Model Ordinances

Development Agreement (DCA Model Code 8-3)
A negotiated agreement between a local government and a developer that sets out the regulations that will apply to a phased development over time.
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/development/PlanningQualityGrowth/programs/modelcode.asp

Aids For Visualizing This Tool

Henry County, GA - Located in Henry County, Georgia, Kelly Plantation will be a large planned development on 222 acres of land. It will consist of a mixture of single-family houses, townhouses and apartments, for a total of about 1,300 units of housing. There will also be commercial or office uses on 20 acres, with about 150 apartments constructed above the commercial/office space. The complex will have sidewalks and bike lanes, and also pools, tennis courts, gazebos, ball fields and a clubhouse. As a DRI (development of regional impact), the project had to receive approval from GRTA. The developer and the county signed a development agreement in 2005, in which the developer agreed to the building of a certain amount of infrastructure (streets in particular) and the county agreed to rezone the property and approve the development.

Implementation Examples Outside Georgia

Massachusetts - Smith College and the City of Northampton (Massachusetts) signed a development agreement in 2005 for a new science building that the college intends to construct. The college agreed to help replace the housing units that will be lost to make way for the new building, by creating an equal number of affordable new units within a one mile distance of Main Street. The college agreed as well to work with the displaced residents by providing financial support and other assistance to them. Since several commercial tenants will be lost displaced, the college will reimburse the city for the lost real estate taxes. The city agreed to support the necessary zoning changes to allow the new building, and in particular to create a new Educational Use (EU) zoning overlay. Some parking and street issues were resolved. The design of the new building must be urbanistically responsible, with a pedestrian-friendly feel, limited curb cuts, no large blank walls, and an appropriate sense of scale.

Other Resources

Task 2 Report: Alternative Land Use Management Techniques
This report was the second major work product of DCA's original Alternatives to Conventional Zoning project and was included as an appendix in the first iteration of the Model Code. "The Task 2 Report" identifies, describes, and evaluates new and alternative approaches to land-use management and land-development that are being implemented by local governments from across the State of Georgia and the nation. It discusses their potential use in addressing the problems and issues associated with regulation those activities in rural Georgia. Please note that any code sections mentioned in this document correspond to a version of the Model Code which is no longer available on the web; but, the analysis and discussion contained therein remains highly informative and useful.
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/intra_nonpub/Toolkit/OtherResources/AltZ/Task2Report.pdf

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