§ 21.2. Purpose and objectives.

The development of specific overlay districts within 2009 Downtown Owensboro Master Plan encompasses the B-2 Central Business, B-4 General Business, I-1 Light Industrial, I-2 Heavy Industrial, P-1 Professional Service, and R-4DT Inner City Residential zones.

21.21 Establish Specific Standards. Creation of different character districts within the Downtown Overlay area will enable specific site and locational standards to be enumerated and applied. Such standards will promote the public welfare, will enhance the implementation of specific area studies, will promote walkable mixed use development and will promote the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. Creation of specific overlay districts for Downtown Owensboro will enable specific development standards that will result in implementing the vision for each Downtown neighborhood identified in the Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Master Plan.

21.22 Implement the Design Goals of the Downtown Master Plan. The overlay districts created are intended to facilitate pedestrian oriented, mixed-use urban development, providing shopping, employment, housing, and business and personal services. Downtown is intended to be the center of life in the community. This is achieved by promoting an efficient, compact land use pattern; encouraging pedestrian activity; reducing the reliance on private automobiles; promoting a more functional and attractive community through the use of recognized principles of urban design; and allowing developers flexibility in land use and site design. A high level of attention to site and building design is required to promote an attractive Downtown.

21.23 Historic Preservation is a matter of public policy, while revitalization of the downtown area is a high priority, it must be accomplished in a manner that preserves and perpetuates the history and heritage of this community. It is the city's goal to enhance the attractiveness of the city's inner core to residents, tourists and visitors and serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry. It is further declared as a matter of public policy that government needs to forge a partnership with affected property owners to ensure the health, prosperity, safety and economic well-being of the community as a whole. Federal, state and local governments have passed laws to protect and preserve historic downtown properties through the development of incentives, including the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and Chapter 2, Article V, Section 2-355 of the Owensboro Municipal Code. This Article supports the Zuchelli-Hunter Master Plan for the downtown previously adopted by the city and the more recent 2009 Downtown Owensboro Initiative Master Plan, adopts the design guidelines prepared by Downtown Owensboro, Inc. as design standards, reinforces the positive urban design and historic features of the River Park Center Complex, and stabilizes downtown property values.

21.24 Economic Development. The Downtown Overlay District and corresponding development standards are created to support economic development, sustainable tax base, and job creation by establishing adjacency predictability of private development that supports and leverages public investment in Downtown Owensboro.

(Ord. No. 8-2015, § 2, 4-21-2015)