§ 21.6. Downtown overlay district regulating plan.

The Downtown Overlay District Regulating Plan for Owensboro is hereby adopted. The standards in this Article shall apply mandatorily to all properties within the boundaries of the Downtown Overlay District Regulating Plan.

21.61 Overlay Character Districts Established. The following Overlay Character Districts are established. The boundaries of the specific Character Districts are established in the Downtown Overlay District Regulating Plan.

a.

Historic Core: The Historic Core District is intended to preserve and enhance the existing National Register Historic District along 2 ^nd and 3rd Streets. Development standards in this Overlay District discourage demolition of existing historic buildings while requiring new buildings and changes to existing buildings to be consistent with the historic architectural traditions of the area.

b.

Downtown Core: The Downtown Core District is intended to encourage redevelopment of the areas immediately west and south of the Historic Core. The development emphasis in this district will be to reinforce the pedestrian orientation and street walls along 2 ^nd , 3 ^rd , and Frederica Streets.

c.

Riverfront Core: The Riverfront Core District is intended to encourage development of mixed use, pedestrian-oriented development along Veterans Boulevard immediately adjacent to Smothers Park and the Ohio River.

d.

Riverfront Edge: The Riverfront Edge District is intended to encourage residential, recreational, and appropriate community uses along the Ohio River immediately east and west of the Riverfront Core District.

e.

Riverfront Crossing: The Riverfront Crossing District is intended to encourage development and redevelopment along a pedestrian alley linking the Courthouse Square between Second Street and Veterans Boulevard to the Riverfront.

f.

Downtown Transition: The Downtown Transition District is intended to provide for a wide range of appropriate commercial (retail, office, light industrial, and live-work) and residential transitions between the Downtown Core and neighborhoods to the west and east.

g.

Frederica Boulevard: The Frederica Boulevard District is intended to support development along Frederica Street as a major transportation corridor with distinct nodes of development at key intersections.

h.

Downtown Campus: The Downtown Campus District is intended to support the development of a cohesive Brescia University campus along Frederica Street and provide appropriate transitions to adjoining neighborhoods.

i.

Neighborhood: The Neighborhood District is intended to protect existing neighborhoods that are immediately adjacent to Downtown from the higher intensity development within the Downtown Core and Transition Districts.

21.62 Street Designations Established. The Regulating Plan shall establish the following Street Designations.

a.

Type "A" Streets Established - Type "A" Streets are intended to be the primary pedestrian streets and buildings along Type "A" Streets shall be held to the highest standard of pedestrian-oriented design. The major Type "A" Streets are Veterans Blvd from St. Elizabeth to Daviess Street, Second Street from St. Elizabeth to Clay Street, Third Street from Frederica Street to Daviess Street, and Frederica Street from Veterans Blvd. to 5 ^th Street. The north-south streets around the County Courthouse are also designated as Type "A" Streets.

b.

Type "B" Streets Established - Type "B" Streets are intended to balance pedestrian orientation with automobile orientation and buildings along Type "B" Streets may be permitted to accommodate some service and auto-related functions. All streets (except alleys) within the Downtown Overlay that are not designated Type "A" Streets shall be considered as Type B Streets.

21.63 Special Requirements. The Regulating Plan shall establish the following Special Requirements.

a.

Designated Access and Views to River - This designation is intended to identify locations where new and existing streets and/or development shall be required to provide access and views to the river.

b.

Recommended Access and Views to River - This designation is intended to identify locations where new and existing streets and/or development are recommended to provide access and views to the river.

c.

Recommended Terminated Vistas - This requirement identifies locations that terminate key streets or view corridors. At these locations, special attention should be given to the design of new buildings and sites to take advantage of the key location.

d.

Designated Civic/Open Space - The Designated Civic/Open Space requirement shall be the location of existing and proposed civic/open spaces (including parks, plazas, paseos, and squares).

e.

Recommended Civic/Open Space - The Recommended Civic/Open Space designation shall indicate the locations of desired civic and open spaces (including parks, plazas, paseos and squares) to implement the Downtown Master Plan.

f.

Designated Civic Building Sites - The Designated Civic Building Sites shall be the location of existing and proposed civic buildings (public and community buildings).

g.

Recommended Civic Building Sites - The Recommended Civic Building Sites designation shall indicate the locations of desired civic buildings (public and community buildings) to implement the Downtown Master Plan.

h.

Recommended Civic Venue Sites - The Recommended Civic Venue Sites designation shall indicate the locations of desired major civic venues.

i.

Recommended Street Network - The Recommended Street Network indicates the streets needed to implement the Downtown Master Plan. Their location shall be guided by Regulating Plan and their design shall be guided by the standards in Appendix A of Article 21.

(Ord. No. 8-2015, § 2, 4-21-2015)