By Benjamin Rothstein

DOVER — In a continuing revitalization effort, City Council approved a series of changes to centralized commercial zoning in the downtown area March 11.

Much of the Loockerman Street corridor has this designation, and the changes add new possible uses, like microbreweries, banks, commercial kitchens and small manufacturers of 5,000 square feet or less.

There would also be potential live-work units, where, for example, the first floor is a storefront, while the levels above contain apartments.

“It moves a number of (uses) from what were conditional uses, meaning they need a specialized review process, to make them to be allowed and moves them into the permitted-use list,” said the city’s principal planner Dawn Melson-Williams. “There are some changes to what would be conditional uses.

Some of it is refinement of uses that we see in the downtown that maybe our code wasn’t real clear about whether ... they were allowed or not.”

The zoning updates also address parking lots and structures by removing the requirement of a minimum amount of off-street parking. However, if a developer decides to go without, it must provide a parking strategy statement with the site development plan.

“For any type of transit that’s going to be there, whether it’s bicycles, or it’s scooters or whatever it’s going to be used (for), ... when a new developer comes in, they can maximize the space and say, ‘This is how I’m going to handle the parking,’” said Councilman Fred Neil.

Another change to off-street lots is that new ones must not be visible from the street line or adjacent to residential zones and must be blocked by buildings, landscaping or other screening methods.

In addition, new stipulations have been added for building height. The maximum in centralized commercial zoning areas has been raised to 10 stories from six, or 125 feet from 75 feet. This brings the introduction of “step-back” areas, where any floor above the fourth floor must be set back 6 feet, with any above the sixth back another 6 feet. These areas must be open to the air and can be utilized as balconies.

Dumpster requirements have also been simplified. Now, any apartment complex or building with more than 10 units must have two receptacles for the first 48 apartments, with another for every additional 24. Any nonresidential structure requires two.

During the zoning discussion, Councilman Brian Lewis raised concerns about the area’s residents providing suggestions. In reply, Ms. Melson-Williams admitted that input has mostly come from business owners that do not necessarily live there.

However, several representatives of the Downtown Dover Partnership appeared before council in support.

“Currently, if we operate under the current ... zoning, you’re going to see developers not wanting to come here,” said the entity’s president Todd Stonesifer. “The solution to downtown, we believe, is density — more people on the streets, more pedestrians. As pedestrians walk up and down the street, you’ll see less crime. You’ll see more merchants open up, and you will see greater services in the 4th District. We believe that the road system needs to actually shrink in size to make it safer.”

The zoning changes were recommended as part of the partnership’s Transforming Downtown Dover plan. The full ordinance can be found on the city’s website.