(a)

Except as set out in this article, a separate lot for each structure other than an accessory structure shall be required. To allow and encourage greater design flexibility for location for buildings comprising a planned group, the requirement for a separate lot for each building is waived and two (2) or more buildings may be erected and maintained on the same lot when the conditions of this article are met.

(b)

A planned building group may also be established and affect more than one lot or parcel which may be owned by one or more persons by agreement of all affected land owners, after obtaining approval of such agreement and its terms, conditions, and provisions by the planning commission. Once approval of a planned building group pursuant to such an agreement is granted and any construction pursuant to such approval is commenced, no term, condition, or provision of the agreement may be changed, affected or modified in any way, whether orally or in writing, without the prior approval of the planning commission. All such agreements affecting more than one lot or parcel or owned by one or more persons for purposes of obtaining approval for a planned building group under this article shall contain all terms, conditions, and provisions that the planning commission shall determine to be appropriate or desirable, including, but not limited to, provisions regarding access or limitation of access to third persons or to adjoining land owners, or restrictions or limitations intended to prohibit circumvention of the subdivision, zoning, or other provisions of this Code or other policies, regulations or laws of the City of West Monroe, Louisiana or the State of Louisiana. No parcel or lot, or any portion thereof, which is included in a planned building group established under this subsection shall be later excluded or removed from the planned building group without compliance with the subdivision, zoning and other provisions of this Code, unless determined as otherwise appropriate by the planning commission.

(Ord. No. 1501, § V, 7-24-73; Ord. No. 1643, § 6, 4-12-77; Ord. No. 2601, § 1, 8-9-94)

(a)

District regulations. All building groups shall comply with all of the regulations established for the district in which the building group is located except the regulation requiring a separate lot to be provided for each principal structure; such building group may be considered as one building for the purpose of complying with the required lot area, height, yard and other regulations.

(b)

Site plan and improvements. A special plan for a building group may be required to show the following:

(1)

Drainage. Adequate facilities for the drainage of surface water, including storm sewers, gutters, paving and the proper design of finished grades;

(2)

Circulation. Adequate facilities for the safe and convenient circulation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, including walks, driveways, off-street parking areas, off-street loading areas, and landscaped separation spaces between pedestrian and vehicular ways;

(3)

Play areas. In dwelling building groups, adequate and safely located play areas for small children.

(c)

Building spacing and orientation. The following spacing between buildings shall be measured perpendicularly between exterior walls.

(1)

Spacing of buildings. A building wall shall be located no closer to another building than a distance equal to the height of the taller building of the two (2); provided, further, that for a building containing dwelling units such distance shall not be less than fifteen (15) feet in the case of a wall having no windows;

(2)

Access by emergency vehicles. The buildings in a planned building group shall be so arranged that every building is accessible by emergency vehicles.

(Ord. No. 1505, § V, 7-24-73)

(a)

Application for approval. An application for approval of a special plan for a building group shall be filed with the office of zoning administration and shall contain the following information:

(1)

Interest and ownership. The applicant's name (and all others represented by the applicant), address and interest in the application, the concurrence of the owner or owners of the entire land area included in the special plan and all incumbrances of such land, and evidence of the right and actual intent to develop the designated area.

(2)

Plans for building group. Plans showing the land area included within the special plan, with its boundaries and dimensions, all public and private easements and rights-of-way, both existing and proposed, within or bounding the designated area and the adjoining properties, the location, number of stories, and gross floor area of proposed principal buildings and accessory buildings, curb cuts, driveways, off-street parking areas, off-street loading areas, walks, open areas to be set aside for special purposes, the location and height of proposed walls, fences, and screen planting, the types of paving or other surfacing to be used in the various areas, and such other site information as may be necessary to describe completely the proposed building group.

(b)

Administrative examination. Upon receipt of an application for approval of a special plan for a building group, and after assuring that the application is properly and completely made out, the office of zoning administration shall transmit the application to the planning commission.

(c)

Review by planning commission. The planning commission shall review each application and approve or disapprove the special plan; approval may establish conditions and limitations. The planning commission shall then return the application, together with its report of approval or disapproval to the office of zoning administration, who shall notify the applicant of action taken.

(d)

Filing and recording of special plan. Upon approval of a special plan, a copy of such plan shall be filed among the records of the City of West Monroe, and shall thereafter be binding upon the applicants, their heirs, successors, and assigns, shall limit and control the issuance and validity of permits and certificates, and shall restrict and limit the use and operation of all land and structures within the area designated in such special plan to all conditions and limitations specified in such special plan and the approval thereof.

(e)

Amendment or withdrawal of special plan. Pursuant to the same procedure and subject to the same limitations and requirements by which the special plan was approved and registered, any special plan may be amended or withdrawn.

(Ord. No. 1501, § V, 7-24-73)