18.2.E Purpose of the RDO-1 Residential Diversity Overlay District (Marigny/Bywater)

The purpose of the RDO-1 Residential Diversity Overlay District is to allow a limited number of commercial activities and higher density residential uses in existing buildings across multi-block areas of residentially zoned areas. The RDO-1 Overlay District is intended to sustain the historic character of residential neighborhoods that contained a few small commercial uses serving the immediate neighborhood and a few small multi-unit residential buildings situated among low density residential uses. The RDO-1 Overlay District encourages the compatible reuse of existing non-residential and mixed-use structures in residential areas, in order to reduce commercial and residential nonconformities and to prevent the use of spot zones to authorize commercial or higher density residential uses.