A.

R-1, R-2 and R-3 single-family residential.

1.

Purpose. The single-family residential districts accommodate low and medium density single-family detached houses on individual lots. These districts are intended to provide for compatible infill development that maintains the stability and attractiveness of established neighborhoods, and also to permit new, high quality single-family subdivisions. The primary difference between these zones is in the minimum lot size.

2.

See numerical development standards in section 2.5 below.

3.

New subdivisions for 15 or more homes must follow the "planned development" standards in section 2.2.

4.

The front facades of principal structures shall be oriented towards a public street. The rear of a principal structure should not face a public street unless the structure is on a through lot or the street is an alley or service road providing access to parking for the residences.

B.

Multifamily districts.

1.

Purpose: The R-4 and R-5 districts are intended to provide a variety of housing styles at a scale and density compatible with single-family residential neighborhoods. The R-4 district allows density of eight dwelling units per acre and development of single-family detached and attached residences, including two-family dwellings, townhouses, and multiplex homes. The R-5 district permits single-family attached and apartment housing at a density no greater than 16 dwelling units per acre.

2.

See numerical development standards in section 2.5 below.

3.

Subdivision or construction of 15 or more homes must follow the "planned development" standards of section 2.2.

4.

The front facades of principal structures shall be oriented towards a public street. The rear of a principal structure should not face a public street unless the structure is on a through lot or the street is an alley or service road providing access to parking for the residences.

5.

Individual or shared driveways may be located between the dwelling and the public road, but parking lots shall be to the side or the rear of the dwellings, and shall not be located between the public street and the front façade of the dwellings.

C.

Manufactured home districts.

1.

Purpose. The manufactured home districts are established to provide suitable locations and beneficial development standards for developments that provide an affordable housing option and accommodate the existing manufactured home communities within Port Allen.

a.

The R-6 district, manufactured home parks, provides for developments on a single parcel with rental home sites.

b.

The R-7 district, manufactured home subdivisions, allows subdivision of land for manufactured home sites.

2.

Development standards: R-6 district, manufactured home parks.

a.

Individual home sites may be leased, rented, or sold through a condominium form of ownership, but the site shall not be subdivided.

b.

Manufactured home parks shall secure approval of the parish health unit and the appropriate city official on the method of sewage disposal and the public water supply.

c.

Minimum site area: Three acres.

d.

Minimum street frontage: Two hundred feet on a public road.

e.

Maximum density: Twelve manufactured home sites per acre.

f.

Minimum size of home sites: Thirty feet wide by 100 feet deep.

g.

Minimum setback from perimeter of manufactured home park for homes and accessory buildings: Twenty feet.

h.

Where manufactured home parks are established adjacent to residential districts, a fence at least six feet high and 95 percent solid shall be provided along the side and rear property lines.

i.

Private roads and drives within manufactured home parks shall have a minimum 24 feet of paving within a 35-foot right-of-way between building lines. The roads and drives shall have pavement construction of at least eight inches cement base and two inches of asphaltic concrete surface or eight inches cement base and five inches Portland cement concrete surface. Underground storm drainage shall be provided.

j.

Where only one drive is to be provided, each manufactured home park shall include an adequate circular turnaround at the rear of the property with a minimum radius of 30 feet.

k.

Each home site shall have two 24-inch wide concrete runners six inches thick for the home location; and a ten-foot by 26-foot concrete parking pad, with four inches of pavement depth, to be measured from the back of curb at the front of the site.

l.

One dumpster of adequate size shall be provided for each ten home sites or portion thereof. The dumpster shall be screened on all sides by a solid wood or masonry fence to a height of six to eight feet.

3.

Development standards: R-7 district, manufactured home subdivisions.

a.

Manufactured home subdivision shall be subdivided in accordance with the City of Port Allen subdivision ordinance, and shall provide roads, sidewalks and utilities as required by the city and parish through the subdivision process.

b.

See numerical development standards in section 2.5 below.

c.

All lots within the manufactured home subdivision shall have frontage on and access to internal subdivision streets.

(Ord. No. 1-2016, § 1, 4-13-2016)

A.

Purpose. Residential subdivision or development in the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-5 districts that will result in more than 15 residential lots or dwelling units shall comply with the planned development standards in order to:

1.

Provide additional flexibility in types of units and development standards.

2.

Assure the provision of adequate open space for recreation, community gathering areas, green areas and protection of streams and forests.

3.

Provide pedestrian connections.

4.

Provide a logical and efficient extension of Port Allen's road network into areas of new development.

5.

Provide for protection of environmental quality.

6.

Allow a greater variety of dwelling unit types.

7.

Allow convenience commercial uses within new residential communities.

B.

Uses permitted. In addition to the uses permitted by article 3 within the applicable zoning district, the following uses shall be permitted:

1.

Zero lot line and two-family dwellings in the R-2 and R-3 districts.

2.

Attached dwellings in the R-3 district.

3.

Retail, service and office uses and upper floor apartments in developments of at least 50 acres, subject to the following standards:

a.

The business uses shall be clustered in a neighborhood center which serves as the focal point of the development and contains commercial, civic, and/or public uses.

b.

No single business shall occupy more than 2,000 square feet of floor area. Total commercial floor area shall not exceed 1,000 square feet per ten acres of area within the development.

c.

The neighborhood center shall be pedestrian-oriented and well connected by roads, sidewalks and pathways to all other areas of the development. The pedestrian orientation shall be achieved by buildings with storefront windows lining the sidewalks along one or more public streets. On-street parking shall be provided; off-street parking shall be accessed by secondary streets at the side or rear of the commercial buildings.

d.

The neighborhood center uses may include retail shops, restaurants, offices, banks, a post office, governmental offices, churches, community centers, and attached residential dwellings. No drive-through windows or automotive uses shall be permitted.

e.

The neighborhood center area shall include open space in proximity to the commercial and public uses, to include squares, plazas, pocket parks, or community parks.

f.

The concept plan for a development that includes a neighborhood center with commercial uses shall include proposed architectural standards, illustrated by sketches, that will be part of the development approval and, upon approval, will be binding on all subsequent site plans.

C.

Flexibility in standards.

1.

The applicant may, as part of the preliminary plan application, request setback standards different than those normally required in the zoning district. The application shall provide a rationale for the revised standards and sketches showing the application of the proposed standards.

2.

Any setback standards different than those required by this article 2:

a.

Shall be approved by the city council as part of the preliminary plan approval.

b.

The standards shall apply to all lots within the planned development unless revised by the city council through approval of a revised preliminary plan.

c.

A variance to the approved setbacks for a specific lot due to unique circumstances of the particular property may be approved by the board of adjustment pursuant to the procedures for variances established in section 10.4.

D.

Common open space.

1.

Planned developments shall provide the following minimum percentage of common open space:

a.

R-1, R-2, R-3: Fifteen percent.

b.

R-4: Twenty percent.

c.

R-5: Twenty-five percent.

d.

For planned developments incorporating more than one residential zoning district, the total acreage of common open space required may be distributed throughout the development without regard to zoning district boundaries in order to achieve the best design.

2.

The common open space shall provide the following features:

a.

Squares, greens, plazas and similar public gathering areas within a neighborhood center area, if applicable.

b.

Active recreation areas: playgrounds, athletic fields.

c.

Pathways that provide connections within the development and, where needed, provide links to establish the comprehensive pedestrian network as recommended in the 2013 Port Allen Master Plan.

d.

Natural environmental areas.

3.

The common open space shall meet the following standards:

a.

Open space which is readily accessible to residents must account for at least 50 percent of the common open space.

b.

Stormwater facilities may not exceed 25 percent of the common open space.

c.

Hard space surface areas such as recreational courts and pedestrian plazas may account for up to ten percent of the common open space.

d.

Natural wetlands should not exceed 50 percent of the required minimum common open space.

4.

Common open space may include servitudes/easements with existing below ground utilities and/or facilities with a width of not less than 30 feet.

5.

Common open space shall not include:

a.

Parking areas and drives.

b.

Utilities with above ground improvements.

c.

Landscaped areas within parking areas or public street rights-of-way.

d.

Any noncontiguous green area of less than 1,000 square feet.

e.

Structures; however, minor structures that are open space amenities such as gazebos may be included.

f.

Areas reserved for the exclusive use and benefit of an individual tenant or owner.

6.

Common open space shall be permanently set aside for the sole benefit, use, and enjoyment of present and future occupants of the planned development through covenant, deed restriction, open space servitude, or similar legal instrument; or, if agreed to by the city council and the receiving agency, the open space may be conveyed to a governmental agency for the use of the general public.

7.

If the common open space is to be owned by a property owners' association, the association shall be formed and operated under the following provisions:

a.

The applicant shall provide the articles and bylaws of the association and the methods for maintaining the common open space.

b.

The association shall be organized by the applicant and shall be operated with a financial subsidy from the applicant before the sale of any lots within the planned unit development.

c.

Membership in the association is mandatory for all purchasers of property therein and their successors in title. The conditions and timing of transferring control of the association from the applicant to the property owners shall be identified.

d.

The association shall be responsible for maintenance of insurance and taxes on all common open space. The association may place liens on the property of its members who fail to pay their association dues in a timely manner, as provided in the association bylaws. Shares shall be defined in the bylaws.

e.

The association shall, at all times, cause the property owners to have access to the common open space within the planned unit development.

8.

At the time of the preliminary plan approval, the city council may grant approval for up to one-third of the required open space to be credited for offsite open space, dedicated by the developer to a government agency, that meets the development's needs in terms of adjacency, accessibility, usability, and design integration. Granting the offsite credit is a discretionary power of the city council. The following guidelines shall be used in determining if credit is appropriate:

a.

Adjacency: Is the site's boundary adjacent to the proposed off-site park land?

b.

Accessibility: Are there pedestrian connections between the development and the park land?

c.

Usability: Is the park land adjacent to the development suitable for use by residents?

d.

Design integration: Does the design of the development provide a significant visual and pedestrian connection to the park land?

E.

Sidewalks and street trees.

1.

Sidewalks and street trees shall be installed by the developer within the street right-of-way along both sides of proposed new subdivision roads.

2.

Sidewalks and street trees shall be installed by the developer along existing streets within or abutting the development where sidewalks or street trees are missing. If the street is abutting the development, the developer is required to install sidewalks and trees only on the side abutting the property being developed.

3.

The proposed subdivision street system shall contribute to the continuation of the City of Port Allen grid street system, as recommended in the 2013 Port Allen Smart Growth Master Plan.

F.

Protection of environmental features. The preliminary plan application shall identify streams, canals, wetlands, specimen trees, forests and other environmental features, and shall identify how these features will be protected, providing the following minimum standards:

1.

Limits of disturbance that protect wetlands and streams from disturbance.

2.

A 25-foot vegetative buffer along streams and canals.

3.

Use of the required open space to protect areas of mature forest.

G.

Approval process: The review and approval process for a planned development shall be as established by article 10, section 10.3.C, concept plan development for planned developments.

(Ord. No. 1-2016, § 1, 4-13-2016)

A.

Purpose. The downtown mixed-use district is established to:

1.

Promote reuse, infill and redevelopment along Port Allen's Downtown Court Street Corridor identified in the Port Allen Smart Growth Master Plan and along connecting streets that have a mix of commercial and civic uses.

2.

Encourage efficient use of land and compact development.

3.

Retain and strengthen the land use pattern that includes a mix of shops, services, offices, public uses and multi-family residences.

4.

Retain and create attractive streetscapes with a lively, pedestrian-oriented character.

5.

Allow mixed use buildings with retail and service uses at street level and office or residential uses on upper levels.

6.

Provide for safe and convenient pedestrian, bicycle, and automotive travel.

B.

Site design standards. The following standards are established to ensure that new development and redevelopment achieves the purposes of the DMU district.

1.

Orient buildings to have the primary façade and entrance facing the primary street frontage.

2.

Install sidewalks or walkways to provide safe, convenient access from the public sidewalk or street frontage to building entrances.

3.

Use areas between the building facade and the public street as an attractive pedestrian area with amenities such as sidewalks, seating, canopies or awnings, and landscaping.

4.

Locate off-street parking for nonresidential uses to the side or rear of the principal structure. For through lots, parking may be located along the secondary street frontage.

5.

Provide the following minimum off-street parking spaces (the minimum parking standards given in section 6.3.B shall not apply in the DMU district):

a.

Residential uses: Two spaces per dwelling unit.

b.

Nonresidential uses: One space per 1,000 square feet of building area.

6.

The required minimum parking may be provided:

a.

On-site; or

b.

Off-site or in a shared parking facility (in accordance with section 6.3.D, parking reductions and alternative parking solutions); or

c.

On-street. For on-street parking parallel to the curb, 22 feet of linear frontage on a street where parking is allowed shall be counted as one parking space. On-street parking spaces must be along the property frontage and on the same side of the street as the use being served by the spaces.

d.

For residential uses, at least one parking space per dwelling unit shall be provided on site.

7.

No more than one curb cut shall be permitted for each principal building, except that a corner site may have one curb cut on each road frontage and a site with 200 feet or more of frontage along a road may install two curb cuts with a minimum separation of 100 feet.

8.

Shared driveways and parking areas that provide cross access to adjacent properties shall be incorporated where feasible.

9.

Curb cut width shall be limited to a maximum of 30 feet for two-way driveways or 22 feet for one-way driveways.

10.

Walls and fences shall be uniform and compatible with the architectural style, color and building material of the primary building. Appropriate materials include iron grating, wood, stone or brick. No chain link or wire fencing shall be permitted in front or side yards.

11.

Outdoor sales areas shall be screened from adjacent residentially-zoned land by a solid fence.

12.

Service areas, including loading areas, dumpsters, refuse bins and similar accessory uses, shall be located in the side or rear yard and screened from public view to the extent possible.

13.

Mechanical equipment, (such as air compressors, pumps, transformers, meters, boxes, and HVAC units), shall be screened from public streets and public open spaces. Screening methods may include locating equipment upon a roof behind a parapet wall or to the rear of the building, fencing, or appropriate landscaping.

14.

If exterior lighting is installed, the illumination shall be directed downward and shielded so that it does not produce glare and the fixtures shall be compatible with the scale of the buildings.

C.

Architectural standards.

1.

Buildings shall be designed with architectural details that provide visual interest and contribute to a pedestrian orientation on facades facing a public street.

2.

The ground floor façade shall include storefront display windows and other features such as covered or recessed entrances, porches, canopies or awnings.

3.

Blank, unbroken façades are not permitted on either the ground floor or the upper floors. Features that may be used to break up facades include upper floor windows, balconies, wall projections or recesses, piers or pillars, or changes in material.

4.

Side and rear building façades shall be of finished quality and consistent in color and material with the front facade.

5.

The primary building material of a principal building shall use brick, finished masonry, wood or alternative materials compatible and complementary to materials traditionally used along Court Street and Jefferson Street. Corrugated metal, metal pole buildings and concrete block shall not be used as the finish material.

6.

Awnings and canopies shall maintain a clearance of eight feet above the ground.

7.

No individual retail use shall exceed 40,000 square feet in interior floor area.

D.

Application of standards to existing uses.

1.

Uses existing prior to the establishment of the DMU district, and not meeting the site design standards or architectural standards of section 2.3.B or 2.3.C may be expanded or renovated without bringing the existing improvements into compliance with the site design standards or architectural standards of this section.

2.

New expansions or renovations shall comply with the standards of this section to the extent feasible by providing pedestrian walkways, placing new parking to the side or rear of buildings if possible, screening outdoor utility areas, and generally complying with the standards where it is practical to do so.

(Ord. No. 1-2016, § 1, 4-13-2016)

A.

C-1 light commercial.

1.

Purpose. The C-1 district provides opportunity for small scale office and limited retail businesses compatible with residential neighborhoods.

2.

Development standards.

a.

New buildings for commercial use shall be designed to be similar to or compatible with residential structures on the same block or within two blocks of the C-1 district in the following characteristics:

i.

Front, side and rear setbacks.

ii.

Building façade width.

iii.

Building height.

iv.

Roof form.

b.

Parking areas shall contain the minimum number of spaces necessary to serve the commercial use. On-street parking abutting the site may count towards the required parking.

B.

C-2 general commercial.

1.

Purpose. The C-2 district permits a wide range of retail, service and office uses, including uses that generate high traffic volumes, and require access to a major roadway.

C.

L-1 employment and institutional district.

1.

Purpose. The L-1 district provides for offices, institutional uses, research and development, and light manufacturing. This district will enable the City of Port Allen to set aside land areas for these employment and institutional uses that may need large tracts of land and excellent road access.

2.

Development standards.

3.

Uses in the L-1 district shall:

a.

Provide landscaped buffers and/or walls and fencing along property lines and public street rights-of-ways to protect residential properties from the impacts of vehicle movement, noise and lighting from such uses as driveways, school athletic fields, hospital entry areas and other outdoor activity areas.

b.

Emit no odors, gas or fumes beyond the lot line;

c.

Produce no glare that would negatively impact adjacent property;

d.

Dust-proof all walks, driveways, parking areas and storage or loading areas so that no dust from these operations escapes beyond the lot line;

e.

Conduct all manufacturing operations and related storage within a building.

D.

L-2 light industrial.

1.

Purpose. The L-2 district provides for warehouse, distribution, repair, processing and manufacturing uses. Uses are limited to light manufacturing and processing activities and uses that generally do not produce nuisances or hazards for neighboring residential or commercial areas.

2.

Development standards.

a.

Uses in the L-2 district shall produce no glare that can be seen from a public street or an adjacent property in a non-industrial zoning district;

b.

All operations shall be conducted within a building or within an area enclosed by a solid fence or wall not less than six feet in height where adjacent to or across the street from a residential district.

E.

L-3 heavy industrial district.

1.

Purpose. The heavy industrial permits a wide range of warehouse, distribution, repair, processing and manufacturing, including manufacturing or processing activities that are generally potentially nuisance-generating and/or dangerous to residential or commercial areas.

2.

Development standards.

a.

Uses in the L-3 district shall produce no glare that can be seen from a public street or an adjacent property in a non-industrial zoning district;

b.

All operations shall be conducted within a building or within an area enclosed by a solid fence or wall not less than six feet in height where adjacent to or across the street from a residential district.

(Ord. No. 1-2016, § 1, 4-13-2016)

In the following tables, all dimensions are in feet unless otherwise noted.

A.

Standards for single-family detached dwellings.

B.

Standards for two-family dwellings. All dimensions are in feet unless otherwise noted.

C.

Standards for single-family attached dwellings. All dimensions are in feet unless otherwise noted.

D.

Standards for apartment buildings.

E.

Standards for manufactured homes in subdivisions.

F.

Standards for nonresidential uses. All dimensions are in feet unless otherwise noted.

(Ord. No. 1-2016, § 1, 4-13-2016)