The purpose of this district is to provide an environment in which the principal use of land is for single-family dwellings of a relatively low density. It is further the intent of this district to provide for such uses as schools, churches, libraries, parks, playgrounds, and other public and semi-public uses, along with certain home occupations, accessory buildings, and others to coexist on a limited and structured basis adjacent to residential uses.

Further, the objectives of this Article include:

A.

To encourage the construction of, and the continued use of the land for single-family dwellings;

B.

To prohibit intensive business, commercial, or industrial use of the land, and to prohibit any other use which would substantially interfere with development or maintenance of single-family dwellings in the district.

C.

To encourage the discontinuance of existing uses that would not be permitted as new uses under the provisions of this Ordinance.

D.

To discourage any land use which would generate volumes of traffic on minor or local streets, greater than that normally associated with residential streets.

E.

To discourage any use which, because of its character or size, would create requirements and costs for public services such as fire and police protection, water supply, and sewer treatment substantially in excess of such requirements and costs normally associated with single-family dwellings.

F.

To permit the continuation of the agricultural use of open lands in such a manner that their future use as desirable residential areas will be guaranteed.

No building or land shall be used and no building shall be erected except for one (1) or more of the following specified uses, unless otherwise provided in this Ordinance:

A.

Single-family detached dwellings.

B.

Home occupations.

C.

Adult foster care family homes, provided, this subsection shall not apply to adult foster care facilities, licensed by a state agency, for the care and treatment of persons released from or assigned to adult correctional institutions.

D.

Public, quasi-public, and institutional uses, such as, but not limited to, municipal buildings and offices, courthouses, public off-street parking facilities, libraries, museums, public safety facilities, parks, post offices, and civic centers, (excluding storage yards for the same).

E.

Essential public services when conducted within a completely enclosed building, excluding storage yards.

F.

Churches and other facilities normally incidental thereto.

G.

Off-street parking.

H.

Accessory structures and uses customarily incidental to the above permitted uses.

The following uses shall be considered conditional and shall require a conditional use approval, and shall comply with any applicable conditional use requirements of Article XXIII:

A.

Home-based businesses.

B.

Public, parochial, and private elementary, intermediate, and/or high schools offering courses in general education, not operated for profit.

C.

Public hospitals, but not including institutions for the care of the insane, provided that the hospital is adjacent to an arterial roadway as defined in the Eaton Rapids Comprehensive Plan.

D.

Private recreation areas, uses, and facilities including country clubs, golf courses, and swimming pools.

E.

Public utility buildings, telephone exchange buildings, electric transformer stations and substations, and gas regulator stations, but not including service or storage yards, when operating requirements necessitate the locating within the district in order to serve the immediate vicinity.

F.

Cemeteries.

G.

Plant nurseries and greenhouses.

H.

Private stables for the keeping of horses and ponies for private use.

I.

Truck gardening and associated road stand solely for the sale of produce grown on the land used for agricultural purposes.

J.

Daycare center.

1.

The site shall be evaluated for the degree of potential residential and institutional use conflicts.

2.

The site should preferably be located at the edge of residential districts.

3.

The site shall have a minimum lot area of sixty-five thousand (65,000) square feet.

4.

Site locations should offer natural or manmade barriers that would lessen the impact of the institutional intrusion upon a residential area.

5.

The building shall use massing, building materials and architectural elements to blend in with the surrounding residential areas, such as peaked roofs and porches.

6.

All playground equipment and areas for playing and exercise shall be in the side and/or rear yard of the property. This area shall contain a minimum of five thousand (5,000) square feet per twelve (12) children and be screened from abutting residential uses and districts.

7.

Motor vehicle ingress and egress shall be made directly to an arterial street as defined in the Eaton Rapids Comprehensive Plan and setback a minimum of twenty (20) feet from abutting residential properties or uses.

8.

The building front, side and rear setbacks shall be thirty (30) feet minimum from the property or street lines unless determined by the Planning Commission a greater setback is needed.

9.

Parking and drop off/pick up areas shall be located in the side and rear yards with a setback of twenty (20) feet minimum from the property lines and screened in accordance with Section 21.10.

10.

One nonilluminated wall sign not to exceed six (6) square feet shall be the only signage permitted.

11.

Paved walkways shall be provided from the main building entrance(s) to any sidewalks along the adjacent public street.

12.

Waste receptacles and mechanical equipment shall be screened in accordance with the standards identified in Section 20.30.

K.

Convalescent or nursing homes, housing for the elderly.

1.

The site shall be evaluated for the degree of potential residential and institutional use conflicts.

2.

The site should preferably be located at the edge of residential districts.

3.

The site shall have a minimum lot area of two (2) acres.

4.

Site locations should offer natural or manmade barriers that would lessen the impact of the institutional intrusion upon a residential area.

5.

The building shall use massing, building materials and architectural elements to blend in with the surrounding residential areas, such as peaked roofs and porches.

6.

The allowable density of the underlying zoning district may be increased by no more than fifty (50) per cent for all nursing care units licensed by the State of Michigan, or twenty-five (25) per cent for nonlicensed nursing care and supportive care units.

7.

All dwelling units shall have a minimum of four hundred fifty (450) square feet per unit.

8.

Motor vehicle ingress and egress shall be made directly to an arterial street as defined in the Eaton Rapids Comprehensive Plan and setback a minimum of twenty (20) feet from abutting residential properties or uses.

9.

The building front, side and rear setbacks shall be thirty (30) feet minimum from the property or street lines unless determined by the Planning Commission a greater setback is needed.

10.

Parking shall be located in the side and rear yards with a setback of twenty (20) feet minimum from the property lines and screened in accordance with Section 21.10.

11.

Retail and service uses may be permitted on the site, if such uses are accessory to the elderly housing use. All such uses shall be within the residential building. Nonilluminated wall signs not to exceed twelve (12) square feet are the only signage permitted for these accessory uses.

12.

Signage for the main use shall be a monument sign not to exceed six (6) feet in height and twenty-five (25) square feet in area.

13.

Paved walkways shall be provided from the main building entrance(s) to any sidewalks along the adjacent public street.

14.

Ambulance and delivery areas shall be obscured from adjoining residential properties in accordance with the standards identified in Article XX.

15.

Waste receptacles and mechanical equipment shall be screened in accordance with the standards identified in Section 20.30.

(Ord. No. 2016-3, 4-11-16)

The following requirements shall be met within a Low Density Single-Family Residential District (RD1):

A.

Development plan approval for all non single-family residential uses as specified in Article XVI of this Ordinance.

B.

Off-street parking, loading, and access management standards for all uses specified in Article XXI of this Ordinance.

C.

Signs for all uses as specified in Article XXII of this Ordinance.

D.

Height, area, lot coverage, and yard regulations as specified in Article XVII of this Ordinance.

E.

Landscaping requirements as specified in Article XX of this Ordinance.