A cottage cluster housing development is a small cluster of
dwelling units appropriately sized for smaller households and available
as an alternative to the development of typical detached single-family
and two-family homes on individual lots. Cottage cluster development
is intended to address the changing composition of households, and
the need for smaller, more diverse, and often, more affordable housing
choices. Providing for a variety of housing types also encourages
innovation and diversity in housing design and site development, while
ensuring compatibility with surrounding single-family residential
development.
(Ord. 1234 § 1, 2020)
Cottage cluster developments may be sited on one commonly owned
parcel with individual cottages owned in a condominium, cooperative,
or similar arrangement, or cottages may be on individual lots with
shared amenities and facilities owned in common. Applicants must submit
proof that a homeowner's association or other long-term management
agreement will be established to ensure the maintenance of development
elements in common ownership.
(Ord. 1234 § 1, 2020)
A.
Applications
for cottage cluster development on a single lot will be reviewed by
the Community Development Director—Type 2 application.
(Ord. 1234 § 1, 2020)
Cottage cluster developments are subject to the following standards:
A.
Density.
Cottages may be built up to the density established for cottage cluster
development in the underlying zone. Cottages are permitted outright
in the R-10, RM, and RH zone. Minimum lot size is 15,000 square feet.
B.
Number
of Cottages. A cottage cluster development is composed of four to
20 dwelling units.
C.
Cottage
Design. The cottages in a cottage cluster development are subject
to the following standards:
1.
Maximum Floor Area. The gross floor area of each cottage shall not
exceed 1,250 square feet.
2.
Maximum Footprint. The footprint of each cottage unit shall not exceed
800 square feet, or 1,200 square feet including a garage. A communal
garage or parking structure is permitted and is not subject to the
maximum footprint requirements for cottages.
3.
Average Size. The average size of all dwellings combined within a
cottage cluster • development will be less than 1,200 square
feet.
4.
Maximum Height. The height of each cottage shall be the same as required
by the underlying zoning and applicable overlay zoning.
5.
Placement. If cottages differ in size, smaller cottages shall be
located adjacent to or in closer proximity than larger cottages to
the adjacent public street or River Trail to which the development
is oriented.
6.
Setbacks. The setbacks from adjacent property lines along the perimeter
of the cottage cluster development shall be the same as required by
the underlying zone. The minimum distance between all structures,
including accessory structures, shall be in accordance with building
code requirements (at least six feet spacing between buildings).
7.
Private Open Space. Each cottage may have private open space for
the exclusive use of the cottage residents. Private open space does
not count towards the required common open space.
8.
Orientation of Cottages. Cottages shall be clustered around the common open space. Each cottage shall have a primary entrance and covered porch oriented to the common open space. All cottages shall be within 10 feet from the common open space, measured from the facade of the cottage to the nearest delineation of the common open space. Lots in a cottage cluster development are not required to abut a public right-of-way, except that the parent parcel shall have frontage on a public right-of-way in accordance with Chapter 16.120.
9.
Common Open Space. The design of the common open space shall not
use unusable lot area or projections to meet the requirement for common
open space. Unusable lot area includes, but is not limited to, foundation
landscaping, enlarged or enhanced parking strips or sidewalks, narrow
strips of land, wetlands, or small dead zones of the lot.
10.
Public Street Facing Façades. Cottages abutting a public right-of-way
or Waterfront Trail shall have a secondary entrance or a porch, bay
window, or other major architectural feature oriented to the public
right-of-way or the River Trail. Garage or carport entrances may not
face a public right-of-way unless it is an alley.
11.
Porches. Each cottage shall have a covered open porch that shall
be oriented toward the common open space and that shall be at least
six feet in depth measured perpendicular to the abutting building
facade and at least 60 square feet in area.
D.
Community
Buildings. Cottage cluster developments may include community buildings
that provide space for accessory uses such as community meeting rooms,
guest housing, exercise rooms, day care, or community eating areas.
They shall have a footprint of no more than 800 square feet unless
there is an existing dwelling that is renovated for community building
space.
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Figure 1: Example of Cottage Cluster Layout on Infill
Lot
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E.
Common
Open Space. Cottage cluster developments shall have a common open
space in order to provide a sense of openness and community of residents.
Common open space is subject to the following standards:
1.
Each cottage cluster development shall contain a minimum 2,000 square
feet of common open space regardless of the number of cottages in
the cluster, and not less than 200 square feet of common open space
per cottage.
2.
The common open space shall include at least a single, contiguous,
useable piece.
3.
Cottages shall abut the common open space on at least two sides of
the open space.
4.
Parking areas, required yards, private open space, and driveways
do not qualify as common open space.
F.
Parking.
Parking for a cottage cluster development is subject to the following
standards:
1.
Minimum Number of parking Spaces. Cottage cluster developments shall
have at least one parking space for each unit with a gross floor area
of 700 feet or less.
2.
Guest Parking. Cottage cluster developments shall have at least one-half
additional guest parking spaces for each cottage in the development,
rounded up to the nearest whole number. These spaces shall be clearly
identified as being reserved for guests.
3.
Reduction in Number of Required Parking Spaces. The required number
of guest parking spaces may be reduced by the number of on-street
parking spaces on public streets adjacent to and immediately abutting
the cottage cluster development.
4.
Clustering and Parking Structures. Parking areas may be arranged
in clusters limited to no more than five contiguous spaces. Clustered
parking areas may be covered. Up to two carriage house dwelling units
are permitted on the second floor of a parking structure, with a maximum
of one carriage house dwelling unit per four cottages (rounded to
the nearest whole number). Parking structures may or may not be located
on the same lot as the cottage they serve. Parking structures shall
not be located within a common open space and are required to be screened
from view from common open space areas.
5.
Parking Access. Parking areas shall be accessed only by a private
driveway or public alley or local street. No parking space may be
between a public street and cottages that abut a public street.
6.
Design. The design of garages, carports, and parking structures,
including the roof lines, windows, and trim, shall be similar to and
compatible with that of the cottages within the cottage cluster development.
7.
Screening. Landscaping or architectural screening at least three
feet tall shall separate parking areas and parking structures from
the common area and public streets. Solid fencing (e.g., board, cinder
block) shall not be allowed as an architectural screen.
8.
Location. Parking can be grouped and located on a separate lot within
100 feet of an edge of the cottage cluster development.
G.
Frontage,
Access, and Walkways.
1.
Frontage. The parent parcel shall have frontage on a public street.
If individual lots are created within the cluster development, each
lot shall abut the common open space, but is not required to have
public street frontage.
2.
Access. No part of any structure shall be more than 150 feet, as
measured by the shortest clear path on the ground, from fire department
vehicle access, unless the building has a fire suppression system.
3.
Walkways. A cottage cluster development shall have sidewalks abutting
all public streets. A system of interior walkways shall connect each
cottage to the common open space, parking areas, private driveways,
any community buildings, the sidewalks abutting any public streets
bordering the cottage cluster development, and other pedestrian or
shared use facilities such as the Waterfront Trail. Sidewalks abutting
public streets shall meet the width requirements established in the
Warrenton Engineering Design Standards, and interior walkways shall
be at least four feet in width.
H.
Interior
Fences. Fences on the interior of the cottage cluster development
shall not exceed three feet in height and shall not consist of solid
(e.g., board, cinder block) fencing.
I.
Existing
Structures. On a lot or parcel to be used for a cottage cluster development,
an existing detached single-family dwelling that may be nonconforming
with respect to the requirements of this section may remain, but the
extent of its non-conformity may not be increased. Such dwellings
shall count towards the number of cottages allowed in the cottage
cluster development unless converted for community building use.
(Ord. 1234 § 1, 2020)
In the event of a conflict between this chapter and other sections
of the Warrenton Development Code, this Section shall control.
(Ord. 1234 § 1, 2020)
