RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS The residential district standards have been revised to reflect on-the-ground conditions, while continuing to respect the use patterns established within the neighborhoods. This will reduce non-conformities, allowing property owners an easier path to investment in their homes and neighborhoods. In addition, a new residential district has been drafted that reflects the more compact development pattern found in the original neighborhoods near the Downtown. By allowing smaller lot sizes and a mix of residential types, the standards encourage reinvestment in the urban core. R-A Rural Agricultural R-E Estate R-1-12 Single Family Permitted Dwelling Types & by Zoning District 1 Acre Minimum 25,000sf Minimum 12,000sf Minimum NOTE: CURRENT R-1A DISTRICT NOTE: CURRENT R-1B DISTRICT R-1-10 Single Family R-1-5 Single Family R-UC Urban Core R-HU Highland Urban Conservation Res. R-TH Townhouse 10,000sf Minimum 5,000sf Minimum 3,000sf/Dwelling Unit Minimum & Multi-Family by Special Use Approval Only SF-D: 6,000sf Minimum SF-A & 2F: 8,000sf Minimum TH & MF: 8,000sf Minimum for up to 2 units. 4,000sf for 2 additional units + 3.500sf for each additional unit SF-D: 5,000sf Minimum SF-A & 2F: 7,000sf Minimum TH: 3,000sf/Dwelling Unit NOTE: CURRENT R-1C & R-1D DISTRICTS NOTE: CURRENT R-1H DISTRICT NOTE: CURRENT R-1-TH AND R-2-TH DISTRICTS R-2 Multi-Family R-3 Multi-Family R-4 High-Rise R-MHS Manufactured Home Subdivision R-MHP Manufactured Home Park Low-Rise Multi-Family SF-D: 5,000sf Minimum SF-A & 2F: 7,000sf Minimum TH: 2,000sf/Dwelling Unit Low & Mid-Rise Multi-Family SF-D: 4,500sf Minimum SF-A & 2F: 6,000sf Minimum TH: 2,000sf/Dwelling Unit Low, Mid, & High-Rise Multi-Family TH: 1,500sf/Dwelling Unit MF: 700sf/Dwelling Unit 6,000sf Minimum Park: 10 Acre Minimum Site: 4,500sf Minimum MF: 2,000sf/Dwelling Unit MF: 1,500sf/Dwelling Unit RP Professional Overlay (*Included in Special Purpose Districts) The RP Overlay District addresses areas of detached house development where certain detached dwellings are used for residential and others for first-floor, low intensity non-residential uses. This overlay is tied directly to the underlying residential district to maintain the existing character of the development and the neighborhood. District Design Standards are included Single Family & Two Family Townhouse & Multi-Family Design standards are flexible enough to allow a wide variety of architectural styles, from traditional to modern
COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS Commercial districts are structured by scale and intensity: local neighborhoods, corridors, regional centers, and heavy commercial. An urban village district has been added to allow for new development and redevelopment of large retail centers into mixed-use town centers. C-1 Neighborhood Commercial Commercial District Character & Lot Size Requirements The C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District has a local neighborhood orientation, and serves the needs of the nearby residential neighborhoods. It is similar in character to the surrounding residential neighborhoods. dwelling units are allowed above the ground floor in the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District. Minimum Lot Size: None NOTE: CURRENT B-1 DISTRICT C-2 Corridor Commercial The C-2 Corridor Commercial District is intended to accommodate Shreveport/Caddo s commercial corridors, which are primarily auto-oriented retail. The C-2 District includes standards to improve the pedestrian environment within the district, and encourages mixed-use development with residential dwelling units allowed above the ground floor. Minimum Lot Size: None C-3 General Commercial The C-3 General Commercial District is intended to accommodate large shopping centers that attract both local and regional shoppers, and that may generate a sizeable amount of automobile traffic, generally requiring significant amounts of off-street parking. Higher density residential uses are allowed, to facilitate mixed-use where appropriate. Minimum Lot Size: 20,000sf NOTE: CURRENT B-2 AND SPI-3 DISTRICTS NOTE: CURRENT B-3 DISTRICT C-4 Heavy Commercial The C-4 District addresses uses of a heavier commercial character that may include permanent outdoor service or storage areas, and/or partially enclosed structures. Because of the impacts from more intensive commercial uses, the district includes regulations to ensure that setbacks, buffering, and other controls are in place to mitigate any negative impacts. Minimum Lot Size: 10,000sf C-UV Urban Village Commercial The C-4 District has been included to allow for new development and redevelopment of large retail centers into new mixed-use town centers, where standards encourage a coordinated environment for both commercial and residential uses, incorporating public space and pedestrian-friendly design. Minimum Development Site Size: 10 acres NOTE: CURRENT SPI-4 DISTRICT Commercial District Design Standards are included Commercial Design Standards Retail Center Standards Design standards are flexible enough to allow a wide variety of architectural styles, from traditional to modern
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT As the heart of the Planning Area, Downtown Shreveport has a number of different character areas within its concentrated geography. Therefore, the D-1 Downtown District is composed of a series of sub-districts that reflect how the areas are used and how intensely they can be developed. Downtown Sub-districts D-1-CBD Downtown Core The D-1-CBD Downtown Core SubDistrict is intended to establish standards for the design of structures located within the core of Downtown. The standards recognize that this sub-district is to be the most intensely developed portion of the Downtown. D-1-RMU Downtown Mixed-Use The D-1-RMU Downtown Mixed-Use Sub-District is intended for a downtown neighborhood environment by allowing a mix of housing types and supporting commercial uses. The D-1RMU Sub-District can also function as a transition between the more intensive development of the Downtown and the more modest-scale development found in adjacent neighborhoods. D-1-E Downtown Entertainment The D-1-E Downtown Entertainment Sub-District is intended for largescale entertainment and related uses clustered within the Downtown, such as casinos and the convention center. D-1-CMU Downtown Commercial Mixed-Use The D-1-CMU Downtown Commercial Mixed-Use Sub-District is intended for smaller floor plate office, retail, personal service, and institutional uses that support the vitality of the Downtown. uses are also permitted to foster a mixed-use environment. D-1-AC Downtown Arts & Culture D-1-HC Downtown Heavy Commercial The D-1-AC Downtown Arts and Culture Sub-District is intended to create an arts and culture destination within the Downtown through the clustering of artist facilities of various intensities, museums, cultural facilities, facilities for the performing arts, and supporting visitor services, as well as a mix of residential uses. The D-1-HC Downtown Heavy Commercial Sub-District is intended for existing areas of heavy commercial uses, such as select light manufacturing and warehouse uses and auto-oriented uses, that are generally located on the edge of Downtown. The standards of the D-1HC both accommodate existing uses and facilitate the reuse of existing structures. Downtown Sub-districts & Height Maps: Downtown Sub-district Design Standards are included, and encourage quality building design. Standards include requirements for façade design, fenestration design, and roof design. The design standards include recommendations for roof design, including encouraging the tops of new high-rise buildings in excess of 175 to incorporate unique designs that contribute to a distinctive Shreveport skyline. Examples of this type of top design include a taper, pinnacle, sculptural or vertically punctuated condition.
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS In addition to traditional existing industrial districts, new districts have been drafted to allow for research and development and industrial mixed-use development. The proposed OR Office/Research District (currently B-2A) is intended for larger office structures outside the Downtown and office parks, which are ideal for new research and development facilities. The recommended I-MU Industrial Mixed-Use District allows a varied mix of light industrial uses, commercial uses, such as recreation, entertainment, and retail, and higher density residential, which will encourage the flexible reuse of existing manufacturing structures that may not be ideal for manufacturing purposes anymore. Industrial Districts: OR Office Research I-MU Industrial Mixed-Use The OR Office Research Zoning District is intended to accommodate larger office structures outside the downtown, office parks, and research and development facilities, which may include limited light industrial uses with no outside impacts. The purpose of the I-MU Industrial Mixed-Use Zoning District is to provide for a mix of light industrial uses, compatible commercial uses, such as recreation, entertainment, and retail establishments, and higher density residential. NOTE: CURRENT B-2A DISTRICT I-1 Light Industrial I-2 Heavy Industrial The purpose of the I-1 Light Industrial Zoning District is to provide for a wide variety of light manufacturing, fabricating, processing, wholesale distributing, and warehousing uses. Light industrial uses are enclosed, low-intensity, non-nuisance light fabrication and assembly-type manufacturing, as well as office and research and development facilities with little to no outside impacts. The purpose of the I-2 Heavy Industrial Zoning District is to provide for a wide variety of general manufacturing, fabricating, processing, wholesale distributing and warehousing uses. Commercial uses and open storage of materials are allowed. The industrial uses include fabrication, warehousing and assembly-type manufacturing, as well as office and research and development facilities, which may result in some moderate external effects such as smoke, noise, glare or vibration, and typically include outdoor storage and related outdoor activities. I Institutional Campus Zoning District (*Included in Special Purpose Districts) The I Institutional Campus Zoning District has been created to accommodate large institutional uses, such as colleges and universities, select vocational educational facilities, and healthcare institutions, and to allow for their expansion in a planned manner, while protecting the surrounding neighborhoods. Industrial District Design Standards are included Design standards are flexible enough to allow a wide variety of architectural styles, from traditional to modern and adaptive reuse
SITE DEVELOPMENT Accessory Structures The UDC provides controls on a full range of accessory structures. These include common structures such as garages, carports, and fences. Local food production is also included such as chicken coops and apiaries. In addition, the Code removes current standards that have proved problematic. The number and size of structures is regulated by type and how much of a lot may be covered by structures, rather than a set standard of one structure and 450 square feet. Livestock More effective regulations have been added regarding the keeping of livestock, in particular horses. Permissions for horses within certain residential districts are included with regulations that define the minimum amount of land needed to keep animals and controls on the number of animals that can be kept on a lot. Permitted Encroachments An encroachment is the extension or placement of an attached or detached accessory structure or a structure s architectural feature into a required yard. A permitted encroachments table has been included that regulates how far these can encroach into a required yard. This permission encourages variation in building design as structures no longer have to push back farther into a yard to include features like a bay window or a porch. Signs Signs are regulated by the full variety of specific sign types, including freestanding, projecting, wall, and awning signs, in addition to more unique sign types such as exhibition banners and roof signs. The sizes of signs are then tailored to the districts so that signs can complement building design and neighborhood scale, and provide a coordinated appearance within districts. Billboards Billboards permissions have been tightened. Billboards, in line with federal regulations, are allowed along federal roadways, and in the Heavy Industrial District (I-2). Further, in order to encourage the removal of older billboards, the Code requires the removal of three nonconforming billboards before a new one can be installed. Parking The amount of parking required for each use has been updated to better reflect local use. This means that, generally, the amount of parking required for uses has been reduced. This will result in less variances and a more competitive economic environment as excessive parking is no longer required limiting the development potential of sites. For commercial and office developments over a certain size, a parking maximum has also been drafted that limits the total number of spaces within a surface parking lot to 115% of the minimum required. Parking lot landscape requirements apply throughout all the zoning districts for any parking lot. The standards require installation of landscape along the perimeter of the parking lot where the lot abuts the street to screen the vehicles and improve the appearance along the street, and the interior of lots to break up large expanses of hard surface and provide opportunities for stormwater management. Acknowledging that there are uses as well as parts of the Planning Area that cannot accommodate parking on-site, the Code exempts certain uses and districts from parking requirements. These include the Downtown and the first 2,500 square feet of floor area for commercial uses in the neighborhood and corridor commercial districts, among others.
SUSTAINABILITY LIGHTING STANDARDS New exterior lighting standards have been added. These standards control the heights of light posts, regulate glare to prevent lighting from causing a nuisance to neighbors, provide special standards for unique uses such as outdoor sports fields, and work to reduce light pollution. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY The accessory structure regulations allow for alternate energy such as solar panels and wind turbines on private property. Solar and wind farms, which are large-scale production facilities, are also addressed within the allowed uses of zoning districts. LANDSCAPE STANDARDS & TREE PRESERVATION Landscape standards will work to restore the urban tree canopy with requirements for trees to be planted in the parkway (the area between the street and the sidewalk) and for a certain number of trees to be planted on-site in certain districts. There are also tree preservation standards that protect existing trees of significant size from unnecessary removal. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT On-site stormwater management is required for all new development of 10,000 square feet of water resistant surface or development on a site of one acre or more. To provide maximum flexibility, a combination of best practices that the developer can choose from can be used to comply with the requirements. COMPLETE STREETS The UDC also regulates the design of the public roadways. A series of standards for roadways from the local neighborhood level to major streets that carry heavy traffic, as well as unique features like alleys, frontage roads, and rural roadways, have been included that incorporate Complete Streets principles. Complete Streets is a planning practice that designs rights-of-way to accommodate safe multi-modal access for all travelers: pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles. H G F C D B E B D C F A G H NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTIONS A series of new special purpose districts protecting natural resources such as existing parks and natural areas including the Red River and Cross Lake are also contained in the UDC. The standards serve to protect the natural environment while still allowing for new development. CONSERVATION DESIGN Conservation design - also called cluster design - is required for environmentally-sensitive areas, as well as the ability to use it voluntarily. This method of design works to preserve natural resources while allowing for development; residential dwellings are clustered together in development patterns that preserve the natural environment. Conventional design Conservation design BICYCLE PARKING In addition to required vehicle parking, bicycle parking is also required. The UDC regulates both the required number of spaces and how such bike parking facilities should be designed.
ADMINISTRATION Key Changes: Because the UDC addresses both City and Parish within the Planning Area, a new amendment process for the Code text requires both City Council and Parish Commission approval. The Zoning Board of Appeals role will be changed to focus on two zoning approvals: variances and zoning appeals only. A new administrative exception allows for minor variances to be approved by the MPC Executive Director. These are limited in scope and thresholds are set within the Code. A site plan review process has been added. The Executive Director will approve the majority of site plans, though a select few are elevated to review by the MPC. The site plan review process will help to streamline the development review process by allowing the Executive Director or MPC to evaluate and work with the applicant to modify new development proposals at the first step in the process, which will then expedite the approval process in later steps. The addition of site plan review as a first step also allows certain common development types to avoid lengthy special approval processes and facilitate more development by-right. Use permissions have been simplified to two types: permitted and special. Special uses will be approved by the City Council or Parish Commission, depending on the lot s location within the Planning Area, following a recommendation by the MPC. Rather than the current variety of special permissions within the current Ordinance, the UDC has a single category of special use to reduce confusion and streamline the process. The table below describes the responsibilities and actions taken in the processing and approval of the applications of the Code. SUMMARY OF APPLICATION ACTIONS ADMINISTRATORS APPLICATIONS Zoning Administrator Executive Director Metropolitan Planning Commission Zoning Board of Appeals Parish Commission City Council Caddo Parish Civil District Court Map Amendment RR PH FA in Parish FA in City AP Text Amendment RR PH FA FA AP Special Use Permit RR PH FA in Parish FA in City AP Variance RR PH & FA AP Administrative Exception RR & FA AP Site Plan Review MPC RR FA AP Site Plan Review Administrative RR & FA AP Planned Unit Development RR RR & PH FA in Parish FA in City AP Sign Permit RR & FA AP Zoning Interpretation RR & FA AP Temporary Use Permit RR & FA AP Zoning Appeal RR & FA AP Subdivision Major RR PH & FA AP Subdivision Minor RR FA AP KEY RR: Review and Recommendation; makes recommendation to decision-making body PH: Public Hearing; holds the public hearing FA: Final Approval; makes the decision AP: Appeal; hears the appeal of a decision The table below indicates the types of notice required for public hearings on the zoning and subdivision applications. REQUIRED NOTICE Application Notice Type Published Mailed Posted Text Amendment Map Amendment Special Use Variance Administrative Exception Zoning Appeals Subdivision Application Preliminary Plan Annexation