Decatur’s Zoning (Ordinance Update) Task Force (ZOUTF!) holds an open house tonight at City Hall, 7-9pm, to present its latest working ideas. On the program: encouraging accessory dwellings and managing transitions between downtown commercial and residential neighborhoods.

Residents will have opportunity to review and comment on displays spelling out the specifics, and provide guidance on some key questions.

Here’s a small taste. While the Strategic Plan calls for easier backyard cottage, garage apartment and in-law suite options for homeowners, the task force has looked closely at the particulars — and how such units can be regulated to maximize benefit across the board for owners, neighbors and the community overall. One issue is “bulk.” Currently, accessory structures are limited to 25’ high, but have no limitations to how they’re configured. Some communities address this by limiting the height of the sidewall, which reduces the visual bulk but has no meaningful impact on the useable space inside.

What do you think? Would Decatur benefit from something like this?

All the cool kids in Decatur know that the Zoning Ordinance Update Task Force is the awesomest task force in the 30030 with the least cool name.

Well, mark your calendars wannabes and wonks.  They’re having their first public meeting next month!

From Patti Garrett’s blog…

The Zoning Ordinance Update task force will host its first public meeting on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 from 6-8PM at Decatur City Hall. The task force is considering updates to the zoning ordinance in the areas of urban gardening, downtown design standards, parking and affordable housing at the direction of the 2010 Strategic Plan. Please attend anytime between 6-8PM to learn about the proposed changes and provide feedback. For more information contact Amanda Thompson, Planning Director, at Amanda.thompson@decaturga.com

A fairly common complaint here on DM is the design and construction quality of new homes and downtown buildings. Some of these reflect matters of personal taste; others lament market realities that can’t be legislated.

But maybe there’s something the Zoning Task Force could recommend that would cost the city nothing, yet do wonders towards civic pride and our shared perspective on what buildings mean to a growing community.

I’m talking about mandated cornerstones on all new construction.

Not a new idea by any means but perhaps one that’s fallen out of popular use, the cornerstone has been used historically to document a building’s important details — when it was completed, who designed it, who built it and, for civic buildings, who helped make the project a reality.

The reasons I love them are twofold. First, they make us acknowledge the long-term (or what should be long-term) implications of the things we build. Second, they make those responsible for the buildings accountable for the end product. If you’re fly-by-night, it’s a shaming exercise. If you do great work, it’s a lasting testimonial on your behalf.

Either way, the community benefits. So what do you think? Could we boost the dignity of our built environment with something as simple as a couple lines of legal text?