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City of Westminster, MD
Carroll County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Added 1-10-2005 by Ord. No. 723]
It is the purpose of the Housing for Older Persons Zone to provide suitable sites for multiple-family housing for older persons within certain areas of the City which would permit the optimum amount of freedom and variety in the design and layout of such type of use.
A. 
The following objectives are sought in providing for this zone:
(1) 
To provide a more attractive and varied living environment for housing for older persons than would be possible through the strict application of residential Euclidean zonal district requirements.
(2) 
To encourage developers to use a more creative approach in the development of land for housing for older persons.
(3) 
To encourage more efficient allocation and maintenance of common open space in providing such housing through private initiative.
(4) 
To encourage variety in the physical development patterns of such housing.
(5) 
To encourage developers to create an independent, self-reliant and pleasant living atmosphere for older persons.
B. 
The fact that an application complies with all specific requirements and purposes set forth herein shall not be deemed to create a presumption that the application is, in fact, compatible with surrounding land uses and, in itself, shall not be sufficient to require the granting of any application.
C. 
The following regulations shall apply in all housing for older persons zones.
The following uses are permitted in the Housing for Older Persons Zone:
A. 
Accessory uses and buildings customarily incidental to any permitted use in this section.
B. 
Multiple-family housing for older persons as defined in § 164-3.
C. 
Places of public assembly, recreational buildings and accessory buildings, if included in an approved development plan wherein it has been deemed that they are advantageous for the purpose of serving the development and the local community.
A. 
Sites eligible for consideration for the Housing for Older Persons Zone must be recommended for such zone in the City's Comprehensive Plan.
B. 
Sites eligible for consideration for the Housing for Older Persons Zone shall be for a tract of land of not more than ten acres, classified in the R-7,500 Zone or B-Business Zone prior to reclassification to the Housing for Older Persons Zone.
C. 
Density.
(1) 
Residential density shall be approved generally on the capabilities of the existing and/or planned utilities and such other standards and requirements as enumerated in this chapter, but in no case shall the density exceed 16 dwelling units per net acre, prior to any dedications.
(2) 
Calculation of net acreage shall include all land within the project, except floodplain areas and slopes in excess of 25%.
D. 
The following minimum requirements shall apply:
Dwelling Type
Lot Width At Building
(feet)
Front Yard
(feet)
Side Yard
(feet)
Rear Yard
(feet)
All principal and accessory structures
100
40
20
50
E. 
For the purpose of administering this Article, any room other than a living room, kitchen, dinette or dining room, bathroom and closet shall be construed as a bedroom.
No principal structure shall exceed three stories or 40 feet in height, and no accessory building shall exceed two stories or 20 feet in height.
At least 10% of the site shall be kept for open space.
Spaces for off-street parking and for loading and unloading shall be provided in accordance with requisites of Article XVI, except that standard perpendicular or angled parking spaces shall be a rectangle, having minimum dimensions of 10 feet by 18 feet.
Signs shall be permitted subject to the provisions of Article XVII of this chapter.
The architectural design of all buildings shall be consistent with the creation of an independent, self-reliant and pleasant living atmosphere for a group of older persons requiring indoor and outdoor privacy participation in social and community activities and who may have limited mobility.
Such land as may be required for public streets, parks, schools and other public uses shall be dedicated in accordance with the requirements of the laws of the city and the adopted general plan and Master Plans and other plans as may be applicable. The land to be dedicated shall be so identified upon development plans and site plans required under the provisions of this chapter and any other laws of the city.
All permitted uses shall achieve the purposes set forth in § 164-51.11 and be compatible with the other uses existing or proposed adjacent to and in the vicinity of the area covered by the proposed development. Further, the applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed use is compatible with any abutting dissimilar land uses which may include provisions to mitigate impacts upon adjacent properties.
A. 
An application for zonal classification in the Housing for Older Persons Zone shall be accompanied by a development plan prepared in accordance with the provisions of § 164-188 of this chapter.
B. 
In addition to all other standards and criteria, in considering an application for the Housing for Older Persons Zone, the Common Council shall also consider the present or potential adequacy of the street or road system, highway and road access, the availability and capability of existing water and sewage systems and the availability and capability of all other public facilities.
C. 
All housing for olderpersons projects shall be subject to site plan approval as provided in Article XXV of this chapter.