Sparta Township City Zoning Code
§ 18-5.6
Environmental Constraints Cluster Standards.
[Ord. No. 636 A 507; Ord. No. 720 § XIII; Ord. No. 750 § 3; Ord. No. 841 § XL VIII; Ord. No. 9-8-98 § V]
a.
Allowable Minimum Residential Site Size. In order to promote the environmental soundness in layout and design of proposed environmental constraints cluster subdivisions, the cluster residential site adjustment factors shall be applied to determine the actual minimum residential site size in environmental constraints cluster subdivisions and shall apply to the future environmental constraints cluster option subdivisions of lands in accordance with the following criteria:
1.
The total number of net cluster residential sites (hereinafter "residential sites") in the cluster subdivision shall not exceed the total tract divided by five gross acres. Therefore, there shall be no more than one residential site for each five acres of land in the total tract. The actual residential site created by subdivision in an environmental constraints subdivision may be reduced by the environmental constraints cluster adjustment set forth in Subsection 2 below.
2.
The minimum residential site is the minimum residential site size permitted, and such residential site size shall be determined by applying the following net residential site adjustment factors to each individual residential site sought to be created:
Cluster Residential Site Adjustment Factors | ||
|---|---|---|
Constraint | Cluster Adjustment Factor Per Acre | Resultant Minimum Lot Size |
Slopes — 25% or more | .20 | 5 acres |
Slopes — 15% to 24% deep soils | 0.33 | 3 acres |
Seasonal high water table on surface | 0.33 | 3 acres |
Seasonal high water table 1-3 feet | 0.5 | 2 acres |
Shallow depth to bedrock 0-3.5 feet | 0.33 | 3 acres |
Depth to bedrock 3.5 feet or more | 1.00 | 1 acre |
Flood plains, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, waterways and wetlands | 0 | 0 acre |
3.
After determining maximum number of lots permitted on the tract in accordance with Subsection 1, each residential site sought to be created shall be required to have a minimum area as is determined by the constraints applicable to each residential site sought to be created. In determining minimum allowable residential site size, each of the constraints to which residential sites shall be subject shall be determined in the same manner, utilizing the same plant information, as set forth above. The size of any individual residential site may be reduced below five acres by applying the density factor in accordance with the area (in acres) of the residential site subject to the constraints set forth.
The numbers of acres subject to each particular constraint are multiplied by a corresponding "cluster adjustment" factor. The products of each of these multiplications are totaled, and the resultant net lot area must be equal to or greater than one.
Example: Assuming a three acre net residential site is subject to the following constraints, one acre has slopes of 25% or more and two acres have shallow depth to bedrock. Applying the above formula, the calculations would be as follows:
1 acre | x | 0.2 units/acre | = | 0.2 units | |
2 acre | x | 0.33 units/acre | = | 0.66 units | |
Total | = | 0.86 units | |||
The total of the above calculations is 0.86. Since the resultant figure, as set forth in the formula, must be equal to or greater than 1.0, the example three acre residential site is of insufficient size. This residential site would have to be enlarged so that the resultant calculations, with the appropriate constraints applied thereto, would result in 1.0 or greater. In cases where portions of residential sites are subject to two different types (overlapped) of constraint categories, the more stringent "density" factor shall be applied. |
4.
The Planning Board may, in its discretion, require the submission of a site-specific plot plan for any such residential site depicting the proposed location thereon of the dwelling house or other principal structure, the septic system and driveway access thereto, the feasibility of which shall be demonstrated by such plot plan to the reasonable satisfaction of the Planning Board as a condition precedent to the grant of preliminary major subdivision or preliminary site plan approval.