Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/07/1995

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THE ZONING REPORT Page Four plats must hav~'an.'east-west orientation so that ,main buildings' on lots face within 9.0 de- greys of south. Similarly, buildings with solar 'collectors can be 'assured solar access; to avoid being blocked by future development.-o'n the adjoining tot. The zoning code requires, that a solar access easement' be filed and recorded on the lot with the 'solar collector, to' gain solar protection from future accessory' buildings, fences and landscaping on the adjoining lot. Siting of buildings in relation to wetlands, shorelines, stream banks, b~ache§'and dunes' is increasingly regulated by' zoning, codes. Often an additional special zone yard or buffer area is imposed adjoining the b/)undary of the sensi- tive environment, so that'buildings cannot' .be sited in the special yard. or buffer area. Buildings are not allowed 'to be located in the bed of future planned major streets mapped in the adopted officiaI map. Variances to map- 'ped street regulations require a detailed siting and orientation of all proposed buildings in re- lation to the bed of the mapped street. Codes with architectural and historic preser- vation regulations require that proposed new buildings or changes to existing buildings pro- vide a site plan showing the proposed orienta- tion of the building on the lot, along with oth- er development information relating to the de- sign standards of the special district. Siting/orientation reqUired'for special design plans and special approvals Most special design plans and plkts require the location of all main buildings be shown on the site ptan submitted .with the application for Zoning and subdivision ~pproval.' These plans and plats include PUDs, single-site commercial /office/indu'strial complexes,' 'etuster 'housing designs, zero-lot-line' projects and flag lots. The site plan'is submit'ted as a Preliminary and final development plan, parallel in intent and procedure 'to preliminary and final subdivision plats. Many codes allow' the zone yardi in special design Plan}'to vary'from lot to lot~ so'long as the location and orientation of the dWelling on each lot is' committed .by the developer as 'shown'on the site plan; Most codes simply re- quire that all dwelling units~ lots, garages, al- leys, courts, recreational patios, driveways and fences be shown on the'Site 'plant meet spacing r~quirements bet~veen buildings and meet spe- cial' yard and buffer requirements along the pe. rimeter of 'the development tract. The pre- lim'inary, plan is reviewed by staff for an ac- ceptable building confi~uration'ofi each lot and for the' integration 'of the siting and orienta- tion of all lots in{o a feasible ovePall project design. · Flag lots,, however, unlike special design' plans, are platted with one or few lots per applica- tion. Flag lots are platted to the rear of con- ventional full-width lots fronting public streets and are connected to the street by an access easement along one side of both lots. Codes allowing flag lots' do not require the location of the dwelling unit be shown, since dwellings on flag lots must meet all zone yards required by the zone. But many codes regulate the ori- entation of flag lot dwellings~ requiring them to face the public street abutting the front lot. Codes allowing more than one flag lot to be platted from the access drive require flag lot dwellings to face the access drive. Which- ever direction the dwelling faces, that direc- tion becomes the front zone ~ard. Most special 'approvals require the location of all main buildings on the lot be shown on site plans submitted for zoning approval. Special approvals are variances, conditional uses, spe- cial exceptions and uses allowed by right with qualifications. Some' conditions .required in' special approvals can be quite detailed. Variances, for example, commonly' require a showing of the specific si- ting/orientation of buildings for the setbacks varied. Conditional uses proposed for specific uses could specify that doors, garage doors, and windows that open in gas Stations, car- washes, bars and night clubs not face adjoining residential 'zones. and uses. February 24}-1995.issue