The purpose of this article is to provide for the construction of townhouse dwellings in the city and to set forth the requirements for the construction of townhouse dwellings. It is the further intent of this article that dwelling units constructed under this article will:

(1)

Encourage the provisions of usable open space and a desirable living environment.

(2)

Be located primarily in areas near or adjacent to single-family use areas.

(3)

Be located near such services as major thoroughfares and collector streets.

(Ord. No. 2015-336, § 1, 12-1-15)

In addition to the standards established in the Table of District Dimensional Regulations, the following general requirements will apply to townhouse dwellings constructed in R-4 districts:

(1)

No townhouse building shall contain less than two or more than seven townhouses, and no townhouse building shall exceed 250 feet in length including any space between townhouses making up the townhouse building. No more than four consecutive townhouses shall have the same front line.

(2)

No portion of a townhouse or accessory building and/or structure in or related to one townhouse building and/or structure shall be closer than 15 feet to any portion of a townhouse or accessory building and/or structure related to another townhouse building and/or structure or to any building and/or structure outside the townhouse development.

(3)

Off-street parking shall be provided at the rate of two spaces per townhouse. Insofar as practicable, off-street facilities will be either provided on the individual townhouse lots or grouped in bays in the interior of blocks. In any case, parking arrangements will be made so as to discourage on-street parking on public streets. No off-street parking space shall be more than 100 feet by the most direct pedestrian route from a door of the dwelling unit it is intended to serve.

(4)

If a townhouse development contains any common area, common building, common off-street parking area, or common recreation facility, provisions satisfactory to the board of commissioners and approved by the city attorney shall be made to ensure that common areas, common buildings, common off-street parking areas, and common recreational facilities for the use and enjoyment of occupants of townhouses shall be maintained in a satisfactory manner without expense to the city or the general public. In addition, the developer of a townhouse development or homeowners association created by the developer, by recorded covenants and restrictions, shall preserve for the owners and occupants of the development such common areas, common buildings, common off-street parking areas, and common recreational facilities established for the development.

(5)

All lots must front or have access (via legal document) to a dedicated public right-of-way.

(6)

Attached townhouse dwellings shall be separated from each other by a firewall which complies with building, fire, and other applicable codes adopted by the city.

(7)

Sidewalks shall be provided for each townhouse development to promote safe pedestrian movement throughout the entire development.

(8)

All streets constructed in connection with any townhouse development shall comply with the requirements set forth in the subdivision design criteria for minor residential streets in the City of Dothan Code of Ordinances, chapter 90, subdivision regulations.

(Ord. No. 2015-336, § 1, 12-1-15)

(a)

Development plans are required for any proposed townhouse development and shall be submitted in accordance with development plan regulations as established in article V of this chapter. Approval is required prior to submittal of construction plans for issuance of a building permit.

(b)

The planning commission has the authority to grant deviations from certain standards in the subdivision regulations. The developer must illustrate justification for the planning commission to grant a subdivision deviation. Procedure for obtaining a subdivision deviation shall be as described in City of Dothan Code of Ordinances, section 90-197.

(Ord. No. 2015-336, § 1, 12-1-15)

Townhouse developments that are to be sold as fee-simple lots shall be considered residential subdivisions and shall be subject to, and comply with, the City of Dothan Code of Ordinances, chapter 90, subdivision regulations. Townhouse developments that are to be sold as condominiums shall be subject to condominium laws as established by the State of Alabama Code.

(Ord. No. 2015-336, § 1, 12-1-15)