§ 156.059 GROUP DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
   (A)   Generally.
      (1)    Group development projects, consisting of 2 or more buildings devoted to a common or similar use and constructed on a single lot, may be permitted in specified districts established by this chapter; provided, that a mandatory pre-application conference is held between the Zoning Administrator and the developer prior to filing the required application for review and approval of the project by the Town Council. Review and approval shall be required for all group development projects.
      (2)   Adequate scaled site plans shall be submitted to allow for review of the size and location of all buildings, structures, streets, drives and parking spaces and their relationship to any open spaces and adjacent properties.
      (3)   Group housing development plans shall also be accompanied by a computation or schedule, expressed in acres or portions thereof, which indicates the area and percentage of the site devoted to:
         (a)   Gross area;
         (b)   Parking area;
         (c)   Net area;
         (d)   Building area; and
         (e)   Open space.
   (B)   Design standards generally. All group development projects shall comply with the following design standards:
      (1)   Street access. Any building established as a part of a group development project, which cannot properly be served by emergency or service vehicles from an abutting street, shall be made accessible to these vehicles by a paved driveway having a roadbed width of not less than 20 feet, exclusive of parking spaces.
      (2)   Off-street parking and loading facilities. Off-street parking and loading facilities established in connection with a group development project shall be of a design, location and arrangement as will not interfere with the efficient flow of traffic through the area and as will not interfere with the access of emergency or service vehicles.
      (3)   Separation of buildings. All buildings established as a part of a group development project shall be separated by not less than 20 feet, except in cases where a fire suppression system meeting all the requirements of NFPA 13 and the North Carolina State Building Code is installed in the proposed building. In no instance shall the minimum building separation be less than 10 feet, measured from outside wall to outside wall.
      (4)   Setback requirements. Unless otherwise provided by this chapter for a specific type of group development, each group development project shall comply with the front yard setback and the side and rear yard requirements established for the district in which it is located.
      (5)   Prohibited uses. In no case shall a use be permitted as a part of a group development project that is prohibited by this chapter in the district in which the project is to be located.
   (C)   Design standards; group housing projects. In addition to the other standards set forth in this section, a group housing project shall comply with the following requirements:
      (1)   Setbacks. All buildings established as a part of a group housing project shall be set back not less than 25 feet from any side or rear property line;
      (2)   Location. No dwelling structure established as a part of a housing project shall be situated on a lot so as to face the rear of another dwelling structure within the development or on adjoining property; and
      (3)   Lot size. A group housing project shall be permitted only on a lot or plot of ground having an area of not less than 1 acre.
   (D)   Districts where allowed.
      (1)   Group developments may be allowed in the following zoning districts: R-2, VC, C-1 and C-2.
      (2)    Only those uses listed as permitted and/or special uses in the applicable zoning district shall be considered for group developments.
      (3)   This language is not intended to allow any use as a group development that is not permitted by right in the applicable district.
(Ord. 04-23, passed 10-6-2004, § 29; Am. Ord. 11-07, passed 10-5-2011; Am. Ord. 21-01, passed 6-2-2021)