Codes: Urban Regulations
Establishment of the New Code
The existing Zoning Map makes use of eleven zoning categories for the Downtown (see Current Downtown Zoning). These zoning techniques, derived from postwar suburban practice, do not serve well the traditional urban fabric of the Downtown.
Over the years, the existing code has become increasingly complicated. It now requires simplification if development is to be easy and predictable; two very real incentives for developers.
The proposed Code consists of four documents: (1) The Regulating Plan, which is a map allocating the new zoning categories. (2) The Urban Regulations which are the central set of instructions keyed to the Regulating Plan. The Urban Regulations refer to the (3) Use Standards, Parking Strategy, and Frontage Standards and the (4) Architectural Standards. There are also a set of Management Standards that should be applied to new buildings and retroactively to all.
The proposed Code establishes two overall zones: a Downtown Zone and a Neighborhood Zone as well as several Special Districts. These zones are derived from the observation of the existing physical fabric together with a rationalization of the current zoning map.
• The Downtown Zones are sectors currently of higher density that are primarily commercial. These generally correspond to the old central business district.
• The Neighborhood Zones are sectors currently of lower density that are primarily residential. These generally correspond to Beauregard and Spanish Towns.
• The Special Districts are sectors so specialized that they cannot be coded. The design of buildings within them must be negotiated. These districts are the State Capitol Park; the Visitors District anchored by the Centroplex and the Old State Capitol; the police campus district and the Federal Buildings District.
The Downtown zones include three subcategories: the Downtown Center, the General and the Edge. The Neighborhood zones include: Neighborhood Center and Neighborhood General. These modulate a variety of specific requirements. The Downtown Center Zones are the most dense while the Downtown Edge Zones are the least dense and therefore assigned to the transition areas of the Neighborhoods.
Downtown Zones
The provisions of this code apply to the “A” Streets as shown on the Regulating Plan and “B” streets except as otherwise exempted under urban regulations. Such projects shall be processed by the Facilitator. All other projects, may be held to a lesser standard by the Planning Commission.
Demolitions: Demolition and substantial modifications of existing structures (excluding rehabilitation), must be approved by the Planning Commission. Demolition of buildings for the purpose of creating surface parking lots shall be categorically forbidden and variances shall not be available.
Rehabilitation: Existing buildings and premises that have at any time received a building construction permit from the City of Baton Rouge shall not be required to be upgraded to current Building Code Standards at the time of renovation, so long as the present use is maintained or reduced from commercial to residential. Existing buildings with nonconforming uses may remain indefinitely until substantial rehabilitation.
Lot Width: The minimum width of lots shall be 16 ft. Lots that have been consolidated may be again subdivided. The lot depth may retain its existing dimension without prejudice.
Front Building Setback: There shall be no minimum front setback for buildings at DG and DE Zones and zero setbacks shall be required at DC Zones unless visibility is impaired. Buildings at D Zones may overlap the sidewalks with galleries and shall do so where shown on the Regulating Plan.
Other Building Setbacks: There shall be no minimum setbacks to the sides or rear of buildings. At special districts, setbacks shall match adjacent frontage and reciprocate side and rear setbacks.
Maximum Building Height: The maximum height of buildings shall be 12 stories at DC Zones, 6 stories at DG Zones, and 4 stories at DE Zones.
Building Use: The uses that buildings may accommodate shall be as shown in the Use Standards. Civic Uses are permitted anywhere and Prohibited Uses nowhere.
Parking Requirements: The parking required for each use is shown in the Use Standards. Parking shall be located at or behind the second layer, except at retail frontages where parking on the first level must be relegated to the third layer in order to allow depth for retail. Liner buildings created specifically to mask parking are exempted from the layering requirement.
Building Frontage: Buildings shall enfront the street with one or several of the frontages shown in the Frontage Standards except that a gallery over the sidewalk is required where shown on the Regulating Plan.
Architectural Syntax: New buildings and additions to existing buildings shall share the syntax with other buildings on the street in regards to the material and color of the wall and roof; the type and slope of the roof and the proportion of the fenestration and the ratio of void (glass) to solid (wall) of the facades. In the absence of comparables and for signage, the Architectural Standards shall apply.
Neighborhood Zones
The provisions of this code apply to the “A” Streets as shown on the Regulating Plan. Such projects shall be processed by the Facilitator. All other projects, may be held to a lesser standard by the Planning Commission.
Demolitions: Demolition and substantial modifications of existing structures (excluding rehabilitation), must be approved by the Planning Commission. Demolition for the purpose of creating parking shall be categorically forbidden and variances shall not be available.
Rehabilitation: Existing buildings and premises that have at any time received a building construction permit from the City of Baton Rouge shall not be required to be upgraded to current Building Code Standards at the time of renovation, so long as the present use is maintained or reduced from commercial or multifamily to residential.
Lot Width: The minimum width of lots shall be 16 ft. at NC Zones and 32 ft. at NG Zones. Lots that have been consolidated may be again subdivided into lots no less than 32 ft. wide. The lot depth shall be a minimum of 60 ft. except that existing dimensions may be retained. The maximum lot width shall be 64 ft.
Front Building Setback: There shall be no minimum front setbacks for buildings at NC Zones. The minimum front setback at NG Zones shall match one or the other of the neighboring structures. In the absence of an immediately neighboring structure, the front setback shall be between 12 and 20 ft.
Other Building Setbacks: There shall be no minimum setbacks to the sides of buildings at NC Zones. The minimum side setback at NG Zones shall be 5 ft. except that townhouses are permitted to dispense with the setback at lot lines internal to the project. Rear setbacks shall be a minimum of 25 ft. Where NC abuts NG, there shall be setback requirements.
Maximum Building Height: The maximum height of buildings shall be five stories at NC Zones and three stories at NG Zones.
Building Use: The uses which buildings may accommodate shall be as shown in the Use Standards. Civic Uses are permitted everywhere and Prohibited Uses nowhere.
Parking Requirements: The parking required for each use appears under the Use Standards. Parking shall be located at or behind the second layer except that cars may be parked on the driveway of single-family houses.
Building Frontage: Buildings shall enfront the street with one or several of the frontages shown in the Frontage Standards except that a porch is required for lots 32 ft. wide or more.
Architectural Syntax: New buildings and additions to existing buildings shall adhere to the other buildings on the street in regards to the material and color of the wall and roof; the type and slope of the roof and the proportion of the fenestration. In the absence of comparables, and for signage, the Architectural Standards shall apply.
Definitions
• A and B Grid: A zoning system by triage which assigns frontages of superior and inferior pedestrian character to alternating thoroughfares. This system assumes that certain building types intrinsically create inferior pedestrian experiences (drive-throughs, convenience parking, service stations). Rather than ban them altogether, the A and B street grid segregates them to different thoroughfares. This strategy, which emulates a street and alley system, maintains selected streetscapes at a high standard rather than compromise all the streetscapes somewhat. “A” streets must meet the provisions of this code. “B” streets are exempt from the frontage, parking locus and architectural syntax standards.
• Architectural Syntax: The Visual harmony of a building with its neighbors, justified by the documentation of architectural precedent in the proximity of the proposed building.
• Building Height: The height of a building measured in stories. The maximum height of a story shall be 13 ft. clear. Basement raised less than 4 ft. and attics inhabited within the roof slope shall not count as stories.
• Elevation: The perimeter surface of a building. Elevations are subject to setback and height restrictions.
• Facade: The elevation(s) of a building set parallel to a frontage line. Facades define the public space and are subject to assigned frontage types.
• Frontage Line: Those lot lines which coincide with a thoroughfare right-of-way, or a tract intended for public open space.
• Gallery Frontage: Lot lines required to provide a covered gallery spanning the sidewalk.
• Lot Line: The boundary which legally and geometrically describes the edges of a lot or a tract. For the purposes of town planning, such lines appear graphically. Codes often reference lot lines as the baseline for setbacks.
• Parking Layers: The depth of the lot behind which open parking is permitted. The first Layer: The area between the frontage line and the facade. The second Layer: The area behind the front facade and the rear lot line. The third Layer: The area starting 20 ft. behind the front facade and the rear lot line. In the absence of a building, the facade shall be replaced by a streetwall.
• Streetwall: A structure used in lieu of facade to mask parking. A steetwall shall consist of a masonry wall between four and six feet high in the materials specified in the Architectural Standards. By special exception, a streetwall may be a clipped evergreen hedge.
• Retail Frontage: Lot lines required to provide a Storefront making the ground floor available for retail use.
• Setback: The area of the lot to be kept clear of structures except that galleries, balconies and open porches are permitted to encroach into the front setback.
• Shared Parking: A policy wherein day/night or weekday/holiday schedules allow for the use of parking places by more than one building. There is a 25% reduction of the parking requirement by a shared parking policy.
• Terminated Vista: The visual composition at the axial termination of a thoroughfare. The building at the terminated vista is required to respond to the axis by an articulation of the facade.
• Townhouse: A single family house placed on its own lot sharing at least one common wall with an adjacent townhouse. The parking for a townhouse must be at the rear of the lot.