Orange City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXV
Assisted Housing District
§ 383-222 Purpose.
A.
The purpose of the Assisted Housing District ("AHD") is to facilitate the development of multifamily apartment homes at 329 Smith Farm Road and adjacent parcels, with regulations and standards that are generally consistent with the regulations governing the Planned Residential Development District, with modifications to allow development that will qualify as "assisted housing" as defined in Connecticut General Statutes § 8-30g(a)(3).
§ 383-223 Qualifying standards.
Parcels of land eligible for AHD development approval must comply with the following standards:
A.
Zoning district: Prior to being zoned for the AHD, the parcel shall be zoned Residence District.
C.
Street location: An AHD site must have a minimum of 50 feet of frontage on a public street.
D.
Sanitary sewers and public water: In an AHD development, units must be connected to public sanitary sewers and the public drinking water system.
§ 383-224 Allowed AHD uses.
A.
An AHD development that qualifies as "assisted housing" as defined in Connecticut General Statutes § 8-30g(a)(3).
B.
Multi-unit residential dwellings as permitted and limited by this article.
C.
Accessory uses that are customary with and incidental to any aforesaid permitted use, subject to the accessory use being located on the same lot with the permitted use to which it is accessory.
§ 383-225 Limitations on number of AHD units to be authorized.
To allow for the orderly provision of municipal services, the maximum number of residential units to be approved on any one site shall be limited by floor area ratio standards stated in § 383-226.
§ 383-226 Planning and design standards.
§ 383-227 Building standards.
A.
The minimum floor area for units shall be 650 square feet for a one-bedroom unit, 800 square feet for a two-bedroom unit, and 1,200 square feet for a three-bedroom unit.
B.
Residential buildings shall be separated by at least 25 feet from any other residential building.
C.
Utilities shall be buried underground unless this requirement is impractical due to site conditions.
D.
For this article, building height shall be determined for compliance as the distance between the lowest existing elevation of a finished floor elevation to the top of the roof peak.
E.
The longest side of a residential building shall not exceed 160 feet.
§ 383-228 Parking requirements.
A.
Off-street parking shall be provided in the amount of 1.25 spaces per unit.
B.
The Plan and Zoning Commission may reduce the required parking if it is determined that lesser parking will adequately serve the proposed use.
C.
Any open parking areas, excluding garage driveway pads, must be set back a minimum of 10 feet from all sides of dwellings.
D.
Parking which serves more than one unit may not have as its only egress backing out onto a public street.
E.
Adequate, unobstructed space shall be provided for snow clearance of parking spaces.
F.
Driveways shall not constitute parking spaces in determining conformance with parking standards.
§ 383-229 Landscaping requirements.
A.
All AHD areas that directly abut a residential use shall contain a buffer strip at least 25 feet wide, which buffer strip may include existing vegetation, grass, turf and/or plantings that substantially screen the perimeter buildings and parking areas within the AHD development from neighboring residential areas.
B.
A landscape plan must be submitted with each AHD site plan application.
C.
Utility terminal boxes and connections placed aboveground shall be adequately landscaped to screen them from view.
D.
Existing mature vegetation on the site shall be retained in areas not disturbed by construction. In areas disturbed by construction, or in areas where existing vegetation is sparse, new plant material (trees, shrubs) shall be provided as follows:
§ 383-230 Assisted housing definition and eligibility.
Each AHD shall constitute "assisted housing" as defined in General Statutes § 8-30g(a)(3). In addition:
A.
An "affordable unit" is a dwelling which is offered at a contract rent, excluding utilities, that is, after adjustment for family size, at or below 80% of the lesser of the median income of the New Haven/Meriden MSA or the median income of the State of Connecticut, as determined by HUD.
B.
A minimum of 75% of the dwelling units in an AHD development shall be reserved for individuals and families meeting the maximum household income requirements of the applicable government program that qualifies the AHD development as assisted housing.
C.
In determining whether an applicant for an affordable unit meets the qualifying criteria, the factors and methods of calculations stated in federal regulations in determining household income shall be used.
§ 383-231 Signs.
A.
The following signs are authorized on an approved AHD site. All such signs shall conform to the requirements of § 383-186:
B.
Application procedure: All applications for a certificate of zoning compliance shall be made to the Zoning Enforcement Officer and shall conform to the requirements of § 383-184.
C.
Site plan: An application for a certificate of zoning compliance for any sign may be incorporated in an application for AHD site plan approval for consideration and approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
§ 383-233 Soil erosion and sediment control.
§ 383-234 Earth materials removal and filling.
§ 383-235 Procedure for approving AHD development proposals.
A.
All applications for an AHD development shall be subject to site plan review.
B.
The Plan and Zoning Commission shall charge an application fee equal to the standard fee in the Town of Orange for site plan reviews.
C.
Site plans must be developed by either a professional engineer, architect, registered landscape architect, registered land surveyor or a professional planner, or any combination of such professionals, each to limit himself/herself to his/her particular area of expertise.
§ 383-236 Site plan submission.
A.
A site plan application shall be submitted to the Plan and Zoning Commission. The site plan application shall include:
(1)
A map showing topography often-foot intervals and depicting all wetland areas, watercourses and slopes above 25%.
(2)
A listing of all property owners, by tax parcel number, within 500 feet of the development's boundaries.
(3)
Information on land areas adjacent to the proposed development to indicate the relationship between the existing and proposed utilization of surrounding properties, including land uses, zoning, densities, height of structures, circulation systems, public facilities, and unique natural features.
(4)
A summary table indicating compliance with the qualifying, planning, and design standards. The table shall show proposed phasing, if any, the number and type of buildings and units, the number of parking spaces required and provided, square feet and percent of lot area covered by pavement and buildings, lot area, frontage and landscape requirements and amount of open space required and provided.
(5)
The existing and proposed vehicular circulation system including parking and loading areas and points of access to residential and nonresidential uses.
(6)
The existing and proposed pedestrian circulation system including its interrelationships with the vehicular circulation system, open space system, and other areas of common use.
(7)
A written report by a qualified professional evaluating the impact of the amount of traffic projected within and for the proposed development and the adequacy of the surrounding streets and traffic controls to accommodate existing traffic, projected traffic from the proposed development, and projected traffic from other approved developments in the area.
(8)
A general landscape plan including the proposed treatment of the interior and the treatment of the perimeter of the AHD development including materials and techniques to be used such as living screens, berms and fences.
(9)
Examples of proposed product types for the proposed buildings including building layouts and elevations of all buildings (front, back and both sides) showing proposed textures, materials and colors. Identical buildings will not require multiple elevations.
(10)
Proposed development schedule with projected completion date(s).
(11)
Proposed number of units by bedroom count, i.e., the number of one-bedroom units, the number of two-bedroom units, etc.
(12)
Preliminary grading and drainage information of the same nature and to the same extent required for a subdivision.
(13)
A "Housing Affordability Plan" prepared in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes § 8-30g et seq., of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, including:
(a)
The name and address of the proposed Administrator of the affordable units;
(b)
An affirmative fair housing marketing plan governing the sale or rental of the units;
(c)
The building schedule and location of the affordable units;
(d)
A sample calculation of rental rates and sale prices for the affordable units;
(e)
Proposed enforceability;
(f)
Provision that the proposed Administrator shall file an annual report to the Commission, in a form specified by the Commission, certifying compliance with the provisions of this section; and
(g)
Provision that the affordable units will be comparable to market rate/non-restricted units with regard to design, materials, finishes, and quality.
B.
Public hearing: After receipt of a completed AHD site plan application and required application fees, the Plan and Zoning Commission shall hold a public hearing and take action to approve, approve with modification, or disapprove the application.