Rationale: This article regulates the development potential of all property within the jurisdiction of this chapter. This article is designed to ensure the implementation of many goals and objectives of the City of Watertown Comprehensive Plan. (See also § 550-5 of this chapter.) Many of these are extremely difficult to address using conventional zoning techniques, particularly those which rely on minimum lot area requirements to establish maximum permitted residential densities and maximum floor area ratios to establish the character of nonresidential developments. Such approaches provide for a minimum flexibility and/or the needless destruction of sensitive natural resources. The approach employed by this article, relying on maximum gross densities (MGDs) and minimum required landscape surface ratios (LSRs) in combination with maximum permitted floor area ratios (FARs) for nonresidential development (both in conjunction with a variety of development options available in every zoning district), results in a very high degree of site design flexibility and the protection and implementation of desired community character and adopted community goals and objectives.
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(a)
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Determine the gross site area (GSA) of the site:
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1.
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Total site area as determined by actual on-site survey.
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________ acres
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2.
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Subtract area located within proposed rights-of-way of roads
and within proposed boundaries of public facilities which are designated
within the City's Comprehensive Plan and/or required for dedication
per subdivision regulations.
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- ________ acres
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3.
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Subtract land which, although part of the same parcel, is not
contiguous to or is not accessible from the proposed road network
serving the project.
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- ________ acres
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4.
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Subtract land which is proposed for a different development
option or a different zoning district.
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- ________ acres
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5.
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Subtract area of navigable waters (lakes and streams).
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- ________ acres
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6.
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Equals gross site area (GSA)
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=________ acres
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(b)
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Determine the required resource protection area (RPA) of the
site:
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1.
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Portion of gross site area containing floodways.
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________ acres
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2.
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Portion of gross site area containing floodplain areas.
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________ acres
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3.
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Portion of gross site area containing flood-fringes.
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________ acres
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4.
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Add portion of gross site area containing wetlands.
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+________ acres
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5.
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Add portion of gross site area containing drainageways.
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+________ acres
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6.
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Add portion of gross site area containing lakeshores.
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+________ acres
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7.
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Add portion of gross site area containing woodlands.
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+________ acres
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8.
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Add portion of gross site area containing steep slopes
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+________ acres
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9.
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Subtract portions of natural resource areas [(b)1 to 8] made
developable using approved environmental mitigation techniques.
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-________ acres
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10.
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Equals required resource protection area (RPA).
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=________ acres
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(c)
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Determine the net developable area (NDA) of the site:
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1.
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Enter gross site area (GSA) [from (a)6 above].
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________ acres
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2.
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Subtract required resource protection area (RPA) [from (b)10
above].
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-________ acres
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3.
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Equals net developable area (NDA).
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=________ acres
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Rationale: The combinations of maximum floor area ratio (FAR)
and minimum landscape surface ratio (LSR) requirements within each
zoning district are designed to result in a consistent community character
of development within that district. The minimum lot area (MLA) requirements
for each zoning district are used to ensure that a consistency of
neighborhood character within each zoning district is maintained and
attainable under efficient site design practices. The maximum building
size (MBS) requirements ensure that development within the Neighborhood
Office and Neighborhood Business Districts retains a neighborhood
function and maintains a scale that is compatible with nearby residential
development.
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Rationale: The "blanket conforming status" provision of this
section is intended to prevent the creation of certain nonconforming
developments within the jurisdiction of this chapter. The adoption
of the provisions of this section ensures that developments approved
prior to the adoption of this chapter do not encounter difficulty
in transferring ownership because they would otherwise be considered
nonconforming.
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