Greenwich Township City Zoning Code
§ 16-13.8
Single-family open space community additional requirements.
[Ord. No. 1998-18]
a.
Lot area. A lot area of one acre is permitted with public water service or documentation by a certified hydrogeologist that there is adequate quantity and quality of groundwater to support one acre lots. In the absence of that documentation, a two acre lot is required in an open space community development.
b.
Creation of agricultural open space. Up to 60% of the 70% open space required to be set aside in an open space community can be in the form of a farm owned and operated by an individual or corporation, provided that it is deed restricted in perpetuity against any further subdivision.
c.
Provision of improved open space.
1.
Ten percent of the minimum required open space shall be set aside as improved open space accessible to the public or the homeowners' association. Improved open space is open space that is graded, landscaped and improved with recreation equipment, ballfields or a village commons with street furniture, decorative fencing, etc.
2.
The creation of improved open space shall entitle each development to one additional dwelling unit per 50 acres of tract area.
3.
Equestrian or walking trails should be set aside in each open space community subdivision as a portion of the open space accessible to the public or the homeowners' association.
d.
Farmstead density bonus. Where, in the process of developing a single-family detached open space community on a parcel containing an existing dwelling unit identified as historic or architecturally significant by the Township or Warren County, an applicant agrees to rehabilitate and upgrade the existing unit to meet current building code requirements and market the same for occupancy, such unit will not be counted, against the maximum number of units permitted as part of the development in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. This provision is conditioned upon the following.
1.
No more than one existing dwelling unit may be incorporated as an additional lot.
2.
Existing farmstead outbuildings (e.g., barn, well house, etc.) must be rehabilitated to meet local safety codes and be maintained as part of the additional lot.
3.
The applicant must demonstrate and the Board must find that the rehabilitated unit will be sufficiently upgraded to salable standards appropriately marketed.
4.
All proposed lots must meet current land development ordinance requirements.
5.
Historic or culturally significant structures listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places or structures listed in an adopted County Master Plan document that are not currently listed in the Greenwich Master Plan or otherwise designated by the Township Historic Commission are also eligible for inclusion in this process.
6.
All applicants for farmstead density bonus shall provide a complete set of plans to the Township Historic Commission, including elevations sufficient to clearly indicate any proposed modifications and/or reconstruction of the existing farm house and farmstead outbuildings. The Historic Commission shall provide comments and recommendations to the Land Use Board within the normal review time associated with the application.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2014-02]
7.
A common open space area of at least 100 feet in width adjoining all cluster lots shall be designated as common open space and be held in a community association. Where possible, this area will be located adjacent to the deed restricted/farmstead parcel and separated from the residentially clustered lots. The amount of area necessary to produce this one-hundred-foot area will be subtracted from the required open space that would otherwise be required in the remaining farmstead.