, § 1a, 7-22-08; Ord. No. 3743, § 1a, 6-9-09; Ord. No. 3757, § 1f, 7-14-09; Ord. No. 3874, § 1n, 6-8-10; Ord. No. 3959, §§ 1n, p, 4-12-11; Ord. No. 4374, §§ 1k, l, 12-9-14; Ord. No. 4361, § 1m, r, 3-23-21)