§ 331-85.4. Cultural District Extension Overlay Zone., Article XI. Overlay Zones, Chapter 331. Zoning, Part II. General Legislation, Code of Ordinances, New Rochelle

Purpose. The Cultural District Extension Overlay Zone is established to support the concepts, goals, and strategies of the Arts plus Cultural District Plan. The Cultural District Extension Overlay Zone is meant to permit and incentivize uses in close proximity to the New Rochelle Transit Center that promote the creation of housing, workspace, and programming that supports New Rochelle's arts and cultural community.

[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 188-2017]

Permitted Principal Uses. In addition to those uses permitted by right in the underlying zones, the following uses shall be permitted by right in the Cultural District Extension Overlay Zone:

[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 188-2017]

(1)

Retail for on-site products, including arts-related products, except where the underlying zone is residential.

(2)

Artist work studios and workshops.

(3)

Artist work/live units with artist certification requirement.

(4)

Maker activities, including shared maker labs, studios, and workshops.

(5)

Art galleries, except where the underlying zone is residential.

Permitted Accessory Uses.

(1)

Uses and structures accessory to the permitted principal uses.

(2)

Satellite earth station or dish antennas.

(3)

Educational activities related to arts, cultural, and maker uses.

Special permit uses. All the uses allowed as special permit uses in the underlying zones shall be allowed as special permit uses in the Cultural District Extension Overlay Zone.

[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 188-2017]

Dimensional Requirements.

(1)

A minimum of 70% of the gross floor area shall be artist work/studio space and/or artist work/live housing and related common areas. A maximum of 30% of any project may be arts-related auxiliary uses, including educational space, gallery space, and retail that is produced on site, as per the underlying light industrial zoning restrictions. Permitted non-arts-related uses shall not include non-artist live (residential) or work/live spaces.

(2)

Artist work/live units.

(a)

Artist work/live units shall have a minimum of 400 square feet for the living unit.

(b)

Each living unit shall have a minimum of 100 square feet per unit provided as work space, either as individual studio space or as part of a common work space or maker space. This work space shall be provided as additional space in the living unit.

(c)

Artist work/live developments may include other shared or auxiliary spaces related to arts, culture and maker activities, such as workshop and tool spaces, storage spaces, and gallery spaces.

(d)

Gallery space must be provided for the benefit of all artist work/live units. Gallery space shall be a minimum of 150 square feet.

(e)

Artists renting or occupying work/live units must be certified artists by the City of New Rochelle through the City's artist certification program.

(3)

Art sales space accessory to and integrated with artist work and work/live spaces may occupy up to a maximum of 30% of the gross floor area.

Parking Requirements.

(1)

Artist work space and maker space: one parking space per 500 square feet of gross floor area.

(2)

Artist work/live development: one parking space for every three artist work/live units plus one parking space per 500 square feet of gross floor area of the remaining project (excluding the work/live units and common area for these, and excluding the required work space/studio space for each of these work/live units).

Development Incentives.

(1)

In the Cultural District Extension Overlay Zone, development that provides adaptive reuse of existing buildings and/or new construction for the use of artist work/studio space and/or artist work/live space as outlined above shall be eligible to receive development incentives as follows:

(a)

Increased height up to four stories total (from two stories allowable as of right in the current zoning of the Light Industrial District).

(b)

Additional parking relief for the redevelopment of underutilized lots and buildings:

[1]

A reduction of parking from one space per 500 square feet of gross floor area of work space and auxiliary uses to one space per 750 square feet of gross floor area of these uses.