Section A Overview
These development guidelines, together with the concept plan, comprise the conceptual development plan required by Chapter 1268 for the Laurel Glens Special Planning District Number 1 (SPD-1). As such, the conceptual development plan is the zoning and development requirements for the 53-acre Laurel Glen SPD-1 area. All provisions of Part 12 of the Brunswick Codified Ordinances remain applicable to SPD-1, unless clearly indicated to the contrary in the development guidelines below.
Section B Purpose
The purpose of the Laurel Glens Special Planning District is to create a zoning district designed exclusively for low density, attached or detached homes, all of which are individually owned. SPD-1 is intended to create an opportunity for flexible and innovative site design and to allow density averaging across the zoning boundaries which existed prior to the SPD-1 designation. More particular purposes for creating SPD-1 are as follows:
(1) To allow site designers and developers to use ingenuity and imagination in keeping with the overall land use and open space objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, while departing from the strict application of use, setback, height lot size and related requirements of the Zoning Code;
(2) To allow more creative and flexible design of the built environment than possible with existing zoning;
(3) To allow creative use of the clustering and density averaging concepts to concentrate homes on the site in order to maximize common open space, and in recognition of the difficult site conditions and limited sanitary sewer capacity for the property.
Section C Uses
(1) Permitted Accessory Uses. Signs as regulated by Chapter 1270 and any use or structure which is accessory and incidental to a SPD-1 conditionally permitted use.
(2) Conditionally Permitted Accessory Uses. Condominium or cluster dwelling units, including but not limited to attached, detached, townhouse, patio and similar unit types, subject to the SPD-1 development guidelines and the conditional zoning procedures in Chapter 1274.
Section D Density, Separation and Floor Area Requirements
(1) Density. Maximum density shall be 3.12 units per gross acre. Actual density may be less, based on the limited sanitary sewer capacity, topography, required open space, building spacing or other considerations.
(2) Minimum Front Yard Widths
(a) Public cul de sac or loop street: 25 feet from garage door to right of way line
(b) Other public street with through traffic: 30 feet from garage door to right of way line
(c) Private drive, cul de sac or loop street: 25 feet from garage door to sidewalk or drive, whichever is closer
(d) Other private street with through traffic: 30 feet from garage door to sidewalk or drive, whichever is closer
(e) Yard adjacent to Laurel Road: 50 feet from right of way line
(3) Minimum Building Separations
(a) Dwellings shall be located 50 feet from the SPD-1 boundary.
(b) Dwellings shall be located 15 feet from all common open space. Where the dwelling is adjacent to common open space with a minimum dimension of 50 feet, open porches may extend to within 5 feet of the common open space.
(c) Building walls with opposing windows shall be a minimum of 20 feet apart. Where neither wall has a window, buildings may be 10 feet apart.
(d) Where the back of a building is adjacent to another building, there shall be a minimum separation of 50 feet. The Planning Commission may approve a lesser separation where site design insures privacy for private open spaces.
(4) Maximum Building Height
(a) Principally or conditionally permitted building: 35 feet
(b) Accessory building: 15 feet
(5) Minimum floor area: 1,150 square feet
Section E Development Standards
(1) Unit types. Unit types may include detached buildings or attached buildings containing up to 5 dwelling units per building. All dwelling units shall have direct access to the outdoors without use of a central or common hall or stairway. All units shall be individually owned as condominiums or as cluster units as defined in these development guidelines.
(2) Landscaping. The required yard adjacent to Laurel Road shall be landscaped and shall not be used for parking or any other purpose, except driveways to reach designated parking areas. Landscaping shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 1282, including the 15-foot screening yard required in Section 1282.05(c).
(3) Design standards:
(a) Garages shall be designed and located so that they are not the dominant visual element of the building when seen from the primary access street, whether public or private. No more than 2 consecutive units shall have their garage doors located forward of the primary entrance doors.
(b) Structures buildings shall use offsets, projections, recesses and other comparable design elements to avoid long, uninterrupted wall or roof planes. Blank walls are prohibited, except where necessary to maintain privacy.
(c) Doorways shall be defined and articulated with architectural elements such as lintels, pediments, porches or overhangs. Doorways shall be compatible with the building as a whole and with the doors themselves.
(d) There shall be a maximum of 16 inches between exterior wall finishes and the final grade. Exposed foundation walls shall be covered with brick, stone or masonry with a surface design.
(e) Sidewalks shall form a network of pedestrian paths with a logical continuity. Walks shall be designed around large trees and outcroppings without being overly rigid in their placement.
(f) Open space areas shall be planted with trees, shrubs, hedges, ground covers and grasses, unless existing vegetation is to be retained. Landscaping shall be integrated with other functional and ornamental site characteristics to reinforce the character of the area.
(4) Parking. Each dwelling unit shall have 2.5 parking spaces, including one space per unit in a garage which is physically attached to and directly accessible from the dwelling unit. Guest parking shall be provided at a ratio of one space for 5 units. The Commission may require additional off-street guest spaces if it determines such additional parking is necessary to serve the needs of the homes in the immediate area.
Section F Common Open Space
(1) Common open space shall be a minimum of 50 per cent of the gross acreage of the SPD-1 area, and shall be reserved in perpetuity for such use. Common open space shall be designed and appropriate instruments shall be created according to the criteria established below and in Section G.
(2) Open space shall be available and accessible to all residents of SPD-1 and shall be designed primarily for their use. Common open space shall be exclusive of all streets, non-recreational buildings and individually-owned land.
(3) In order to insure that all portions of the open space network are useful for that purpose, no portion of the common open space shall have a dimension of less than 50 feet, subject to modification by the Planning Commission for smaller sections which are particularly well-designed and meet the purposes of SPD-1.
(4) Common open space areas may be improved with appropriate recreation facilities and structures, such as tennis courts, pools, pavilions or other recreation features.
(5) Significant natural amenities, such as outcroppings, tree stands, ponds, ravines and stream channels should be left in their natural state and considered part of the required open space, subject to these standards.
(6) Common open space shall be designed as a network of spaces offering pedestrian access throughout SPD-1 and to maximize the number of homes which are adjacent to the open space. Common open spaces shall also include street frontage to relieve the streetscape and to allow views into the open areas from the street.
Section G Common Open Space Disposition
Common open space within SPD-1 shall be subject to the provisions in Section 1284.08, subsections (a), (b) and (c) regarding legal instruments, phasing and park fee requirements.
Section H Private Open Space
Each dwelling unit within SPD-1 shall be provided private open space at the ratio of 100 square feet per unit. Private open space shall not occupy any portion of the common open space required in Section F above. Private open space shall be specifically designed and constructed to be used and enjoyed by the residents of an individual dwelling unit, and shall be located adjacent to and reasonably accessible from the dwelling unit. Such space shall be screened or otherwise designed to provide privacy for the intended users.
Section I Supplemental Requirements.
(1) Planning Commission Modification. The Planning Commission may modify the strict requirements of the development guidelines if it finds that privacy, light and openness are improved because of skillful design in the arrangement of buildings, open spaces, landscaping or other site features. The Commission may also require wider yards, where an adjoining building is near a lot line, and may require such features as fences and planting to protect adjoining residences. The Commission shall not decrease the yard width, common open space, or private open space requirements in order to allow the maximum number of units permitted in SPD-1, nor shall the Commission increase the maximum allowable density permitted in SPD-1.
(2) Site Plan Review. Each development phase of SPD-1 shall require review and approval of site plans as provided in Chapter 1278, including approval by City Council. Site plans shall clearly depict the required common open space and private open space areas, including proposed improvements thereto, required by the development guidelines. Site plans shall also comply with the provisions of Chapter 1276 Parking and Site Design and Chapter 1282 Landscaping and Screening.
Section J Definitions
As used in these development guidelines, certain terms are defined as follows:
(1) Condominium: the same as defined in Chapter 5311 of the Ohio Revised Code.
(2) Cluster dwelling unit: an ownership arrangement where the individual unit owner holds fee simple title to the land beneath the foundation and may also own some amount of land around the foundation. A cluster units may be a detached structure or may be attached to other dwelling units within the same structure.
(Ord. 137-98. Passed 9-14-98.)