A.
Purpose. The purpose of the Rural Residential South Pittsford (RRSP)
Zone is to support creative, low-impact development patterns and land
uses that conserve resources and lands identified in a public planning
process for an update to the Comprehensive Plan which focused on the
area in Town south of the New York State Thruway. The district is
established to provide and maintain land area to promote and support
ongoing agricultural uses and activities that complement the rural
character of the residential and Mendon Ponds Park setting and encourage
farms to remain in farm production, while providing reasonable land
area for neighborhoods of single-family dwellings at a medium to low
density on a range of lot sizes using conservation-sensitive design.
The resources, lands and values identified by the community as important
to conserve include: rural character, agriculture, highly visible
open space lands, and visual and wildlife buffer area adjacent to
Mendon Ponds Park lands.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
An area of land undisturbed or established and suitably developed
with natural vegetation and landscaping. Fencing and berms may be
included as part of such an area.
A business for boarding horses that may be owned by off-site
owners; a horse-drawn carriage or livery type of business; and a business
for riding and riding lessons for fee.
A retail business that builds on the farm market model of
a business (See definition below.), but includes the sale of regionally
produced agricultural and regionally produced arts and handcrafted
products within an enclosed structure of no more than 5,000 square
feet in size. Additionally, nonagricultural-related retail products
may be sold in an area that is no more than 20% of the net sales floor
space. Outside sales of regionally produced agricultural products
(i.e., strawberries, pumpkins, Christmas trees, etc.) are permitted.
A retail business operation that sells locally produced agricultural
products within an enclosed structure of no more than 1,200 square
feet in size. Outside sales of locally produced agricultural products
(i.e., strawberries, pumpkins, Christmas trees, etc.) are permitted.
The land and on-farm buildings, equipment and practices which
contribute to the raising, production, preparation and marketing of
crops, livestock and livestock products for gain. The farm operation
includes necessary farm structures within the prescribed limits of
the farm parcel and the storage of equipment as part of the farm operation.
A farm operation does not include the operation of a commercial stable.
Any tax parcel or contiguous tax parcels under single ownership.
For the purpose of this article, each tax parcel shall be identified
by the Tax Map of the Town of Pittsford dated March 16, 2004, and
single ownership shall be determined by deed filed as of March 16,
2004. No parcel as defined herein may be changed or reconfigured after
March 16, 2004, for the purposes of applying or avoiding the restrictions
of this article.
A business for the sales and repair of equine-related and
other animal equipment and gear.
A place where animals are given medical care, and the boarding
of animals is limited to short-term care incidental to the hospital
use.
The following uses are permitted as principal uses within the
RRSP District:
The following uses may be permitted on parcels of five acres
or more pursuant to a special use permit issued by the Planning Board:
A.
Site capacity. A parcel of less than 20 acres may be developed at
a maximum density of one residential unit per five acres. A parcel
which is less than five acres but larger than 16,000 square feet may
be developed with one dwelling unit as a preexisting nonconforming
lot. No more than one residential building shall be erected on any
one lot. Approval of subdivisions under § 278 of the Town
Law for parcels of less than 20 acres is prohibited.
B.
The following minimum standards shall apply to parcels of five acres
or more:
(1)
The minimum lot size shall be five acres.
(2)
Front property line width shall be 200 feet as measured parallel
with the highway.
(3)
Front setbacks shall be 70 feet as measured from the front property
line.
(4)
Side setbacks shall be 20 feet from the property line.
(5)
Rear setbacks shall be 50 feet from the rear property line.
(6)
Minimum floor area shall be 1,800 square feet.
(7)
The maximum permitted height of any structure is 40 feet, except
that chimneys attached to such structure may extend five feet above
the highest point of the structure.
(8)
Lot coverage. The maximum lot coverage shall not exceed 15%
of the total area of the property. Lot coverage includes all improved
surfaces, buildings, driveways, porches, decks, patios, pools and
other, similar lot improvements.
C.
A parcel which is less than five acres but larger than 16,000 square
feet may be developed with one dwelling unit. The following minimum
standards shall apply:
A parcel of 20 acres or more may be developed at a density of one residential unit per five acres. Said development shall comply with the provisions of § 185-33.5B. In lieu of development at said density, such parcel of 20 acres or greater may be developed at a density of up to one residential unit per acre, provided that development meets the following conditions and limitations:
A.
Application of Town Law § 278. All development applications
shall be processed by the Planning Board pursuant to the provisions
of § 278 of the Town Law. As part of that process, the Planning
Board shall, at a minimum, apply the limitations and conditions of
this section.
B.
Site capacity. The maximum allowable dwelling units that may be built
on said development site shall be determined by the site capacity
calculation worksheet, as required by the Town's Subdivision Regulations.
C.
The development shall demonstrate significant application and incorporation
of the community values and guiding principles for community amenities
for the area south of the New York State Thruway as presented in the
South of the Thruway Update to the Town of Pittsford Comprehensive
Plan outlined below as specific criteria:
(1)
Preservation of agricultural lands and uses.
(2)
Permanent protection of larger contiguous areas of significant
open space resources which are visible to the general public, including
farmlands and natural wildlife habitats and corridors.
(3)
Buffering of new development from existing residences and public
views.
(4)
Restoration and adaptive reuse of mined landscapes.
(5)
Provision of trail connections through the neighborhood.
(6)
Provision of public sewers.
(7)
Adaptive reuse of farm structures that preserves the agricultural
setting and uses such as the farmstead and barns and surrounding fields.
(8)
Creative site planning that maintains residential and pastures
and rural character (i.e., not "cookie-cutter" design), allowing for
direct visual access to open land, woodlots, horse farms, scenic views,
etc.
(9)
Design that respects and buffers Mendon Ponds Park.
(10)
Protection of dark night skies through limited lighting and
appropriate placement, design and construction standards.
D.
Dimensional requirements for development on parcels of 20 acres or
more:
|
Responsivness to Criteria (as
applicable to respective project)
|
Amount of Project Area Set Aside
as Permanent Rural Conserva-tion
|
Maximum Dwelling Units per Develop-able
Acre
|
Minimum Lot Size In Acres
|
Lot Width in Feet (minimum at
front building line)
|
Front Property Line Width (mini-mum)
in Feet
|
Front Setback (mini-mum) in Feet
|
Rear Setback (mini-mum) in Feet
|
Side Setback (mini-mum) in Feet
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Minimum standard for all projects:
apply conservation- based design
|
0%
|
0.20
|
5.0
|
200
|
200
|
70
|
50
|
20
|
|
Project responds significantly to at
least four criteria
|
40%
|
0.5
|
1.0
|
125
|
125
|
40
|
40
|
20
|
|
Project responds significantly to at
least six criteria
|
50%
|
0.75
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
|
Project responds significantly to at
least eight criteria
|
65%
|
1.0
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
N.A.
|
E.
Permanent rural conservation site. The open space within the parcel
shall be permanently designated as rural conservation and shall be
so designated on the Official Zoning Map.
F.
The selection of land within a parcel to be designated as rural conservation
shall be made by the applicant and subject to the approval of the
Planning Board.
G.
Rural conservation lands may be held in private ownership or, if
proposed for public ownership, shall be dedicated to the Town of Pittsford.
A.
Where rural conservation sites result from the application of RRSP
zoning requirements, or are otherwise existing, and which are not
dedicated to the Town, they shall be described in a conservation easement
executed by the owner and delivered to the Town. The Department of
Public Works may not grant final approval to any development plans
until the conservation easement is received by the Town.
B.
The conservation easement shall describe the rural conservation site
in metes and bounds and shall include the statement: "This tract or
parcel of land is a rural conservation site subject to the provisions
of the Town of Pittsford Zoning Law substantially restricting its
use."
C.
The conservation easement shall be recorded by the Town in the Monroe
County Clerk's office.
