(a) Coverage. The total ground floor area of principal buildings in a multi-family development shall cover no more than 25 percent of the total site area.
(b) Density. The density of a multi-family development shall not exceed 15 dwelling units per acre. The total number of units permitted shall be calculated by multiplying the total land area, exclusive of public streets existing at the time the site plan is submitted, by the density permitted per acre. The Planning Commission and Council may approve specific conditional increases in the permitted density as provided further in this section for providing additional open space and recreational facilities.
(c) Distance from Streets. All principal and accessory buildings shall be set back from:
(1) A public right-of-way a distance not less than 80 feet.
(2) Private streets, parking lots, and other primary vehicular accessways a distance not less than 20 feet, except that detached garages may be adjacent to parking lots.
(d) Distance from Property Lines. All principal buildings in a multi-family development shall be located no closer than 80 feet to a public right-of-way, and no closer than 30 feet to any other property line except that when a proposed multi- family abuts a residential district, principal buildings shall be located no less than 60 feet from the property line forming the common boundary.
(e) Minimum Spacing Between Dwellings. In order to ensure reasonable privacy and separation, individual buildings including terraces, decks, and patios shall be separated by at least 30 feet, except that when the windows of living areas and patios, decks and terraces face each other, they shall be separated by at least 85 feet. This distance may be reduced to 60 feet when a vision obscuring wall, fence or landscaping is provided between the mutually visible spaces.
(f) Maximum Building Height. The height of principal buildings shall not exceed 60 feet and accessory buildings shall not exceed 15 feet.
(g) Minimum Floor Area of Dwelling Units. The minimum floor area for a dwelling unit shall be not less than specified below. For attached single-family units, townhouse units and apartment units, measurements shall be made to the center line of party walls. All areas within garages, porches, public hallways and general storage rooms in apartment dwellings shall be excluded from this measurement.
(1) Single-Family - attached or detached units: 960 square feet per dwelling unit.
(2) Two-Family: 960 square feet per dwelling unit.
(3) Townhouse: 960 square feet per dwelling unit.
(4) Apartment: 500 square feet per dwelling unit plus 150 square feet for each bedroom over one.
(h) Senior Citizen Apartments. For a multi-family development which is intended to be exclusively devoted to Senior Citizen Apartments, the minimum dwelling unit floor area shall be 500 square feet provided that to qualify as a senior citizen apartment development the applicant shall present documentation to the satisfaction of the Law Director that ensures that the multi-family dwelling units are constructed for and perpetually reserved for senior citizen apartments.
(i) Open Space Requirements. A minimum of 20 percent of the total area in a proposed multi-family development shall be devoted to public and/or private open space, preservation areas, recreational areas, or recreational facilities.
(1) Land area devoted to parking areas, land fragments between two or more buildings and between buildings and parking areas, and required yards between property lines and buildings and between property lines and parking areas shall not be included as open space.
(2) The required amount of open space shall either be: held in corporate ownership by owners of the project area, for the use of residents within the development; dedicated to a homeowners' association who shall have title to the land which shall be retained as common open space for parks, recreation and related uses; or offered for dedication to the City for perpetual preservation as a natural area or public recreational use.
(3) The legal articles relating the organization of the homeowners association are subject to review and approval by the Planning Commission and Council and shall provide adequate provisions for the perpetual care and maintenance of all common areas.
(4) Public utility and similar easements and rights-of-way are not acceptable for common open space dedication unless such land or right-of-way is useable as a trail or similar purpose and has been approved by the Planning Commission.
(5) The responsibility for the maintenance of all open spaces shall be specified by the developer before approval of the final development plan.
(6) Such open space, including any recreational facilities proposed to be constructed in such space, shall be clearly shown on the development plan.
(j) Requirements for Public Sites. Regardless of the facilities, sites or open space area to be privately or commercially owned and operated, the developer shall provide land for public sites, public parks and/or playgrounds, or public open space as set forth in Section 1185.03.
(k) Landscaping and Screening Requirements. A multi-family development shall provide and maintain the following landscaping and screening standards:
(1) Front Yard Landscaped Strip. A strip 40 feet wide immediately adjacent to any street right-of-way and running the width of the site (except for vehicular entrances and exits) shall be planted, landscaped and maintained in a neat and orderly fashion. No other uses, including parking, shall be permitted in this strip.
(2) Side and Rear Yard Screening. A strip of land at least 10 feet in width and running the length of every side and rear yard shall be landscaped and planted for screening purposes and shall be devoid of all other uses, including parking. When a development abuts a residential district the landscaped strip shall be no less than 30 feet in width along the entire length of the common border. The total side and rear yard landscaped area shall be maintained in a neat and orderly fashion.
(3) Screening and Landscaping of Parking Lots. Perimeter and interior landscaping of parking lots shall be provided in conformance with the regulations set forth in Section 1181.10(i).
(l) Required Parking. Parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the requirements and design standards set forth in Chapter 1181.
(m) Accessory Buildings. Accessory buildings may be located between a principal building and a side lot line an a rear lot line provided the screening requirements set forth in Section 1171.05(k)(2) are complied with. Accessory buildings shall not be located in a front yard.
(o) Additional Standards. Additional site specific development requirements formulated to achieve the objectives of these regulations shall be established at the time the site plan and the conditional use request are reviewed. Any dimensional specifications adopted with such plan become binding land use requirements for the proposed multi-family development.
(Ord. 2007-222. Passed 1-10-08.)