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Sky Valley City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XIII

RECREATIONAL DISTRICT REC

Sec. 1301.- Purpose and intent.

The purpose of the Recreational District (REC) is to provide and reserve suitable areas for active and passive recreation. No dwelling units may be constructed within the REC zone. REC districts are to be located in areas shown as Recreation on the Sky Valley Land Use District Map.

Sec. 1302. - Permitted and conditional uses.

Permitted and conditional uses shall include parks, trails, amphitheaters, plaza areas, natural unimproved and planted landscaping, open space, golf, play fields, bathrooms and kiosks, clubhouse facilities, golf amenities including restaurants within the clubhouse or restaurants within recreational facilities and other support recreation activities.

The following table shows uses that are:

Permitted (P);

Conditionally permitted (C); and

Not permitted (prohibited) (X).

Table 2. Permitted and Conditional Uses by Land Use District
Use DescriptionSFMRRCCM M
Accessory uses and structures not otherwise listed in this table, normally incidental to one or more permitted principal uses C C C C C
Active recreational facilities, such as tennis courts and swimming pools, as principal uses or as accessory to one or more permitted uses P P P X X
Agriculture production for home consumption P X X X X
Apartment buildings X X X X X
Bed and breakfast inns X C P X X
Cemeteries X X X X X
Churches, temples, synagogues, and places of worship, including cemeteries as accessory uses X C C X X
Commercial recreational facilities, indoor X C P X X
Commercial recreational facilities, outdoor X X P X X
Conference centers and retreat centers X X P X X
Conservation areas, open space and passive recreational facilities P P P P P
Country clubs, including golf courses and clubhouses with restaurants and golf pro shops as accessory uses C C P X X
Day care centers serving more than six persons X X C X X
Dwellings, single-family detached P C C X X
Dwellings, single-family attached (townhouses) X P P X X
Dwellings, two-family (duplexes) X P C X X
Dwellings, multifamily (condominiums) X P P X X
Dwellings, located within a building containing another principal use X X P X P
Employee housing and staff accommodations X P P X P
Entry sign/statement into city (max two per entrance) P P P P C
Extraction industries—extraction and removal of sand, gravel, top soil, clay, and dirt X X X X X
Finance, insurance and real estate establishments, less than 3,500 square feet of gross floor area per establishment X X P X X
Health services, clinics X X C X X
Health spas and/or fitness clubs X C P X X
Home occupations P P P X X
Lockout units X P P X X
Lodging services X P P P X
Manufactured homes X C X X X
Municipal offices, City Hall and city services X X P P X
Offices X X P P X
Public and semi-public uses X P P P P
Recycling centers, collection points X X X P P
Rental of dwelling units:
Long-term rentals (7 days or more) P P P X P
Nightly rentals (less than 7 days) P P P X X
Restaurants, including outside seating areas, but not including drive-ins or drive-through facilities X X P P X
Retail trade establishments, enclosed, not exceeding 2,500 square feet of gross floor area X X P P X
Retail trade establishments, enclosed, exceeding 2,500 square feet of gross floor area X X P P X
Subdivision entry/identification sign C C C X X
Temporary structures and uses approved by the city council after recommendation by the planning and zoning commission C C C C C
Warehouses and storage buildings X X X P P
Uses not specified in this table (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)

 

(1) Manufactured homes are only permitted in manufactured home parks. Manufactured home parks are allowed in the manufactured home park district subject to the meeting the requirements for establishing a manufactured home park.

(2) In cases where a use is proposed but is not listed in this table, the City Council, after recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, shall make a determination at a public hearing as to whether or not the use is permitted in the Land Use District or districts in question. The City Council may determine that such use is substantially similar to a permitted use and allow that use to be permitted. The City Council may determine that such use is substantially similar to a conditional use, and permit that use as a conditional use. The City Council may determine that such use is prohibited altogether in the use district or districts in question. In making such determinations, the City Council shall consult the purpose and intent statements of the Land Use District or districts in question, in addition to comparing the use in question to uses specifically listed in this table.

Table 3. Dimensional Requirements by Land Use District
Dimensional RequirementsSFMRRCCMM
Maximum height 40 feet 45 feet 60 feet; limited to no more than 4 floors 35 feet 40 feet
Maximum Density
Maximum density outside the Mountain Protection Zone served by water and sewer 1 unit per acre 18 units per acre, but not to exceed on the average 10 units per acre. The density requirements herein do not include units, existing or under permitted construction, as of the adoption of this ordinance. 20 units per acre NA NA
Maximum density for areas outside the Mountain Protection Zone not served by water and sewer (must have approved septic from health dept.) 6 units per acre 6 units per acre
Maximum density for areas within the Mountain Protection Zone served by public water and sewer 6 units per acre 6 units per acre
Maximum density for areas within the Mountain Protection Zone not served by public water and sewer (must have approved septic from health dept.) 4 units per acre 4 units per acre
No portion of a building pad can be located on ground over 35 % slope.
Minimum Lot Size
Minimum lot size for areas outside of Mountain Protection Zone served by sewer 1/2 acre 6,000 s.f. for unattached single-family homes (For attached units see lot width and setbacks below.) See lot width and setbacks below 12,500 s.f. 20,000 s.f.
Minimum lot size for areas within Mountain Protection Zone and/or not served by sewer 1 acre
Minimum Lot Width
Minimum lot width for areas outside of Mountain Protection Zone 90 l.f. at front of building pad 50 l.f. at front of building pad 25 l.f. at front of building pad 100 l.f. at front of building pad 100 l.f. at front of building pad
Minimum lot width for areas within the Mountain Protection Zone 100 l.f. at front of building pad 100 l.f. at front of building pad 100 l.f. at front of building pad
Minimum Yard Setback
Front yard 15 15 15 (D) 30 (B)
Rear yard 15 15 (A) 15 (A) 20 (A) 20 (B)
Side yard 15 15 (A) 15 (A) 20 (A) 20 (B)
Minimum unit size (for residential units only): 1,750 f.s.f. total for single-family homes 1,200 f.s.f. total for unattached single-family homes, 1,000 f.s.f. total for 2 bedroom, and 1,200 f.s.f total for 3 bedroom + for townhomes and condos. Not Applicable
Minimum open space: NA 50% 40% 50% 30%

 

***Abbreviations
s.f. = square feet

l.f. = lineal feet

r-o-w = right-of-way

f.s.f. = finished square feet

YARD SETBACK NOTES:

(A) Where a lot abuts any residential district, there shall be a side or rear yard clearance of at least seventy-five (75) feet on the side and/or rear yard abutting the residential district.

(B) Upon any front, rear, and side lot line which abuts a residential district, there shall be a densely planted buffer strip at least six (6) feet in height and ten (10) feet in width along the front, rear and side lot line abutting the residential properties. No such buffer shall however, extend nearer to a street right-of-way than the established building line of the adjoining residential lot.

(C) Corner lots must meet front yard setbacks from all rights-of-way.

(D) From the common right-of-way, the setback for parking shall be ten (10) feet. The setback for the building shall be forty (40) feet.

TABLE 3. DIMENSIONAL NOTES:

(1) All setbacks are to be measured from road right-of-way and not from the centerline of the road.

(2) Unroofed platforms, terraces, steps, landings, balconies, cornices, sills, eaves, chimneys or other similar architectural features are to be considered a part of the structure for purposes of compliance with this definition.

(3) Standard overhangs, not to exceed two (2) feet as measured from the wall, will be excluded and not considered a part of the structure for purposes of compliance with this definition.

(4) The minimum setback requirement shall not apply to side or rear yard property lines which adjoin or abut the Corps of Engineers' or the United States Forest Services' jurisdiction, provided that the owner's sewage treatment system is located wholly on private property or is otherwise permitted by the Rabun County Health Department and the City Council of Sky Valley.

(5) The front yard setback requirements of this Ordinance for structures shall not apply to any lot where the average setback of existing structures located wholly or partially within one hundred (100) feet on either side of the proposed structure and on the same side of the same block and use district and fronting on the same street as such lot, is less than the minimum required front yard depth. In such case the setback on such lots may be less than the required setback, but not less than the average of the existing setbacks on the aforementioned lots, or a distance often (10) feet from the street right-of-way line, whichever is greater.

(6) Height: The vertical distance measured parallel from the grade at the designated front door to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof; to the deck lines of a mansard roof; or to the mean height level between the eaves and ridge of a gable or hip roof. Max height does not pertain to chimneys, venting, church steeples, and other appurtenances that do not contain dwelling space; however, these aspects will be reviewed by City Council with final height decision by the Council.

(7) Open space: Open Space includes undeveloped natural areas, landscaped areas, parks, playgrounds, pocket parks, plazas, courtyards and other public spaces.

(8) Building Area and Building Pad: The buildable area is the three (3) dimensional space within which a structure is permitted to be built on a lot and which is defined by maximum height regulations, yard setbacks and building coverage. The building pad is the actual foundation area of a building and reasonable area around the foundation necessary for construction and grade transitions.