(a) Purpose. In order to encourage flexibility in design of single family residential developments that promote efficient use of land and preserve any natural, scenic and historic qualities, the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit a single family conservation development in an R-2 or R-3 District provided there shall be no increase in the number of dwelling units than are permitted in conventional developments and further provided the proposed development meets the minimum standards for conservation developments in this Zoning Code. These regulations are intended:
(1) To maximize protection of the city's natural resources by:
• Avoiding development on and destruction of sensitive natural resource areas
• Reducing the quantity and improving the quality of storm water runoff
• Maintaining natural characteristics (such as woods, hedgerows, natural vegetation, meadows, slopes and streams)
• Reducing the amount of disturbed land, the conversion of natural areas to landscaped areas for lawns, and the use of invasive vegetation
• Conserving areas of prime agricultural soils, to the extent possible
(2) To conserve the quality of ruralness in a community which is characterized by:
• Large, aggregated, undeveloped land areas
• Natural features such as woodlands, steep slopes, floodplains, wetland, stream and river corridors, hedgerows and rock outcroppings
• Scenic vistas and rural views
• Significant historic features such as old barns, heritage trees, etc.
• Traditional rural settlement patterns characterized by clusters of compact groupings of development in otherwise wide open spaces
(3) To encourage more efficient use of land and public services through unified development.
(4) To ensure the proposed conservation development is in compliance with the goals and objectives of the city's Comprehensive Plan.
(b) Permitted uses. The following uses shall be permitted in a conservation development:
(1) Single and two-family dwellings in R-2 Districts.
(2) Single-family dwellings in R-3 Districts.
(3) Single-family cluster dwellings.
(4) Recreation facilities.
(5) Common open space.
(c) Minimum project area. The area of the proposed conservation development shall be not less than 25 contiguous acres and shall not include the area within any public right-of-way.
The area proposed shall be in one ownership, however multiple ownership of two or more contiguous property owners may be permitted provided the development is undertaken jointly.
(d) Lot area and width regulations. The minimum lot area and lot width required for single-family dwellings in a conservation development shall be as follows:
Area Designation | Minimum Lot Area | Minimum Lot Width | Minimum Street Frontage on a Cul-de-sac |
R-2A; R-3A | ½ acre | 75 feet | 50 |
R-2B; R-3B | 1 acre | 100 feet | 75 |
R-3C | 1-½ acre | 125 feet | 90 |
R-2C; R-3D | 2 acres | 150 feet | 100 |
Provided that the overall density as described or the number of dwelling units per acre of buildable land within the area of the conservation development shall not exceed the following:
Area Designation | Maximum Number of Dwelling Units per Acre |
R-2A; R-3A | 0.8 |
R-2B; R-3B | 0.45 |
R-3C | 0.3 |
R-2C; R-3D | 0.2 |
(e) Yard regulations. The minimum front, side and rear yards in conservation developments in R-2 and R-3 Districts shall be not less than as follows:
Minimum Yard | |||
Area Designation | Front | Side | Rear |
R-2A; R-3A | 35 | 15 | 30 |
R-2B; R-3B | 35 | 20 | 50 |
R-3C | 40 | 20 | 50 |
R-2C; R-3D | 50 | 25 | 60 |
In a condominium single-family development, dwellings shall be separated by a space equal to two times the side or rear yard required for the area designation in which dwellings are located.
(Ord. 10-O-35, passed 7-12-2010)