6 District Intensity Standards
The district development
standards of this Ordinance establish lot sizes and certain restrictions for all residential and nonresidential development
. These standards allow for variety in housing and building
types while striving to maintain the overall character of neighborhoods and commercial areas of Durham. Development
standards established in this Ordinance are based on Durham’s planning tiers as established in the Comprehensive Plan
. Standards in this section are specific to each district and are above and beyond the general standards for all districts enumerated in Article 7, Design Standards, through Article 13, Additional Requirements for Subdivisions. Separate standards are established to regulate residential and nonresidential development
in each tier and for certain nonresidential districts. This approach to district and tier development
standards implements the Comprehensive Plan
and has several public benefits:
A. It allows for development
that is more sensitive to the environment and allows for the preservation of open and natural areas.
B. It promotes quality site layout and energy-efficient development
.
C. It promotes affordable and life-cycle housing.
D. It promotes development
intensities that match existing and proposed infrastructure investments.
E. It promotes infill development
that is consistent in character and scale with established neighborhoods.
F. It promotes compact land development
that supports alternate transportation, such as bicycling, walking, mass transit.
G. It promotes market-based development
decisions while protecting shared public interests.
The district intensity standards set forth in this Article provide for flexible development
tools in each planning tier, as shown below. For the Downtown Tier and certain Compact Neighborhood Tiers, refer to Article 16, Design Districts.
Development | Rural | Suburban | Urban | Compact Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservation Subdivision | ✔ | ✔ |
|
|
Variable Housing Types |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Major Roadway Density |
| ✔ | ✔ |
|
Affordable Housing Bonus |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Lot Averaging |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cluster Subdivision |
| ✔ | ✔ |
|
Vertical Integration of Uses |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
1. All residential development
in the RR District shall meet the standards in the table below.
Dimensional Standard | Rural Tier Watershed | Rural Tier | All Other Locations | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Residential Density |
| |||||
Conventional Subdivision | — | 0.33 | — | 0.5 | — | 1.4 |
Conservation Subdivision | — | 0.5 | — | 0.75 | — | 2.0 |
Open Space |
| |||||
Conventional Subdivision | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Conservation Subdivision | 50 | — | 50 | — | 50 | — |
3 ac. | — | 2 ac. | — | 30,000 s.f. | — | |
Lot Width | 200 | — | 150 |
| 100 | — |
Street Yard | 50 | — | 50 |
| 50 | — |
Side Yard |
| |||||
Minimum Each Side | 25 | — | 12 |
| 12 | — |
Minimum Both Sides (total) | 50 | — | 30 |
| 30 | — |
Rear Yard | 50 | — | 25 |
| 25 | — |
Height, conventional and conservation subdivision |
| |||||
Stories |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
Feet |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 40 |
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Land, for additional land dedication 2 For conservation subdivision | ||||||
2. Within a conservation subdivision
:
a. The minimum street yard
shall be eight feet.
b. No minimum side yard
shall apply; however, a minimum building separation
of 10 feet shall apply.
c. Rear yards
shall be those indicated for conventional subdivisions
in the table in paragraph 6.2.1A.1 above.
d. Minimum lot areas
for conservation subdivisions
shall be approved by the County Health Department for individual wastewater treatment systems. Where public or community wastewater systems are approved to serve the development
, no minimum lot size or width shall apply.
3. Additional height is permitted for non-farm structures at a rate of one additional story
for every ten feet of additional setback
provided. In no event shall the structure
be more than 45 feet in height.
B. Development
in the Rural Villages
of Bahama and Rougemont as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
can use the Suburban Tier dimensional standards subject to Sec. 8.4, Floodplain and Flood Damage Protection Standards, and Sec. 8.7, Watershed Protection Overlay Standards, and the availability of water and wastewater treatment systems.
1. In addition to the accessory structure
requirements set forth in Sec. 5.4, Accessory Uses and Standards, the following accessory structures shall maintain a minimum 50-foot setback
from all property lines:
a. New farm
buildings and equestrian facilities; and
b. Pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures where livestock
are kept.
2. Livestock
shall be kept in pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures.
Commentary: The Durham City Code of Ordinances considers the accumulation of refuse and debris a public nuisance pursuant to Sec. 26-179, Accumulation of refuse and debris declared public nuisance; abatement.
Only single-family
detached houses, as described in paragraph 7.1.2, Purpose, and manufactured homes shall be permitted. For conservation subdivisions
in the Suburban Tier, single-family
, duplex, townhouse
, and detached rowhouse housing types are allowed.
Residential density
shall not exceed the maximum densities
set forth in paragraph 6.2.1A, Dimensional Standards.
The conservation subdivision
standards are established for the following purposes:
1. To provide flexibility of design in order to promote environmentally sensitive and efficient uses of the land;
2. To preserve in perpetuity unique or sensitive natural resources such as groundwater, floodplains, wetlands
, streams
, steep slopes, woodlands and wildlife habitat;
3. To preserve important historic and archaeological sites;
4. To permit clustering of houses and structures on less environmentally sensitive soils which will reduce the amount of infrastructure, including paved surfaces and utility easements
, necessary for residential development
;
5. To reduce erosion
and sedimentation
by minimizing land disturbance and removal of vegetation in residential development
;
6. To promote interconnected greenways and corridors throughout the community;
7. To promote contiguous green space with adjacent
jurisdictions;
8. To encourage interaction in the community by clustering houses and orienting
them closer to the street, providing public gathering places and encouraging use of parks and community facilities as focal points in the neighborhood;
9. To promote construction of landscaped walking trails and bike paths conveniently located both within the subdivision
and connected to neighboring communities, businesses and facilities to reduce reliance on automobiles;
10. To conserve scenic views from public roadways and reduce perceived density
; and
11. To protect prime agricultural land and preserve farming
as an economic activity.
1. This conservation subdivision
option is available as a use by right subject to subdivision
approval in accordance with Sec. 3.6, Subdivision Review; and in accordance with the standards set forth in paragraph 6.2.4H, Primary and Secondary Conservation Areas.
2. As required under Sec. 3.6, Subdivision Review, a conservation subdivision
shall conform to the requirements of this Ordinance, including Article 8, Environmental Protection, and other development-related ordinances; except that the requirements of this section shall supersede any conflicting ordinance provisions.
3. In the County jurisdiction, spray irrigation for the treatment of wastewater within a conservation subdivision
shall require a major special use permit under Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, unless the area to be irrigated is a primary conservation area that is farmland or agricultural land. This requirement shall also apply within the City jurisdiction unless the system has been approved by the State.
The tract
of land to be subdivided may be held in single and separate ownership or in multiple ownership. If held in multiple ownership, however, the site shall be developed
according to a single plan with common authority and common responsibility.
Maximum density
in a conservation subdivision
shall be determined by multiplying the gross area of the tract
of land, including all areas typically excluded from density
calculations in Article 8, Environmental Protection, by the maximum gross density
for the site as defined in subsection 6.2.1A, Dimensional Standards.
Mass grading
is allowed in conservation subdivisions
that receive public water/sewer service or use community wastewater treatment facilities or package treatment plants. It is prohibited in all other conservation subdivisions
.
Except for paragraph 7.2.5, Ownership and Management of Open Space, the requirements of Sec. 7.2, Open Space, do not apply to conservation subdivisions
.
The amount of open space
shall be 50% of total gross area as required under Sec. 6.2, Residential Rural (RR) Development Intensity, and shall be apportioned as set forth below in paragraph G, Primary and Secondary Conservation Areas and Other Open Space
.
Open space
shall be held in common ownership or dedicated
to the public or a land trust or similar conservation-oriented non-profit organization rather than platted
as part of individual private lots, and shall be subject to the requirements of paragraph 7.2.5, Ownership and Management of Open Space.
4. Notwithstanding the above requirements, area within required riparian buffers can be used to satisfy any open space
requirement.
In addition to all subdivision
application materials required in accordance with Sec. 3.6, Subdivision Review, the applicant shall submit a site analysis map. The complete site analysis map shall first be presented for discussion at the pre-application conference required under paragraph 3.2.2, Pre-Application Conference.
The purpose of the site analysis map is to ensure that the important site features have been adequately identified prior to the creation of the site design, and that the proposed open space
will meet the requirements of this section. The site analysis map shall include the following features:
a. Property boundaries;
b. All streams
, rivers, lakes, wetlands
and other hydrologic features;
c. Topographic contours of no less than 10-foot intervals unless a more precise vertical scale is available;
d. All primary and secondary conservation areas labeled by type (see paragraph H. below);
e. General vegetation characteristics;
f. General soil types and areas suitable for installation of on-site wastewater treatment systems;
g. The planned location of protected open space
;
h. Existing roads
and structures; and
i. Potential connections with existing open space
and trails.
At least 80% of the required open space
in a conservation subdivision
shall consist of primary conservation areas.
Commentary: Because 50% of the total gross area in a conservation subdivision
must be open space
under paragraph 6.2.1, Development Standards, 40% of the total gross area must be primary conservation areas.
The following are considered primary conservation areas and shall be included within the required open space
in the order of preference listed below. Secondary conservation areas and other open space
can be included only after primary conservation areas comprise 80% of required open space
.
a. Special Flood Hazard Areas and Future Conditions Flood
Hazard Areas;
b. Riparian buffers along all perennial and intermittent streams
;
c. Wetlands
protected by the Army Corps of Engineers or the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and any provided or required buffers;
d. Lakes, ponds, and other water bodies, excluding created stormwater
management facilities;
e. Areas at least 5,000 contiguous square feet in size with any natural slopes greater than 25%;
f. Existing forests (meeting the standards in paragraph 8.3.1D, Preserved Tree Coverage, except any that conflict with the provisions of this section), at least one contiguous acre in size, in which healthy hardwood trees at least 10 inches in diameter at breast height comprise at least 50% of the area;
g. Wildlife corridors, wildlife habitats, and other sites identified in the Durham County Inventory
of Important Natural Areas, Plants and Wildlife (Inventory
) or adopted plans;
h. Greenways, rail trails, and other open space
identified in adopted plans;
i. Historic sites or structures currently designated in, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places;
j. Sites identified in the Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory
;
k. Sites identified in the Durham County Archaeological Inventory
and other identified archeological sites, including cemeteries
and burial grounds;
l. Sites at least five contiguous acres in size identified by the City, County, State, or federal government as farmland or agricultural land that is prime, unique, or of statewide or local importance; and
m. Viewsheds from designated federal and North Carolina Scenic Byways.
The following are considered secondary conservation areas and shall be included within the required open space
in the order of preference listed below if additional space is still required after all primary conservation areas have been included:
a. Existing forests (meeting the standards in paragraph 8.3.1D, Preserved Tree Coverage, except any that conflict with the provisions of this section), at least 12,000 contiguous square feet in size, in which healthy hardwood trees at least 10 inches in diameter at breast height comprise at least 50% of the area;
b. Areas with any natural slope greater than 20%, unless identified as primary conservation areas;
c. Buffers in excess of Ordinance requirements around any primary conservation area;
d. Individual existing healthy trees greater than 18 inches in diameter at breast height; and
e. New or existing improved pedestrian trails that are not identified as primary conservation areas or located in other conservation areas and that do not negatively impact other conservation areas. Such trails can be located in utility easements
only if all utilities in the easements
are buried, and in such cases only the improved trails, and not the easements
, shall be considered secondary conservation areas.
The following areas can be included within the required open space
if additional space is still required after all primary and secondary conservation areas have been included:
a. Any land used for agricultural purposes that is not a primary conservation area;
b. Naturally vegetated areas, or areas re-vegetated to appear naturally vegetated, that are not primary or secondary conservation areas;
c. Playing fields surfaced with natural turf;
d. Golf courses
identified by the City or County as "green" due to use of best management practices, excluding club houses, parking areas, and other impervious surfaces
;
e. Stormwater
management facilities engineered as bioretention areas or wetlands
, including easements
for such facilities, can comprise a maximum of 10% of required open space
.
1. All residential development
in the RS Districts shall meet the standards in the table below. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
RS-20 | RS-10 | RS-8 | RS-M | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dimensional Standard | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. without Development Plan | Max. with Development Plan |
Residential Density Small Lot Option3 | — — | 2.0 — | — — | 4.0 12.0 | — — | 5.0 12.0 | — — | 8.0 12.0 | 18.0 18.0 |
Open Space Conventional Subdivision Cluster Subdivision | — — | — — | 15 15 | — — | 15 15 | — — | 18 18 | — | — — |
Site Area Conventional Subdivision Cluster Subdivision Site Width (feet) |
— 2 — |
— — — |
— 2 — |
— — — |
— 2 — |
— — — |
— — 200 |
— — — |
— — — |
Area and Width Requirements | |||||||||
Height | |||||||||
Stories | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | 3 | |
Feet2 |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 40 | |
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Land, for additional land dedication 2 Height is, or may be, further limited when using the small lot option, the reduced pole width flag lot option, infill standards, a neighborhood protection overlay, or by a local historic district. 3 Per paragraph 7.1.2C.1, Applicability, the small lot option is not allowed in the RS-20 district. Refer to that paragraph for further limits on the other RS districts. | |||||||||
2. The maximum residential density
does not apply to actions listed under paragraph 3.6.2, Actions Exempt from Subdivision
Requirements (Exempt Plats
). Where this maximum does apply, density
can be increased in accordance with paragraph 6.3.3B, RS-M District Major Roadway Density
Bonus, or Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus. Other than these options, the maximum density
shown cannot be exceeded even though the use of an alternative housing type may impose smaller lot size requirements.
3. For cluster subdivisions
in the RS-20, RS-10, and RS-8 Districts, the lot size reduction would be added to the minimum open space
requirement.
4. For both conventional and cluster subdivisions
in the RS-M District open space
requirements also apply to the development
standards for apartments.
5. Minimum lot area
for conventional, single-family
detached housing types can be reduced in accordance with paragraph 6.3.3C, Lot Averaging.
6. In the Suburban Tier, additional height in the RS-20, RS-10, and RS-8 Districts is permitted at a rate of one additional story
for every ten feet of additional setback
provided. In no event shall the structure
be more than 45 feet in height.
7. For projects in the RS-M District, the maximum height can be increased up to 5 stories
through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. In no event shall the structure
be more than 60 feet in height.
8. Minimum lot area
may be higher as required by the County Health Department for individual wastewater treatment systems or “package plant” style wastewater treatment systems.
1. In addition to the accessory structure
requirements set forth in Sec. 5.4, Accessory Uses and Structures, the following accessory structures shall maintain a minimum 50-foot setback
from all property lines:
a. New farm
buildings and equestrian facilities; and
b. Pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures where livestock
are kept.
2. Livestock
shall be kept in pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures.
Commentary: The Durham City Code of Ordinances considers the accumulation of refuse and debris a public nuisance pursuant to Sec. 26-179, Accumulation of refuse and debris declared public nuisance; abatement.
Residential uses allowed pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table, shall be limited to the housing types permitted in accordance with the following table. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Housing Type | RS-20 | RS-10 | RS-8 | RS-M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Single-Family | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Zero Lot Line |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Traditional House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Attached House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Duplex | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
✔1 | ✔1 | ✔1 | ✔ | |
Detached Rowhouse | ✔1 | ✔1 | ✔1 | ✔ |
Multiplex |
|
|
| ✔ |
Apartment |
|
|
| ✔ |
1 Cluster subdivision | ||||
Residential density
shall not exceed the maximum densities
set forth in paragraph 6.3.1A, Dimensional Standards.
An increase in the maximum residential density
of one unit per acre is allowed for all parcels
in the RS-M District, or as authorized elsewhere within the Ordinance, if at least one of the following conditions is met:
1. Parcels
maintain at least 500 feet of frontage on a major thoroughfare or boulevard
that is not a full or limited control-of-access facility.
2. Parcels
maintain at least 500 feet of frontage on a service road
for a full or limited control-of-access facility, and the development
utilizes the service road
for at least one access point pursuant to paragraph 12.2.4, External Access Required.
Lot area
averaging, as more specifically set forth in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types, is permitted, provided that:
1. The maximum reduction allowed is 15% of the minimum lot area
;
2. The average area of all lots in the subdivision
meets or exceeds the minimum lot area
; and
3. The overall density
of the subdivision
does not exceed the maximum permitted residential density
.
Commentary: Some lots in a proposed conventional subdivision
can be reduced in area by up to 15% (for example, a 10,000 SF lot could be reduced to 8,500 SF), provided that other lots exceed 10,000 SF and the overall average lot area
is 10,000 SF or greater.
For single-family
and two-family
developments
, the density
requirements in paragraph 6.3.1A, Dimensional Standards, do not apply if the project does not require subdivision
or site plan
approval.
1. All residential development
in the RU Districts shall meet the standards in the table below. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
| Dimensional Standard | RU-5 | RU-5(2) | RU-M | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. without a Development Plan | Max. with a Development Plan | ||
Residential Density | ||||||||
Project under Four Acres | — | 8.0 | — | 8.0 | — | 12.0 | 40.0 | |
Project Four Acres or Greater | 6.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 12.0 | 40.0 | |
Small Lot Option | — | 12.0 | — | 12.0 | — | 12.0 | 40.0 | |
Open Space | 5 | — | 5 | — | 6 | — |
| |
Area and Width Requirements | ||||||||
Height 2 | ||||||||
Stories | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | 5 | ||
Feet |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 60 | ||
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Lands, for additional requirements that may apply. 2 Height is, or may be, further limited when using the small lot option, the reduced pole width flag lot option, infill standards, a neighborhood protection overlay, or by a local historic district. | ||||||||
2. Maximum density
can increase in accordance with paragraph 6.4.3, Residential Density
, and/or Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus. Other than these options, the maximum density
shall not be exceeded even though the use of an alternative housing type may impose smaller lot size requirements.
3. If the project in the RU-M District is on at least a four-acre lot, the maximum height can be increased up to 7 stories
through the issuance of a minor special use permit. In no event shall the structure
be more than 80 feet in height.
Residential uses allowed pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table, shall be limited to the housing types permitted in accordance with the following table. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Housing Type | RU-5 | RU-5(2) | RU-M |
|---|---|---|---|
Single-Family | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Zero Lot Line | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Traditional House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Attached House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Duplex | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
✔1,2 | ✔ | ✔ | |
Detached Rowhouse | ✔1,2 | ✔ | ✔ |
Multiplex | ✔2 | ✔2 | ✔ |
Apartment |
|
| ✔ |
1 Cluster subdivision 2 Only pursuant to paragraph 6.4.3B, Thoroughfare Density | |||
For projects located adjacent
to streets with a right-of-way
over 50 feet in width, the area for the project may be calculated to include that portion of right-of-way
in excess of 50 feet for purposes of determining density
.
Sample Calculation: A project includes recombination of three lots measuring 75 by 100 feet, and lies adjacent
to a right-of-way
measuring 80 feet in width.
75 x 100 = 7,500 SF x 3 existing lots = 17,500 SF (standard calculation)
Frontage of 225 feet x 30 feet (in excess of 50-foot ROW) = 6,750 SF Bonus Area
Density
Allocation = 24,250 SF (.56 ac.) multiplied by 7.4 units per acre = 4.1 units (4 lots)

1. Projects located along major or minor thoroughfares, or boulevards, with rights-of-way greater than 50 feet in width can develop
as townhouses
or detached rowhouses, using the dimensional provisions of paragraph 7.1.7, Townhouse, or 7.1.8, Detached Rowhouse, as applicable, so long as the average width of the townhouse
or detached rowhouse lots is at least 20 feet. Projects developed
utilizing this option shall meet all of the requirements of Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, where applicable;
2. Projects located along major thoroughfares or boulevards, with rights-of-way greater than 50 feet in width can develop
as multiplexes, using the dimensional provisions of paragraph 7.1.9, Multiplex. Projects developed
utilizing this option shall meet all of the requirements of Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, where applicable.
Lot area
averaging, as more specifically set forth in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types, is permitted, provided that:
1. The maximum reduction allowed is 15% of the minimum lot area
;
2. The average area of all lots in the subdivision
meets or exceeds the minimum lot area
; and
3. The overall density
of the subdivision
does not exceed the maximum permitted residential density
.
For single-family
and two-family
developments
, the density
requirements in paragraph 6.4.1A, Dimensional Standards, do not apply if the project does not require subdivision
or site plan
approval.
1. All residential development
in the RC District shall meet the standards in the table below. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Dimensional Standard | RC | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
Residential Density | 12.0 | 40.0 |
Open Space | 5.0 | — |
Height (feet) | — |
|
Stories |
| 7 |
Feet |
| 80 |
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Land, for additional land dedication | ||
2. Maximum density
can be increased in accordance with paragraph 6.5.3, Residential Density, and/or Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus.
3. Maximum height shall be limited to the lesser of 4 stories
or 50 feet if the building
is within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins any property zoned and used for residential purposes. Additional height up to 7 stories
is allowed through approval of a minor special use permit per Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. In no event shall the structure
be more than 80 feet in height.
Residential uses allowed pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table, shall be limited to the housing types permitted in accordance with the following table. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Housing Type | RC |
|---|---|
Single-Family | ✔ |
Zero Lot Line | ✔ |
Traditional House | ✔ |
Attached House | ✔ |
Duplex | ✔ |
✔ | |
Detached Rowhouse | ✔ |
Multiplex | ✔ |
Apartment | ✔ |
Residential density
shall not exceed the maximum densities
as set forth in paragraph 6.5.1A, Dimensional Standards, unless a project provides for vertical integration of uses with at least 65% of the total floor area
allocated to residential uses and at least 75% of the ground floor
allocated for nonresidential uses. Projects which meet this requirement may increase their residential density
by up to 50%.
Lot area
averaging, as more specifically set forth in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types, is permitted, provided that:
1. The maximum reduction allowed is 15% of the minimum lot area
;
2. The average area of all lots in the subdivision
meets or exceeds the minimum lot area
; and
3. The overall density
of the subdivision
does not exceed the maximum permitted residential density
.
C. For single-family
and two-family
developments
, the density
requirements in paragraph 6.5.1A, Dimensional Standards, do not apply if the project does not require subdivision
or site plan
approval.
A. The bonus can be utilized at the time of site plan
or subdivision
for new projects subject to the additional regulations of this section.
B. All of the affordable housing dwelling units
shall be located within the overall project boundary.
C. Affordable units shall be incorporated throughout the project, and shall not be distinguishable from market-rate units through location, grouping, unit size, interior finishes, or exterior design.
The following reductions are allowed in order to incorporate the additional dwelling units
.
Minimum lot area
and width requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 20%.
Minimum lot area
and width requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 35%.
Minimum yard
requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 20%.
Minimum yard
requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 35%.
Regardless of the lot and yard
dimensional allowances above, infill standards per Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, shall apply to all residential development
that is applicable under that section.
E. Regardless of the lot and yard
dimensional allowances above, infill standards per Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, shall apply to all residential development
that is applicable under that section.
F. In single-family
and duplex developments
, required minimum lot area
, lot width
, and yard
requirements can be reduced up to 20% in order to incorporate the additional units.
G. Projects utilizing the affordable housing bonuses shall not be exempt from a traffic impact analysis (TIA) if required pursuant to Sec. 3.3, Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA).
H. Units added through this program shall not increase the amount of open space
otherwise required for the project.
I. Compliance and reporting shall be pursuant to the City’s adopted Affordable Housing Bonus Polices & Procedures, as amended.
J. Compliance measures can be required at the time of approval, including but not limited to contracts, restrictive covenants, deed restrictions, and stipulated penalties.
K. All affordable dwelling units
proposed within the project shall be provided prior to, or concurrently with, any bonus units.
Standards for the use of the affordable housing bonus in the CD and CSD districts shall be pursuant to affordable housing density
bonus standards within paragraphs 16.1.3E.2.d and 16.1.3E.3.c, respectively.
a. The bonus, along with the following associated standards, can be utilized in any zoning district that permits multifamily
residential; and
b. Can utilize only the housing types allowed by the zoning district.
a. In the CD and CSD District, Article 16, Design Districts, shall apply.
b. In all other zoning districts, paragraphs B through F, below, shall apply.
Only projects with a minimum of 15 dwelling units
, or projects adding at least 15 dwelling units
to an existing development
, shall be eligible for the affordable housing density
bonuses.
1. At least 15% of the total number of dwelling units
in the project shall be affordable housing dwelling units
for households earning 60% of AMI or less.
2. Example #1: If 200 dwelling units
are proposed, at least 30 of those units shall be affordable to households earning an average of 60% AMI or less.
The maximum residential density
shall be the greater of the following:
1. Seventy-five dwelling units
per acre; or
2. The permitted density
of the zoning district.
1. The maximum building
height shall be as follows:
Maximum Height | Location |
|---|---|
5 Stories |
|
9 Stories |
|
2. Base zoning district maximum height can be used if it exceeds the maximum height allowances, above.
Projects must be designed to meet the following standards applicable for the CD-S2 zoning district:
1. Paragraph 16.2.1, Building
Placement Standards;
2. Paragraph 16.3.4, Building
Access;
3. Paragraph 16.3.6A, Minimum Glazing
;
4. Paragraphs 16.4.2A through 16.4.2C, Sidewalk Standards, Sidewalk Clear Zone, Accessibility;
5. Paragraph 16.4.2D, Required Streetscape
Amenities; and
6. Paragraph 16.1.3B Ground Floor
Residential Uses and Overnight Accommodations.
1. The bonus program can be utilized in any zoning district where residences are permitted.
2. The program shall not permit housing types not already permitted within the zoning district.
Projects must commit to providing affordable housing dwelling units
in the amount of at least 15% of the maximum number of units permitted with the base density
.
Example #2: If the zoning of a five-acre project allows 60 units/acre, then 300 dwelling units
are permitted. To qualify for a density
bonus, at least 45 of the 300 dwelling units
shall qualify as affordable housing dwelling units
.
1. For the purpose of calculating the bonus residential density
within projects utilizing the affordable housing bonus, the “base density
” is the maximum density
allowed in the zoning district prior to applying any potential bonuses, and multiplied by the gross acreage of the tract
of land, including all areas typically excluded from density
calculations in Article 8, Environmental Protection. The resulting number shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number.
2. For each affordable housing dwelling unit
that is constructed, a bonus of two additional dwelling units
can be constructed beyond the base density
.
Example #3: The project is in the Urban Tier, and 15% (i.e., 45 units) of the 300 maximum units qualify as affordable housing dwelling units
affordable. Thus, an additional 90 dwelling units
are allowed above the maximum 300 units, totaling 390 dwelling units
.
When the affordable housing bonus is utilized, an additional one story
or 15 feet of height, whichever is less, shall be allowed.
To encourage innovation in residential subdivision
design, cluster subdivisions
shall be permitted providing for more efficient layout of lots, streets, and utilities, for the preservation of open space
and recreation areas, and for the protection of unique site features and scenic vistas.
The minimum acreage required for a cluster subdivision
shall be two acres.
A variety of housing types shall be permitted in a Cluster Subdivision
in accordance with Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
A. The subdivision
shall include the minimum required common open space
as referenced below.
District | |
|---|---|
RS Districts | See paragraph 6.3.1A |
RU Districts | See paragraph 6.4.1 |
RC Districts | See paragraph 6.5.1A |
B. Additional Open Space![]()
1. Reductions in lot area
in exchange for equal amounts of common open space
on a one-to-one basis shall be provided in addition to the open space
requirements referenced in paragraph A above.
2. For duplex lots where the duplex housing type is allowed only in a cluster subdivision
, the lot reduction/additional open space
calculation referenced in paragraph B.1 above shall be based upon the conventional lot size of a detached single-family
lot for the zoning district.
3. For the townhouse
or detached rowhouse housing type, the required open space
shall be at least 20% of the gross area of the development
.
C. Open space
in a clustered subdivision
shall be established in accordance with Sec. 7.2, Open Space.
Property on the edge of cluster developments
shall be developed
in one or more of the following ways:
A. Set aside as open space
that includes a buffer
with an opacity
of 20%, as set forth in Article 9, Landscaping and Buffering. Projects that are exempted from providing a project boundary buffer
per paragraph 9.4.1H are exempt from providing the Perimeter Treatment described in paragraph 6.7.6.
B. If an alley
is provided along the perimeter with joint access provided to property not part of the subject subdivision
:
1. Lots adjacent
to, and accessing the alley
, can be platted
with cluster subdivision
dimensional requirements.
2. The required project boundary buffer
or a vegetative screening
per paragraph 9.7.2C, Evergreen Hedges, whichever is greater, shall be provided along the side adjacent
to properties not part of the subdivision
. Intrusions into the buffer
or screening
are allowed to provide access to the alley
.
C. Be platted
as single-family
or two-family
residential lots as follows:
1. When adjacent
to, or directly across a public right-of-way
from, property that is not a cluster subdivision
or is a conventional lot within a cluster subdivision
, then the lot shall be platted
with conventional subdivision
dimensional requirements.
2. When adjacent
to, or directly across a public right-of-way
from, property that is a cluster subdivision
, and the adjacent
property is open space
or is a lot with reduced dimensional requirements due to clustering provisions of this or previous ordinances, then the lot can be platted
with cluster subdivision
dimensional requirements.
Unless otherwise stated, standard ordinance requirements shall apply unless modified by the standards set forth within this section.
1. This section shall apply to any multifamily
development
located on a site of less than four acres that is surrounded on all sides by single-family
residential development
.
2. This section shall apply to any new project or modification of any existing residential building
located on a site of less than four acres in a RU District. A residential building
shall also include a building
converted to a nonresidential use.
3. Neighborhood-specific modifications to the regulations listed in this section may be developed
using the “Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P)” pursuant to Sec. 4.6, Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P).
1. This section shall apply to any new project or modification of any existing residential building
located on a site of less than four acres in a residential district
. A residential building
shall also include a building
converted to a nonresidential use.
2. Neighborhood-specific modifications to the regulations listed in this section may be developed
using the “Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P)” pursuant to Sec. 4.6, Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P).
Infill standards shall not apply to the following uses:
1. Outdoor storage areas;
2. Outdoor sales;
3. Loading bays or loading areas
.
a. The context area for the required street yard
of the subject lot shall be the established street yards
(as defined by the distance between the primary structure
on each property and the edge of the right-of-way
) on residential lots, including structures converted to nonresidential use, with residential zoning along the same block face
.
For the purposes of this section, all lots on both sides along a cul-de-sac
or other similar street section shall be considered a block face
.
b. Vacant lots shall apply if the primary structure
was demolished after January 1, 2006. GIS maps, demolition documents, and any available surveys shall be used to determine the street yard
of the demolished building
. If no documentation is available, then the minimum or maximum street yard
of the zoning district, as applicable, shall be used.
c. Flag lots shall not be used for considering street yards
. For flag lot yard
requirements, see paragraph 6.12.5, Flag Lots.
a. The required street yard
shall be any distance between the smallest and largest street yards
within the context area. However, in no instance shall the smallest street yard
be less than five feet.
Example: The subject infill lot (B) and four other lots with residential zoning make up the block face
. One lot is undeveloped prior to January 1, 2006, and thus shall not be considered. The street yards
along the block face
of the three other lots are 10 feet (A), 15 feet (C), and 20 feet (D). Therefore, the required street yard
for the subject lot (B) can be anywhere between 10 feet (the smallest) and 20 feet (the largest).

b. If there are fewer than two lots that qualify within the context area, the street yard
requirement shall be that of the base zoning district.
c. For corner lots, one of the two street yards
may be developed
using side yard
standards.
d. For detached duplexes, only one building
must have a street yard
that meets the infill street yard
standards of UDO Section 6.8.2A.2. The other unit may use the infill or base zoning district street yard
standards at the applicant’s discretion.
3. Alleys
shall not be considered to create a new block
. Parcels
on the opposite side of an alley
shall be considered along the same block face
.
Porte cocheres
can extend into the side yard
when incorporated into the design and construction of the primary structure
, but in no case shall they be permitted to be closer than three feet from the property line.
In addition to required street trees, at least one canopy
or understory tree shall be planted or retained on the lot. For planting, the Durham Landscape Manual shall be used for species and planting area.
New construction
shall not exceed the average building
width for existing residential structures in the context area established in paragraph 6.8.2A.1, Context Area, by more than 25%, unless a building articulation
of at least six feet in depth at a point that mimics the average building
width in the context area is provided.
The maximum height of a primary structure
shall not exceed the height of the lesser of either of the following:
1. The maximum height permitted by the zoning district; or
2. More than 14 feet taller than the shortest height of primary structures on adjacent
lots along the block face
.
a. If there is not a primary structure
on an adjacent
lot, the next lot along the block face
shall be used.
b. If the next lot also lacks a primary structure
, then the height of the vacant adjacent
lot shall be the maximum allowed by the zoning district.
1. Where a lot abuts a publicly improved and maintained alley
, all vehicular access shall be taken from the alley
.
2. When a garage entrance faces a street other than an alley
, a single garage entrance shall be no more than 22 feet in width.
3. The construction material of the garage shall match that of the primary structure
. This shall not apply if the primary structure
is constructed in accordance with the North Carolina Residential Building
Code.
For sites in the Urban Tier where no other stormwater
controls are required, downspouts shall direct stormwater runoff
over pervious area and not piped to right-of-way
.
1. A vehicular use area includes all surface area designated or utilized for vehicle
parking or vehicle
access.
2. The maximum width of the vehicular use area shall be 12 feet; however, the vehicular use area can expand up to 24 feet in width to accommodate garage access or parking. The total additional vehicular use area beyond 12 feet in width shall:
a. Be behind the front building line
;
b. Be at least 20 feet from the front property line; and
c. Not exceed 400 square feet.

1. On-site parking facilities shall not be located in any required street yard
.
2. If parking facilities are located to the rear of the subject structure
, a rear entrance to the structure
shall be provided.
A. Nonresidential and group living development
in residential districts
shall comply with the dimensional standards in the following table:
Development | RURAL | SUBURBAN | URBAN | COMPACT | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 3 ac. | — | 15,000 | — | 5,000 | — | 5,000 | — |
Lot Width | 100 | — | 90 | — | 50 | — | 50 | — |
Open Space Core Area Support Area | — — — | — — — | 10 — — | — — — | 3 — — | — — — | — 1.0 3.0 | — — — |
Street Yard Feet from ROW % of Frontage |
50 — |
— — |
25 — |
— — |
60 |
201 — |
80 |
151 — |
Side Yard Min Each Side Min Both Sides (total) |
12 30 |
— — |
10 24 |
— — |
6 15 |
— — |
0 0 |
— — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 9 | — | 60 | — | 70 | — | 70 |
Height (feet) | — | 45 | — | 45 | — | 45 | — | 45 |
1 Street yard 2 May be further restricted by watershed | ||||||||
1. Principal uses listed in paragraph 5.2.4F, Parks and Open Areas, and paragraph 5.2.4J, Utilities, are exempt from the open space
requirements in paragraph 6.9.1A above.
2. Development
sites of an acre or less are exempt from the open space
requirements in the table in paragraph 6.9.1A, above.
3. Recreational open space
pursuant to paragraph 7.2.3A is not required for nonresidential and group living development
in residential districts
.
C. Development
in the Rural Villages
of Bahama and Rougemont as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
can use the Suburban Tier dimensional standards subject to Sec. 8.4, Floodplain and Flood Damage Protection Standards, Sec. 8.7, Watershed Protection Overlay Standards, and the availability of water and wastewater treatment systems.
Recreation areas, such as a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis, volleyball, or basketball court, shall be oriented
internally to the development
or along major roadways and away from adjacent
residential development
.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Rural Tier as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
shall comply with the standards in the table below.
1. Standards for All Districts
Dimensional Standard | CN | CG | I | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 2 | — | 3 | — | 10 | — |
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | 50,000 | — | — |
Lot Width | 100 | — | 150 | — | 250 | — |
Street Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 40 | — |
Side Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 50 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 50 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 23 | — | 35 | — | 30 |
Height (feet) | — | 25 | — | 25 | — | 50 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. The standards for I zoning shall apply to IL zoning.
b. Minimum side yards
in the CN and CG districts can be reduced to 15 feet if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use.
c. Additional height in the I District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
d. A development
within the CN District, with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Suburban Tier as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
shall comply with the standards in the tables below.
Dimensional Standard | CN | OI | CG | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 5,000 | — | 20,000 | — | 20,000 | — |
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | — | — | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 60 | — | 100 | — |
Street Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Side Yard | 15 | — | 20 | — | 25 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 | — | 60 | — | 60 |
Height (feet) | — | 35 | — | 55 | — | 55 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. Side yards
in the OI and CG districts can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use, or a railroad right-of-way
.
b. Rear yards
in the table above can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use, or a railroad right-of-way
.
c. Additional height in the OI District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
d. A development
within the CN district, with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a Minor Special Use
Permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
Dimensional Standard | SRP | IL | I | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | — | — | 25,000 | — | 30,000 | — |
Lot Width | 300 | — | 100 | — | 150 | — |
Street Yard | 100 | — | 40 | — | 40 | — |
Side Yard | 100 | — | 30 | — | 50 | — |
Rear Yard | 100 | — | 25 | — | 40 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 15 | — | 60 | — | 65 |
Height (feet) | — | 120 | — | 50 | — | 90 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. Within the SRP District:
(1) The street yard
shall only apply to yards
adjacent
to public rights-of-way.
(2) Side and rear yards
can be eliminated if adjacent
to a railroad right of way, or can be reduced to 30 feet if adjacent
to permanently protected open space
and the building separation
is at least 150 feet.
(3) No parking, loading, or storage shall be permitted within the required yard
areas.
(4) The maximum building coverage
shall not apply to parking structures.
b. Side yards
in the IL and I districts can be reduced by 10 feet if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use.
c. Rear yards
in the IL and I districts can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a railroad right-of-way
.
(1) IL District
On sites with a minimum three-acre lot area
, the maximum height can be increased as follows:
(a) Maximum 90 feet with a 50-foot street yard
.
(b) Maximum 120 feet with a 75-foot street yard
.
(c) Over 120 feet to a maximum 145 feet with a 75-foot street yard
and issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
(2) In the IL with lot acreage less than three acres, SRP, and I Districts, additional height, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
(3) Development
in the Rural Villages
of Bahama and Rougemont, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
, can use the Suburban Tier dimensional standards subject to Sec. 8.4, Floodplain and Flood Damage Protection Standards, Sec. 8.7, Watershed Protection Overlay Standards, and the availability of water and wastewater treatment systems.
(4) (County Only) SRP-C District
(a) Establishment of the District
(i) A minimum of 25 contiguous acres shall be required for an initial establishment of the zoning for a SRP-C District;
(ii) At least 75% of the district’s perimeter must be adjacent
to property zoned SRP, and such property shall be considered the supporting SRP District;
(iii) No SRP District may support more than one SRP-C district;
(iv) Additions shall be contiguous to the existing SRP-C District and may be made in increments of any size so long as the 75% perimeter minimum for the entire zoning area is maintained; and
(v) The maximum acreage of a SRP-C District shall be no more than one-third the contiguous acreage of the supporting SRP district.
(b) Mix of Uses
The SRP-C District shall consist of a mix of uses from at least three of the following use categories, and pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table: residential, public and civic, commercial, office
, and industrial uses.
(c) Dimensional Standards
The dimensional standards, and supplemental requirements to the dimensional standards, are as follows.
Dimensional Standard | SRP-C | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
Street Yard | 20 | — |
Side Yard | 20 | — |
Rear Yard | 20 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 |
Height (feet) | — | 300 |
1 Building coverage | ||
(i) Minimum street yards
do not apply to rights-of-way internal to the SRP-C District.
(ii) Minimum side and rear yards
shall only apply when adjacent
to property not zoned SRP or SRP-C.
(iii) No parking, loading or storage shall be permitted within the required yard
areas.
(iv) Buildings with frontage along a public right-of-way
shall have a maximum podium
height equal to the width of the right-of-way
. Additional height is permitted with upper story step-backs
, as measured from the right-of-way
line; where x feet of step-back allows 2x feet of additional height.
(v) Buildings proposed adjacent
to property zoned residential shall have a maximum height of 100 feet. Additional height may be approved with approval of a major special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
(vi) The maximum building coverage
shall not apply to parking structures.
(vii) The maximum building coverage
shall be calculated based upon the gross area of the contiguous SRP-C District.
(d) Additional Standards
(i) Minimum ground floor
glazing
for building
façades facing rights-of-way shall be 50% for all nonresidential uses and 30% for residential uses.
(ii) Parking decks shall provide openings for each level of the façade facing a right-of-way
at a minimum rate of 30% of the façade.
(iii) Standards of Sec. 7.4, Outdoor Lighting, shall not apply so long as the maximum illumination at the edge of an SRP-C district does not exceed the limits pursuant to paragraph 7.4.3, Standards.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Urban Tier, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
, shall comply with the standards in the tables below.
Dimensional Standard | CI | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
— | 20,000 | |
Street Yard | 5 | 15 |
Side Yard | — | 10 |
Rear Yard | 10 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 40 |
a. Buildings greater than 20,000 square feet are allowed in the CI District if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
b. Additional height in the CI District, up to 50 feet, is allowed if the building
uses upper story step-backs
at a ratio of one to one.
c. Minimum ground floor
glazing
for building
façades facing street frontages
shall be 60% for all nonresidential uses and 50% for residential uses.
d. Where the right-of-way
line is further from the curb than the maximum street yard
, the right-of-way
line shall be the required maximum street yard
; structures shall not be allowed in the public right-of-way
.
Dimensional Standard | CN | OI | CG | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 5,000 | — | 20,000 | — | 20,000 |
|
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | — | — | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 50 | — | 100 |
|
Street Yard | — | 15 | — | 15 | — | 15 |
Side Yard | 10 | — | 10 | — | 15 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 | — | 60 | — | 60 |
Height (feet) | — | 35 | — | 90 | — | 55 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. A primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Additional height in the OI District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
c. Height in the OI District shall be capped at 45 feet for any structures located within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins residentially used and designated property.
d. A development
within the CN District with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
e. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the CN, OI, and CG Districts may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
Dimensional Standard | IL | I | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 5,000 | — | 25,000 | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 100 — | — |
Street Yard | — | 20 | 40 | — |
Side Yard | 15 | — | 40 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 40 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 | — | 65 |
Height (feet) | — | 50 | — | 90 |
1 Building coverage | ||||
a. In the IL District, a primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Rear yards
can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a railroad right-of-way
.
c. Additional height, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
d. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the IL District may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Compact Neighborhood Tier, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
, except development
within CD districts, shall comply with the standards in the tables below.
Dimensional Standard | CI | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
— | 20,000 | |
Street Yard | 5 | 15 |
Side Yard | — | 10 |
Rear Yard | 10 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 40 |
a. Buildings greater than 20,000 square feet are allowed in the CI District if approved through a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
b. Additional height in the CI District, up to 50 feet, is allowed if the building
uses upper story step-backs
at a ratio of one-to-one.
c. Minimum ground floor
glazing
for building
façades facing street frontages
shall be 60% for all nonresidential uses and 50% for residential uses.
d. Where the right-of-way
line is further from the curb than the maximum street yard
, the right-of-way
line shall be the required maximum street yard
; structures shall not be allowed in the public right-of-way
.
Dimensional Standard | CN | OI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 50 | — |
Street Yard | — | 15 | — | 15 |
Side Yard | 10 | — | 10 | — |
Rear Yard | 15 | — | 15 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 35 | — | 120 |
a. A primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Additional height in the OI District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
c. Height in the OI District shall be capped at 45 feet for any structures located within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins residentially used and designated property.
d. A development
within the CN District with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
e. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the CN and OI Districts may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
Dimensional Standard | CG | IL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 50 |
|
Street Yard | — | 15 | — | 15 |
Side Yard | 10 | — | 15 | — |
Rear Yard | 15 | — | 15 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 90 | — | 50 |
a. A primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Additional height in the CG District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
c. Height shall be capped at 45 feet for any structures located within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins residentially used and designated property.
d. Subject to the restriction in paragraph 6.10.1D.3.c above, OI uses allowed in IL districts located in the Compact Neighborhood Tier shall have a maximum height limit of 60 feet permitted by right. Additional height up to 75 feet is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
e. Subject to the restriction in paragraph 6.10.1D.3.c above, and not withstanding paragraph 6.10.1D.3.d above, hotel, motel, and extended stay uses; places of worship
; government facilities (excluding correctional facilities
) and lodges and clubs allowed in IL districts located in the Compact Neighborhood Tier shall have a maximum height limit of 80 feet permitted by right. Additional height up to 95 feet is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
f. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the CG and IL Districts may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
A new structure
or modifications to an existing structure
shall not be required to conform to the street yard
requirements of the district in the following circumstances:
1. For districts with minimum street yard
requirements (excluding Design Districts):
a. Where 50% or more of the lots on the same block face
as the lot in question are developed
with less than the required street yard
, the average setback
of the buildings on the developed
lots on the block
with less than the required street yard
shall be observed as the minimum setback
for a new structure
;
b. Where the lot on which the new structure
is proposed is between two adjacent
existing developed
lots with less than the required street yard
, the average setback
of the buildings of both adjacent
lots shall be observed as the minimum street yard
;
c. Where a block face
of less than 500 feet is split into more than one zoning district, the zoning district with the most frontage shall determine the minimum street yard
setback
. However, this provision shall not apply if the street right-of-way
is less than 50 feet wide and property on the opposite side of the street is residentially used or zoned, in which case the provisions of paragraph 6.8.2A, Street Yards, shall be applied.
2. In the Urban and Compact Neighborhood Tiers, excluding Design Districts, the applicable street yard
of a multiple-frontage lot shall be applied to the frontage with the predominant orientation
of existing structures along the blockface. The other frontage shall be considered a side or rear as applicable; or
3. In the Urban and Compact Neighborhood Tiers, excluding Design Districts, the maximum street yard
shall be considered a minimum street yard
for the following primary uses:
a. Fuel sales.
b. Vehicle
sales.
1. The following residential development
shall be allowed as indicated with a “✔”.
| Zoning District | Residential Development | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Single-Family | Townhouse | Detached Rowhouse (paragraph 7.1.8) | Multiplex | Apartment | Upper Story | |
CI, CG, OI | — | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
CN | ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
(County Only) SRP-C | — | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
2. For a single-family
detached house and duplex, the following zoning district development
standards pursuant to paragraph 6.2.1, Development Standards, or paragraphs 7.1.2B and 7.1.6B, Development
Standards, as applicable, shall apply:
Tier of the Development | Applicable Zoning District Development |
|---|---|
Rural | RR (watershed |
Suburban | RS-M |
Urban | RU-M |
Compact Neighborhood | RC |
3. For all other residential development
, the development
standards applicable to the base zoning district, or the CI District under the provisions in paragraph 6.10.1. shall apply.
4. Height for Housing Types
a. The maximum height for the housing type shall be as follows:
Tier of the Development | Maximum Height | |
|---|---|---|
Single-Family | All other Allowed | |
Rural and Suburban | 3 stories | Height as allowed for the RS-M District per paragraph 6.3.1A, Dimensional Standards |
Urban | 3 stories | Height as allowed for the RU-M District per paragraph 6.4.1A, Dimensional Standards |
Compact Neighborhood | 3 stories | Height as allowed for the RC District per paragraph 6.5.1A, Dimensional Standards |
b. For Single-family
detached house, additional height is allowed at a rate of one story
per ten feet of additional setback
provided, with a maximum height of 50 feet.
5. Street level residential development
shall not be allowed in the CI District, except for townhomes
.
6. (County Only) The development
standards for the SRP-C District shall apply to all residential development
.
1. The residential density
shall be based only on that portion of the tract
dedicated
to the residential use and the minimum and maximum residential densities
(shown as units per acre) allowed shall be as shown in the table below:
District | Rural | Suburban | Urban | Compact | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min | Max | Min | Max | Min | Max | Min | Max | |
CI | 5 | — | 8 | — | 8 | — | 8 | — |
CN | — | 0.2 | — | 81,2 | 8 | — | 8 | — |
OI | — | — | 8 | 111,2 | 8 | — | 8 | — |
CG | — | 0.2 | 8 | 111,2 | 8 | — | 8 | — |
(County Only) SRP-C | — | — | — | 203 | — | — | — | — |
1 Density 2 For multifamily 3 Density | ||||||||
2. Density
limits shall not apply to upper story
residential units in the CI District.
3. For residential development
in nonresidential districts, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
Open space
shall be provided in all residential developments
within nonresidential districts pursuant to the table below. (County Only) Required open space
within the SRP-C District can be provided anywhere within the contiguous district area.
Tier | |
|---|---|
Rural and Suburban | 18% of gross area |
Urban | 6% of gross area |
Compact Neighborhood | 5% of gross area |
Planned districts shall be established to allow for design flexibility and to encourage efficient use of land and public services and high quality design. These regulations are intended to allow innovative development
that is integrated with proposed adjacent
uses and compatible with existing patterns of nearby development
.
A. A development plan
meeting the requirements of paragraph 3.5.6, Development Plan
, shall be required as part of the zoning map change application to any planned district, except in the UC and UC-2 districts as indicated below.
B. The initial zonings to establish the UC and UC-2 districts on each campus, which shall be initiated by the appropriate governing body for each university/college campus, shall not require a development plan
, though the university or college
can submit a development plan
providing additional details and restrictions beyond minimum Ordinance requirements, for all or parts of the area associated with the initial zoning map change
. A basic zoning map change application shall be required for the initial zoning map change
, along with documentation on the availability of adequate parking and a limited surcharge fee to cover public notification requirements.
C. Except in the MU District, uses shall be permitted only in the location shown on the approved development plan
. Development
of the property shall not begin until a site plan
has been approved for that portion of the property. Site plans
shall be reviewed for conformance with an approved development plan
A type of plan that becomes part of the zoning of a property that establishes the level of development allowed absent further zoning action except as otherwise allowed or required under this Ordinance.. Should alterations or changes represent a substantial departure from the approved plan, an amendment is required. The same procedures as required for the original approval shall be required for development plan
amendments.
D. Unless alternative standards are explicitly established in the provisions below, all relevant standards and provisions of this Ordinance shall apply to development
within any planned district.
1. The primary use allowed within the PDR District shall be residences, including manufactured homes.
2. Manufactured homes shall be permitted only where they have been expressly indicated on the approved development plan
. Manufactured house subdivisions
and parks shall be designated as such on the development plan
and show lot layouts and the orientation
of the house to the street in the development
plans.
3. Nonresidential uses allowed in the PDR District shall be limited to those uses listed in the Sec. 5.1, Use Table. Nonresidential uses can be approved subject to the use limitations established in Sec. 5.3, Limited Use
Standards, and the following conditions.
a. When both nonresidential and residential uses are proposed, the dwelling units
can be separate structures from the nonresidential uses or located in the same structure
as the nonresidential uses.
b. Nonresidential acreage shall be included in any calculations of residential density
.
c. The building
location(s) shall be specified in the development plan
.
d. Nonresidential uses shall be located with street access deemed adequate by the City Transportation Department.
e. Nonresidential square footage shall promote a range of services for residents. For projects with at least 100 dwelling units
, one lot, minimum 5,000 square feet, shall be reserved
for civic or commercial uses. For projects with at least 300 dwelling units
, one lot, minimum 10,000 square feet, or two lots, minimum of 5,000 square feet each, shall be reserved
for civic or commercial uses. Such uses shall be in addition to open space
requirements and residential amenities.
No minimum site area
for the initial approval of the zoning district is required.
a. No minimum lot area
shall be required to be specified.
b. Lot areas
described on a development plan
may be increased by the appropriate State agency
or County Health Department in order to ensure adequate waste
treatment.
The specific maximum density
in units per acre, other than the areas proposed for nonresidential development
and areas precluded from consideration for density
in paragraphs 8.4.4, Development
in Special Flood Hazard Areas and Future Conditions Flood
Hazard Areas; and 8.8.5, Density
Credits, shall be included in the application. The allowable density
shall be consistent with the land use designation shown in the Comprehensive Plan
.
The maximum nonresidential intensity shall reflect the CI intensity, consistent with Sec. 6.10, Nonresidential District Development Intensity, for the tier in which the project is located.
Maximum building
height shall be the lesser of 9 stories
or 100 feet. Any building
over 40 feet shall be identified on the development plan
submitted for approval.
a. Manufactured homes in parks shall maintain a distance of at least 16 feet between other manufactured homes. Added on rooms, porches, and other structures attached to the manufactured home shall be considered part of the manufactured home.
b. The governing body can reduce or increase separations after consideration of the general bulk and scale in comparison with nearby development
. Such modification shall only occur in conjunction with the approval of the development plan
.
Front, side, and rear yards
must be defined by the Development Plan
. No minimum yards
shall be required for primary or accessory buildings, except as defined by the Development Plan
. Previously approved Development
Plans without defined yards
shall have the following minimum street yard
requirements:
Residential Density | Minimum Street Yard |
|---|---|
1.0 to 8.0 units per acre | 8 feet |
More than 8.0 units per acre | 15 feet |
1. Required open space
shall be provided based upon the density
of the project as follows:
Residential Density | Percent of Gross Area |
|---|---|
0 to 3.00 units per acre | 15 |
3.01 to 6.00 units per acre | 16 |
6.01 to 10.00 units per acre | 17 |
10.01 to 16.00 units per acre | 18 |
16.01 units per acre or greater | 20 |
2. Uses of open space
shall be as defined in Sec. 7.2, Open Space
.
Blank walls visible from the street shall be buffered with plantings. Landscaping improvements meeting the same requirements as the landscaping required for vehicle
use areas with exposure to the street established in Sec. 9.8, Vehicular Use
Area Landscaping, shall be provided for all blank walls exceeding 50 feet in length.
At least 30% of the parking spaces
for nonresidential uses shall be located to the side or rear of nonresidential structures within any PDR.
In addition to meeting all of the requirements of Sec. 12.4, Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility, sidewalks shall be provided between the retail and office
uses and the dwelling units
within any PDR.
Unless specifically differentiated, all requirements that refer to the UC District apply to both the UC and UC-2 districts.
1. The primary use allowed in a UC district shall be colleges and universities and such ancillary uses as are typically associated with a university or college
that are customary and subordinate
to the primary educational function of the university or college
use, including dormitories, stadia, enclosed arenas, auditoriums, and museums
.
2. Other uses shall be limited to those uses listed in paragraph 5.1.2, Use
Table, that can demonstrate a direct relationship to an academic use, such as university medical center uses, including teaching hospitals
, medical schools, nursing schools, biomedical research facilities, and support space.
1. Initial Establishment of the Zoning District
A university or college
may elect to have all or parts of its campus covered in the initial establishment of the zoning district, so long as those areas are covered by the appropriate campus master plan. For the UC District, no areas of the campus that were not under the direct control of the university prior to January 1, 2002, shall be included in the initial establishment of the zoning district. For the UC-2 District, no areas of the campus that were not under the direct control of the university or college
prior to January 1, 2010, shall be included in the initial establishment of the zoning district.
Any property included as part of a university or college
campus in a campus master plan can be included in a UC district. A campus master plan shall be submitted to the Planning Department prior to any zoning map change submittal. Such campus master plans shall be viewed as illustrative in nature and can be updated, in whole or in part, at any time.
A Transitional Use
Area shall be designed to establish standards at the edges of the campus that minimize any adverse impacts of proposed development
on adjacent
properties.
a. For the UC District, standards shall be applicable to a 150-foot wide area at the boundaries of the UC District. Where applicable, the Transitional Use
Area shall be measured from the midpoint of public right-of-way
adjacent
to the edge of the district. If a public right-of-way
is wider than 200 feet, and contains no existing or planned structures, then a Transitional Use
Area shall not be required.
b. For the UC-2 District, standards shall be applicable to a 75-foot-wide area at the boundaries of the UC-2 District. Where the edge of the zoning district is within or adjacent
to a public right-of-way
, the Transitional Use
Area shall be measured from the midpoint of the right-of-way
. Where the edge of the zoning district is not within or adjacent
to a right-of-way
, the Transitional Use
Area shall be measured from the property line or exact location of the edge of the district.
a. All areas of each university or college
within a UC district that are not included within a Transitional Use
Area shall be considered to be within the Internal Campus
.
b. Within the Internal Campus
, only limited regulations shall apply, as indicated below.
The maximum height of a structure
within the Transitional Use
Area shall be regulated as follows:
a. Within the UC District, building
height shall not exceed 150% of the average height of buildings on adjacent
properties (including those directly across a public right-of-way
), to a maximum of 100 feet. In calculating the average height for the adjacent
buildings, the following considerations shall be included: maximum permitted heights for developable
vacant lots; the taller of buildings in front or behind each other; and included within 150 feet of the perimeter transition area. Heights shall not be increased beyond 150% of average surrounding heights unless a major special use permit is approved in accordance with Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, in which case the height may be increased up to a maximum of 145 feet.
b. Within the UC-2 District, building
height shall not exceed the distance to the edge of the district (which is the mid-point of the right-of-way
if the edge of the district is a public street), to a maximum of 75 feet. The ratio of building
height to distance from the edge of the district shall be no more than 1:1 (see diagram below). Heights shall not be increased beyond this limit unless a major special use permit is approved in accordance with Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, in which case the height may be increased up to a maximum of 120 feet.

The maximum height of a structure
shall be 120 feet, unless a major special use permit is approved in accordance with Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, in which case the height may be increased up to a maximum of 145 feet.
a. For new development
, documentation shall be required that demonstrates architectural and site design compatibility with adjacent
buildings and sites, considering the following criteria:
(1) Roof type, including extent of eaves and eave ornamentation, if any;
(2) Articulation
of the façades, including details, massing, and rhythm, associated with the architectural styles adjacent
to the district;
(3) Facade materials; and
(4) Size, pattern, style, and location of windows and doors.
This documentation shall be submitted with the site plan
for each proposed development
within the Transitional Use
Area.
b. Each building
shall have a direct orientation
and entryway facing a street. Articulation
of any side of a building
facing a street at the perimeter of a UC district shall be similar in expression and articulation
to the primary façade.
Specific architectural standards shall not apply, unless shown as committed elements
on a development plan
.
Within a Transitional Use
Area, all standards of Sec. 7.4, Outdoor Lighting, shall apply except that new athletic fields shall not be illuminated after 11:00 p.m.
Within the Internal Campus
, the standards of Sec. 7.4, Outdoor Lighting, shall not apply so long as the maximum illumination at the edge of a UC district does not exceed the limits imposed by paragraph 7.4.3, Standards.
All applicable environmental standards of Article 8, Environmental Protection, shall apply within the UC or UC-2 districts.
Within a Transitional Use
Area, landscaping shall be provided in accordance with Article 9, Landscaping and Buffering, so as to ensure compatibility with adjacent
properties.
Other than street trees pursuant to Sec. 9.6. Street Trees, no specific landscaping requirements shall apply.
In the Transitional Use
Area, surface parking lots
shall not be located immediately adjacent
to or across from properties zoned residential unless separated from the street by a landscaped area equivalent to the average street yard
of existing buildings or parking lots
on adjacent
properties.
1. The required number and location of motorized and bicycle parking spaces
shall be tied to the university or college
’s documentation of adequate parking availability during peak periods of typical academic days. In order to document that there are adequate parking facilities, a plan from each university or college
covered by a UC district shall be filed with the City-County Planning Department and reviewed and approved by the Planning Director or designee.
The following information shall be provided in the plan:
a. A map depicting the location of parking lots
within the UC District and those outside the UC District which are utilized to satisfy parking requirements.
b. An inventory of the number of parking spaces
, per parking lot
or structure
, including the type of parking spaces
(compact, handicap accessible, reserved
, visitor, etc.). Totals shall be provided for sub-areas as well as district-wide. Parking can include spaces located outside the UC District that are controlled by the university or college
, as long as that parking serves the UC District.
c. A report indicating the typical maximum occupancy of each parking lot
or structure
at typical peak-period. Data shall distinguish between permit-parking and visitor parking. The occupancy data shall be collected within six months of the date of plan submittal and shall include the date(s) and time(s) of the data collection.
d. The inventory of bicycle parking spaces
within the UC District, indicating the total number of spaces within each section or sub-area within the campus, as well as district-wide. General locations of bicycle parking spaces
shall be identified on a map.
e. A summary report describing any Traffic Demand Management (TDM) programs operated by the university or college
within a UC District.
f. A report indicating any changes in enrollment and employment by the University or college
within a UC District since the last plan update and any projected changes within the next four years.
g. A summary report indicating the availability of the following within a UC District:
(1) Sidewalk connectivity;
(2) Transit and remote parking services; and
(3) Bicycling amenities.
2. The documentation shall demonstrate that the following minimum standards are met:
a. The vacancy rate for total, district-wide motorized parking shall be at least 10%.
b. The individual vacancy rates for total parking and visitor parking within each sub-area shall be at least five percent.
c. The total number of bicycle parking spaces
shall be at least 10% of total motorized parking district-wide; and at least five percent or two parking spaces
, whichever is greater, within each sub-area.
3. If a sub-area does not meet the minimum parking standards, any proposed development
in that sub-area that requires a site plan
, except for the following exemptions, shall include motor vehicle
and/or bicycle parking, as applicable, to lessen the deficiency.
a. In lieu of providing additional motor vehicle
parking, documentation of new or revised remote parking facilities that remove or lessen the deficiency, but do not create new deficiencies elsewhere, can be provided.
b. Exemptions from providing any additional parking consist of the following improvements:
(1) Unmanned facilities of less than 1,000 square feet, such as storage rooms, mechanical equipment, coolers, or stand-alone ice kiosks;
(2) Buildings or additions of less than 1,000 square feet of building
area;
(3) Improvements that are documented to solely bring existing facilities up to current health, safety, or building
code requirements;
(4) Grading
and/or utility improvements for sewer or water service; or
(5) Any site plan
submittal that only requires review by the Planning Department.
4. If a college or university has provided documentation of TDM programs, then the minimum motor vehicle
vacancy rates shall be reduced by one percent.
5. Sub-areas shall be geographically and functionally cohesive. Remote parking can be identified as serving a sub-area.
6. Approved parking plans shall be valid for a four-year period.
7. Parking requirements pursuant to paragraph 10.3.1, Required Motorized Vehicle
and Bicycle Parking, are not required for site plans
in a UC district if an approved, valid parking plan is in place. If there is not an approved, valid parking plan in effect at the time a development
approval is requested by an institution, the parking requirements of Sec. 10.3, Required Parking, shall be applied. Alternatively, processing of the requested development
approval may be delayed until a new parking plan is approved.
All applicable standards of Article 11, Sign Standards, shall apply.
The standards of Sec. 11.8, Elements of Common and Way-Finding Signage Plans
, shall not apply.
The requirements of Chapter 58 of the City Code, Solid Waste
Collection and Disposal
, may be modified on projects within a UC district if the college or university has filed a solid waste
master plan with the City and that plan has been approved by the Solid Waste
Director or designee.
(1) A traffic impact analysis consistent with the requirements of Sec. 3.3, Traffic Impact Analysis, shall be required with or in advance of site plan
approval of projects utilizing a UC district when appropriate thresholds are reached.
(2) Within the City, this analysis may be included at the time of zoning map changes to a UC district initiated by the university or college
or in advance of site plan
submittals. If provided after the zoning map change, a single TIA, at the applicant’s discretion, may reflect development
throughout a UC district, for identified areas within a UC district, or be provided on a site plan
specific basis.
If the applicant performs the TIA utilizing any option other than the site plan
specific basis, the university or college
may submit a proposed implementation schedule for the provision of required road
improvements, with the improvements tied to specific dates rather than specific projects. Such an implementation schedule shall be reviewed and, if approved by the City, shall be used to govern the timing of all required road
improvements.
The college or university shall provide public sidewalk with each site plan
application in the following manner:
a. The length of sidewalk required per site plan
shall be equal to the total of the widest dimension of the project area(s).
b. Sidewalk can be placed as permitted in paragraph 12.4.2C.1; however, locations shall be prioritized as follows:
(1) Locations within the campus specified within the Durham Walks! Plan or subsequently adopted pedestrian plan(s);
(2) Within the TUA located within one mile of the project site;
(3) Along public right-of way internal to the district.
c. No sidewalk shall be required pursuant to paragraph 12.4.2D, Exemptions.
d. Payment-in-lieu is available pursuant to paragraph 12.4.2C.2, Payment-in-lieu (City only).
A stormwater
impact analysis shall be required to be approved in advance of site plan
approval when appropriate thresholds on campus development
are reached. Such an analysis may reflect development
throughout a UC district, for identified areas within a UC district, or be provided on a site plan
specific basis. If provided utilizing any option other than the site plan
specific basis, the university or college
may submit a proposed implementation schedule for the provision of required stormwater
improvements, with the improvements tied to specific dates rather than specific projects. Such an implementation schedule shall be reviewed and approved by the City or County, as appropriate and, if approved, shall be used to govern the timing of all required improvements.
1. The primary use allowed within the CC District shall be commercial. Use
of this District shall require multiple buildings and tenants.
2. Uses allowed in the CC District shall be limited to those uses listed in Sec. 5.1, Use Table. Proposed residential uses in a CC District shall be noted on the Development Plan
.
3. Commercial outparcels
shall not comprise more than 50% of the acreage or floor area
of the development
.
a. A minimum of four contiguous acres shall be required for initial approval.
b. Additions to an approved CC District may be made in increments of any size.
No minimum lot area
shall be required.
1. Within the Suburban Tier, residential development
shall conform to the standards of the RS-M District.
2. Within the Urban and Compact Neighborhood tiers, residential development
shall conform to the standards of the RU-M District.
3. When a conflict occurs between this section and the RS-M or RU-M standards for open space
, site area
, or lot area
, the stricter rules shall apply.
1. Within the Suburban Tier, the maximum density
shall be 11 units per acre.
2. Within the Urban Tier, the maximum density
shall be 14 units per acre.
3. Within a Compact Neighborhood Tier, the maximum density
shall be 18 units per acre.
1. The maximum height shall be determined by the square footage of the buildings in the development
, as indicated below:
Square Footage | Maximum Height |
|---|---|
Less than 150,000 | 50 feet |
150,000 to less than 250,000 | 90 feet |
More than 250,000 | 145 feet |
2. Any building
over 50 feet shall have its proposed location and height shown on the development plan
.
Access to all outparcels
shall be from the project area. No outparcel
shall have direct access onto a public road
.
1. All nonresidential and upper-story residential structures shall maintain yards
per the CG District within the applicable Tier.
2. Apartment and multiplex structures shall maintain yards
per the applicable housing type in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
3. Yard
requirements shall not apply to internal property lines of the overall development
site.
Development
plans shall indicate a continuous internal pedestrian system designed to permit ready access between all elements of the development
, including outparcels
.
Use
of this District shall require multiple buildings. Uses allowed in the IP District shall be limited to those uses listed in Sec. 5.1, Use Table.
a. A minimum of ten contiguous acres shall be required for initial approval.
b. Additions to an approved IP District may be made in increments of any size.
No minimum lot area
shall be required.
A landscaped Transitional Use
Area of at least 30 feet shall be established around the perimeter of the District and shall be shown on the development plan
. If a buffer
required pursuant to Sec. 9.4, Project Boundary Buffers, imposes a greater width requirement than the Transitional Use
Area, the buffer
requirement shall apply.
The maximum height of any building
shall be 90 feet, unless a taller building
is identified on the development plan
, in which case the maximum building
height shall be 145 feet.
Other than the Transitional Use
Area requirements, no yard
requirements shall be established.
Development
plans shall indicate a continuous internal pedestrian system designed to permit ready access between all elements of the development
.
1. A mixed-use development
shall require residential uses as listed in Sec. 5.1, Use Table, and uses from at least one of the following use categories, with the actual uses limited to those identified in the use table:
a. Public and civic;
b. Commercial; or
c. Office![]()
The location of the uses shall be shown on the development plan
.
2. Additions to MU developments
shall not be required to include multiple use types provided the use types are present on the overall site and the required ratios of use established in paragraph B.2 below are maintained.
a. A minimum of four contiguous acres shall be required for initial approval. A smaller initial site may be allowed, if the applicant can demonstrate to the governing body that certain circumstances exist that make an area of less than four acres suitable due to factors including but not limited to, location, topography, or compatibility with adjacent
uses. Sites smaller than four acres shall comply with the other requirements of the district, including the requirement to provide at least two use types on the overall site.
b. Additions to an approved MU district may be made in increments of any size.
a. For mixed use
developments
containing two uses, no use shall occupy less than 30% of the floor area
or gross acreage of the project.
b. For projects with three or more uses, the 30% minimum for a single use shall be waived; however, no single use shall occupy more than 60% of the floor area
or gross acreage of the project.
c. Changes in the location of use areas within a project shall be approved through the site plan
process; provided that all other requirements of the district, including the required mix of uses, are met.
d. For projects utilizing Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus, the affordable housing dwelling units
:
(1) Shall not be included in the percent calculations for paragraphs 6.11.7B.2.a and 6.11.7B.2.b, above; and
(2) At least 10% of the affordable housing dwelling units
shall be in each phase of the project.
Any dimensional requirements for individual lots shall be specified in the development plan
.
A 50-foot wide Transitional Use
Area shall be established around the perimeter of each MU district. Within these areas, use and building
scale (massing and height) shall reflect the uses permitted within the adjacent
property; except that a single-story (or 15-foot) differential in building
height between the proposed and adjacent
uses shall be allowed. If, as a result of the location of uses within an MU district, a use is proposed that would typically require a buffer
from the use on an adjacent
property not in the district, then the buffer
requirements of the typical district shall apply, even if they require a greater buffer
than the required Transitional Use
Areas.
The minimum gross residential density
shall be four units per acre for any portions of a project that are developed
solely as residential.
Tier | Maximum Density | Maximum Density |
|---|---|---|
Suburban | 14 | 18 |
Urban | 16 | 20 |
Compact Neighborhood | 16 | 53 |
For projects in which residential and nonresidential uses are integrated vertically, density
shall be calculated based upon the entire site acreage, including areas typically precluded from consideration for density
in Article 8, Environmental Protection.
For all other projects, residential density
shall only be calculated based upon that portion of the site allocated for residential uses, excluding the areas precluded for consideration for density
in Article 8, Environmental Protection.
The minimum floor area
shall be 30% of the square footage of the particular parcel
to be developed
.
No maximum floor area
shall be established. The maximum building coverage
shall be 70%.
The maximum height of a structure
shall be 50 feet, unless a greater height (up to 145 feet) is shown on the development plan
.
A 25-foot street yard
shall be maintained, unless the project is in a Suburban Transit Area as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
. Projects in these areas shall maintain a minimum street yard
of eight feet.
A 15-foot street yard
shall be maintained.
Projects shall respect a maximum street yard
such that at least 60% of the width of the street-facing façade is no more than 15 feet from the edge of right-of-way
.
At least 10% of the gross acreage of the entire site shall be devoted to open space
.
At least five percent of the gross acreage of the site shall be devoted to open space
.
At least two percent of the gross acreage shall be devoted to open space
.
The applicant shall establish a set of design guidelines that provide provisions for landscaping throughout the entire development
, ensuring that a common theme with consistent plant materials are utilized throughout the project.
Parking shall be provided at a maximum rate of 2.1 spaces per dwelling unit
.
Multifamily
parking shall not exceed an amount equivalent to 2.1 spaces per dwelling unit
.
a. Based upon the parking rates in paragraph 10.3.1A.4, Parking Rate Table, the amount of motor vehicle
parking shall be required as follow:
Maximum | 100% of the parking rate. An additional 25% is allowed as long as the additional parking spaces |
Development
plans shall indicate a continuous internal pedestrian system designed to permit ready access between all elements of the development
.
1. A phasing plan that identifies the stages of development
shall be required as part of the zoning map change application proposing to use the MU District.
2. Some components of both residential and nonresidential uses shall be included in the first phase of any project in the MU District.
1. A traffic impact study shall be required as a part of the development plan
when portions of the development
or the entire development
will generate vehicle
trip levels in excess of those identified in Sec. 3.3, Traffic Impact Analysis; however, the TSUP that may be required pursuant to paragraph 3.3.8, Transportation Special Use
Permit, shall not be required within the MU District.
2. The City Transportation Department or NCDOT, as appropriate, shall review the development plan
as well as the projected on-site and off-site traffic impacts, and determine that the mixed use
project is designed to adequately provide for transportation needs.
3. The City Transportation Department or NCDOT, as appropriate, may recommend that the governing body require the developer
to limit access points, provide additional lanes, install traffic islands, provide transit facilities, install traffic signals, or make other improvements to assure traffic safety.
1. Unless the public transit provider indicates in writing to the Planning Director that a shelter
is not required, construction of bus shelters
shall be mandatory wherever the project includes or is adjacent
to an existing or previously identified transit line extension proposed in adopted documents by the public transit provider.
2. Lots may front on public or private streets. A plan for the future maintenance of project amenities and any private streets shall be submitted with the Site Plan
.
A. Height maximums for residential uses shall be calculated by the vertical distance from finished ground level of one corner of the structure
, at the applicant’s discretion, to the highest finished surface. Height for nonresidential uses shall be calculated by the vertical distance from the average of the finished ground level to the finished roof surface of a flat roof or the point at the average height of a roof having a pitch; except for mansard roofs, which shall be measured to the highest finished surface. For buildings with more than one façade along the street, each building
façade shall be measured independently. Height for any building
with multiple roof levels shall be determined by the highest roof level.

1. The average finished ground level shall be calculated by averaging the spot elevations for all building
corners on a single structure
. Multiple, unattached structures on the same site shall have independently calculated average grade
for the purposes of measuring the height of each individual structure
.

2. Except in Design Districts, height for any building
with multiple roof levels shall be determined by the highest roof level.
3. In Design Districts for buildings where multiple height standards apply, see Sec. 16.3, Building
Design.
B. The height limitations shall not apply to steeples, decorative features including parapet walls less than four feet tall, roof access structures, towers less than 250 square feet, air conditioning units, utility poles, mechanical features (including those for solar energy systems
), roof access structures for mechanical equipment or stairways, belfries, lightning rods, antennas
other than those regulated in Article 5, Use
Regulations, water towers, clock towers, or any other tower up to 100 square feet in area which is not used for transmitting and receiving electronic signals or is not a corner tower element
regulated within Sec. 16.3, Building
Design.
Building
width shall be measured by the distance along the front plane of any building
(as determined by the location of an entrance fronting on a street) at the point of the street yard
, except in accordance with Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, when the prevailing setback
shall be used to fit the point of measurement.
1. Required yards
shall be unobstructed by structures, or objects constructed or erected in a fixed location on the ground, unless allowed by standards found elsewhere in this Ordinance.
2. Required yards
and other open areas provided for one lot or structure
shall not be considered as providing yard
space for another structure
or lot.
3. Required yards
shall be calculated from the adjacent
property line or street right-of-way
. If a new right-of-way
width has been established by the adoption of an official transportation planning document, then the yard
requirement shall be measured from the proposed right-of-way
line.
4. For lots that have multiple property lines that are to the side and rear of a lot, only one lot line, determined by the applicant, shall be considered a rear property line for determining the rear yard
, and all others shall be considered side lot lines.
5. For corner lots, there shall be only one rear yard
, determined by the applicant, and the other yards
shall be side or street yards
as applicable.
Unless otherwise regulated within this Ordinance, the following encroachment
standards shall apply:
Commentary: Easements
, other ordinances, or other legally established restrictions may limit encroachments
otherwise allowed by this Ordinance.
1. Chimneys, pre-fabricated chimneys, flues, or smokestacks can extend into yard
spaces but shall not occupy more than 30 square feet of the required yard
space.
2. Fire escapes can project up to eight feet into any required yard
. Fire escapes in the DD District are permitted to extend beyond the property line.
3. Cornices, eaves, ornamental features, and awnings can extend up to five feet into any required yard
, but shall remain at least two feet from the property line in side and rear yards
, except on zero lot line
homes.
4. Marquee
signs
can extend into yard
spaces in conformance with standards found in the Sec. 11.6, Signs Requiring Permits.
5. Pedestrian bridges, breezeways, and supports of these structures can extend into required yards
for transit access.
6. Security gates and guard stations can be located within any required yard
.
7. Decks, uncovered
terraces, and at-grade patios can extend up to four feet into any required side yard
, or up to eight feet into any required street yard
, or within four feet of a rear property line. Nonenclosed covered decks, porches, and stoops (of up to 50 square feet) can extend eight feet into required street and rear yards
; however, a minimum setback
of five feet from the property line shall be maintained. Non-enclosed covered stoops can also encroach
up to five feet in side yards
, but shall remain at least two feet from the property line in side and rear yards
.
8. Surface parking and associated lighting, uncovered
steps, and handicapped access ramps can be located within any yard
.
9. Except in Design Districts, bay windows, entrances, balconies, and similar features can extend up three feet into any required yard
, but shall remain at least three feet from the property line when encroaching
into the required yard
.
10. In Design Districts, refer to Sec.16.2 and Sec. 16.3 for balconies and bay windows.
11. Mechanical equipment for residential uses, such as HVAC units and equipment for a solar energy system
, can extend into any required side and rear yard
but shall remain at least three feet from the property line.
12. Trellises and pergolas can be located within any required yard
.
13. Fences and walls pursuant to Sec. 9.9, Fences and Walls, can be located within any required yard
.
14. Cabinets, such as “little libraries” or “blessing boxes,” can be located within any required yard
.
a. A maximum of one is allowed in any street yard
.
b. The maximum size of the cabinet shall be 21 cubic feet.
The calculation of the number of units allowed per minimum or maximum density
requirements can result in a fraction of a unit. If the fraction is less than one-half, the fraction shall be deleted. If the fraction is one-half or greater, the number shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
Other than calculating the density
bonus area pursuant to paragraph 6.4.3A, Major Roadway Density Bonus Area, all existing right-of-way
shall be excluded from the calculation of the area of a project for density
purposes. Right-of-way
shall mean the ultimate right-of-way
of a roadway as established by NCDOT or the City of Durham, as appropriate.
Area dedicated
as public right-of-way
, or other public facility
sites reserved
or dedicated
, pursuant to an adopted plan shall be credited towards the density
calculation.
The extension, or “pole,” for flag lots shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width.
In the Urban Tier and lots with RU zoning or RS-M zoning in the Suburban Tier, the extension, or “pole,” for flag lots can be a minimum of 12 feet in width. The following shall also apply:
The primary structure
on a flag lot with a pole less than 20 feet shall have a maximum height of the lesser of 2 stories
or 32 feet and maximum size of 1,200 heated square feet.
(1) A plat
shall be recorded to specify the house size limitations.
(2) Primary structures existing prior to February 25, 2019, shall not be limited to these standards and may be improved in accordance to the applicable single-family
detached housing type standards and other applicable standards.
(3) A vacant flag lot with a pole of less than 20 feet recorded prior to the effective date of these standards may be developed
as a standard flag lot.
The minimum lot width
of the remaining standard lot created from the parent
parcel
shall be 35 feet.
Small Lots and Reduced Pole Flag Lots must include one approved sustainable feature including ribbon driveway
, grid‐connected solar photovoltaic array1, solar hot water heating for domestic hot water2, spray foam insulation, Green Building Certification
, use of WaterSense products3, no on‐site parking, downspouts not piped to the right‐of‐way, or projects utilizing any part of the Affordable Housing Bonus as outlined in Section 6.6.
(1) An on‐site system that is estimated by the installer to produce
at least 25% of the home’s energy needs.
(2) Energy Star certified water heating system designated as Solar with Electric Backup or Solar with Gas Backup.
(3) To satisfy this requirement all toilets, bathroom faucets, and showerheads must meet EPA criteria for WaterSense.
All perimeter lot lines shall be side yards
for setback
purposes.
Where a flag lot abuts an improved and maintained alley
, motor vehicle
access shall only be taken from the alley
.
Driveways
may be shared for multiple flag lots, and for the new flag lot and remaining standard lot if the driveway
for the standard lot is new or to be relocated. Recorded shared access agreements are required for shared driveways
.

A maximum of five single family
or duplex lots are permitted to subdivide off of an existing lot of record
. In no case shall each subdivided lot have less than 5 feet of street frontage
. If all flag lots utilize the Reduced Pole Width Option in 6.12.5A.2, the combined width of all poles must be at least 12 feet in width. If any flag lot is a Standard Flag Lot as outlined in 6.12.5A.1, the combined width of all poles must be at least 20 feet in width. A shared driveway
may be used as the sole access to all such lots.
6 District Intensity Standards
The district development
standards of this Ordinance establish lot sizes and certain restrictions for all residential and nonresidential development
. These standards allow for variety in housing and building
types while striving to maintain the overall character of neighborhoods and commercial areas of Durham. Development
standards established in this Ordinance are based on Durham’s planning tiers as established in the Comprehensive Plan
. Standards in this section are specific to each district and are above and beyond the general standards for all districts enumerated in Article 7, Design Standards, through Article 13, Additional Requirements for Subdivisions. Separate standards are established to regulate residential and nonresidential development
in each tier and for certain nonresidential districts. This approach to district and tier development
standards implements the Comprehensive Plan
and has several public benefits:
A. It allows for development
that is more sensitive to the environment and allows for the preservation of open and natural areas.
B. It promotes quality site layout and energy-efficient development
.
C. It promotes affordable and life-cycle housing.
D. It promotes development
intensities that match existing and proposed infrastructure investments.
E. It promotes infill development
that is consistent in character and scale with established neighborhoods.
F. It promotes compact land development
that supports alternate transportation, such as bicycling, walking, mass transit.
G. It promotes market-based development
decisions while protecting shared public interests.
The district intensity standards set forth in this Article provide for flexible development
tools in each planning tier, as shown below. For the Downtown Tier and certain Compact Neighborhood Tiers, refer to Article 16, Design Districts.
Development | Rural | Suburban | Urban | Compact Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservation Subdivision | ✔ | ✔ |
|
|
Variable Housing Types |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Major Roadway Density |
| ✔ | ✔ |
|
Affordable Housing Bonus |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Lot Averaging |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cluster Subdivision |
| ✔ | ✔ |
|
Vertical Integration of Uses |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
1. All residential development
in the RR District shall meet the standards in the table below.
Dimensional Standard | Rural Tier Watershed | Rural Tier | All Other Locations | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Residential Density |
| |||||
Conventional Subdivision | — | 0.33 | — | 0.5 | — | 1.4 |
Conservation Subdivision | — | 0.5 | — | 0.75 | — | 2.0 |
Open Space |
| |||||
Conventional Subdivision | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Conservation Subdivision | 50 | — | 50 | — | 50 | — |
3 ac. | — | 2 ac. | — | 30,000 s.f. | — | |
Lot Width | 200 | — | 150 |
| 100 | — |
Street Yard | 50 | — | 50 |
| 50 | — |
Side Yard |
| |||||
Minimum Each Side | 25 | — | 12 |
| 12 | — |
Minimum Both Sides (total) | 50 | — | 30 |
| 30 | — |
Rear Yard | 50 | — | 25 |
| 25 | — |
Height, conventional and conservation subdivision |
| |||||
Stories |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
Feet |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 40 |
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Land, for additional land dedication 2 For conservation subdivision | ||||||
2. Within a conservation subdivision
:
a. The minimum street yard
shall be eight feet.
b. No minimum side yard
shall apply; however, a minimum building separation
of 10 feet shall apply.
c. Rear yards
shall be those indicated for conventional subdivisions
in the table in paragraph 6.2.1A.1 above.
d. Minimum lot areas
for conservation subdivisions
shall be approved by the County Health Department for individual wastewater treatment systems. Where public or community wastewater systems are approved to serve the development
, no minimum lot size or width shall apply.
3. Additional height is permitted for non-farm structures at a rate of one additional story
for every ten feet of additional setback
provided. In no event shall the structure
be more than 45 feet in height.
B. Development
in the Rural Villages
of Bahama and Rougemont as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
can use the Suburban Tier dimensional standards subject to Sec. 8.4, Floodplain and Flood Damage Protection Standards, and Sec. 8.7, Watershed Protection Overlay Standards, and the availability of water and wastewater treatment systems.
1. In addition to the accessory structure
requirements set forth in Sec. 5.4, Accessory Uses and Standards, the following accessory structures shall maintain a minimum 50-foot setback
from all property lines:
a. New farm
buildings and equestrian facilities; and
b. Pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures where livestock
are kept.
2. Livestock
shall be kept in pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures.
Commentary: The Durham City Code of Ordinances considers the accumulation of refuse and debris a public nuisance pursuant to Sec. 26-179, Accumulation of refuse and debris declared public nuisance; abatement.
Only single-family
detached houses, as described in paragraph 7.1.2, Purpose, and manufactured homes shall be permitted. For conservation subdivisions
in the Suburban Tier, single-family
, duplex, townhouse
, and detached rowhouse housing types are allowed.
Residential density
shall not exceed the maximum densities
set forth in paragraph 6.2.1A, Dimensional Standards.
The conservation subdivision
standards are established for the following purposes:
1. To provide flexibility of design in order to promote environmentally sensitive and efficient uses of the land;
2. To preserve in perpetuity unique or sensitive natural resources such as groundwater, floodplains, wetlands
, streams
, steep slopes, woodlands and wildlife habitat;
3. To preserve important historic and archaeological sites;
4. To permit clustering of houses and structures on less environmentally sensitive soils which will reduce the amount of infrastructure, including paved surfaces and utility easements
, necessary for residential development
;
5. To reduce erosion
and sedimentation
by minimizing land disturbance and removal of vegetation in residential development
;
6. To promote interconnected greenways and corridors throughout the community;
7. To promote contiguous green space with adjacent
jurisdictions;
8. To encourage interaction in the community by clustering houses and orienting
them closer to the street, providing public gathering places and encouraging use of parks and community facilities as focal points in the neighborhood;
9. To promote construction of landscaped walking trails and bike paths conveniently located both within the subdivision
and connected to neighboring communities, businesses and facilities to reduce reliance on automobiles;
10. To conserve scenic views from public roadways and reduce perceived density
; and
11. To protect prime agricultural land and preserve farming
as an economic activity.
1. This conservation subdivision
option is available as a use by right subject to subdivision
approval in accordance with Sec. 3.6, Subdivision Review; and in accordance with the standards set forth in paragraph 6.2.4H, Primary and Secondary Conservation Areas.
2. As required under Sec. 3.6, Subdivision Review, a conservation subdivision
shall conform to the requirements of this Ordinance, including Article 8, Environmental Protection, and other development-related ordinances; except that the requirements of this section shall supersede any conflicting ordinance provisions.
3. In the County jurisdiction, spray irrigation for the treatment of wastewater within a conservation subdivision
shall require a major special use permit under Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, unless the area to be irrigated is a primary conservation area that is farmland or agricultural land. This requirement shall also apply within the City jurisdiction unless the system has been approved by the State.
The tract
of land to be subdivided may be held in single and separate ownership or in multiple ownership. If held in multiple ownership, however, the site shall be developed
according to a single plan with common authority and common responsibility.
Maximum density
in a conservation subdivision
shall be determined by multiplying the gross area of the tract
of land, including all areas typically excluded from density
calculations in Article 8, Environmental Protection, by the maximum gross density
for the site as defined in subsection 6.2.1A, Dimensional Standards.
Mass grading
is allowed in conservation subdivisions
that receive public water/sewer service or use community wastewater treatment facilities or package treatment plants. It is prohibited in all other conservation subdivisions
.
Except for paragraph 7.2.5, Ownership and Management of Open Space, the requirements of Sec. 7.2, Open Space, do not apply to conservation subdivisions
.
The amount of open space
shall be 50% of total gross area as required under Sec. 6.2, Residential Rural (RR) Development Intensity, and shall be apportioned as set forth below in paragraph G, Primary and Secondary Conservation Areas and Other Open Space
.
Open space
shall be held in common ownership or dedicated
to the public or a land trust or similar conservation-oriented non-profit organization rather than platted
as part of individual private lots, and shall be subject to the requirements of paragraph 7.2.5, Ownership and Management of Open Space.
4. Notwithstanding the above requirements, area within required riparian buffers can be used to satisfy any open space
requirement.
In addition to all subdivision
application materials required in accordance with Sec. 3.6, Subdivision Review, the applicant shall submit a site analysis map. The complete site analysis map shall first be presented for discussion at the pre-application conference required under paragraph 3.2.2, Pre-Application Conference.
The purpose of the site analysis map is to ensure that the important site features have been adequately identified prior to the creation of the site design, and that the proposed open space
will meet the requirements of this section. The site analysis map shall include the following features:
a. Property boundaries;
b. All streams
, rivers, lakes, wetlands
and other hydrologic features;
c. Topographic contours of no less than 10-foot intervals unless a more precise vertical scale is available;
d. All primary and secondary conservation areas labeled by type (see paragraph H. below);
e. General vegetation characteristics;
f. General soil types and areas suitable for installation of on-site wastewater treatment systems;
g. The planned location of protected open space
;
h. Existing roads
and structures; and
i. Potential connections with existing open space
and trails.
At least 80% of the required open space
in a conservation subdivision
shall consist of primary conservation areas.
Commentary: Because 50% of the total gross area in a conservation subdivision
must be open space
under paragraph 6.2.1, Development Standards, 40% of the total gross area must be primary conservation areas.
The following are considered primary conservation areas and shall be included within the required open space
in the order of preference listed below. Secondary conservation areas and other open space
can be included only after primary conservation areas comprise 80% of required open space
.
a. Special Flood Hazard Areas and Future Conditions Flood
Hazard Areas;
b. Riparian buffers along all perennial and intermittent streams
;
c. Wetlands
protected by the Army Corps of Engineers or the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and any provided or required buffers;
d. Lakes, ponds, and other water bodies, excluding created stormwater
management facilities;
e. Areas at least 5,000 contiguous square feet in size with any natural slopes greater than 25%;
f. Existing forests (meeting the standards in paragraph 8.3.1D, Preserved Tree Coverage, except any that conflict with the provisions of this section), at least one contiguous acre in size, in which healthy hardwood trees at least 10 inches in diameter at breast height comprise at least 50% of the area;
g. Wildlife corridors, wildlife habitats, and other sites identified in the Durham County Inventory
of Important Natural Areas, Plants and Wildlife (Inventory
) or adopted plans;
h. Greenways, rail trails, and other open space
identified in adopted plans;
i. Historic sites or structures currently designated in, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places;
j. Sites identified in the Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory
;
k. Sites identified in the Durham County Archaeological Inventory
and other identified archeological sites, including cemeteries
and burial grounds;
l. Sites at least five contiguous acres in size identified by the City, County, State, or federal government as farmland or agricultural land that is prime, unique, or of statewide or local importance; and
m. Viewsheds from designated federal and North Carolina Scenic Byways.
The following are considered secondary conservation areas and shall be included within the required open space
in the order of preference listed below if additional space is still required after all primary conservation areas have been included:
a. Existing forests (meeting the standards in paragraph 8.3.1D, Preserved Tree Coverage, except any that conflict with the provisions of this section), at least 12,000 contiguous square feet in size, in which healthy hardwood trees at least 10 inches in diameter at breast height comprise at least 50% of the area;
b. Areas with any natural slope greater than 20%, unless identified as primary conservation areas;
c. Buffers in excess of Ordinance requirements around any primary conservation area;
d. Individual existing healthy trees greater than 18 inches in diameter at breast height; and
e. New or existing improved pedestrian trails that are not identified as primary conservation areas or located in other conservation areas and that do not negatively impact other conservation areas. Such trails can be located in utility easements
only if all utilities in the easements
are buried, and in such cases only the improved trails, and not the easements
, shall be considered secondary conservation areas.
The following areas can be included within the required open space
if additional space is still required after all primary and secondary conservation areas have been included:
a. Any land used for agricultural purposes that is not a primary conservation area;
b. Naturally vegetated areas, or areas re-vegetated to appear naturally vegetated, that are not primary or secondary conservation areas;
c. Playing fields surfaced with natural turf;
d. Golf courses
identified by the City or County as "green" due to use of best management practices, excluding club houses, parking areas, and other impervious surfaces
;
e. Stormwater
management facilities engineered as bioretention areas or wetlands
, including easements
for such facilities, can comprise a maximum of 10% of required open space
.
1. All residential development
in the RS Districts shall meet the standards in the table below. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
RS-20 | RS-10 | RS-8 | RS-M | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dimensional Standard | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. without Development Plan | Max. with Development Plan |
Residential Density Small Lot Option3 | — — | 2.0 — | — — | 4.0 12.0 | — — | 5.0 12.0 | — — | 8.0 12.0 | 18.0 18.0 |
Open Space Conventional Subdivision Cluster Subdivision | — — | — — | 15 15 | — — | 15 15 | — — | 18 18 | — | — — |
Site Area Conventional Subdivision Cluster Subdivision Site Width (feet) |
— 2 — |
— — — |
— 2 — |
— — — |
— 2 — |
— — — |
— — 200 |
— — — |
— — — |
Area and Width Requirements | |||||||||
Height | |||||||||
Stories | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | 3 | |
Feet2 |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 40 | |
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Land, for additional land dedication 2 Height is, or may be, further limited when using the small lot option, the reduced pole width flag lot option, infill standards, a neighborhood protection overlay, or by a local historic district. 3 Per paragraph 7.1.2C.1, Applicability, the small lot option is not allowed in the RS-20 district. Refer to that paragraph for further limits on the other RS districts. | |||||||||
2. The maximum residential density
does not apply to actions listed under paragraph 3.6.2, Actions Exempt from Subdivision
Requirements (Exempt Plats
). Where this maximum does apply, density
can be increased in accordance with paragraph 6.3.3B, RS-M District Major Roadway Density
Bonus, or Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus. Other than these options, the maximum density
shown cannot be exceeded even though the use of an alternative housing type may impose smaller lot size requirements.
3. For cluster subdivisions
in the RS-20, RS-10, and RS-8 Districts, the lot size reduction would be added to the minimum open space
requirement.
4. For both conventional and cluster subdivisions
in the RS-M District open space
requirements also apply to the development
standards for apartments.
5. Minimum lot area
for conventional, single-family
detached housing types can be reduced in accordance with paragraph 6.3.3C, Lot Averaging.
6. In the Suburban Tier, additional height in the RS-20, RS-10, and RS-8 Districts is permitted at a rate of one additional story
for every ten feet of additional setback
provided. In no event shall the structure
be more than 45 feet in height.
7. For projects in the RS-M District, the maximum height can be increased up to 5 stories
through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. In no event shall the structure
be more than 60 feet in height.
8. Minimum lot area
may be higher as required by the County Health Department for individual wastewater treatment systems or “package plant” style wastewater treatment systems.
1. In addition to the accessory structure
requirements set forth in Sec. 5.4, Accessory Uses and Structures, the following accessory structures shall maintain a minimum 50-foot setback
from all property lines:
a. New farm
buildings and equestrian facilities; and
b. Pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures where livestock
are kept.
2. Livestock
shall be kept in pens, chicken coops
, corrals, or similar enclosures.
Commentary: The Durham City Code of Ordinances considers the accumulation of refuse and debris a public nuisance pursuant to Sec. 26-179, Accumulation of refuse and debris declared public nuisance; abatement.
Residential uses allowed pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table, shall be limited to the housing types permitted in accordance with the following table. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Housing Type | RS-20 | RS-10 | RS-8 | RS-M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Single-Family | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Zero Lot Line |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Traditional House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Attached House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Duplex | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
✔1 | ✔1 | ✔1 | ✔ | |
Detached Rowhouse | ✔1 | ✔1 | ✔1 | ✔ |
Multiplex |
|
|
| ✔ |
Apartment |
|
|
| ✔ |
1 Cluster subdivision | ||||
Residential density
shall not exceed the maximum densities
set forth in paragraph 6.3.1A, Dimensional Standards.
An increase in the maximum residential density
of one unit per acre is allowed for all parcels
in the RS-M District, or as authorized elsewhere within the Ordinance, if at least one of the following conditions is met:
1. Parcels
maintain at least 500 feet of frontage on a major thoroughfare or boulevard
that is not a full or limited control-of-access facility.
2. Parcels
maintain at least 500 feet of frontage on a service road
for a full or limited control-of-access facility, and the development
utilizes the service road
for at least one access point pursuant to paragraph 12.2.4, External Access Required.
Lot area
averaging, as more specifically set forth in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types, is permitted, provided that:
1. The maximum reduction allowed is 15% of the minimum lot area
;
2. The average area of all lots in the subdivision
meets or exceeds the minimum lot area
; and
3. The overall density
of the subdivision
does not exceed the maximum permitted residential density
.
Commentary: Some lots in a proposed conventional subdivision
can be reduced in area by up to 15% (for example, a 10,000 SF lot could be reduced to 8,500 SF), provided that other lots exceed 10,000 SF and the overall average lot area
is 10,000 SF or greater.
For single-family
and two-family
developments
, the density
requirements in paragraph 6.3.1A, Dimensional Standards, do not apply if the project does not require subdivision
or site plan
approval.
1. All residential development
in the RU Districts shall meet the standards in the table below. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
| Dimensional Standard | RU-5 | RU-5(2) | RU-M | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. without a Development Plan | Max. with a Development Plan | ||
Residential Density | ||||||||
Project under Four Acres | — | 8.0 | — | 8.0 | — | 12.0 | 40.0 | |
Project Four Acres or Greater | 6.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 12.0 | 40.0 | |
Small Lot Option | — | 12.0 | — | 12.0 | — | 12.0 | 40.0 | |
Open Space | 5 | — | 5 | — | 6 | — |
| |
Area and Width Requirements | ||||||||
Height 2 | ||||||||
Stories | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | 5 | ||
Feet |
| 40 |
| 40 |
| 60 | ||
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Lands, for additional requirements that may apply. 2 Height is, or may be, further limited when using the small lot option, the reduced pole width flag lot option, infill standards, a neighborhood protection overlay, or by a local historic district. | ||||||||
2. Maximum density
can increase in accordance with paragraph 6.4.3, Residential Density
, and/or Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus. Other than these options, the maximum density
shall not be exceeded even though the use of an alternative housing type may impose smaller lot size requirements.
3. If the project in the RU-M District is on at least a four-acre lot, the maximum height can be increased up to 7 stories
through the issuance of a minor special use permit. In no event shall the structure
be more than 80 feet in height.
Residential uses allowed pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table, shall be limited to the housing types permitted in accordance with the following table. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Housing Type | RU-5 | RU-5(2) | RU-M |
|---|---|---|---|
Single-Family | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Zero Lot Line | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Traditional House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Attached House | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Duplex | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
✔1,2 | ✔ | ✔ | |
Detached Rowhouse | ✔1,2 | ✔ | ✔ |
Multiplex | ✔2 | ✔2 | ✔ |
Apartment |
|
| ✔ |
1 Cluster subdivision 2 Only pursuant to paragraph 6.4.3B, Thoroughfare Density | |||
For projects located adjacent
to streets with a right-of-way
over 50 feet in width, the area for the project may be calculated to include that portion of right-of-way
in excess of 50 feet for purposes of determining density
.
Sample Calculation: A project includes recombination of three lots measuring 75 by 100 feet, and lies adjacent
to a right-of-way
measuring 80 feet in width.
75 x 100 = 7,500 SF x 3 existing lots = 17,500 SF (standard calculation)
Frontage of 225 feet x 30 feet (in excess of 50-foot ROW) = 6,750 SF Bonus Area
Density
Allocation = 24,250 SF (.56 ac.) multiplied by 7.4 units per acre = 4.1 units (4 lots)

1. Projects located along major or minor thoroughfares, or boulevards, with rights-of-way greater than 50 feet in width can develop
as townhouses
or detached rowhouses, using the dimensional provisions of paragraph 7.1.7, Townhouse, or 7.1.8, Detached Rowhouse, as applicable, so long as the average width of the townhouse
or detached rowhouse lots is at least 20 feet. Projects developed
utilizing this option shall meet all of the requirements of Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, where applicable;
2. Projects located along major thoroughfares or boulevards, with rights-of-way greater than 50 feet in width can develop
as multiplexes, using the dimensional provisions of paragraph 7.1.9, Multiplex. Projects developed
utilizing this option shall meet all of the requirements of Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, where applicable.
Lot area
averaging, as more specifically set forth in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types, is permitted, provided that:
1. The maximum reduction allowed is 15% of the minimum lot area
;
2. The average area of all lots in the subdivision
meets or exceeds the minimum lot area
; and
3. The overall density
of the subdivision
does not exceed the maximum permitted residential density
.
For single-family
and two-family
developments
, the density
requirements in paragraph 6.4.1A, Dimensional Standards, do not apply if the project does not require subdivision
or site plan
approval.
1. All residential development
in the RC District shall meet the standards in the table below. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Dimensional Standard | RC | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
Residential Density | 12.0 | 40.0 |
Open Space | 5.0 | — |
Height (feet) | — |
|
Stories |
| 7 |
Feet |
| 80 |
1 Please see Sec. 12.5, Recreation Land, for additional land dedication | ||
2. Maximum density
can be increased in accordance with paragraph 6.5.3, Residential Density, and/or Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus.
3. Maximum height shall be limited to the lesser of 4 stories
or 50 feet if the building
is within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins any property zoned and used for residential purposes. Additional height up to 7 stories
is allowed through approval of a minor special use permit per Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. In no event shall the structure
be more than 80 feet in height.
Residential uses allowed pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table, shall be limited to the housing types permitted in accordance with the following table. For illustrations, lot dimensions, and required yards
for each housing type, see Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
Housing Type | RC |
|---|---|
Single-Family | ✔ |
Zero Lot Line | ✔ |
Traditional House | ✔ |
Attached House | ✔ |
Duplex | ✔ |
✔ | |
Detached Rowhouse | ✔ |
Multiplex | ✔ |
Apartment | ✔ |
Residential density
shall not exceed the maximum densities
as set forth in paragraph 6.5.1A, Dimensional Standards, unless a project provides for vertical integration of uses with at least 65% of the total floor area
allocated to residential uses and at least 75% of the ground floor
allocated for nonresidential uses. Projects which meet this requirement may increase their residential density
by up to 50%.
Lot area
averaging, as more specifically set forth in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types, is permitted, provided that:
1. The maximum reduction allowed is 15% of the minimum lot area
;
2. The average area of all lots in the subdivision
meets or exceeds the minimum lot area
; and
3. The overall density
of the subdivision
does not exceed the maximum permitted residential density
.
C. For single-family
and two-family
developments
, the density
requirements in paragraph 6.5.1A, Dimensional Standards, do not apply if the project does not require subdivision
or site plan
approval.
A. The bonus can be utilized at the time of site plan
or subdivision
for new projects subject to the additional regulations of this section.
B. All of the affordable housing dwelling units
shall be located within the overall project boundary.
C. Affordable units shall be incorporated throughout the project, and shall not be distinguishable from market-rate units through location, grouping, unit size, interior finishes, or exterior design.
The following reductions are allowed in order to incorporate the additional dwelling units
.
Minimum lot area
and width requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 20%.
Minimum lot area
and width requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 35%.
Minimum yard
requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 20%.
Minimum yard
requirements can be reduced by a maximum of 35%.
Regardless of the lot and yard
dimensional allowances above, infill standards per Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, shall apply to all residential development
that is applicable under that section.
E. Regardless of the lot and yard
dimensional allowances above, infill standards per Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, shall apply to all residential development
that is applicable under that section.
F. In single-family
and duplex developments
, required minimum lot area
, lot width
, and yard
requirements can be reduced up to 20% in order to incorporate the additional units.
G. Projects utilizing the affordable housing bonuses shall not be exempt from a traffic impact analysis (TIA) if required pursuant to Sec. 3.3, Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA).
H. Units added through this program shall not increase the amount of open space
otherwise required for the project.
I. Compliance and reporting shall be pursuant to the City’s adopted Affordable Housing Bonus Polices & Procedures, as amended.
J. Compliance measures can be required at the time of approval, including but not limited to contracts, restrictive covenants, deed restrictions, and stipulated penalties.
K. All affordable dwelling units
proposed within the project shall be provided prior to, or concurrently with, any bonus units.
Standards for the use of the affordable housing bonus in the CD and CSD districts shall be pursuant to affordable housing density
bonus standards within paragraphs 16.1.3E.2.d and 16.1.3E.3.c, respectively.
a. The bonus, along with the following associated standards, can be utilized in any zoning district that permits multifamily
residential; and
b. Can utilize only the housing types allowed by the zoning district.
a. In the CD and CSD District, Article 16, Design Districts, shall apply.
b. In all other zoning districts, paragraphs B through F, below, shall apply.
Only projects with a minimum of 15 dwelling units
, or projects adding at least 15 dwelling units
to an existing development
, shall be eligible for the affordable housing density
bonuses.
1. At least 15% of the total number of dwelling units
in the project shall be affordable housing dwelling units
for households earning 60% of AMI or less.
2. Example #1: If 200 dwelling units
are proposed, at least 30 of those units shall be affordable to households earning an average of 60% AMI or less.
The maximum residential density
shall be the greater of the following:
1. Seventy-five dwelling units
per acre; or
2. The permitted density
of the zoning district.
1. The maximum building
height shall be as follows:
Maximum Height | Location |
|---|---|
5 Stories |
|
9 Stories |
|
2. Base zoning district maximum height can be used if it exceeds the maximum height allowances, above.
Projects must be designed to meet the following standards applicable for the CD-S2 zoning district:
1. Paragraph 16.2.1, Building
Placement Standards;
2. Paragraph 16.3.4, Building
Access;
3. Paragraph 16.3.6A, Minimum Glazing
;
4. Paragraphs 16.4.2A through 16.4.2C, Sidewalk Standards, Sidewalk Clear Zone, Accessibility;
5. Paragraph 16.4.2D, Required Streetscape
Amenities; and
6. Paragraph 16.1.3B Ground Floor
Residential Uses and Overnight Accommodations.
1. The bonus program can be utilized in any zoning district where residences are permitted.
2. The program shall not permit housing types not already permitted within the zoning district.
Projects must commit to providing affordable housing dwelling units
in the amount of at least 15% of the maximum number of units permitted with the base density
.
Example #2: If the zoning of a five-acre project allows 60 units/acre, then 300 dwelling units
are permitted. To qualify for a density
bonus, at least 45 of the 300 dwelling units
shall qualify as affordable housing dwelling units
.
1. For the purpose of calculating the bonus residential density
within projects utilizing the affordable housing bonus, the “base density
” is the maximum density
allowed in the zoning district prior to applying any potential bonuses, and multiplied by the gross acreage of the tract
of land, including all areas typically excluded from density
calculations in Article 8, Environmental Protection. The resulting number shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number.
2. For each affordable housing dwelling unit
that is constructed, a bonus of two additional dwelling units
can be constructed beyond the base density
.
Example #3: The project is in the Urban Tier, and 15% (i.e., 45 units) of the 300 maximum units qualify as affordable housing dwelling units
affordable. Thus, an additional 90 dwelling units
are allowed above the maximum 300 units, totaling 390 dwelling units
.
When the affordable housing bonus is utilized, an additional one story
or 15 feet of height, whichever is less, shall be allowed.
To encourage innovation in residential subdivision
design, cluster subdivisions
shall be permitted providing for more efficient layout of lots, streets, and utilities, for the preservation of open space
and recreation areas, and for the protection of unique site features and scenic vistas.
The minimum acreage required for a cluster subdivision
shall be two acres.
A variety of housing types shall be permitted in a Cluster Subdivision
in accordance with Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
A. The subdivision
shall include the minimum required common open space
as referenced below.
District | |
|---|---|
RS Districts | See paragraph 6.3.1A |
RU Districts | See paragraph 6.4.1 |
RC Districts | See paragraph 6.5.1A |
B. Additional Open Space![]()
1. Reductions in lot area
in exchange for equal amounts of common open space
on a one-to-one basis shall be provided in addition to the open space
requirements referenced in paragraph A above.
2. For duplex lots where the duplex housing type is allowed only in a cluster subdivision
, the lot reduction/additional open space
calculation referenced in paragraph B.1 above shall be based upon the conventional lot size of a detached single-family
lot for the zoning district.
3. For the townhouse
or detached rowhouse housing type, the required open space
shall be at least 20% of the gross area of the development
.
C. Open space
in a clustered subdivision
shall be established in accordance with Sec. 7.2, Open Space.
Property on the edge of cluster developments
shall be developed
in one or more of the following ways:
A. Set aside as open space
that includes a buffer
with an opacity
of 20%, as set forth in Article 9, Landscaping and Buffering. Projects that are exempted from providing a project boundary buffer
per paragraph 9.4.1H are exempt from providing the Perimeter Treatment described in paragraph 6.7.6.
B. If an alley
is provided along the perimeter with joint access provided to property not part of the subject subdivision
:
1. Lots adjacent
to, and accessing the alley
, can be platted
with cluster subdivision
dimensional requirements.
2. The required project boundary buffer
or a vegetative screening
per paragraph 9.7.2C, Evergreen Hedges, whichever is greater, shall be provided along the side adjacent
to properties not part of the subdivision
. Intrusions into the buffer
or screening
are allowed to provide access to the alley
.
C. Be platted
as single-family
or two-family
residential lots as follows:
1. When adjacent
to, or directly across a public right-of-way
from, property that is not a cluster subdivision
or is a conventional lot within a cluster subdivision
, then the lot shall be platted
with conventional subdivision
dimensional requirements.
2. When adjacent
to, or directly across a public right-of-way
from, property that is a cluster subdivision
, and the adjacent
property is open space
or is a lot with reduced dimensional requirements due to clustering provisions of this or previous ordinances, then the lot can be platted
with cluster subdivision
dimensional requirements.
Unless otherwise stated, standard ordinance requirements shall apply unless modified by the standards set forth within this section.
1. This section shall apply to any multifamily
development
located on a site of less than four acres that is surrounded on all sides by single-family
residential development
.
2. This section shall apply to any new project or modification of any existing residential building
located on a site of less than four acres in a RU District. A residential building
shall also include a building
converted to a nonresidential use.
3. Neighborhood-specific modifications to the regulations listed in this section may be developed
using the “Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P)” pursuant to Sec. 4.6, Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P).
1. This section shall apply to any new project or modification of any existing residential building
located on a site of less than four acres in a residential district
. A residential building
shall also include a building
converted to a nonresidential use.
2. Neighborhood-specific modifications to the regulations listed in this section may be developed
using the “Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P)” pursuant to Sec. 4.6, Neighborhood Protection Overlay (-P).
Infill standards shall not apply to the following uses:
1. Outdoor storage areas;
2. Outdoor sales;
3. Loading bays or loading areas
.
a. The context area for the required street yard
of the subject lot shall be the established street yards
(as defined by the distance between the primary structure
on each property and the edge of the right-of-way
) on residential lots, including structures converted to nonresidential use, with residential zoning along the same block face
.
For the purposes of this section, all lots on both sides along a cul-de-sac
or other similar street section shall be considered a block face
.
b. Vacant lots shall apply if the primary structure
was demolished after January 1, 2006. GIS maps, demolition documents, and any available surveys shall be used to determine the street yard
of the demolished building
. If no documentation is available, then the minimum or maximum street yard
of the zoning district, as applicable, shall be used.
c. Flag lots shall not be used for considering street yards
. For flag lot yard
requirements, see paragraph 6.12.5, Flag Lots.
a. The required street yard
shall be any distance between the smallest and largest street yards
within the context area. However, in no instance shall the smallest street yard
be less than five feet.
Example: The subject infill lot (B) and four other lots with residential zoning make up the block face
. One lot is undeveloped prior to January 1, 2006, and thus shall not be considered. The street yards
along the block face
of the three other lots are 10 feet (A), 15 feet (C), and 20 feet (D). Therefore, the required street yard
for the subject lot (B) can be anywhere between 10 feet (the smallest) and 20 feet (the largest).

b. If there are fewer than two lots that qualify within the context area, the street yard
requirement shall be that of the base zoning district.
c. For corner lots, one of the two street yards
may be developed
using side yard
standards.
d. For detached duplexes, only one building
must have a street yard
that meets the infill street yard
standards of UDO Section 6.8.2A.2. The other unit may use the infill or base zoning district street yard
standards at the applicant’s discretion.
3. Alleys
shall not be considered to create a new block
. Parcels
on the opposite side of an alley
shall be considered along the same block face
.
Porte cocheres
can extend into the side yard
when incorporated into the design and construction of the primary structure
, but in no case shall they be permitted to be closer than three feet from the property line.
In addition to required street trees, at least one canopy
or understory tree shall be planted or retained on the lot. For planting, the Durham Landscape Manual shall be used for species and planting area.
New construction
shall not exceed the average building
width for existing residential structures in the context area established in paragraph 6.8.2A.1, Context Area, by more than 25%, unless a building articulation
of at least six feet in depth at a point that mimics the average building
width in the context area is provided.
The maximum height of a primary structure
shall not exceed the height of the lesser of either of the following:
1. The maximum height permitted by the zoning district; or
2. More than 14 feet taller than the shortest height of primary structures on adjacent
lots along the block face
.
a. If there is not a primary structure
on an adjacent
lot, the next lot along the block face
shall be used.
b. If the next lot also lacks a primary structure
, then the height of the vacant adjacent
lot shall be the maximum allowed by the zoning district.
1. Where a lot abuts a publicly improved and maintained alley
, all vehicular access shall be taken from the alley
.
2. When a garage entrance faces a street other than an alley
, a single garage entrance shall be no more than 22 feet in width.
3. The construction material of the garage shall match that of the primary structure
. This shall not apply if the primary structure
is constructed in accordance with the North Carolina Residential Building
Code.
For sites in the Urban Tier where no other stormwater
controls are required, downspouts shall direct stormwater runoff
over pervious area and not piped to right-of-way
.
1. A vehicular use area includes all surface area designated or utilized for vehicle
parking or vehicle
access.
2. The maximum width of the vehicular use area shall be 12 feet; however, the vehicular use area can expand up to 24 feet in width to accommodate garage access or parking. The total additional vehicular use area beyond 12 feet in width shall:
a. Be behind the front building line
;
b. Be at least 20 feet from the front property line; and
c. Not exceed 400 square feet.

1. On-site parking facilities shall not be located in any required street yard
.
2. If parking facilities are located to the rear of the subject structure
, a rear entrance to the structure
shall be provided.
A. Nonresidential and group living development
in residential districts
shall comply with the dimensional standards in the following table:
Development | RURAL | SUBURBAN | URBAN | COMPACT | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 3 ac. | — | 15,000 | — | 5,000 | — | 5,000 | — |
Lot Width | 100 | — | 90 | — | 50 | — | 50 | — |
Open Space Core Area Support Area | — — — | — — — | 10 — — | — — — | 3 — — | — — — | — 1.0 3.0 | — — — |
Street Yard Feet from ROW % of Frontage |
50 — |
— — |
25 — |
— — |
60 |
201 — |
80 |
151 — |
Side Yard Min Each Side Min Both Sides (total) |
12 30 |
— — |
10 24 |
— — |
6 15 |
— — |
0 0 |
— — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 9 | — | 60 | — | 70 | — | 70 |
Height (feet) | — | 45 | — | 45 | — | 45 | — | 45 |
1 Street yard 2 May be further restricted by watershed | ||||||||
1. Principal uses listed in paragraph 5.2.4F, Parks and Open Areas, and paragraph 5.2.4J, Utilities, are exempt from the open space
requirements in paragraph 6.9.1A above.
2. Development
sites of an acre or less are exempt from the open space
requirements in the table in paragraph 6.9.1A, above.
3. Recreational open space
pursuant to paragraph 7.2.3A is not required for nonresidential and group living development
in residential districts
.
C. Development
in the Rural Villages
of Bahama and Rougemont as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
can use the Suburban Tier dimensional standards subject to Sec. 8.4, Floodplain and Flood Damage Protection Standards, Sec. 8.7, Watershed Protection Overlay Standards, and the availability of water and wastewater treatment systems.
Recreation areas, such as a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis, volleyball, or basketball court, shall be oriented
internally to the development
or along major roadways and away from adjacent
residential development
.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Rural Tier as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
shall comply with the standards in the table below.
1. Standards for All Districts
Dimensional Standard | CN | CG | I | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 2 | — | 3 | — | 10 | — |
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | 50,000 | — | — |
Lot Width | 100 | — | 150 | — | 250 | — |
Street Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 40 | — |
Side Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 50 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 50 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 23 | — | 35 | — | 30 |
Height (feet) | — | 25 | — | 25 | — | 50 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. The standards for I zoning shall apply to IL zoning.
b. Minimum side yards
in the CN and CG districts can be reduced to 15 feet if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use.
c. Additional height in the I District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
d. A development
within the CN District, with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Suburban Tier as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
shall comply with the standards in the tables below.
Dimensional Standard | CN | OI | CG | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 5,000 | — | 20,000 | — | 20,000 | — |
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | — | — | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 60 | — | 100 | — |
Street Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Side Yard | 15 | — | 20 | — | 25 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 | — | 60 | — | 60 |
Height (feet) | — | 35 | — | 55 | — | 55 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. Side yards
in the OI and CG districts can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use, or a railroad right-of-way
.
b. Rear yards
in the table above can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use, or a railroad right-of-way
.
c. Additional height in the OI District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
d. A development
within the CN district, with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a Minor Special Use
Permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
Dimensional Standard | SRP | IL | I | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | — | — | 25,000 | — | 30,000 | — |
Lot Width | 300 | — | 100 | — | 150 | — |
Street Yard | 100 | — | 40 | — | 40 | — |
Side Yard | 100 | — | 30 | — | 50 | — |
Rear Yard | 100 | — | 25 | — | 40 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 15 | — | 60 | — | 65 |
Height (feet) | — | 120 | — | 50 | — | 90 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. Within the SRP District:
(1) The street yard
shall only apply to yards
adjacent
to public rights-of-way.
(2) Side and rear yards
can be eliminated if adjacent
to a railroad right of way, or can be reduced to 30 feet if adjacent
to permanently protected open space
and the building separation
is at least 150 feet.
(3) No parking, loading, or storage shall be permitted within the required yard
areas.
(4) The maximum building coverage
shall not apply to parking structures.
b. Side yards
in the IL and I districts can be reduced by 10 feet if adjacent
to a nonresidential district or use.
c. Rear yards
in the IL and I districts can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a railroad right-of-way
.
(1) IL District
On sites with a minimum three-acre lot area
, the maximum height can be increased as follows:
(a) Maximum 90 feet with a 50-foot street yard
.
(b) Maximum 120 feet with a 75-foot street yard
.
(c) Over 120 feet to a maximum 145 feet with a 75-foot street yard
and issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
(2) In the IL with lot acreage less than three acres, SRP, and I Districts, additional height, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
(3) Development
in the Rural Villages
of Bahama and Rougemont, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
, can use the Suburban Tier dimensional standards subject to Sec. 8.4, Floodplain and Flood Damage Protection Standards, Sec. 8.7, Watershed Protection Overlay Standards, and the availability of water and wastewater treatment systems.
(4) (County Only) SRP-C District
(a) Establishment of the District
(i) A minimum of 25 contiguous acres shall be required for an initial establishment of the zoning for a SRP-C District;
(ii) At least 75% of the district’s perimeter must be adjacent
to property zoned SRP, and such property shall be considered the supporting SRP District;
(iii) No SRP District may support more than one SRP-C district;
(iv) Additions shall be contiguous to the existing SRP-C District and may be made in increments of any size so long as the 75% perimeter minimum for the entire zoning area is maintained; and
(v) The maximum acreage of a SRP-C District shall be no more than one-third the contiguous acreage of the supporting SRP district.
(b) Mix of Uses
The SRP-C District shall consist of a mix of uses from at least three of the following use categories, and pursuant to Sec. 5.1, Use Table: residential, public and civic, commercial, office
, and industrial uses.
(c) Dimensional Standards
The dimensional standards, and supplemental requirements to the dimensional standards, are as follows.
Dimensional Standard | SRP-C | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
Street Yard | 20 | — |
Side Yard | 20 | — |
Rear Yard | 20 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 |
Height (feet) | — | 300 |
1 Building coverage | ||
(i) Minimum street yards
do not apply to rights-of-way internal to the SRP-C District.
(ii) Minimum side and rear yards
shall only apply when adjacent
to property not zoned SRP or SRP-C.
(iii) No parking, loading or storage shall be permitted within the required yard
areas.
(iv) Buildings with frontage along a public right-of-way
shall have a maximum podium
height equal to the width of the right-of-way
. Additional height is permitted with upper story step-backs
, as measured from the right-of-way
line; where x feet of step-back allows 2x feet of additional height.
(v) Buildings proposed adjacent
to property zoned residential shall have a maximum height of 100 feet. Additional height may be approved with approval of a major special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
(vi) The maximum building coverage
shall not apply to parking structures.
(vii) The maximum building coverage
shall be calculated based upon the gross area of the contiguous SRP-C District.
(d) Additional Standards
(i) Minimum ground floor
glazing
for building
façades facing rights-of-way shall be 50% for all nonresidential uses and 30% for residential uses.
(ii) Parking decks shall provide openings for each level of the façade facing a right-of-way
at a minimum rate of 30% of the façade.
(iii) Standards of Sec. 7.4, Outdoor Lighting, shall not apply so long as the maximum illumination at the edge of an SRP-C district does not exceed the limits pursuant to paragraph 7.4.3, Standards.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Urban Tier, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
, shall comply with the standards in the tables below.
Dimensional Standard | CI | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
— | 20,000 | |
Street Yard | 5 | 15 |
Side Yard | — | 10 |
Rear Yard | 10 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 40 |
a. Buildings greater than 20,000 square feet are allowed in the CI District if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
b. Additional height in the CI District, up to 50 feet, is allowed if the building
uses upper story step-backs
at a ratio of one to one.
c. Minimum ground floor
glazing
for building
façades facing street frontages
shall be 60% for all nonresidential uses and 50% for residential uses.
d. Where the right-of-way
line is further from the curb than the maximum street yard
, the right-of-way
line shall be the required maximum street yard
; structures shall not be allowed in the public right-of-way
.
Dimensional Standard | CN | OI | CG | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 5,000 | — | 20,000 | — | 20,000 |
|
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | — | — | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 50 | — | 100 |
|
Street Yard | — | 15 | — | 15 | — | 15 |
Side Yard | 10 | — | 10 | — | 15 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 25 | — | 25 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 | — | 60 | — | 60 |
Height (feet) | — | 35 | — | 90 | — | 55 |
1 Building coverage | ||||||
a. A primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Additional height in the OI District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
c. Height in the OI District shall be capped at 45 feet for any structures located within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins residentially used and designated property.
d. A development
within the CN District with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
e. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the CN, OI, and CG Districts may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
Dimensional Standard | IL | I | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Area | 5,000 | — | 25,000 | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 100 — | — |
Street Yard | — | 20 | 40 | — |
Side Yard | 15 | — | 40 | — |
Rear Yard | 25 | — | 40 | — |
Building Coverage | — | 60 | — | 65 |
Height (feet) | — | 50 | — | 90 |
1 Building coverage | ||||
a. In the IL District, a primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Rear yards
can be reduced by up to 50% if adjacent
to a railroad right-of-way
.
c. Additional height, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
d. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the IL District may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
All nonresidential and group living development
in the Compact Neighborhood Tier, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
, except development
within CD districts, shall comply with the standards in the tables below.
Dimensional Standard | CI | |
|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | |
— | 20,000 | |
Street Yard | 5 | 15 |
Side Yard | — | 10 |
Rear Yard | 10 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 40 |
a. Buildings greater than 20,000 square feet are allowed in the CI District if approved through a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
b. Additional height in the CI District, up to 50 feet, is allowed if the building
uses upper story step-backs
at a ratio of one-to-one.
c. Minimum ground floor
glazing
for building
façades facing street frontages
shall be 60% for all nonresidential uses and 50% for residential uses.
d. Where the right-of-way
line is further from the curb than the maximum street yard
, the right-of-way
line shall be the required maximum street yard
; structures shall not be allowed in the public right-of-way
.
Dimensional Standard | CN | OI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Project Floor Area | — | 20,000 | — | — |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 50 | — |
Street Yard | — | 15 | — | 15 |
Side Yard | 10 | — | 10 | — |
Rear Yard | 15 | — | 15 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 35 | — | 120 |
a. A primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Additional height in the OI District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
c. Height in the OI District shall be capped at 45 feet for any structures located within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins residentially used and designated property.
d. A development
within the CN District with new project floor area
over 5,000 square feet, no development plan
, and residential zoning districts adjacent
(including directly across a public right-of-way
) to two or more property lines requires a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit. The applicant shall hold a neighborhood meeting pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3, Neighborhood Meeting, unless it previously held one for the development
at issue.
e. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the CN and OI Districts may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
Dimensional Standard | CG | IL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | |
Lot Width | 50 | — | 50 |
|
Street Yard | — | 15 | — | 15 |
Side Yard | 10 | — | 15 | — |
Rear Yard | 15 | — | 15 | — |
Height (feet) | — | 90 | — | 50 |
a. A primary structure
shall be oriented
such that at least one of the following standards is met:
(1) The longest building
façade is parallel to and within the maximum street yard
; or
(2) The street-facing building
façade occupies at least 60% of the total street frontage
for the development
.
b. Additional height in the CG District, up to 145 feet, is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
c. Height shall be capped at 45 feet for any structures located within 150 feet of the perimeter of the Compact Neighborhood Tier where the Tier adjoins residentially used and designated property.
d. Subject to the restriction in paragraph 6.10.1D.3.c above, OI uses allowed in IL districts located in the Compact Neighborhood Tier shall have a maximum height limit of 60 feet permitted by right. Additional height up to 75 feet is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
e. Subject to the restriction in paragraph 6.10.1D.3.c above, and not withstanding paragraph 6.10.1D.3.d above, hotel, motel, and extended stay uses; places of worship
; government facilities (excluding correctional facilities
) and lodges and clubs allowed in IL districts located in the Compact Neighborhood Tier shall have a maximum height limit of 80 feet permitted by right. Additional height up to 95 feet is allowed if approved through the issuance of a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.
f. Lots 20,000 square feet or smaller in the CG and IL Districts may use the dimensional standards for the CI District as outlined in paragraph 6.10.1C.1 and may be exempt from site plan
review if requirements in paragraph 3.7.2 are met. In cases where CI dimensional standards are used, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
A new structure
or modifications to an existing structure
shall not be required to conform to the street yard
requirements of the district in the following circumstances:
1. For districts with minimum street yard
requirements (excluding Design Districts):
a. Where 50% or more of the lots on the same block face
as the lot in question are developed
with less than the required street yard
, the average setback
of the buildings on the developed
lots on the block
with less than the required street yard
shall be observed as the minimum setback
for a new structure
;
b. Where the lot on which the new structure
is proposed is between two adjacent
existing developed
lots with less than the required street yard
, the average setback
of the buildings of both adjacent
lots shall be observed as the minimum street yard
;
c. Where a block face
of less than 500 feet is split into more than one zoning district, the zoning district with the most frontage shall determine the minimum street yard
setback
. However, this provision shall not apply if the street right-of-way
is less than 50 feet wide and property on the opposite side of the street is residentially used or zoned, in which case the provisions of paragraph 6.8.2A, Street Yards, shall be applied.
2. In the Urban and Compact Neighborhood Tiers, excluding Design Districts, the applicable street yard
of a multiple-frontage lot shall be applied to the frontage with the predominant orientation
of existing structures along the blockface. The other frontage shall be considered a side or rear as applicable; or
3. In the Urban and Compact Neighborhood Tiers, excluding Design Districts, the maximum street yard
shall be considered a minimum street yard
for the following primary uses:
a. Fuel sales.
b. Vehicle
sales.
1. The following residential development
shall be allowed as indicated with a “✔”.
| Zoning District | Residential Development | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Single-Family | Townhouse | Detached Rowhouse (paragraph 7.1.8) | Multiplex | Apartment | Upper Story | |
CI, CG, OI | — | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
CN | ✔ | ✔ |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
(County Only) SRP-C | — | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
2. For a single-family
detached house and duplex, the following zoning district development
standards pursuant to paragraph 6.2.1, Development Standards, or paragraphs 7.1.2B and 7.1.6B, Development
Standards, as applicable, shall apply:
Tier of the Development | Applicable Zoning District Development |
|---|---|
Rural | RR (watershed |
Suburban | RS-M |
Urban | RU-M |
Compact Neighborhood | RC |
3. For all other residential development
, the development
standards applicable to the base zoning district, or the CI District under the provisions in paragraph 6.10.1. shall apply.
4. Height for Housing Types
a. The maximum height for the housing type shall be as follows:
Tier of the Development | Maximum Height | |
|---|---|---|
Single-Family | All other Allowed | |
Rural and Suburban | 3 stories | Height as allowed for the RS-M District per paragraph 6.3.1A, Dimensional Standards |
Urban | 3 stories | Height as allowed for the RU-M District per paragraph 6.4.1A, Dimensional Standards |
Compact Neighborhood | 3 stories | Height as allowed for the RC District per paragraph 6.5.1A, Dimensional Standards |
b. For Single-family
detached house, additional height is allowed at a rate of one story
per ten feet of additional setback
provided, with a maximum height of 50 feet.
5. Street level residential development
shall not be allowed in the CI District, except for townhomes
.
6. (County Only) The development
standards for the SRP-C District shall apply to all residential development
.
1. The residential density
shall be based only on that portion of the tract
dedicated
to the residential use and the minimum and maximum residential densities
(shown as units per acre) allowed shall be as shown in the table below:
District | Rural | Suburban | Urban | Compact | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min | Max | Min | Max | Min | Max | Min | Max | |
CI | 5 | — | 8 | — | 8 | — | 8 | — |
CN | — | 0.2 | — | 81,2 | 8 | — | 8 | — |
OI | — | — | 8 | 111,2 | 8 | — | 8 | — |
CG | — | 0.2 | 8 | 111,2 | 8 | — | 8 | — |
(County Only) SRP-C | — | — | — | 203 | — | — | — | — |
1 Density 2 For multifamily 3 Density | ||||||||
2. Density
limits shall not apply to upper story
residential units in the CI District.
3. For residential development
in nonresidential districts, the provisions in paragraph 6.3.3D do not apply.
Open space
shall be provided in all residential developments
within nonresidential districts pursuant to the table below. (County Only) Required open space
within the SRP-C District can be provided anywhere within the contiguous district area.
Tier | |
|---|---|
Rural and Suburban | 18% of gross area |
Urban | 6% of gross area |
Compact Neighborhood | 5% of gross area |
Planned districts shall be established to allow for design flexibility and to encourage efficient use of land and public services and high quality design. These regulations are intended to allow innovative development
that is integrated with proposed adjacent
uses and compatible with existing patterns of nearby development
.
A. A development plan
meeting the requirements of paragraph 3.5.6, Development Plan
, shall be required as part of the zoning map change application to any planned district, except in the UC and UC-2 districts as indicated below.
B. The initial zonings to establish the UC and UC-2 districts on each campus, which shall be initiated by the appropriate governing body for each university/college campus, shall not require a development plan
, though the university or college
can submit a development plan
providing additional details and restrictions beyond minimum Ordinance requirements, for all or parts of the area associated with the initial zoning map change
. A basic zoning map change application shall be required for the initial zoning map change
, along with documentation on the availability of adequate parking and a limited surcharge fee to cover public notification requirements.
C. Except in the MU District, uses shall be permitted only in the location shown on the approved development plan
. Development
of the property shall not begin until a site plan
has been approved for that portion of the property. Site plans
shall be reviewed for conformance with an approved development plan
A type of plan that becomes part of the zoning of a property that establishes the level of development allowed absent further zoning action except as otherwise allowed or required under this Ordinance.. Should alterations or changes represent a substantial departure from the approved plan, an amendment is required. The same procedures as required for the original approval shall be required for development plan
amendments.
D. Unless alternative standards are explicitly established in the provisions below, all relevant standards and provisions of this Ordinance shall apply to development
within any planned district.
1. The primary use allowed within the PDR District shall be residences, including manufactured homes.
2. Manufactured homes shall be permitted only where they have been expressly indicated on the approved development plan
. Manufactured house subdivisions
and parks shall be designated as such on the development plan
and show lot layouts and the orientation
of the house to the street in the development
plans.
3. Nonresidential uses allowed in the PDR District shall be limited to those uses listed in the Sec. 5.1, Use Table. Nonresidential uses can be approved subject to the use limitations established in Sec. 5.3, Limited Use
Standards, and the following conditions.
a. When both nonresidential and residential uses are proposed, the dwelling units
can be separate structures from the nonresidential uses or located in the same structure
as the nonresidential uses.
b. Nonresidential acreage shall be included in any calculations of residential density
.
c. The building
location(s) shall be specified in the development plan
.
d. Nonresidential uses shall be located with street access deemed adequate by the City Transportation Department.
e. Nonresidential square footage shall promote a range of services for residents. For projects with at least 100 dwelling units
, one lot, minimum 5,000 square feet, shall be reserved
for civic or commercial uses. For projects with at least 300 dwelling units
, one lot, minimum 10,000 square feet, or two lots, minimum of 5,000 square feet each, shall be reserved
for civic or commercial uses. Such uses shall be in addition to open space
requirements and residential amenities.
No minimum site area
for the initial approval of the zoning district is required.
a. No minimum lot area
shall be required to be specified.
b. Lot areas
described on a development plan
may be increased by the appropriate State agency
or County Health Department in order to ensure adequate waste
treatment.
The specific maximum density
in units per acre, other than the areas proposed for nonresidential development
and areas precluded from consideration for density
in paragraphs 8.4.4, Development
in Special Flood Hazard Areas and Future Conditions Flood
Hazard Areas; and 8.8.5, Density
Credits, shall be included in the application. The allowable density
shall be consistent with the land use designation shown in the Comprehensive Plan
.
The maximum nonresidential intensity shall reflect the CI intensity, consistent with Sec. 6.10, Nonresidential District Development Intensity, for the tier in which the project is located.
Maximum building
height shall be the lesser of 9 stories
or 100 feet. Any building
over 40 feet shall be identified on the development plan
submitted for approval.
a. Manufactured homes in parks shall maintain a distance of at least 16 feet between other manufactured homes. Added on rooms, porches, and other structures attached to the manufactured home shall be considered part of the manufactured home.
b. The governing body can reduce or increase separations after consideration of the general bulk and scale in comparison with nearby development
. Such modification shall only occur in conjunction with the approval of the development plan
.
Front, side, and rear yards
must be defined by the Development Plan
. No minimum yards
shall be required for primary or accessory buildings, except as defined by the Development Plan
. Previously approved Development
Plans without defined yards
shall have the following minimum street yard
requirements:
Residential Density | Minimum Street Yard |
|---|---|
1.0 to 8.0 units per acre | 8 feet |
More than 8.0 units per acre | 15 feet |
1. Required open space
shall be provided based upon the density
of the project as follows:
Residential Density | Percent of Gross Area |
|---|---|
0 to 3.00 units per acre | 15 |
3.01 to 6.00 units per acre | 16 |
6.01 to 10.00 units per acre | 17 |
10.01 to 16.00 units per acre | 18 |
16.01 units per acre or greater | 20 |
2. Uses of open space
shall be as defined in Sec. 7.2, Open Space
.
Blank walls visible from the street shall be buffered with plantings. Landscaping improvements meeting the same requirements as the landscaping required for vehicle
use areas with exposure to the street established in Sec. 9.8, Vehicular Use
Area Landscaping, shall be provided for all blank walls exceeding 50 feet in length.
At least 30% of the parking spaces
for nonresidential uses shall be located to the side or rear of nonresidential structures within any PDR.
In addition to meeting all of the requirements of Sec. 12.4, Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility, sidewalks shall be provided between the retail and office
uses and the dwelling units
within any PDR.
Unless specifically differentiated, all requirements that refer to the UC District apply to both the UC and UC-2 districts.
1. The primary use allowed in a UC district shall be colleges and universities and such ancillary uses as are typically associated with a university or college
that are customary and subordinate
to the primary educational function of the university or college
use, including dormitories, stadia, enclosed arenas, auditoriums, and museums
.
2. Other uses shall be limited to those uses listed in paragraph 5.1.2, Use
Table, that can demonstrate a direct relationship to an academic use, such as university medical center uses, including teaching hospitals
, medical schools, nursing schools, biomedical research facilities, and support space.
1. Initial Establishment of the Zoning District
A university or college
may elect to have all or parts of its campus covered in the initial establishment of the zoning district, so long as those areas are covered by the appropriate campus master plan. For the UC District, no areas of the campus that were not under the direct control of the university prior to January 1, 2002, shall be included in the initial establishment of the zoning district. For the UC-2 District, no areas of the campus that were not under the direct control of the university or college
prior to January 1, 2010, shall be included in the initial establishment of the zoning district.
Any property included as part of a university or college
campus in a campus master plan can be included in a UC district. A campus master plan shall be submitted to the Planning Department prior to any zoning map change submittal. Such campus master plans shall be viewed as illustrative in nature and can be updated, in whole or in part, at any time.
A Transitional Use
Area shall be designed to establish standards at the edges of the campus that minimize any adverse impacts of proposed development
on adjacent
properties.
a. For the UC District, standards shall be applicable to a 150-foot wide area at the boundaries of the UC District. Where applicable, the Transitional Use
Area shall be measured from the midpoint of public right-of-way
adjacent
to the edge of the district. If a public right-of-way
is wider than 200 feet, and contains no existing or planned structures, then a Transitional Use
Area shall not be required.
b. For the UC-2 District, standards shall be applicable to a 75-foot-wide area at the boundaries of the UC-2 District. Where the edge of the zoning district is within or adjacent
to a public right-of-way
, the Transitional Use
Area shall be measured from the midpoint of the right-of-way
. Where the edge of the zoning district is not within or adjacent
to a right-of-way
, the Transitional Use
Area shall be measured from the property line or exact location of the edge of the district.
a. All areas of each university or college
within a UC district that are not included within a Transitional Use
Area shall be considered to be within the Internal Campus
.
b. Within the Internal Campus
, only limited regulations shall apply, as indicated below.
The maximum height of a structure
within the Transitional Use
Area shall be regulated as follows:
a. Within the UC District, building
height shall not exceed 150% of the average height of buildings on adjacent
properties (including those directly across a public right-of-way
), to a maximum of 100 feet. In calculating the average height for the adjacent
buildings, the following considerations shall be included: maximum permitted heights for developable
vacant lots; the taller of buildings in front or behind each other; and included within 150 feet of the perimeter transition area. Heights shall not be increased beyond 150% of average surrounding heights unless a major special use permit is approved in accordance with Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, in which case the height may be increased up to a maximum of 145 feet.
b. Within the UC-2 District, building
height shall not exceed the distance to the edge of the district (which is the mid-point of the right-of-way
if the edge of the district is a public street), to a maximum of 75 feet. The ratio of building
height to distance from the edge of the district shall be no more than 1:1 (see diagram below). Heights shall not be increased beyond this limit unless a major special use permit is approved in accordance with Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, in which case the height may be increased up to a maximum of 120 feet.

The maximum height of a structure
shall be 120 feet, unless a major special use permit is approved in accordance with Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit, in which case the height may be increased up to a maximum of 145 feet.
a. For new development
, documentation shall be required that demonstrates architectural and site design compatibility with adjacent
buildings and sites, considering the following criteria:
(1) Roof type, including extent of eaves and eave ornamentation, if any;
(2) Articulation
of the façades, including details, massing, and rhythm, associated with the architectural styles adjacent
to the district;
(3) Facade materials; and
(4) Size, pattern, style, and location of windows and doors.
This documentation shall be submitted with the site plan
for each proposed development
within the Transitional Use
Area.
b. Each building
shall have a direct orientation
and entryway facing a street. Articulation
of any side of a building
facing a street at the perimeter of a UC district shall be similar in expression and articulation
to the primary façade.
Specific architectural standards shall not apply, unless shown as committed elements
on a development plan
.
Within a Transitional Use
Area, all standards of Sec. 7.4, Outdoor Lighting, shall apply except that new athletic fields shall not be illuminated after 11:00 p.m.
Within the Internal Campus
, the standards of Sec. 7.4, Outdoor Lighting, shall not apply so long as the maximum illumination at the edge of a UC district does not exceed the limits imposed by paragraph 7.4.3, Standards.
All applicable environmental standards of Article 8, Environmental Protection, shall apply within the UC or UC-2 districts.
Within a Transitional Use
Area, landscaping shall be provided in accordance with Article 9, Landscaping and Buffering, so as to ensure compatibility with adjacent
properties.
Other than street trees pursuant to Sec. 9.6. Street Trees, no specific landscaping requirements shall apply.
In the Transitional Use
Area, surface parking lots
shall not be located immediately adjacent
to or across from properties zoned residential unless separated from the street by a landscaped area equivalent to the average street yard
of existing buildings or parking lots
on adjacent
properties.
1. The required number and location of motorized and bicycle parking spaces
shall be tied to the university or college
’s documentation of adequate parking availability during peak periods of typical academic days. In order to document that there are adequate parking facilities, a plan from each university or college
covered by a UC district shall be filed with the City-County Planning Department and reviewed and approved by the Planning Director or designee.
The following information shall be provided in the plan:
a. A map depicting the location of parking lots
within the UC District and those outside the UC District which are utilized to satisfy parking requirements.
b. An inventory of the number of parking spaces
, per parking lot
or structure
, including the type of parking spaces
(compact, handicap accessible, reserved
, visitor, etc.). Totals shall be provided for sub-areas as well as district-wide. Parking can include spaces located outside the UC District that are controlled by the university or college
, as long as that parking serves the UC District.
c. A report indicating the typical maximum occupancy of each parking lot
or structure
at typical peak-period. Data shall distinguish between permit-parking and visitor parking. The occupancy data shall be collected within six months of the date of plan submittal and shall include the date(s) and time(s) of the data collection.
d. The inventory of bicycle parking spaces
within the UC District, indicating the total number of spaces within each section or sub-area within the campus, as well as district-wide. General locations of bicycle parking spaces
shall be identified on a map.
e. A summary report describing any Traffic Demand Management (TDM) programs operated by the university or college
within a UC District.
f. A report indicating any changes in enrollment and employment by the University or college
within a UC District since the last plan update and any projected changes within the next four years.
g. A summary report indicating the availability of the following within a UC District:
(1) Sidewalk connectivity;
(2) Transit and remote parking services; and
(3) Bicycling amenities.
2. The documentation shall demonstrate that the following minimum standards are met:
a. The vacancy rate for total, district-wide motorized parking shall be at least 10%.
b. The individual vacancy rates for total parking and visitor parking within each sub-area shall be at least five percent.
c. The total number of bicycle parking spaces
shall be at least 10% of total motorized parking district-wide; and at least five percent or two parking spaces
, whichever is greater, within each sub-area.
3. If a sub-area does not meet the minimum parking standards, any proposed development
in that sub-area that requires a site plan
, except for the following exemptions, shall include motor vehicle
and/or bicycle parking, as applicable, to lessen the deficiency.
a. In lieu of providing additional motor vehicle
parking, documentation of new or revised remote parking facilities that remove or lessen the deficiency, but do not create new deficiencies elsewhere, can be provided.
b. Exemptions from providing any additional parking consist of the following improvements:
(1) Unmanned facilities of less than 1,000 square feet, such as storage rooms, mechanical equipment, coolers, or stand-alone ice kiosks;
(2) Buildings or additions of less than 1,000 square feet of building
area;
(3) Improvements that are documented to solely bring existing facilities up to current health, safety, or building
code requirements;
(4) Grading
and/or utility improvements for sewer or water service; or
(5) Any site plan
submittal that only requires review by the Planning Department.
4. If a college or university has provided documentation of TDM programs, then the minimum motor vehicle
vacancy rates shall be reduced by one percent.
5. Sub-areas shall be geographically and functionally cohesive. Remote parking can be identified as serving a sub-area.
6. Approved parking plans shall be valid for a four-year period.
7. Parking requirements pursuant to paragraph 10.3.1, Required Motorized Vehicle
and Bicycle Parking, are not required for site plans
in a UC district if an approved, valid parking plan is in place. If there is not an approved, valid parking plan in effect at the time a development
approval is requested by an institution, the parking requirements of Sec. 10.3, Required Parking, shall be applied. Alternatively, processing of the requested development
approval may be delayed until a new parking plan is approved.
All applicable standards of Article 11, Sign Standards, shall apply.
The standards of Sec. 11.8, Elements of Common and Way-Finding Signage Plans
, shall not apply.
The requirements of Chapter 58 of the City Code, Solid Waste
Collection and Disposal
, may be modified on projects within a UC district if the college or university has filed a solid waste
master plan with the City and that plan has been approved by the Solid Waste
Director or designee.
(1) A traffic impact analysis consistent with the requirements of Sec. 3.3, Traffic Impact Analysis, shall be required with or in advance of site plan
approval of projects utilizing a UC district when appropriate thresholds are reached.
(2) Within the City, this analysis may be included at the time of zoning map changes to a UC district initiated by the university or college
or in advance of site plan
submittals. If provided after the zoning map change, a single TIA, at the applicant’s discretion, may reflect development
throughout a UC district, for identified areas within a UC district, or be provided on a site plan
specific basis.
If the applicant performs the TIA utilizing any option other than the site plan
specific basis, the university or college
may submit a proposed implementation schedule for the provision of required road
improvements, with the improvements tied to specific dates rather than specific projects. Such an implementation schedule shall be reviewed and, if approved by the City, shall be used to govern the timing of all required road
improvements.
The college or university shall provide public sidewalk with each site plan
application in the following manner:
a. The length of sidewalk required per site plan
shall be equal to the total of the widest dimension of the project area(s).
b. Sidewalk can be placed as permitted in paragraph 12.4.2C.1; however, locations shall be prioritized as follows:
(1) Locations within the campus specified within the Durham Walks! Plan or subsequently adopted pedestrian plan(s);
(2) Within the TUA located within one mile of the project site;
(3) Along public right-of way internal to the district.
c. No sidewalk shall be required pursuant to paragraph 12.4.2D, Exemptions.
d. Payment-in-lieu is available pursuant to paragraph 12.4.2C.2, Payment-in-lieu (City only).
A stormwater
impact analysis shall be required to be approved in advance of site plan
approval when appropriate thresholds on campus development
are reached. Such an analysis may reflect development
throughout a UC district, for identified areas within a UC district, or be provided on a site plan
specific basis. If provided utilizing any option other than the site plan
specific basis, the university or college
may submit a proposed implementation schedule for the provision of required stormwater
improvements, with the improvements tied to specific dates rather than specific projects. Such an implementation schedule shall be reviewed and approved by the City or County, as appropriate and, if approved, shall be used to govern the timing of all required improvements.
1. The primary use allowed within the CC District shall be commercial. Use
of this District shall require multiple buildings and tenants.
2. Uses allowed in the CC District shall be limited to those uses listed in Sec. 5.1, Use Table. Proposed residential uses in a CC District shall be noted on the Development Plan
.
3. Commercial outparcels
shall not comprise more than 50% of the acreage or floor area
of the development
.
a. A minimum of four contiguous acres shall be required for initial approval.
b. Additions to an approved CC District may be made in increments of any size.
No minimum lot area
shall be required.
1. Within the Suburban Tier, residential development
shall conform to the standards of the RS-M District.
2. Within the Urban and Compact Neighborhood tiers, residential development
shall conform to the standards of the RU-M District.
3. When a conflict occurs between this section and the RS-M or RU-M standards for open space
, site area
, or lot area
, the stricter rules shall apply.
1. Within the Suburban Tier, the maximum density
shall be 11 units per acre.
2. Within the Urban Tier, the maximum density
shall be 14 units per acre.
3. Within a Compact Neighborhood Tier, the maximum density
shall be 18 units per acre.
1. The maximum height shall be determined by the square footage of the buildings in the development
, as indicated below:
Square Footage | Maximum Height |
|---|---|
Less than 150,000 | 50 feet |
150,000 to less than 250,000 | 90 feet |
More than 250,000 | 145 feet |
2. Any building
over 50 feet shall have its proposed location and height shown on the development plan
.
Access to all outparcels
shall be from the project area. No outparcel
shall have direct access onto a public road
.
1. All nonresidential and upper-story residential structures shall maintain yards
per the CG District within the applicable Tier.
2. Apartment and multiplex structures shall maintain yards
per the applicable housing type in Sec. 7.1, Housing Types.
3. Yard
requirements shall not apply to internal property lines of the overall development
site.
Development
plans shall indicate a continuous internal pedestrian system designed to permit ready access between all elements of the development
, including outparcels
.
Use
of this District shall require multiple buildings. Uses allowed in the IP District shall be limited to those uses listed in Sec. 5.1, Use Table.
a. A minimum of ten contiguous acres shall be required for initial approval.
b. Additions to an approved IP District may be made in increments of any size.
No minimum lot area
shall be required.
A landscaped Transitional Use
Area of at least 30 feet shall be established around the perimeter of the District and shall be shown on the development plan
. If a buffer
required pursuant to Sec. 9.4, Project Boundary Buffers, imposes a greater width requirement than the Transitional Use
Area, the buffer
requirement shall apply.
The maximum height of any building
shall be 90 feet, unless a taller building
is identified on the development plan
, in which case the maximum building
height shall be 145 feet.
Other than the Transitional Use
Area requirements, no yard
requirements shall be established.
Development
plans shall indicate a continuous internal pedestrian system designed to permit ready access between all elements of the development
.
1. A mixed-use development
shall require residential uses as listed in Sec. 5.1, Use Table, and uses from at least one of the following use categories, with the actual uses limited to those identified in the use table:
a. Public and civic;
b. Commercial; or
c. Office![]()
The location of the uses shall be shown on the development plan
.
2. Additions to MU developments
shall not be required to include multiple use types provided the use types are present on the overall site and the required ratios of use established in paragraph B.2 below are maintained.
a. A minimum of four contiguous acres shall be required for initial approval. A smaller initial site may be allowed, if the applicant can demonstrate to the governing body that certain circumstances exist that make an area of less than four acres suitable due to factors including but not limited to, location, topography, or compatibility with adjacent
uses. Sites smaller than four acres shall comply with the other requirements of the district, including the requirement to provide at least two use types on the overall site.
b. Additions to an approved MU district may be made in increments of any size.
a. For mixed use
developments
containing two uses, no use shall occupy less than 30% of the floor area
or gross acreage of the project.
b. For projects with three or more uses, the 30% minimum for a single use shall be waived; however, no single use shall occupy more than 60% of the floor area
or gross acreage of the project.
c. Changes in the location of use areas within a project shall be approved through the site plan
process; provided that all other requirements of the district, including the required mix of uses, are met.
d. For projects utilizing Sec. 6.6, Affordable Housing Bonus, the affordable housing dwelling units
:
(1) Shall not be included in the percent calculations for paragraphs 6.11.7B.2.a and 6.11.7B.2.b, above; and
(2) At least 10% of the affordable housing dwelling units
shall be in each phase of the project.
Any dimensional requirements for individual lots shall be specified in the development plan
.
A 50-foot wide Transitional Use
Area shall be established around the perimeter of each MU district. Within these areas, use and building
scale (massing and height) shall reflect the uses permitted within the adjacent
property; except that a single-story (or 15-foot) differential in building
height between the proposed and adjacent
uses shall be allowed. If, as a result of the location of uses within an MU district, a use is proposed that would typically require a buffer
from the use on an adjacent
property not in the district, then the buffer
requirements of the typical district shall apply, even if they require a greater buffer
than the required Transitional Use
Areas.
The minimum gross residential density
shall be four units per acre for any portions of a project that are developed
solely as residential.
Tier | Maximum Density | Maximum Density |
|---|---|---|
Suburban | 14 | 18 |
Urban | 16 | 20 |
Compact Neighborhood | 16 | 53 |
For projects in which residential and nonresidential uses are integrated vertically, density
shall be calculated based upon the entire site acreage, including areas typically precluded from consideration for density
in Article 8, Environmental Protection.
For all other projects, residential density
shall only be calculated based upon that portion of the site allocated for residential uses, excluding the areas precluded for consideration for density
in Article 8, Environmental Protection.
The minimum floor area
shall be 30% of the square footage of the particular parcel
to be developed
.
No maximum floor area
shall be established. The maximum building coverage
shall be 70%.
The maximum height of a structure
shall be 50 feet, unless a greater height (up to 145 feet) is shown on the development plan
.
A 25-foot street yard
shall be maintained, unless the project is in a Suburban Transit Area as designated in the Comprehensive Plan
. Projects in these areas shall maintain a minimum street yard
of eight feet.
A 15-foot street yard
shall be maintained.
Projects shall respect a maximum street yard
such that at least 60% of the width of the street-facing façade is no more than 15 feet from the edge of right-of-way
.
At least 10% of the gross acreage of the entire site shall be devoted to open space
.
At least five percent of the gross acreage of the site shall be devoted to open space
.
At least two percent of the gross acreage shall be devoted to open space
.
The applicant shall establish a set of design guidelines that provide provisions for landscaping throughout the entire development
, ensuring that a common theme with consistent plant materials are utilized throughout the project.
Parking shall be provided at a maximum rate of 2.1 spaces per dwelling unit
.
Multifamily
parking shall not exceed an amount equivalent to 2.1 spaces per dwelling unit
.
a. Based upon the parking rates in paragraph 10.3.1A.4, Parking Rate Table, the amount of motor vehicle
parking shall be required as follow:
Maximum | 100% of the parking rate. An additional 25% is allowed as long as the additional parking spaces |
Development
plans shall indicate a continuous internal pedestrian system designed to permit ready access between all elements of the development
.
1. A phasing plan that identifies the stages of development
shall be required as part of the zoning map change application proposing to use the MU District.
2. Some components of both residential and nonresidential uses shall be included in the first phase of any project in the MU District.
1. A traffic impact study shall be required as a part of the development plan
when portions of the development
or the entire development
will generate vehicle
trip levels in excess of those identified in Sec. 3.3, Traffic Impact Analysis; however, the TSUP that may be required pursuant to paragraph 3.3.8, Transportation Special Use
Permit, shall not be required within the MU District.
2. The City Transportation Department or NCDOT, as appropriate, shall review the development plan
as well as the projected on-site and off-site traffic impacts, and determine that the mixed use
project is designed to adequately provide for transportation needs.
3. The City Transportation Department or NCDOT, as appropriate, may recommend that the governing body require the developer
to limit access points, provide additional lanes, install traffic islands, provide transit facilities, install traffic signals, or make other improvements to assure traffic safety.
1. Unless the public transit provider indicates in writing to the Planning Director that a shelter
is not required, construction of bus shelters
shall be mandatory wherever the project includes or is adjacent
to an existing or previously identified transit line extension proposed in adopted documents by the public transit provider.
2. Lots may front on public or private streets. A plan for the future maintenance of project amenities and any private streets shall be submitted with the Site Plan
.
A. Height maximums for residential uses shall be calculated by the vertical distance from finished ground level of one corner of the structure
, at the applicant’s discretion, to the highest finished surface. Height for nonresidential uses shall be calculated by the vertical distance from the average of the finished ground level to the finished roof surface of a flat roof or the point at the average height of a roof having a pitch; except for mansard roofs, which shall be measured to the highest finished surface. For buildings with more than one façade along the street, each building
façade shall be measured independently. Height for any building
with multiple roof levels shall be determined by the highest roof level.

1. The average finished ground level shall be calculated by averaging the spot elevations for all building
corners on a single structure
. Multiple, unattached structures on the same site shall have independently calculated average grade
for the purposes of measuring the height of each individual structure
.

2. Except in Design Districts, height for any building
with multiple roof levels shall be determined by the highest roof level.
3. In Design Districts for buildings where multiple height standards apply, see Sec. 16.3, Building
Design.
B. The height limitations shall not apply to steeples, decorative features including parapet walls less than four feet tall, roof access structures, towers less than 250 square feet, air conditioning units, utility poles, mechanical features (including those for solar energy systems
), roof access structures for mechanical equipment or stairways, belfries, lightning rods, antennas
other than those regulated in Article 5, Use
Regulations, water towers, clock towers, or any other tower up to 100 square feet in area which is not used for transmitting and receiving electronic signals or is not a corner tower element
regulated within Sec. 16.3, Building
Design.
Building
width shall be measured by the distance along the front plane of any building
(as determined by the location of an entrance fronting on a street) at the point of the street yard
, except in accordance with Sec. 6.8, Infill Development in Residential Districts, when the prevailing setback
shall be used to fit the point of measurement.
1. Required yards
shall be unobstructed by structures, or objects constructed or erected in a fixed location on the ground, unless allowed by standards found elsewhere in this Ordinance.
2. Required yards
and other open areas provided for one lot or structure
shall not be considered as providing yard
space for another structure
or lot.
3. Required yards
shall be calculated from the adjacent
property line or street right-of-way
. If a new right-of-way
width has been established by the adoption of an official transportation planning document, then the yard
requirement shall be measured from the proposed right-of-way
line.
4. For lots that have multiple property lines that are to the side and rear of a lot, only one lot line, determined by the applicant, shall be considered a rear property line for determining the rear yard
, and all others shall be considered side lot lines.
5. For corner lots, there shall be only one rear yard
, determined by the applicant, and the other yards
shall be side or street yards
as applicable.
Unless otherwise regulated within this Ordinance, the following encroachment
standards shall apply:
Commentary: Easements
, other ordinances, or other legally established restrictions may limit encroachments
otherwise allowed by this Ordinance.
1. Chimneys, pre-fabricated chimneys, flues, or smokestacks can extend into yard
spaces but shall not occupy more than 30 square feet of the required yard
space.
2. Fire escapes can project up to eight feet into any required yard
. Fire escapes in the DD District are permitted to extend beyond the property line.
3. Cornices, eaves, ornamental features, and awnings can extend up to five feet into any required yard
, but shall remain at least two feet from the property line in side and rear yards
, except on zero lot line
homes.
4. Marquee
signs
can extend into yard
spaces in conformance with standards found in the Sec. 11.6, Signs Requiring Permits.
5. Pedestrian bridges, breezeways, and supports of these structures can extend into required yards
for transit access.
6. Security gates and guard stations can be located within any required yard
.
7. Decks, uncovered
terraces, and at-grade patios can extend up to four feet into any required side yard
, or up to eight feet into any required street yard
, or within four feet of a rear property line. Nonenclosed covered decks, porches, and stoops (of up to 50 square feet) can extend eight feet into required street and rear yards
; however, a minimum setback
of five feet from the property line shall be maintained. Non-enclosed covered stoops can also encroach
up to five feet in side yards
, but shall remain at least two feet from the property line in side and rear yards
.
8. Surface parking and associated lighting, uncovered
steps, and handicapped access ramps can be located within any yard
.
9. Except in Design Districts, bay windows, entrances, balconies, and similar features can extend up three feet into any required yard
, but shall remain at least three feet from the property line when encroaching
into the required yard
.
10. In Design Districts, refer to Sec.16.2 and Sec. 16.3 for balconies and bay windows.
11. Mechanical equipment for residential uses, such as HVAC units and equipment for a solar energy system
, can extend into any required side and rear yard
but shall remain at least three feet from the property line.
12. Trellises and pergolas can be located within any required yard
.
13. Fences and walls pursuant to Sec. 9.9, Fences and Walls, can be located within any required yard
.
14. Cabinets, such as “little libraries” or “blessing boxes,” can be located within any required yard
.
a. A maximum of one is allowed in any street yard
.
b. The maximum size of the cabinet shall be 21 cubic feet.
The calculation of the number of units allowed per minimum or maximum density
requirements can result in a fraction of a unit. If the fraction is less than one-half, the fraction shall be deleted. If the fraction is one-half or greater, the number shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
Other than calculating the density
bonus area pursuant to paragraph 6.4.3A, Major Roadway Density Bonus Area, all existing right-of-way
shall be excluded from the calculation of the area of a project for density
purposes. Right-of-way
shall mean the ultimate right-of-way
of a roadway as established by NCDOT or the City of Durham, as appropriate.
Area dedicated
as public right-of-way
, or other public facility
sites reserved
or dedicated
, pursuant to an adopted plan shall be credited towards the density
calculation.
The extension, or “pole,” for flag lots shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width.
In the Urban Tier and lots with RU zoning or RS-M zoning in the Suburban Tier, the extension, or “pole,” for flag lots can be a minimum of 12 feet in width. The following shall also apply:
The primary structure
on a flag lot with a pole less than 20 feet shall have a maximum height of the lesser of 2 stories
or 32 feet and maximum size of 1,200 heated square feet.
(1) A plat
shall be recorded to specify the house size limitations.
(2) Primary structures existing prior to February 25, 2019, shall not be limited to these standards and may be improved in accordance to the applicable single-family
detached housing type standards and other applicable standards.
(3) A vacant flag lot with a pole of less than 20 feet recorded prior to the effective date of these standards may be developed
as a standard flag lot.
The minimum lot width
of the remaining standard lot created from the parent
parcel
shall be 35 feet.
Small Lots and Reduced Pole Flag Lots must include one approved sustainable feature including ribbon driveway
, grid‐connected solar photovoltaic array1, solar hot water heating for domestic hot water2, spray foam insulation, Green Building Certification
, use of WaterSense products3, no on‐site parking, downspouts not piped to the right‐of‐way, or projects utilizing any part of the Affordable Housing Bonus as outlined in Section 6.6.
(1) An on‐site system that is estimated by the installer to produce
at least 25% of the home’s energy needs.
(2) Energy Star certified water heating system designated as Solar with Electric Backup or Solar with Gas Backup.
(3) To satisfy this requirement all toilets, bathroom faucets, and showerheads must meet EPA criteria for WaterSense.
All perimeter lot lines shall be side yards
for setback
purposes.
Where a flag lot abuts an improved and maintained alley
, motor vehicle
access shall only be taken from the alley
.
Driveways
may be shared for multiple flag lots, and for the new flag lot and remaining standard lot if the driveway
for the standard lot is new or to be relocated. Recorded shared access agreements are required for shared driveways
.

A maximum of five single family
or duplex lots are permitted to subdivide off of an existing lot of record
. In no case shall each subdivided lot have less than 5 feet of street frontage
. If all flag lots utilize the Reduced Pole Width Option in 6.12.5A.2, the combined width of all poles must be at least 12 feet in width. If any flag lot is a Standard Flag Lot as outlined in 6.12.5A.1, the combined width of all poles must be at least 20 feet in width. A shared driveway
may be used as the sole access to all such lots.