Kauai County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 29
University Districts UNV
§ 8-29.1 Purpose.
The University District (UNV) shall apply to areas of land that are utilized for campus-related activities and is intended to apply to areas for the location and expansion of universities and similar educational campus environments, and the uses and facilities that are associated with and are supportive of them. Special consideration of such uses and facilities are appropriate given the unique characteristics of campus areas, the variety of uses needed to serve campus communities, and the varying intensities of land uses in such communities. Accordingly, the purposes of this Article are to:
(a)
Establish standards governing the development, construction, and use of specific buildings and structures on the university campus for purposes pertaining to the overall enhancement of the campus community and academic achievement;
(b)
Control the organization and design of use and structures to ensure that the development will not detract from the natural environmental features and attributes of the surrounding area;
(c)
Establish the level of minimum services necessary to supplement the campus community as well as any current students, faculty, etc. residing on-campus; and
(d)
Maintain the character of the campus communities within the University Districts, as well as the communities in neighborhoods adjacent to the University Districts.
(Ord. No. 1013, July 24, 2017)
§ 8-29.2 University District Development Standards.
(a)
Parcel Area. The minimum land area required for a University District shall be 10 acres.
(b)
Setback Requirements. Setback requirements shall be as follows:
(1)
The minimum distance of any building from the right-of-way line of a public or private street or the pavement line of a driveway or parking lot used by the public shall be five feet unless the building is entered from that side by motor vehicles in which case the minimum distance shall be 15 feet.
(2)
The minimum distance of any building to a side property line shall be 10 feet.
(3)
The minimum distance of any building to a rear property line shall be 10 feet.
(4)
Notwithstanding the setback requirements listed in Section 8-29.2(b)(1) through (3), the setback standards for any public facility within the University District shall conform to the setback standards established under the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) Security Design Criteria for New Federal Office Buildings and Major Modernization Projects.
(c)
Minimum Distance Between Buildings. The minimum distance between detached buildings on the same parcel shall be 15 feet for each story over two, or 1/2 the total height of the highest building, whichever is greater.
(d)
Parcel Dimension Requirements. No parcel shall be created unless:
(1)
It has a minimum frontage on a public street of 100 feet;
(2)
The average depth of the parcel is not greater than four times its average width; and
(3)
The minimum average width is 100 feet.
(e)
Driveways and Parking Areas. The following development standards shall apply to all university development:
(1)
The minimum driveway width for non-residential uses and structures shall be 20 feet if there is two-way traffic and 14 feet if there is one-way traffic.
(2)
Parking areas shall conform to standards of design and construction established by the County Engineer, provided that:
(A)
No parking lot pavement edge shall be located closer than five feet from the right-of-way boundary of a public street;
(B)
No part of parked vehicles shall protrude into that setback; and
(C)
All parking lots shall be screened from public thoroughfares by a fence, wall, hedge, or plant screen not less than four feet high, provided that the screening height shall be lowered to the standards as required under the County Traffic Code or to the standards of the Department of Public Works, at street corners, driveway intersections, and other locations. The setback area between the parking area paving and the public right-of-way shall be planted.
(3)
Off-Street Parking. The following requirements shall apply to university-related development in the University District:
(A)
The off-street parking standards and requirements shall provide adequate off-street parking for student, faculty, and visitor demands.
(B)
The Planning Director reserves the right to further determine the distribution of parking requirements for any particular use or combination of uses and may increase or decrease parking requirements when particular uses or locations occur in areas where unusual traffic congestion or conditions exist or are projected.
(f)
Building Height Limitations. No building within the University District shall exceed 50 feet in height.
(g)
Land Coverage. Lot coverage shall not exceed 80% of the parcel area.
(Ord. No. 1013, July 24, 2017)
§ 8-29.3 Maximum Residential Densities Within University Districts.
(a)
The allowable maximum densities shall be that permitted in the R-20 District, except that each dormitory room shall be considered as 1/2 of one dwelling unit in computing the allowable number of dwelling units.
(b)
Fractional Units. When the density calculation results in a fractional unit of 65% or more of a unit, the allowable density shall be established at the next higher number of units.
(Ord. No. 1013, July 24, 2017)
§ 8-29.4 Project Development Standards.
(a)
Utilities and Services. The following development standards apply to all university development:
(1)
Waste collection areas shall be provided for student and faculty dormitories and housing, and common waste collection areas shall be provided for all university dwelling units, according to standards established by the County Engineer. All waste collection areas shall be screened by a fence, wall, hedge, or plant screen from public thoroughfares when serving over two dwelling units.
(2)
Where a zoning permit is issued providing for development at a density of 10 or more dwelling units per acre on a parcel, all electric distribution lines, telephone lines, gas distribution lines, cable television lines, and similar facilities located within the parcel to be developed or leading into the parcel shall be installed underground unless the applicant demonstrates, and the Planning Commission determines on the basis of substantial evidence, that installation of any of the foregoing lines and facilities above ground will better protect scenic and environmental values.
(b)
The following types of lines and facilities shall be exempted from the requirements of this Section:
(1)
Poles without overhead lines used exclusively for fire or police alarm boxes, lighting purposes, or traffic control;
(2)
Overhead wires attached to the exterior surface of a building by means of a bracket or other fixture and extending from one location on the building to another location on the same building; and
(3)
Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities, such as surface mounted transformers, pedestal mounted terminal boxes, and meter cabinets and concealed ducts, provided that the facilities shall be located and designed so as to harmonize with the area, and shall be appropriately screened and landscaped. In appropriate instances, all or part of the transformers and service terminals shall be flush with or below the surface of the ground at the point of installation.
(Ord. No. 1013, July 24, 2017)
§ 8-29.5 Permits Required.
No construction or other development for which standards are established in this Article shall be undertaken within any University District except in accordance with a valid Zoning Permit. The following Zoning Permits, in accordance with this Article, shall be required for the following activities:
(a)
Class I Permit. A Class I Permit shall be obtained for construction or development that consists of a use and accompanying structure(s) listed as generally permitted under Section 8-2.4(w), and that:
(1)
The parcel is not located in a Constraint District or Special Treatment District; and/or
(2)
The construction or development does not require a Use Permit or a Variance Permit.
(b)
Class IV Permit. A Class IV Permit shall be obtained for construction or development consisting of 100 or more dormitory units, or for which a Class I Permit would otherwise be obtainable except that a Use Permit or a Variance Permit is required.
(c)
To obtain any Permit, the applicant shall show compliance with the standards established in this Article and shall submit, where necessary, a plot plan.
(Ord. No. 1013, July 24, 2017; Ord. No. 1173, May 19, 2025)
