West Cape May City Zoning Code
§ 27-10.8
Green Building Practices.
[Ord. No. 420-08 § 3; Ord. No. 479-13]
a.
In order to encourage sustainable green building practices in accordance with U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a bonus of additional feet may be added to the maximum floor area ratio for property owners or developers that comply with certain of the LEED standards, set forth in Appendix A, which shall be incorporated into herein by reference. The complete LEED standards may be found at http://www.usgbc.org., or by contacting the U.S. Green Building Council, 1015 18th Street, NW, Suite 508, Washington, DC 20036. Copies of the standards are also available in the Clerk's or Zoning Officers at the West Cape May Borough Hall.
b.
Any developer or property owner that includes at least 25 LEED points for LEED standards set forth in Appendix A[1] incorporated into the plan for construction may add 250 square feet to a dwelling's permitted gross floor area in the district where the dwelling is located.
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix A referred to herein, may be found as an attachment to this chapter.
c.
Any developer or property owner that includes at least 20 LEED points for the LEED standards set forth in Appendix A[2] incorporated into the plan for construction may add 200 square feet to a dwelling's permitted gross floor area in the district where the dwelling is located.
[2]
Editor's Note: Appendix A referred to herein, may be found as an attachment to this chapter.
d.
Any developer or property owner that includes at least 15 LEED points for the LEED standards set forth in Appendix A[3] incorporated into the plan for construction may add 150 square feet to a permitted dwelling's gross floor area in the district where the dwelling is located.
[3]
Editor's Note: Appendix A referred to herein, may be found as an attachment to this chapter.
e.
A developer or property owner proposing a plan for construction that is eligible for less than 15 LEED points may add additional square feet to a dwelling's permitted gross floor area as follows: 100 square feet for 10 LEED points and 50 square feet for five points.
f.
The Zoning Officer shall have no authority to approve additional square footage to a permitted gross floor area, except according to the ratios set forth above, and in no case shall a developer or property owner be allowed additional square footage for less than five LEED points.
g.
The following process shall apply to applicants seeking a FAR bonus pursuant to LEED guidelines, as set forth above:
1.
A LEED scorecard shall be submitted with a zoning certificate application detailing which credits the applicant shall seek to apply to the project, and the method that will be utilized to satisfy the credit.
2.
All plans submitted for review shall contain the project components listed on the LEED scorecard.
3.
A zoning certificate or variance approval granted pursuant to green building incentives as provided in this section shall contain conditions that all components listed on the LEED scorecard be achieved and maintained.
4.
If the final project does not include the approved green building components, the Construction Official shall not issue a certificate of completion and/or occupancy certification.
5.
Final occupancy certification shall be issued by the Construction Official upon certification by the property owner or developer that the project achieved the approved level of LEED certification.