(A) (1) The Mixed Use Zone is characterized as a pedestrian-friendly Zone made up of developments which are required to contain two or more of the following elements: open space, residential, recreational, cultural/institutional, and/or commercial uses. No more than one element may occupy more than 80% of the net project size.
(B) Definitions. The below terms, as contained in this section, shall have the following meaning(s):
COMMUNITY CENTER. A building designed to be a public gathering location where a variety of group activities, events, classes, social support services, and other public informational services can be found.
GROSS PROJECT SIZE. The total acreage of the property under consideration for development, inclusive of all open space, parking areas, and rights-of-way (public and private).
LIBRARY. A room, group of rooms, or a building containing collections of books, periodicals, films and other media for the public to read, borrow, or refer to.
NET PROJECT SIZE. The acreage of the property under consideration for development, excluding all area that will be used for open space, parking, and rights-of-way (public and private).
PARK. Large areas of land that feature grass, trees, and other landscape elements, arranged for both passive and active recreation purposes.
PLAZA. A paved public space for citizens to gather for civic, commercial, or other reasons.
TRAIL. An unpaved lane or small paved road (less than 16' wide) not intended for usage by motorized vehicles and which usually passes through a natural area or which surrounds publicly accessible parks and other open space.
(C) Developers shall choose from the following elements in order to qualify for the above-listed elements. At least one of the options listed for each element is required:
(1) Commercial.
(a) Areas of required commercial overlay, or developers who may choose to develop a portion of their project as commercial, shall follow the requirements contained in § 157.315 of this subchapter.
(2) Cultural/institutional.
(a) Community center (must be a minimum of 1,600 square feet).
(b) Library (must be a minimum of 1,600 square feet).
(c) Other publicly accessible cultural/institutional amenity, subject to review and approval of the Planning Commission.
(3) Open space.
(a) Land set-aside from development for the conservation of natural resources shall exclude the presence of weeds and be well-maintained.
(b) The open space area shall only serve passive recreational purposes such as walking and jogging and must be open to the general public. Open space may include the following:
1. Trail.
2. Park.
3. Plaza.
(c) Common area maintained by an HOA or any retention pond area shall not fulfill the open space requirement, unless such retention pond serves at least one additional public purpose such as a recreation field or a park.
(d) If the city's park department accepts the open space area for the development of a park, a minimum size will be set by said department.
(e) Regardless of the manner in which the open space is developed, a minimum of 20% of the gross project size shall be dedicated to open space if this option is selected.
(4) Recreational.
(a) Publicly accessible recreational amenities, such as:
1. Multi-use sports fields.
2. Pickleball courts.
3. Tennis courts.
4. Playgrounds.
5. Non-motorized trails (not including sidewalks).
(5) Residential.
(a) A mix of at least two different housing types: single-family detached, single-family attached (townhomes, twin homes), multi-family (apartments);
(b) Residential uses where there is a combination of commercial and residential uses, sometimes called "live-work units";
(c) Clustering of residential units;
(d) Where multiple housing types are developed, no housing type shall exceed more than 80% of the total number of units;
(e) Multi-family developments may include single room occupancy (SRO) units with one of the following options:
1. Excluding the closet, storage space and bathroom space, a living unit must be at least 100 square feet. A laundry room must be available on each floor. There shall be a minimum of 500 square feet of interior common area which includes a living room and a kitchen area.
2. Studio apartments with a bedroom of at least 100 square feet, a living area of at least 100 square feet and a total floor area of at least 300 square feet. There shall be a kitchen area and either laundry hookups within the unit or an on-site common laundry facility.
(D) In order to ensure the maximum benefit to the general public, all publicly accessible amenities shall:
(1) Be placed on the exterior of the project to ensure greatest visibility;
(2) Be provided with signage indicating the amenities are open to the use of the general public; and
(3) Be provided with parking which complies with the West Haven city parking standards.
(Prior Code, §§ 23.02, 23.04)
(Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 02-2019, passed 1-16-2019; Ord. 13-2023, passed 7-5-2023; Ord. 16-2024, passed 5-15-2024)