Character Zones

Each Place Type in the City is comprised of Character Zones, which are the building blocks of community. This strategy of zoning the City based on the desired character, rather than by land use, allows for the unique and nuanced aspects of the each area of the City to be codified in the ordinance. By using character to delineate property, new zoning regulations can be established that support the growth and conservation framework, preserving scenic or sensitive environments, enhancing stable neighborhoods, transforming undeveloped property and areas that are not in keeping with the community’s vision into new neighborhoods, and strengthening the heart of the City with contextual infill.

During Planapalooza, the community located and described the areas of the City that are most loved. As a part of a future zoning update, this input should be used to inform the dimensional standards for each Character Zone. Within each Character Zone, building types and massing, building placement, uses, frontage types, and other elements of the intended built form are integrated and the unique DNA of each neighborhood, district and corridor of the City is codified.

The base Character Zones identified for Manchester are listed and described to the right. As part of a future zoning update, a small number of additional derivative Character Zones may need to be created to accommodate some of the more unique areas (ie. the Millyard, which would likely be a variant of CZ-5).

While the majority of the land in the City will be zoned in Character Zones, the Special District zoning designation would be applied to areas that, by their intrinsic size, use, or configuration, cannot conform to the requirements of a Character Zones or combination of Character Zones. Special Districts shall not be used to avoid compliance with Character Zone standards and requirements, and shall only be used in rare circumstances.

This zone consists of lands approximating or reverting to a wilderness condition, including land that has high scenic, habitat or environmental value and lands unsuitable for settlement due to topography, hydrology or vegetation.

This zone consists of sparsely settled lands in open or cultivated states, including forests, marshes and agricultural land. Typical buildings are farmhouses, agricultural, buildings, cabins and villas. Thoroughfares have no curb with open draining and naturalistic plantings with an obvious rural character.

This zone consists exclusively of low density residential areas in which the detached single family house is the only building type. Most of the conventional suburban subdivisions built after the 1930’s and 40’s are found in this zone. Lots are often wider than they are deep with medium to deep front setbacks and medium to wide side setbacks. The connected thoroughfare network may be curvilinear, typically with curbs and sidewalks, naturalistic or regularly spaced tree plantings, creating medium to large, irregularly shaped blocks that can respond to natural conditions.

This zone consists of primarily of single family detached residential areas in which the house is the predominant building type. It has medium front setbacks and medium side setbacks. Its thoroughfares typically have curbs and typically include sidewalks and street trees, and form medium to large blocks.

This is the most varied zone consisting of medium density areas that have a wide mix of small to medium neighborhood-scale building types. While it is predominately residential, it also includes retail, office and commercial uses. It has medium, shallow or no front setbacks and narrow to medium side setbacks. It has varied street and frontage plantings that include hardscaped and landscaped areas. Streets include sidewalks of varying widths, and regularly spaced street trees that define mediumsized blocks.

This zone consists of higher density mixed use buildings that accommodate retail, office, rowhouse and residential uses. It has a tight network of streets, wide sidewalks, steady street tree planting and buildings set close to the sidewalks.

This zone consists of the highest density and height, with the greatest variety of uses. It may have larger blocks circumscribed by thoroughfares that have steady street tree plantings in tree grates. Large-scale buildings are set close to wide sidewalks.

This zone is assigned to areas designated for Civic purposes. These may be Open Space of one or more Civic Space Types, as well as sites dedicated to buildings and structures needed for institutional civic purposes, such as town halls, post offices, libraries, meeting halls, churches or community centers.

This zone is assigned to areas that, because of their intrinsic size, function, or configuration, cannot conform to the requirements of any Character Zone or combination of zones. This includes uses such as hospitals, university campuses, and airports.

G3 AREAS TO TRANSFORM: (Suburban Infill Growth Sector)

Mixed-Use/ Neighborhood Regional Center Millyard Downtown TOD Mixed-Use / Neighborhood Mixed-Density Neighborhood

G4 AREAS TO STRENGTHEN