23.246 A Package of Seven (7) Ordinance Amendments Related to the Form-Based CodeCity of Northampton
MASSACHUSETTS
In the Year Two Thousand Twenty-Three
Upon the Recommendation of Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra and Planning & Sustainability
Multiple sections of the General Code to be Amended for further clarity and implementation of the Character Based Districts: CBc CBs CBg, FVg, FVc. Amendment the following sections:
350-7.9; 350-8.1; 350-22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 22.4,22.5;
285-4; 285-12B; 285--17;
337-2
23.246 A Package of Seven (7) Ordinance Amendments Related to the Form-Based Code
350- 7.9 An Ordinance to Amend Where Sandwich Board Signs are Allowed
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended by adding/deleting text to Section 350-7.9
as shown:
350-7.9
Stationary off-premises sandwich board signs (intended for pedestrian orientation) are permitted in the Central Business - Districts (CBc, CBs, CBg), Florence Village-Center (FVc), Florence
Village-General (FVg), General Business (GB) District and Neighborhood Business (NB) District for restaurants and retail business establishments in those districts. All sandwich board
signs must receive a permit from the Northampton Board of Public Works in accordance with the provisions of §§ 264-2 and 264-3 of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Northampton.
350- 8.1 An Ordinance to Clarify Parking Standards in Character Based Districts
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended adding/deleting text to Section 350-8.1(C)
as shown. The remaining parts of the table shall remain unchanged.
Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations. Parking shall be provided to serve the parking needs which are generated by a particular use or structure. When there is more than one primary
use of a structure, the parking requirements for each use must be met unless one use is incidental to the principal use of the structure. Additional spaces where passengers may be dropped
off may be required by the Planning Board for projects which require site plan approval.
Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations
Use
In Central Business(CBc & CBs)
(one space per)
All Districts including CBg
(one space per)
Any dwelling unit (including residential component of mixed residential/work space), except as noted below
See specific district use table, or 1/1000 sf & 2 max. per unit
Multifamily dwelling for elderly and people with disabilities, lodging house, dormitory, SRO, and halfway house
1,000 square feet of gross floor area, up to a maximum of one per dwelling unit for multifamily dwellings
350-22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 22.4, 22.5 (Central Business and Florence Village Center Districts)
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended adding text to Sections 350-22.1, 22.2,
22.3, 22.4, 22.5 to allow small/microbusiness marijuana growing/production in certain locations within downtown and village center business districts.
Within the table listing uses allowed within CB-Core, CB-Side, CB-Gateway, FV-G, and FV-C, add the following line to each table:
Uses CB-Core, CB-Side, CB-Gateway, FV-G, FV-C
Marijuana production of small-scale less than 5,000 sf of cumulative square footage of growing area. No portion of such use shall front on a public way. Use may only occur at the back
of a building or in a building behind another building. 1
Y
Add footnote below each table:
All such spaces must incorporate both high-efficiency particulate air handlers with activated carbon filters and exhaust systems designed with vents that force the air at least 10 feet
above the roofline of the building. Alternative technology may be used upon finding by the Planning Board through site plan approval process that such other technology will to the extent
practicable limit odors from marijuana in any place where the public or clients are present
[No other changes to these sections.]
285-4
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended adding text to Sections 285-4(4) to clarify
that mobile food carts will continue to be prohibited in Florence Center.
285-4(4)Location of mobile food vehicles.
(a) Mobile food vehicles are not permitted to operate in the Central Business or Florence Village Districts, as delineated on the Northampton Zoning Map (§ 350-3.4).
(b) Mobile food vehicles may park and operate in legal public parking spaces outside of the Central Business and Florence Village Districts . Mobile food vehicles must not impede traffic,
may not park or operate in accessible spaces, commercial loading zones or other restricted parking spaces. Mobile food vehicles must pay applicable parking fees. They are exempt from
the time limits on the parking meters, but must pay the meter fees during all enforcement hours. No overnight parking is allowed by mobile food vehicles.
285-12B
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended adding text to Sections 285-12B to clarify
mobile bicycles/scooters etc will continue to be prohibited in Florence Center.
Amend 285-12B as by inserting text as shown:
(1) Bicycles/scooters/SMDs shall be allowed to be driven on all streets and shall be allowed on all sidewalks outside the Central Business Districts, Florence Village Districts, Office
Industrial District, and the General Business District.
(2) Bicycles/scooters/SMDs shall not be allowed to be driven on the sidewalks in the Central Business Districts, Florence Village Districts, Office Industrial District and General Business District,
except that bicycles/scooters/SMDs shall be allowed to be driven in those districts on any section of sidewalk that is part of any marked multiuse trails (bicycle path), or marked cycle
track or buffered bicycle lane.
285-17
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended adding text to Sections 285-17 to clarify
that sidewalk clearing will continue to be required in Florence Center.
Amend 285-17 as by inserting and deleting text as shown:
285-17 A. The owner responsible for a building, structure or lot of land bordering on any street, lane, court, square or public place within the City where there is a sidewalk, including
any curb ramp/cut, shall, after snow has ceased to fall thereupon or whenever snow shall have collected or deposited upon any such sidewalk, within 24 hours, remove the same or cause
the same to be removed from such sidewalk; and also remove or cause to be removed from such sidewalk, or cover or cause to be covered with sand or some other suitable substance, within
24 hours after it has formed or appeared, any ice with which the same may be encumbered, in such a way as to render such sidewalk safe and convenient for travel, to the full width.
For property located in the Central Business Districts or the Florence Village Districts as delineated on the Northampton Zoning Map, the above requirements must be met within 24 hours
or by 9:00 a.m. on the next business day, whichever is sooner. If a person is found to be violating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the Chief of Police, or his/her
designee, the Director of Public Works, or his/her designee, or Parking Enforcement Officers, to assess a fine to any such person in accordance with the fine schedule set forth in Chapter 40,
Enforcement, § 40-5. Each twenty-four-hour period a violation of Subsection A or B exists shall be considered to constitute a separate offense.
337-2
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, be amended adding text to Sections 337-2 to add a reference
to Florence Village Center Districts.
Add the following text to 337-2 {no other changes to this section}
Zoning District and/or Area of City
Vernal Pool Resource Area Size
Central Business Districts, Florence Village Districts, General Business, Neighborhood Business, Highway Business, Entranceway Business, General Industrial, Office Industrial, Planned
Village, Medical, Urban Residential-B and Urban Residential-C and municipal landfill properties
Vernal pool and areas within 100 feet of the vernal pool