Purpose. The purpose of the Rural Residential South Pittsford (RRSP) Zone is to support creative, low-impact development patterns and land uses that conserve resources and lands identified in a public planning process for an update to the Comprehensive Plan which focused on the area in Town south of the New York State Thruway. The district is established to provide and maintain land area to promote and support ongoing agricultural uses and activities that complement the rural character of the residential and Mendon Ponds Park setting and encourage farms to remain in farm production, while providing reasonable land area for neighborhoods of single-family dwellings at a medium to low density on a range of lot sizes using conservation-sensitive design. The resources, lands and values identified by the community as important to conserve include: rural character, agriculture, highly visible open space lands, and visual and wildlife buffer area adjacent to Mendon Ponds Park lands.

Pursuant to § 185-5, the Official Zoning Map of the Town of Pittsford is amended and revised to establish and include the Rural Residential South Pittsford Zoning District, as described in Exhibit A.[1]

Single-family dwelling, detached.

Private stable; keeping of horses, subject to § 185-116.

Farm operations, provided that such operations are consistent with §§ 150 and 308 of the Agriculture and Markets Law of the State of New York.

Farm stand, subject to the provisions of § 185-114.

Rural conservation.

Accessory structures and uses, subject to § 185-113.

Commercial stable.

Farm market, within an enclosed structure of no more than 1,200 square feet in size.

Country store.

Veterinary clinic.

Tack shop.

Place of worship, subject to § 185-124.

School, subject to § 185-131.

Golf course.

Site capacity. A parcel of less than 20 acres may be developed at a maximum density of one residential unit per five acres. A parcel which is less than five acres but larger than 16,000 square feet may be developed with one dwelling unit as a preexisting nonconforming lot. No more than one residential building shall be erected on any one lot. Approval of subdivisions under § 278 of the Town Law for parcels of less than 20 acres is prohibited.

The following minimum standards shall apply to parcels of five acres or more:

Lot coverage. Max 15%.

A parcel which is less than five acres but larger than 16,000 square feet may be developed with one dwelling unit. The following minimum standards shall apply:

Application of Town Law § 278. "Cluster Development," all development applications shall be processed by the Planning Board pursuant to the provisions of § 278 of the Town Law. As part of that process, the Planning Board shall, at a minimum, apply the limitations and conditions of this section.

Site capacity. The maximum allowable dwelling units that may be built on said development site shall be determined by the site capacity calculation worksheet, as required by the Town's Subdivision Regulations.

The development shall demonstrate significant application and incorporation of the community values and guiding principles for community amenities for the area south of the New York State Thruway as presented in the South of the Thruway Update to the Town of Pittsford Comprehensive Plan. The guiding principles for community amenities outlined below as specific criteria are listed in order of priority, Preservation of agricultural lands being the highest priority:

Dimensional requirements for development on parcels of 20 acres or more:

Permanent rural conservation site. The open space within the parcel shall be permanently designated as rural conservation and shall be so designated on the Official Zoning Map.

The selection of land within a parcel to be designated as rural conservation shall be made by the applicant and subject to the approval of the Planning Board.

Rural conservation lands may be held in private ownership or, if proposed for public ownership, shall be dedicated to the Town of Pittsford.

Land designated as rural conservation shall be limited to the following uses:

Where rural conservation sites result from the application of RRSP zoning requirements, or are otherwise existing, and which are not dedicated to the Town, they shall be described in a conservation easement executed by the owner and delivered to the Town. The Department of Public Works may not grant final approval to any development plans until the conservation easement is received by the Town.

The conservation easement shall describe the rural conservation site in metes and bounds and shall include the statement: "This tract or parcel of land is a rural conservation site subject to the provisions of the Town of Pittsford Zoning Law substantially restricting its use."

The conservation easement shall be recorded by the Town in the Monroe County Clerk's office.