(A) Cottage orientation. Cottages must be clustered around a common area and must meet the following standards. A minimum of 50% of cottages within a cluster must be oriented to the common area and must:
(1) Have a main entrance facing the common area;
(2) Be within 10 feet from the common area, measured from the facade of the cottage to the nearest delineation of the common area; and
(3) Be connected to the common area by a pedestrian path.
(a) Cottages within 20 feet of a street property line may have their entrances facing the street.
(b) Cottages not facing the common area or the street must have their main entrances facing a pedestrian path that is directly connected to the common area.
(B) Common area design standards. Each cottage cluster must share a common area in order to provide a sense of openness and community of residents. Common areas must meet the following standards. For cottage cluster subdivisions, the common area may satisfy the open space requirement of § 152.007, Preliminary Plat Approval Criteria and §§ 151.335 through 151.344, Master Planned Development:
(1) The common area must be a single, contiguous, useable piece.
(2) Cottages must abut the common area on at least two sides of the courtyard.
(3) The common area must contain a minimum of 150 square feet per cottage within the associated cluster.
(4) The common area must be a minimum of 15 feet wide at its narrowest dimension.
(5) The common area shall be developed with a mix of landscaping and lawn area, recreational amenities, hard-surfaced pedestrian paths, and/or paved courtyard area. Impervious elements of the common area shall not exceed 75% of the total common area.
(6) Pedestrian paths qualify as part of a common area. Parking areas, required setbacks, and driveways do not qualify as part of a common area.
(C) Community buildings. Cottage cluster projects may include community buildings for the shared use of residents that provide space for accessory uses such as community meeting rooms, guest housing, exercise rooms, day care, or community eating areas. Community buildings must meet the following standards:
(1) Each cottage cluster is permitted 1 community building.
(2) A community building shall not exceed 1,400 square feet of floor area.
(D) Pedestrian access.
(1) An accessible pedestrian path must be provided that connects the main entrance of each cottage to the following:
(a) The common area;
(b) Shared parking areas;
(c) Community buildings; and
(d) Sidewalks in public rights-of-way abutting the site or roadways if there are no sidewalks.
(2) The pedestrian path must be hard-surfaced and a minimum of 5 feet wide.
(E) Parking design.
(1) Clustered parking. Off-street parking may be arranged in clusters of not more than 5 contiguous spaces separated from other clusters by at least 4 feet of landscaping. Clustered parking areas may be covered.
(2) Off-street parking spaces and vehicle maneuvering areas shall not be located:
(a) Within of 20 feet from any street property line, except alley property lines;
(b) Between a street property line, except alley property lines, and cottages abutting the street property line.
(3) Off-street parking spaces shall not be located within 10 feet of any other property line, except alley property lines. Driveways and drive aisles are permitted within 10 feet of other property lines.
(4) Screening. Landscaping or architectural screening at least 3 feet tail shall separate clustered parking areas and parking structures from common courtyards and public streets.
(5) Garages and carports. Garages and carports (whether shared or individual) must not abut common courtyards. Garage doors for individual garages must not exceed 12 feet in width.
(F) Existing structures. On a lot or parcel to be used for a cottage cluster project, a preexisting detached single dwelling may remain within the cottage cluster project area under the following conditions:
(1) The existing dwelling may be nonconforming with respect to the requirements of this Code.
(2) Existing dwellings may be expanded up to the maximum height or footprint required by this code; however, existing dwellings that exceed the maximum height, footprint, and/or unit size of this Code may not be expanded.
(Ord. 2021-08-02, passed 10-12-2021)