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35 <br /> DRAFT EXCERPT <br /> 220 Charity Kirk: So,would tacking on a sentence, so vegetation of varying heights and textures shall be placed <br /> 221 along walls and fences to soften the planes. Landscaping should be planted a minimum of 2 feet <br /> 222 from the foundation. Like just tag that on at the end? <br /> 223 <br /> 224 Perdita Holtz: I would suggest doing a Sub A and just saying something like landscaping should be planted at <br /> 225 least 2 feet from the foundation. <br /> 226 <br /> 227 Marilyn Carter: Different topic and a very broad question. Perdita, you mentioned that these changes are not <br /> 228 applying to exempt or expedited subdivisions. I think I know at least one of those types, but could <br /> 229 you reprise for us what are those exempt or expedited subdivision types? <br /> 230 <br /> 231 Perdita Holtz: The exempt subdivisions that you're going to be most familiar with are the ones that have at least <br /> 232 10-acre lots. Expedited are, Cy, can you help me there. <br /> 233 <br /> 234 Cy Stober: Expedited are set forth in statute. They have a 6-point test, but the most important one is that you <br /> 235 have no more than 2 acres that result—no,wait,that's exempt. You have no more than 5 acres <br /> 236 that results in three lots, no new right of ways dedicated, and that that has not been done in the <br /> 237 last 10 years and that the lots comply with our ordinance otherwise. They are a frequent <br /> 238 subdivision tool of someone with, say, 10 acres or less than 20 who can't use the exempt avenue <br /> 239 to create three new lots. And, by design,the statute's very clear that we are to use a light touch <br /> 240 other than ensuring that there is road access to those new lots,that we're not to be imposing our <br /> 241 development standards upon those new properties. <br /> 242 <br /> 243 Whitney Watson: Perdita, could we go back to this, the 5-foot buffer? My question is did building code or fire <br /> 244 marshal have any opportunity to review this? Because I know that there was, right after we <br /> 245 moved back to North Carolina, there was a number of newspaper articles about landscaping, <br /> 246 particularly with pine straw that went right up to the foundation of a house, and they were like no, <br /> 247 no, no, don't do that. This sounds like it's permitted, and maybe fire safety would want to say, let's <br /> 248 move landscaping away from the foundation of the house a certain amount. The other question 1 <br /> 249 had was when our house was placed, the contractor was very pointed in saying,yes,the ground <br /> 250 must slope away from the house on all sides for, I believe, 5 or 6 feet,which has provided some <br /> 251 problems because 5 feet out puts it at the bottom of a hill, and so that's where all the water <br /> 252 collects in a rainstorm. So, it seems like there might be an opportunity here for building inspectors <br /> 253 or code to suggest some way to mesh those two requirements of slope and vegetation planting. <br /> 254 <br /> 255 Perdita Holtz: To answer your first question, the fire marshal is part of the Development Advisory Committee, <br /> 256 and that committee did review these amendments, and there was not a comment made about <br /> 257 pine straw. I'm not quite sure that something like that would go into a unified development <br /> 258 ordinance. That becomes something that then the zoning enforcement officer is enforcing <br /> 259 whether you have pine straw or not. And the 5-foot landscape area, it's for non-residential <br /> 260 structures. It's not pertaining to residential structures. <br /> 261 <br /> 262 Whitney Watson: Okay, because that's confusing. The example right above this paragraph is a residence. <br /> 263 <br /> 264 Perdita Holtz: Well, and then a new section starts. Section J then starts. That figure right above that is to <br /> 265 illustrate between-lot plantings,which is Section 1. And then Section J starts. <br /> 266 <br /> 267 Whitney Watson: I don't see where it says this is for non-residential use. <br /> 268 <br /> 269 Perdita Holtz: If you read, "A minimum of a 5-foot landscape area must be planted around the entire front <br /> 270 foundation and sides visible from the public rights of way of non-residential structures to blend the <br /> 271 architecture into the site, et cetera. <br /> 272 <br /> 273 Whitney Watson: Okay, sorry. I had covered that with a note. <br /> 274 <br />