The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the size of single-family dwellings and accessory structures and to provide for review by the city council of very large homes. This chapter does not apply to private schools, country clubs, private clubs, public facilities, and other structures not associated with single-family dwellings.

(Ord. 639 § 20 (part), 2003)

A.

For purposes of Sections 17.32.030 and 17.32.040, the phrase "total covered floor area" shall mean the total area of all buildings on the lot (except for excluded accessory structures listed in this section) measured to the exterior wall lines thereof (i.e., the outside edge of exterior walls). This shall include all roofed areas with a level floor-to-ceiling height of at least seven feet, including basements as set forth in subsection C of this section, closets, stairwells, bay windows, turrets, and other projections bounded by two or more exterior walls, plus the additional amount of square footage, if any, specified by subsections B and D of this section. For purposes of this chapter, floor area includes finished or unfinished floor area. The foregoing notwithstanding, the following accessory structures shall be excluded from (i.e., not counted in) the floor area calculation: trellises, open gazebos, open pergolas, open decks, carports open on at least two sides, and other structures of a similar type as determined by the town's planning office.

B.

For rooms or areas with low sloping ceilings, such as attics, all floor areas with a level floor-to-ceiling height of at least five feet shall be counted as floor area.

C.

For basement areas with exterior walls less than two feet above the surrounding natural grade, thirty-three percent of all floor areas with a level floor-to-ceiling height of at least six feet shall be counted as floor area. For basement areas with exterior walls two feet or more above the surrounding natural grade, one hundred percent of all floor areas with a level floor-to-ceiling height of at least six feet shall be counted as floor area. The height of exterior basement walls shall be measured from the surrounding natural grade to the plate height of the ground-level floor above.

D.

For spaces with high ceilings, one hundred and fifty percent of all floor area (after the first three hundred square feet, which shall be counted at one hundred percent) with a floor-to-ceiling height greater than twelve feet shall be counted as floor area.

(Ord. 657 § 4, 2005; Ord. 639 § 20 (part), 2003)

A.

The total covered floor area shall be at least twenty-five hundred square feet.

B.

The total covered floor area shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the net lot area for the first acre plus fifteen percent of the net lot area over one acre. This percentage is known as the floor area ratio ("FAR") and is calculated by dividing the total covered floor area (in square feet) by the net lot area (in square feet).

C.

When five hundred square feet or less remain in the allowable floor area, a notice (prepared by the town) shall be recorded by the property owner to notify future owners that the square footage remaining for additional development of the property is minimal and that the building department should therefore be consulted as to whether any additional development is possible on the property.

(Ord. 639 § 20 (part), 2003)

A.

Except as set forth in subsection G. of this section, the design of any new primary dwelling having a total covered floor area, as defined in subsection 17.32.020.A, in excess of eight thousand square feet shall not be deemed approved or conditionally approved, regardless of any recommendation of the architecture and design review board or the lack of a timely and proper appeal, until the project has been submitted to the city council for review and final disposition.

B.

New primary dwellings having a total covered floor area in excess of eight thousand square feet shall be submitted to the city council as follows: the submittal shall include, but not be limited to, all the written documentation that was presented to the architecture and design review board for its consideration, as well as the written record of the architecture and design review board's action.

C.

The submittal to the city council shall be noticed in the same manner as was required for the architecture and design review board's consideration of the project.

D.

The city council's review shall include a public hearing and shall consider the following:

1.

The project's compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

2.

The recommendation of the architecture and design review board.

3.

The project's aesthetic compatibility with the site and the neighborhood, including, without limitation, the impact of such square footage on the site and the neighborhood.

E.

The city council shall either approve, conditionally approve, or deny the project, or instruct the applicant to make revisions to the design and resubmit it to the architecture and design review board for additional review.

F.

Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, following design review by the architecture and design review board, the city planner may determine, in consultation with the commissioner for the planning office, that the city council review set forth in this section is not necessary because (i) there is no unresolved opposition to or concern about the project raised in the public hearing before the architecture and design review board and (ii) the project was approved by the architecture and design review board with no dissenting votes.

(Ord. 654 § 23, 2004; Ord. 639 § 20 (part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 715, § 10, 6-9-2014; Ord. No. 761, § 16, 1-13-2020)

There is no limitation on the number of accessory structures that may be allowed on a lot; provided, however, that each covered accessory structure shall not exceed one thousand square feet in floor area, except as otherwise set forth in Sections 17.52.020(C)(5) and (C)(6).

(Ord. 654 § 25, 2004; Ord. 648 § 8, 2003; Ord. 639 § 20 (part), 2003)

A.

For purposes of this chapter, there are three types of residential lot coverage: Structural coverage, hardscape coverage, and softscape coverage.

1.

Structural coverage consists of areas of the lot covered by a house, a garage, a carport, and any other accessory structure having more than one wall and a roof. These shall be measured to their exterior wall lines or exterior supporting columns, but shall not include porches, entries, porticos, balconies, and the like (if such porches, entries, porticos, balconies, and the like are roofed and open on at least two sides) and shall not include roof overhangs, if all these excluded items together do not exceed, in area, ten percent of the maximum permitted structural coverage. Structural coverage is often referred to as the "footprint" of the above-described structures on the lot.

2.

Hardscape coverage consists of areas of the lot located beneath a roof or covered by manufactured, non-plant pervious or impervious materials but does not include anything included in structural coverage.

a.

"Impervious surface" means any constructed surface that prevents the passage of water into the underlying soil or otherwise significantly increases runoff. Common impervious surfaces include, but are not limited to, concrete, asphalt, brick or other stone materials set in sand or concrete.

b.

"Pervious" or porous materials used for walkways, driveways and patios may receive certain exceptions from site coverage as provided for in this chapter if the applicant demonstrates that the proposed material allows the passage of water into the underlying soil, the area of that material would be counted at fifty percent of the total area of such surface(s) for determining the calculation of lot coverage.

3.

Softscape coverage consists of all lot coverage that is not structural coverage or hardscape coverage. Examples of softscape are live trees, shrubs, lawns, live plant material, dirt, indigenous grasses and woodland, or "decorative landscaping." Examples of decorative landscaping are non-live materials such as rocks, gravel, decomposed granite, mulch, or bark and does not include asphalt, cement or any other impervious surface.

B.

The maximum surface area of a lot that may be covered by structural coverage is as follows:

C.

Subject to the provisions of paragraph B of this section, the combined total of structural plus hardscape coverage shall not exceed fifty percent of the net lot area; provided, however, that in any setback area adjacent to the street line, the combined total of structural plus hardscape coverage shall not exceed forty percent of such area.

D.

Softscape coverage is subject to the limitations set forth in Section 17.56.040.

(Ord. 639 § 20 (part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 692, § 5, 9-13-2010; Ord. No. 761, § 17, 1-13-2020)