(A) Size and density for residential buildings. A retreat center must be located on a parcel of land which includes at least 40 contiguous acres. The number of residential buildings may not exceed the number of residences on the land as allowed by the underlying zoning district, but may include the number that would be allowed by transferring entitlements from contiguous property as defined in section § 155.048 of this chapter, but not any extra units that may have accrued to a rural PUD as defined in § 155.059 of this chapter. For as long as the retreat center operates, there shall be no other residential buildings, nor subdivisions allowed on the land designated for the retreat center. The residential buildings shall be detached from any communal facilities, accommodations for sleeping and sanitation may be provided. The residential buildings shall not be dwelling units, and shall not include kitchen facilities; except that, one unit may be approved as a residence for a caretaker and family. Other than a caretaker’s residence, no one person or family may occupy the residential buildings (one, or more than one in combination) for more than 30 days per year. Each residential building shall be detached from every other residential building. Except for a caretaker’s residence, no residential building shall exceed 750 square feet of total floor area. No dormitories, apartments, condominiums, nor any other type of multiple dwelling units, are allowed. Each residential building shall be accessible to emergency service vehicles by path or private road, but internal improved streets are not required.
(B) Communal facilities.
(1) All structures not defined as residential buildings shall be communal facilities, which may include a nature center, conservatory, interpretive center, exhibit, museum, library or closely related use. One communal facility may provide common showers, bathrooms and kitchen and dining facilities for guests at the retreat center, but no food service nor restaurant may be open to the public. The communal facilities shall not be used as dwelling units, nor motel, hotel, dormitory, rooming house nor any residential occupancy. In no case shall the number of communal facilities exceed three. Buildings used for communal facilities shall not exceed a total of 10,000 square feet of floor space for all such facilities combined.
(2) Only one communal facility shall be used as an interpretive center, museum, library or similar use, and the hours of operation and programming shall be consistent with a retreat center as defined in this chapter, and as approved by the Planning Commission as part of the interim use permit. The communal facility buildings shall be principally, but not exclusively, for the use of the persons occupying the residential buildings. The one communal facility which may be used as an interpretive center, museum, library or similar use may be available to private guests of the owner of the retreat center, and to the general public only at such hours and days as approved in the interim use permit and as consistent with the location in a rural area.
(3) Unless the retreat center contains only one structure, there shall not be a separate lot of record for each structure (no lot divisions). Parking requirements shall be included in the terms of the interim use permit, but the retreat center shall provide at least two parking spaces at any communal facility, and at least two off-street parking stalls for each residential building.
(C) Other standards and requirements.
(1) Any use allowed in the zoning district as a conditional or interim use may only be allowed with the retreat center if expressly included in the interim use permit for the retreat center; except that, commercial outdoor recreation uses are not allowed within the area of the retreat center. The performance standards of §§ 155.047(F) and 155.048(F) of this chapter shall apply; except that, a separate lot shall not be required nor permitted for each structure, and that commercial outdoor-commercial recreation use is not included in the retreat center. Commercial campgrounds and recreation vehicle camps are not allowed, but camping sites may be provided as long as occupancy (number) does not exceed the number that would be allowed if each camping site was a residential building/unit (one family each).
(2) Yard requirements (§§ 155.047(F)(3) through (7) and 155.048(F)(2) through (4) of this chapter), shall not apply to each building and shall only to the retreat center as a whole. Clustering of the buildings on the site shall be allowed, as long as the total number of structures does not exceed the number that would be allowed if the retreat center land was divided into the maximum number of lots permitted in the underlying district for that amount of land. Residential buildings may be clustered as such, but must remain as detached structures with no common walls.
(Ord. 23-1, passed 5-2-2023)