Applications for development authorization shall demonstrate compliance with the best management practices set forth herein unless waived by the Director in those circumstances where: strict compliance would result in practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship; the public safety and welfare are assured; and the purposes of this chapter are not compromised.
(A) Accepted professional practices. All development proposals subject to the requirements of this chapter shall be designed to meet generally accepted principles of land use planning, soil mechanics, engineering geology, civil engineering, environmental management, civic design, architecture, landscape architecture, landscape ecology and related disciplines.
(B) Planning. Planning of the development shall take into account the topography, soils, geology, hydrology, vegetation and other features of the proposed site. Areas not well suited for development due to soil characteristics, geology, vegetation, existing plant and animal life, or hydrology limitations, shall not be developed.
(C) Innovation. Site designers are encouraged to propose and apply innovative concepts for slope and soil stabilization, grading, landscaping and building placement and design to meet the purposes and intentions of this chapter.
(D) Land disturbance and grading. When grading is necessary, rigid contouring should be avoided; contours should be rounded to appear undulating and natural. Projects involving more than one use or phase should be phased into workable units in a way that minimizes the amount of soil disturbance at any given point in time. When grading must occur, it should blend with the natural land form as much as possible. Grading to form level pads and building sites is strongly discouraged and when required such grading should be minimized. Earth berms, rock forms or stone retaining walls should be used to minimize visual impacts of cuts. Hedges and fences may also be appropriate in some locations. Large, continuous surfaces of smooth concrete and related structures are considered inappropriate. The height of any retaining wall should not exceed four feet unless required to be higher for engineering reasons. In areas where cuts are steeper, a stepped or terraced wall should be used.
(E) Vegetation, landscaping and habitat. Plans for development should consider any characteristics of the area that make it unique or significant in the conservation of flora and fauna including threatened, rare and endangered species. Existing deep-rooted vegetation, including trees, bushes and ground covers, should be removed only in cases where necessary for buildings, roads, driveways, parking and minimal yards. Use of plant materials that blend with the mountainside or hillside shall be used. Landscape schemes that are rough, natural and/or subdued in character are encouraged. Extensive areas of exotic plants and sod are discouraged where they would be visible from the public right-of-way. Within stream protection areas, pesticides, herbicides and other similar chemicals should only be used in accordance with existing state and federal pesticide management rules and manufacturers' literature. The pesticides, herbicides, and similar chemicals should be avoided if possible, especially by selecting native plants that are resilient in the sites natural conditions.
(F) Historic and archaeological resources. Plans for development should consider the preservation of significant state historical and archaeological resources (defined as properties on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places) within areas subject to the requirements of this chapter. Cemeteries and grave sites shall be protected and family members shall be assured access thereto. Anyone developing properties containing roads, trails, and other travel ways connecting to national forests and other public lands shall assure continued public access thereto.
(G) Sensitive natural areas. Plans for development shall be sensitive toward and mitigate any negative effects of development activities on sensitive natural areas both on site and in immediately adjacent areas.
(H) Building colors. Exterior colors for new buildings and structures, including roofs, should be coordinated with the predominant colors of the surrounding landscape to minimize contrast between the structure and the natural environment. It is strongly encouraged that dark or earth-toned colors be used to make the home less conspicuous as seen from off site.
(I) Clustering of buildings and building locations. Buildings and structures should be clustered where possible to reduce disturbance and removal of vegetation. Buildings should be sited with different floor elevations to achieve height variation. For multi-family projects, alignments of buildings both horizontally and vertically shall be staggered to create unit identity, privacy at entry ways, private outdoor space, and to share common open space.
(J) Building setbacks. Where appropriate, buildings and structures should be located as close to the road as possible to preserve the natural terrain of the land, to minimize disturbance thereto, and to shorten the length of driveways.
(K) Screening and view corridors. The thinning of limbs of individual trees is preferred over tree removal as a means to provide a view corridor. Dwellings or buildings that are proposed to be sited to maximize views from the lot or that require removal of vegetation to produce a view corridor are strongly discouraged.
(L) Road and driveways should follow the natural terrain. Road and driveway alignments should follow the natural terrain unless the project engineer can justify additional cuts or fills. Roads, walkways and parking areas should be designed to parallel the natural contours of the site.
(M) Shared driveways and parking. Combinations of collective private driveways, shared parking areas and on-street parallel parking bays should be used where possible to minimize land and soil disturbance, minimize impervious surface coverage and achieve excellence of design and aesthetic sensitivity.
(N) Lighting. Outside lighting shall be muted and directed so that it does not spill over on to neighboring properties. A reduced amount of light emanating from a development on a mountainside or hillside shall be provided, since lighting from buildings located on mountain or hillsides can be highly-visible at night and may affect the night character of the community. High-pressure sodium lights are prohibited. See the town Lighting Ordinance for specific requirements.
(O) Building pads. For subdivisions and developments with multiple buildings, building pads (i.e., clearing and grading for buildings and structures) should be varied in elevation above or below road level to avoid the appearance of monotonous, flat, level pads.
(P) Step-down design. Single family dwellings and other structures should "step down" the hillside or mountainside to limit the amount of grading required. Large building pads and footings should be split into more than one (i.e., split level homes that step down the hillside} where possible to allow the building pad and structure to more closely follow the existing slope of the land. Building footprint coverage should be minimized where possible by using multiple-level (two or more stories) buildings. The visible mass of larger buildings and structures should be reduced by utilizing below-grade rooms cut into the natural slope.
(Q) Natural drainage channels. Natural drainage channels shall be preserved to the maximum extent possible.
(R) Setbacks. Setbacks should be used to protect natural features of the mountain and hillside terrain. Placing structures away from the shoulder reduces the visual impact of development as well as erosion on steep slopes. All structures should be set back a minimum of 20 feet from the shoulder of a ridge line. The shoulder is defined as the plane at which the slope of the land changes from greater than 15% to a ridge top of less than 15% . Natural vegetation should be maintained undisturbed within the setback area except for access to a lot or limited cutting to provide a view. All other setbacks including, but not limited to, those from streams, creeks, springheads, and property lines shall be met as required by the town or Polk County ordinances, and/or state regulations.
(Ord. passed - -2008)