The size, shape and orientation of lots shall be appropriate for the location of the proposed subdivision and for the type of development contemplated and shall conform to the following.
(A) Conformance to other regulations. Every lot shall have sufficient area, dimensions and street access to permit a principal building to be erected thereon in compliance with all zoning district and other use, density, intensity and dimensional requirements of the UDO, including other sections of this chapter as well as other chapters of the UDO. Table 155-9 delineates minimum density, intensity and dimensional requirements for each zoning district.
(B) Minimum buildable area. Every lot shall have at least 40% of its total area, or 2,800 square feet, whichever is less, of contiguous buildable area of a shape sufficient to hold a principal building.
(C) Setbacks. The minimum building setback line or the distance between the street right-of-way line and the building line shall be not less than that prescribed in Chapter 155 of the UDO for the appropriate zoning district or districts in which the subdivision exists.
(D) Blocks.
(1) Blocks shall be laid out with special attention given to the type of use contemplated.
(2) Block lengths shall not exceed 1,500 feet or be less than 400 feet.
(3) Blocks shall have sufficient width to provide for two tiers of lots of appropriate depth except where otherwise required to separate residential development from through traffic.
(4) Pedestrian ways or crosswalks shall be provided near the center of blocks, where deemed essential in the opinion of the Planning Board, to provide adequate pedestrian circulation or access to schools, shopping centers, churches or transportation facilities.
(E) Lot line configuration.
(1) Side lines of lots should be at or near right angles or radial to street lines. Intersecting lot lines shall not have an angle of less than 60 degrees.
(2) Corner lots for residential use shall have an extra width of 15 feet to permit adequate building setback from side streets.
(3) Double frontage and reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where necessary to separate residential development from through traffic.
(4) Depth and width of properties reserved or laid out for commercial use and industrial purposes shall be adequate to provide for the off-street service and parking facilities required by the type of use and development contemplated.
(F) Lot lines and drainage. Lot sizes, shapes and locations shall be made with due regard to topographic conditions, contemplated use and the surrounding area as follows.
(1) Lot boundaries shall coincide with natural and pre-existing human-made drainageways to the extent practical to avoid lots that can be built upon only by altering the drainageways.
(2) Land subject to flooding and land deemed by the Planning Board to be uninhabitable for other reasons shall not be platted for residential occupancy, nor for the other uses as may increase danger to health, life or property, or aggravate the flood hazard, but the land may be set aside for the uses as will not be endangered by periodic or occasional inundation, or will not produce unsatisfactory living conditions.
(3) Lots shall have a minimum of 1% grade to streets and/or drainageways. The city recognizes that topographical conditions may exist where the requirement may not be practical. The absolute minimum for such conditions as approved by the City Engineer shall be 0.5%.
(4) All utilities, as well as utility and drainage easements shall be provided as required in § 158.085.
(G) Access requirements.
(1) All residential lots shall have at least 12 feet of unobstructed frontage where the lot abuts a public street right-of-way.
(2) All lots shall front or abut a public street and meet the frontage requirements set forth in Table 155-9. The following exceptions may be approved:
(a) Lots and units located in developments with owners’ associations or in group developments in which permanent access is guaranteed by means of approved private streets and/or drives designed in accordance with the requirements of § 158.08.
(b) Lots of record provided that there is recorded access and the use is limited to only one single-family dwelling and its uninhabited accessory structures.
(c) Flag lots meeting the following requirements:
1. A flag lot shall serve only one single-family dwelling and its uninhabited accessory structures;
2. The maximum flagpole length shall be 300 feet;
3. The minimum flagpole width shall be 25 feet;
4. The maximum lot size in areas with public sewer shall be one acre. The maximum lot size without public sewer shall be three acres. (Note: the “flagpole” portion of the lot is not used to calculate area, width, depth, coverage and setbacks of the lot or to provide off-street parking);
5. The minimum separation between the “flagpole” portion of the lot and that of another flag lot shall be 150 feet;
6. Where public water is available, any building on the flag lot must be within 500 feet of a hydrant. This distance shall be measured along the street, then along the flagpole, then in a straight line to the building location;
7. Use of a single driveway to serve a flag lot and an adjoining lot is permitted and encouraged. The preferred location for the driveway is on the flagpole portion of the flag lot, with the conventional lot granted an access easement over the flagpole;
8. Resubdivision of a flag lot shall not be permitted unless access to the proposed new lot(s) can be provided from an approved public or private street; and
9. Flag lots shall be approved only where the configuration of the parcel or site features warrant such a lot design. Authorizing a flag lot design is intended to accommodate a particular extenuating circumstance which makes traditional lot design infeasible. Therefore, flag lots should be judiciously approved.
(H) Water and sewer disposal.
(1) Where individual sewage disposal systems are planned for a subdivision, the minimum lot sizes specified in this chapter shall be increased as required by the results of percolation tests and subsoil investigation. As a minimum, the following shall apply.
(a) In areas not served by a community or public sewer system, the distance between dwellings should be increased; therefore, the minimum lot shall contain 15,000 square feet of useable land, not less than 100 feet wide at the building line, nor less than 150 feet deep.
(b) In areas lacking both community water and community sewer systems, the minimum lot shall contain 20,000 square feet of useable land, not less than 100 feet at the building line, nor less than 200 feet deep.
(c) Wells shall be located at least 100 feet from any septic tank or filter field whether on the same lot or another adjoining lot.
(I) Design standards for nontraditional residential lot developments. Specific design standards for nontraditional residential subdivision developments are provided in Chapters 154 and 155, as provided below. Other standards for nonresidential lot developments that may require subdivision of land are also provided in Chapter 154 and Chapter 155 (§§ 155.0705 through 155.0714).
(1) Dimensional requirements and standards specific to zero lot line detached home developments are delineated in § 155.0703(B).
(2) Semi-attached/duplex home requirements and standards specific to semi-attached/duplex home developments are delineated in § 155.0703(C).
(3) Multiplex attached home requirements and standards specific to multiplex developments are delineated in § 155.0703(D).
(4) Dimensional requirements and standards specific to townhouse developments are delineated in § 155.0703(E).
(5) Dimensional requirements and standards specific to condominium developments are delineated in § 155.0703(G).
(6) Dimensional requirements and standards specific to upper story attached dwelling developments are delineated in § 155.0703(J).
(7) Dimensional requirements and standards specific to residential cluster developments are delineated in § 155.0703(Q).
(8) Dimensional requirements and standards specific to traditional neighborhood developments (TNDS) are delineated in § 155.0703(R).
(Ord. passed 7-25-2011)