Agenda - 11-20-2006-c5 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I * ORANGE COUNTY BOARD • COMMISSIONERS AND PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT I Meeting D. November 20, 200• Action Agenda Item No. C - 5- SUBJECT: Proposed Conservation Cluster Subdivision Perimeter Buffer Text Amendments DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections ATTACHMENT(S.): 1. Proposed Ordinance with strike and delete highlights .2. Comparison of existing & proposed regulations map PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes INFORMATION CONTACT: Name Phone Number Craig Benedict, Director 245-2592 Robert P Davis, Planner 111 245-2580 Jennifer Leaf, Planner 1 245-2603 PURPOSE: To hear staff presentation and public comments on proposed subdivision text amendments to Section IV-13-10 D.2 of the Subdivision Regulations. BACKGROUND: The stated purpose of Flexible Development is to preserve agricultural and forestry lands, natural and cultural features, and rural community character that might be lost through conventional development approaches (Section IV-13-10 Sub Regs.). Of the three options available within Flexible Development (Estate Lot, Conservation-Cluster, and Village) the Conservation-Cluster has been the option of choice in the majority of applications. A unique requirement of the Conservation-Cluster option is a *mandatory 100 -foot building setback from the subdivision perimeter. The original intent of this 100 -foot setback was to lessen the impact of higher density clusters of housing on the surrounding, lower density [generagy] dwellings. In rural areas without public sewer this has not been a problem due to the minimum 40,000 square foot lots in the AR and R1 zoning districts (2 acres in Rural Buffer). However, the 100-foot setback has presented design challenges in smaller acreage sub * divisions and also on irregularly shaped tracts. Additionally, there are no planting requirements for the 100-foot building setback, except in cases along public right-of-ways. The 100' building setback requirement in the conservation-cluster option hinders good, compact design in the Transition Areas (I.e. Urban Designated Areas on the Growth Management System map with public water/public sewer potential now or in the future). Where public sewer is provided as a part of the development, the lot sizes may be reduced by 65% of the minimum lot size (from 40,000 sq. ft to 14,000 sq. ft). In these transition areas, higher density housing is anticipated and the 100-foot building setback heavily impacts the 'buildable' area of a proposed subdivision, especially if the tract is small to begin with. Another complication is that the 100 - foot structure setback may be 'in-lot' where the 33% open space criteria have been met elsewhere on the site.