The Residential Multi-Family District is intended to provide suitable areas for the development of a variety of multi-family dwelling types at medium to high densities, up to 16 units per acre. The intent of this district is to locate in area or in close proximity to where public water and public waste water treatment services are available and adequate access to the state highway and county major arterial transportation network. The location of this district is more compatible with higher densities and access to commercial facilities and community services. Developments within this district should also look to provide non-motorized alternatives to motorized transportation to access adjacent commercial facilities and community services.

Manufactured and mobile home parks for rental purposes only are allowed within this district at a density of one unit per acre and shall follow the requirements in the White County Code for manufactured mobile home parks.

This district also includes uses that require a special use permit (SUP) from the White County Commission. Uses requiring special use permits are those that would not be appropriate without restrictions and is not permitted by right or conditionally, but allowed through regulations as to the number, area, location, relation to neighborhoods, operations or other pertinent considerations and specification/criteria as specified in this Code.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

1.

Residences, multi-family, not to exceed 16 units per acre, including:

a.

Apartments.

b.

Condominiums.

c.

Townhouses.

d.

Duplexes, with shared driveways.

2.

Manufactured housing or mobile home parks in conformance with the White County manufactured mobile home park requirements in the White County Code.

3.

Accessory uses and structures normally incidental and subordinate to one or more permitted uses.

4.

Home occupations as defined and limited by this ordinance.

5.

Single-family residences, not in a platted subdivision, placed with vacation rental cabin agencies or placed in a short term rental program provided that the owner obtains an occupational tax certificate and a certificate of taxing authority.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19; Res. No. 2024-02, 1-8-24)

1.

Churches, temples, synagogues and places of worship set back 50 feet from all property lines.

2.

Residences, single-family attached, with shared driveways and service alleys, not to exceed four units per acre.

3.

Residences, single-family, detached cottage dwellings, not to exceed five units per acre and shared driveways are utilized.

4.

Parks, playgrounds, community centers, swimming pools, golf courses and other recreational facilities operated on a non-profit basis.

5.

Public, semi-public buildings, structures and uses.

6.

Public, private and parochial schools and related educational institutions not offered for profit.

7.

Ground level retail or service establishments not to exceed 1,000 square feet for each space.

8.

Rooming or boarding houses.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

All developments within this district shall follow the requirements and procedures of plan review and site plan approval in accordance with established procedures established in this appendix.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

All site plans required by this section, shall at a minimum, contain the following information:

1.

Title or name of the proposed development.

2.

Scale (minimum) 1" = 100 feet.

3.

Sheet size (maximum) 24"x36".

4.

North arrow and graphic engineering scale.

5.

Description of water supply and sewerage system.

6.

Vicinity map.

7.

Total acreage.

8.

Total disturbed acreage.

9.

Name, address, and phone number of owner of record.

10.

Name, address, and phone number of preparer of plan.

11.

Date of plan drawing and revision date(s) if any.

12.

Existing buildings and structures on or encroaching on the tract.

13.

Proposed buildings, structures, and amenity areas on the tract.

14.

Existing streets, utilities, and easements on and adjacent to the tract.

15.

Proposed streets, utilities, and easements on and adjacent to the tract.

16.

Environmental conditions (streams, wetlands, watersheds, groundwater recharge areas, flood hazard areas, river corridor protection boundaries, mountain and hillside protection areas, etc.).

17.

Right-of-way widths and pavement widths for abutting streets and existing and proposed streets.

18.

Locations of drainage structures and stormwater management facilities.

19.

Minimum building setbacks.

20.

Location of nearest fire hydrant.

21.

Land surveyor's stamp, certificate, and signature, including field survey and closure statement.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Off-street, paved parking facilities shall be groups in bays, either adjacent to street or in the interior of blocks. No off-street parking shall be more than 100 feet by the most direct pedestrian routes from a door of the dwelling unit it is intended to serve. Parking shall be provided at the rate of two parking spaces per each housing unit in the development. Visitor parking areas shall be designated and provided at the rate of one parking space per two housing units in the development. Visitor parking areas shall not be utilized for patron or complex storage, or serve as an area [for] automotive maintenance, construction repair or property maintenance.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Interior roads serving any proposed development within this district shall be constructed and paved in accordance with those standards identified in the White County Subdivision Regulations.

Sidewalks and crosswalks shall be provided to allow pedestrian access and safe movement from housing units to designated parking areas, amenity areas, service facilities, along all interior streets and shall provide access to the entrance and exits of the proposed development.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

All proposed multi-family developments within this district shall provide fire protection in the form of placement of water systems, fire hydrants, sprinkler systems, fire walls, and alarms systems as required [by] local and state fire codes.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Street lighting shall be required at each entrance and exit to the proposed development and at every street intersection within the development. Street lighting shall be placed and staggered, at a maximum, every 300 feet along the streets within the proposed development, and street lighting shall be placed at every parking bay within the proposed development.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

All developments within this district shall conform to the following requirements in order to promote the health, safety, order, aesthetics and general welfare of the community by: protecting against incompatible uses of land; controlling problems of flooding, soil erosion and air pollution; providing for a more attractive environment; and, reducing noise, night lighting, glare, odor, objectionable view, loss of privacy, and other adverse impacts and nuisances through the use of buffers, landscaping and open space.

Each development shall have a minimum of 20 percent of the development's total land area as landscaped open space or natural (green) space. All streams and stream buffers shall be withheld and placed in common space. A side and rear setback and buffer of at least 30 [feet] shall be provided and maintained. Utilization of existing trees is appropriate for inclusion within the buffer, or when not found appropriate, shall be supplemented with approved tree planting and landscaping.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

All developments within this district shall be served by approved public water and public sanitary sewer facilities. All electric, natural gas, communication and data lines serving the proposed developments shall be placed underground. Meter boxes shall also be clustered in designated sites and adequately buffered. Nonpublic water systems shall meet all Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) state requirements.

Where easements are needed for utility locations, they shall be provided by the developer to the appropriate utility provider. Easements having a minimum width of 15 feet shall be provided, where required for utility lines and underground mains and communication lines. Where easements are needed for public water and/or sanitary sewer lines, they shall be provided as determined appropriate by the appropriate utility agency. All easements required shall be shown on the preliminary plat and final plat and development plans.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Where a proposed development is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater or drainage easement of minimum 20 feet in width. Easements for storm pipes shall be at least ten feet wide, and all easements shall be provided for all drainage facilities in accordance with the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual and approved by the director of public works.

All proposed developments within this district shall be designed in accordance with stormwater management standards in the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual.

In addition, to the design and installation [of] stormwater management facilities, the developer shall provide a longterm maintenance plan for such facilities, including designating longterm responsibility for the management and maintenance of the stormwater facilities.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Each proposed development shall provide refuse collection pads at locations that are convenient to each housing unit, but in no case more than 50 feet from the street or parking area serving each housing unit. Refuse collection sites must be properly screened and buffered, and designed not to negatively impair any stormwater draining off the location.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Each proposed development within this district shall follow the street name and number system within the White County Code and shall be approved by the White County GIS/Mapping Department.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Service buildings, offices, maintenance structures and barns, amenity areas, and other facilities shall be centrally grouped and conveniently located for patrons.

All developments with ten or more family units shall provide an amenity area for use by residents at the rate of 100 square feet for each living unit. Areas, including but not limited to, pools, tennis courts, playgrounds, public shelters, walking paths, and other areas of common access may be included in this calculation.

All multi-family developments shall provide adequate covered school bus stop shelters accessible to a designated school bus route.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

Signs and signage within proposed developments within this district shall be permitted in accordance with the sign regulations in the White County Code.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

1.

Minimum lot size for apartment developments is five acres.

2.

Minimum lot width shall be 100 feet and minimum lot frontage of 60 feet along either a state route or major arterial county route.

3.

Apartment developments shall have a front setback of a minimum of 50 feet from the route it is accessing.

4.

No apartment building or structure shall exceed the height of 40 feet.

5.

Apartment buildings shall be constructed to have a minimum separation of at least 20 feet if one or more buildings contain two or more stories. The fire service code may require a greater separation as building height increases.

6.

All dwelling units shall have a minimum heated floor area of 800 square feet.

7.

No more than 16 units shall be permitted to form any one single building.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

1.

All condominium developments shall meet all applicable state laws, including the Georgia Condominium Act.

2.

Minimum lot size for condominium developments is three acres.

3.

Minimum lot width shall be 100 feet and minimum lot frontage of 60 feet along either a state route, county arterial or collector route.

4.

Condominium developments shall have a front setback of a minimum of 50 feet from the route that it is accessing.

5.

No building or structure shall exceed the height of 40 feet.

6.

Apartment buildings shall be constructed to have a minimum separation of at least 20 feet if one or more buildings contain two or more stories. The fire service code may require a greater separation as building height increases.

7.

All dwelling units shall have a minimum heated floor area of 800 square feet.

8.

No more than eight units shall be permitted to form any one single building.

9.

Proposed by-laws for the condominium development shall be filed and recorded with the White County Clerk of Court.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

1.

Each townhouse shall be its own lot of record.

2.

Minimum area for townhouse developments is three acres.

3.

Minimum lot width for the overall development shall be 100 feet and minimum lot frontage of 60 feet along either a state route, county arterial or collector route.

4.

Townhouse developments shall have a front setback of a minimum of 50 feet from the route that it is accessing.

5.

No townhouse building or structure shall exceed the height of 40 feet.

6.

Townhouse buildings and structures shall be constructed to have a minimum separation of at least 20 feet if one or more buildings contain two or more stories. The fire service code may require a greater separation as building height increases.

7.

All dwelling units shall have a minimum heated floor area of 800 square feet.

8.

No more than four units shall be permitted to form any one single building.

9.

Townhouses may utilize shared driveways in lieu of off-street parking in bays.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

1.

Minimum area for a duplex, cottage and attached housing development shall be three acres.

2.

Each cottage and attached housing units shall be its own lot of record.

3.

Minimum lot width for the overall development shall be 100 feet and minimum lot frontage of 60 feet along either a state route or county arterial route.

4.

Duplex, cottage and attached housing developments shall have a front setback of a minimum of 50 feet from the route it is accessing.

5.

No building or structure shall exceed the height of 35 feet.

6.

Buildings and structures shall be constructed to have a minimum separation of at least 30 feet. The fire service code may require a greater separation as building height increases.

7.

Each duplex and cottage dwelling unit shall have a minimum heated floor of 800 square feet. Floor area for a cottage dwelling unit shall not exceed 1,100 square feet.

8.

Front, side and rear setbacks for cottage housing and attached housing shall be 15 feet.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)

1.

Group recovery homes/centers and rehabilitation facilities involving professional care and treatment.

(Res. No. 2019-09, 6-4-19)