During the Comprehensive Plan process, officials in the City of Pontiac, IL determined that the present mix of residential housing types and lot sizes, which contributes to solid, diverse, and attractive neighborhoods, could not be rebuilt under current ordinances. In an attempt to recapture the character of existing neighborhoods, the City decided to pursue an innovative approach to the regulation of residential uses in its proposed Zoning Ordinance.
The Ordinance, prepared by Teska Associates, Inc., encourages creative developments that encompass a mix of housing types and open space, while the City preserved control over density and development impacts.
In all residential districts, a variety of housing types is permitted, by right, for new subdivisions of five acres or more, allowing mixed residential subdivisions to by-pass cumbersome special use or planned unit development processes. The maximum number of dwelling units is determined by preparing a conventional subdivision sketch plan based on standards in the underlying zoning district. Based on this maximum, the subdivision may include a variety of lot sizes and dwelling types.
To control the impacts of the resulting mixed development, all housing types in the average based subdivision are regulated by zoning standards unique to each dwelling type. Portions of the subdivision which contain relatively dense development are then balanced by increased open space in other areas.
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