For the purpose of developing a comprehensive arrangement of land uses and related standards, regulations, rules and specifications, the classifications of essential uses, and the declaration of each essential use group establishing the purpose for the zones within each group set forth hereafter adopted.

(Ord. 1000 § A(part), 1995).

(Ord. No. 1547, § 4, 12-4-2017; Ord. No. 1627, § 2, 8-16-2021)

A.

"Gross acreage" means the total acreage of the entire legal lot or lots of record on which the residential development is proposed, including half of existing street right-of-way around the perimeter of the site, new rights-of-way internal to the site, critical areas, wetlands, and other nondevelopable areas.

B.

"Net acreage" means gross acreage minus dedications exclusively for public use, such as dedications for rights-of-way, public trails, public stormwater facilities, and other public infrastructure, but not nonexclusive easements outside rights-of-way or easements for the sole benefit of residents in the development, or privately owned land, including land owned by a common interest community.

(Ord. No. 1627, § 2, 8-16-2021)

There are established the classifications of the essential land uses for all residential, business and industrial zones to be known by the zone symbols shown as follows:

D.U. = Dwelling Unit

(Ord. No. 1657, § C(Exh. A), 12-19-2022)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 1657, § C(Exh. A), adopted Dec. 19, 2022, repealed the former § 19.11.020, and enacted a new § 19.11.020 as set out herein. The former § 19.11.020 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. 1000 § A(part), adopted 1995; Ord. No. 1390, § D, adopted Feb. 22, 2011; Ord. No. 1547, § 4, adopted Dec. 4, 2017; Ord. No. 1574, § C, adopted March 4, 2019.

A.

Calculations for Determining Minimum Density. The density minimum standard applies to some residential developments. Net acreage, not gross acreage, shall be used for the purpose of calculating minimum density.

1.

Exception for Existing Homes in the Pepin Creek Subarea. Typically associated with a farmstead, existing homes within the Pepin Creek Subarea and their outbuildings may require larger lots than zoning or minimum density standards anticipate. Subdivisions within the Pepin Creek Subarea may exclude the area of a lot dedicated to preserving an existing home under the following conditions:

a.

Residence must have existed prior to August 1, 2021.

b.

Plats which create an excluded lot must document the existing residence and its date of construction.

c.

Plats which create an excluded lot must address the possibility of additional access and utility needs when/if future subdivision on these lots occur.

d.

No additional dwelling units can be added to the lot excluded from minimum density standards until it is further divided to meet minimum density standards. However, nothing in this section prevents the addition of an accessory dwelling unit or the repair, remodel, or replacement of the original residence.

2.

Pepin Creek Subarea Wetland Exception. Within the Pepin Creek Subarea only, the portion of wetland and buffer areas in excess of twenty-five percent of the net acreage can be excluded from the minimum density calculation. Wetlands and buffers that cover the first twenty-five percent of the net acreage must be included in the minimum density calculation. Calculations of buffer area shall be conducted prior to any buffer reduction methods. For example:

a.

A site has ten net acres; Four acres are encumbered by wetlands and their buffers and six are not. Wetlands and buffers covering twenty-five percent of the net acreage shall be counted, in this case, two and one-half acres. The remaining one and one-half acres of wetlands and buffers will not be counted. The total acres counted for the purpose of minimum density would be six developable acres plus two and one-half wetland acres, or eight and one-half acres.

b.

A site has ten net acres; one acre is encumbered by wetlands and their buffers, and the other nine acres are not. Twenty-five percent of the site would be two and one-half acres, but as there are less than two and one-half acres of wetlands and buffers, all of the wetlands and buffers are counted for the purpose of determining minimum density.

B.

Calculations for Determining Maximum Density.

1.

Maximum density for residential zones applies to all development with new residential dwelling units, unless otherwise noted herein.

2.

Gross acreage of the lot or lots may be used in the calculation of the maximum allowed residential density.

3.

For the purpose of meeting maximum density requirements for subdivisions in applicable zones, final plats must specify the maximum number of dwelling units per lot.

C.

How to Calculate Density. Minimum and maximum density for an individual site must be calculated by multiplying the total site acreage based on subsections (A) and/or (B) of this section by the minimum and maximum dwelling units per acre for the applicable zone. When calculation results in a fraction, the fraction must be rounded to the nearest whole number; fractions of one-half and above must be rounded up, and fractions below one-half must be rounded down.

D.

Prohibited Reduction. Any portion of a lot that was used to calculate minimum compliance with the standards and regulations of this title must not be subsequently subdivided or segregated from such lot unless all portions of the resulting lots continue to meet the code requirements after the subdivision.

(Ord. No. 1627, § 2, 8-16-2021)