It shall be the policy of Willoughby Hills, Lake County, Ohio, to simultaneously promote the progressive development of land and construction thereon, as well as the preservation of open space through Conservation Development Regulations.
(a) Conservation Development is a permitted development option in the (R-1) Traditional Single-Family Residential District and in the (R-2) Attached Single- Family/Townhouse District in accordance with the standards and regulations set forth in this Chapter. These regulations are intended to encourage the use of Conservation Development techniques in order to accomplish the general purpose of this Planning and Zoning Code as stated in Chapter 1101, and to achieve the following objectives:
(1) To allow creativity, variety, and flexibility in design as necessary to implement the goals and objectives set forth in this Chapter.
(2) To promote economical and efficient use of land and public services through unified development, especially in areas with limited road access or irregular shape or which are traversed by significant easements or rights-of-way.
(3) To preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the existing landscape features and amenities, and to utilize such features in a harmonious fashion.
(4) To permit the flexible spacing of lots and buildings in order to encourage the preservation of the natural features of the site and the provision of readily accessibly recreation areas and green spaces.
(5) To ensure that the proposed Conservation Development occurs in a unified manner in accordance with a development plan prepared by the property owner.
(6) To ensure the development will not degrade or endanger the quality of life presently enjoyed by the existing residents.
(b) It is not the intention of this Chapter to permit the application of these regulations to merely create a development that only appears to be a small lot subdivision and does not otherwise achieve the objectives of this Chapter. If the above objectives are not achieved, the Planning and Zoning Commission will not approve the Conservation Development proposal, in which case the standard zoning and subdivision regulations shall prevail.
(Ord. 2006-35. Passed 5-25-06.)