Townhouses are a type of housing permitting individual home ownership with open space available for use in common by residents of the development. To assure that minimum requirements of a residential environment are provided, that open space will be maintained and the benefits accrue to residents, that surrounding areas are not adversely affected and that the developer has flexibility of design to enable the accommodation of natural features on the site and to achieve a maximum of convenience, safety and amenity to residents, the following standards for townhouses are established.

(Prior code § 150-217)

All townhouse development shall require a comprehensive development plan, as defined in Section 17.04.120. The plan shall be submitted and reviewed in accordance with procedures set forth in chapter 17.180, excluding Section 17.180.040 where applicable.

(Prior code § 150-218)

A.

Design standards and restrictions shall be as follows: Area requirements. Each townhouse dwelling unit shall be situated on a lot with a minimum area of two thousand (2,000) square feet.

B.

Density.

1.

Density shall be as follows:

2.

Land area to compute density shall not include public streets needed to serve the project.

3.

Additional density permitted for the provision of a day-care center within a townhouse project.

a.

Whenever a group day-care center is provided within a townhouse project, two additional units may be added to the total density permitted for the project. The location and design of the group day-care center shall be approved as part of the required comprehensive development plan for the townhouse project and shall not require ordinance permit approval.

C.

Open Space.

1.

No less than one thousand (1,000) square feet of common open space shall be provided for each lot within the project;

2.

Open space and recreational facilities shall be reviewed by the department of recreation and parks with a recommendation forwarded to the planning commission as to appropriateness and adequacy in the needs of the proposed residents. Consideration shall be given to the type of development proposed; i.e., single-family occupancy or elderly housing;

3.

Ownership and maintenance of common open space and parking areas shall be in accordance with Section 17.04.240.

D.

Setbacks.

1.

Front. Each lot shall have a front building line at least twenty-five (25) feet from and parallel to the front street line.

2.

Side.

a.

The lot on each end of every row of townhouses shall have a side building line at least fifteen (15) feet from a parallel to a side lot line, except for corner lots.

b.

Each corner lot shall have a side building line equal to the required front building line along the street on which the rear lot line of the corner lot abuts, but in no case less than twenty-five (25) feet.

3.

Rear. Each lot shall have a rear building line at least thirty (30) feet from and parallel to the rear lot line.

4.

Accessory Buildings. Accessory buildings, shall occupy not over twenty-five (25) percent of a rear yard and shall be located not less than three feet from a rear or side lot line, except that, in the case of a corner lot, an accessory building shall be located no closer than the side setback requirement of subsection (D)(2)(b) of this section.

E.

Lot Frontage, Minimum at Building Line. Each interior townhouse lot shall be not less than twenty (20) feet wide.

F.

Maximum Number of Units in Row. There shall be no more than eight townhouses in any one row.

G.

Building Height. The height limit for a townhouse shall be three and one-half (3½) stories and not over thirty-five (35) feet.

H.

Building Frontage. Each building consisting of a row of townhouses shall front a public street, except as the planning commission may determine otherwise, after considering the overall plan and special circumstances related to the project.

I.

Off-street Parking Requirements. Them shall be two off-street parking spaces provided for each townhouse dwelling unit. Required parking shall be located in parking areas convenient to the dwelling unit it serves. In common parking areas, no more than ten parking spaces may be grouped without a landscaped divider at least ten feet in width separating such groups.

J.

Landscaping. All common areas and parking lots shall be landscaped in accordance with an approved landscaping plan which shall comply with chapter 17.220 where applicable.

K.

Lighting. Lighting of external walkways and parking lots shall be provided. Such lighting shall be designed so as not to throw glare onto surrounding properties.

L.

Ownership and Maintenance of Common Open Space and/or Parking Areas. Ownership and maintenance of common space and/or parking areas shall be in accordance with Section 17.04.240.

M.

Site Plan Review. With a view toward achieving maximum safety, convenience and amenity for residents in the development and the surrounding area, the planning commission shall consider the location of buildings, parking areas, access drives and other features with respect to the topography of the site and its natural features, such as large trees, slopes, streams, etc.; the efficiency, adequacy and safety of parking lots and access drives; and the adequacy and location of open space to be used in common by residents of the development.

(Prior code § 150-219)

Townhouse developments in the General Commercial District shall comply with all the requirements of this chapter and the following;

A.

Contiguity.

1.

The parcel on which townhouses are to be built shall have a continuous boundary line in common, of at least two hundred (200) feet, with a parcel(s) in the R-8A or R-10A zoning districts;

2.

A road dividing zoning districts cannot be used to establish contiguity.

B.

Density.

1.

Townhouse developments shall be at the density requirements for R-5A of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 2734, 9-12-2022)