[Amended 6-5-2007 by Ord. No. 9-07]
The RR District provides for the rural residential use of land, accommodating agriculture and very-low-density residential environments. It is designed for permanent development of relatively remote areas that are beyond the reach of Seward's foreseeable urban development pattern, making eventual extension of urban services extremely unlikely. RR Districts do not permit comprehensive agriculture, and are intended for areas where farming is not a primary, permanent land use. Subdivisions in RR Districts generally will be developed to rural standards, with gravel roads, surface drainage, and individual water and wastewater management systems. In parts of the Seward jurisdiction with distinctive landforms, conservation development design is required to maintain the character of the land. These areas are designated by the RC Rural Conservation Development Overlay District and are subject to special standards and planning procedures set forth in Article 27 of the Unified Land Development Ordinance. These standards encourage the preservation of important open space resources without reducing the density permitted the developer or property owner.
Regulator
1-Family Units
Other Permitted Uses
Site area per housing unit
5 acres
NA
Site area per housing unit - Note 1 (RPD)
3 acres
NA
Minimum lot area - Note 2 (RCD)
1.5 acres
3 acres
Minimum lot width (feet)
200
200
Minimum yards (feet)
Front yard
50
50
Side yard
25
25
Street side yard
50
50
Rear yard
50
100
Maximum height (feet)
35
35
Maximum building coverage
NA
NA
Maximum impervious coverage
NA
NA
Floor area ratio
NA
NA
Maximum amount of total parking located in street yard
NA
NA
Project size requiring Planned Development District (PD)
NA
NA
Note 1: Rural Preservation Development (RPD)
The purpose of this regulator exception is to permit the creative design of alternate living areas, as distinguished from subdivisions of standard lot sizes and standard street systems with the intention of preserving the rural character of the agricultural land use, including open fields, pastures, and natural wooded areas.
The Planning Commission and City Council may permit the site area per housing unit utilizing the designated regulator of three acres per housing unit, provided that there is sufficient evidence and facts showing that the proposed Rural Preservation Development meets the following conditions:
1.
That the surrounding tracts for the proposed Rural Preservation Development will not be adversely affected;
2.
That the proposed Rural Preservation Development is consistent with the intent and purpose of this section;
3.
That the average allocated site area housing unit within the Rural Preservation Development will not be less than the minimum site area housing unit per parcel required in the Rural Residential District in which the parcels of the proposed Rural Preservation Development is located, except that the land appropriation will meet the following criteria:
a.
Each individual parcel plotted for sale must have an allocated equivalence of five total acres, with three of the acres being retained to the site area facilitating the residence for private ownership. The remaining two acres shall be designated as permanent undivided open space;
b.
All undivided land including any lot capable of further subdivision shall be designated as permanent open space and shall be restricted from further subdivision and protected through a conservation easement, or a restrictive protective covenant presented in a form acceptable to the City and duly recorded in the Seward County Register of Deeds Office. In the event that the City's growth extends to a point where the designated open area tract of land becomes contiguous or adjacent to the City limits, the controlling ownership of said land may appeal to the City Council for the repeal of the protected easement for further subdivision;
4.
Undivided open space shall be directly accessible to the largest practicable number of lots within a Rural Preservation Subdivision. To achieve this, the majority of the house lots should abut undivided open space in order to provide direct views and access.
Note 2: Rural Community District (RCD)
The purpose of this regulator exception is to produce a more attractive and functional rural neighborhood and permit more usable open space, protect build-through land for future annexation, and protect the environmental features by preserving the rural character of the agricultural land use. The Planning Commission and City Council may permit the site area per housing unit utilizing the designated regulator of 1.5 acre lots per housing unit, provided that there is sufficient evidence and facts showing that the proposed Rural Community District meets the following conditions:
1.
That the surrounding tracts for the proposed Rural Community District will not be adversely affected;
2.
That the proposed Rural Community District is consistent with the intent and purpose of this section;
3.
That the average allocated site area housing unit within the Rural Community District will not be less than the minimum site area housing unit per parcel required in the Rural Residential District in which the parcels of the proposed Rural Community District is located, except that the land appropriation will meet the following criteria:
a.
Each individual parcel plotted for sale must have an allocated equivalence of five total acres, with 1.5 of the acres being retained to the lot site area facilitating the residence for private ownership. The remaining 3.5 acres shall be designated as permanent undivided open space;
b.
All undivided land including any lot capable of further subdivision shall be designated as permanent open space and shall be restricted from further subdivision and protected through a conservation easement, a restrictive protective covenant presented in a form acceptable to the City and duly recorded in the Seward County Register of Deeds Office. In the event that the City's growth extends to a point where the designated open area tract of land becomes contiguous or adjacent to the City limits, the controlling ownership of said land may appeal to the City Council for the repeal of the protected easement for further subdivision;
4.
Undivided open space shall be directly accessible to the largest practicable number of lots within a Rural Preservation Subdivision. To achieve this, the majority of the house lots should abut undivided open space in order to provide direct views and access;
5.
The proposed method of providing sanitary sewer service to the area shall be a public or community sewage system that complies with any and all of the regulations set forth by the regulating state agency. Therefore, the developer shall indicate the size and location of all proposed sanitary sewers, manhole locations, and sewage treatment facility shown on the plot documents;
6.
The proposed method of providing an adequate water supply shall be public or community water system or rural water district, that complies with any and all of the regulations set forth by the regulating state agency. Therefore, the developer shall indicate the size and location of the proposed water mains, hydrants and the location of the community well, including the type of water treatment to be used on the plot documents.
Note:
Floodway - This land is not considered buildable due to flood zone regulations. Therefore, since there is no preservation being deemed from this regulator it should not be allowed to be calculated for use as open land.
Floodplain - This land could be considered as buildable if the floor level is one foot above the base flood elevation (BFE). This would provide an element of land preservation as detailed in the regulators. Therefore, it should be allowed to be calculated into the open land designation.