A.
For purposes of these Regulations, a "rear lot" shall be a lot with less than 50 percent of the minimum lot width measured at the street line, and for which the building line is located more than 150 feet from the street line. A rear lot is typically characterized by a long narrow driveway access strip leading to a larger area of land located a considerable distance from the street line. Rear lots are often located one lot depth from the street, behind the rear property line of another lot, in a "stacked" manner.
B.
The Commission may approve the creation of new rear lots as an integrated part of an overall subdivision design, where such rear lots can provide suitable building sites. Rear lots may be appropriate at the end of a proposed cul-de-sac street in order to reduce the overall length of the street, thereby avoiding unnecessary future road maintenance and reducing stormwater runoff. Rear lots may also be appropriate where the character of a site is such that a suitable building site can be established at least one lot depth from the street without detriment to conventional lots located on the street.
C.
Rear lots must meet the following criteria:
(1)
The minimum width of a driveway access strip shall be 20 feet throughout its entire length.
(2)
The area of a driveway access strip shall not be included in calculating the minimum required area of the lot.
(3)
"Stacking" or "nesting" of rear lots, one behind the other, is generally discouraged.
(4)
No more than two driveway strips may be located adjacent to one another. Rear lots shall be laid out and suitably spaced along streets so as to minimize traffic congestion. The maximum number of rear lots shall, in general, not exceed 20% of the total number of lots in any subdivision.
(5)
The Commission shall determine that the character of the property to be subdivided is such that the soils, topography and configuration of the property is suitable for rear lots. Rear lots shall not be approved if the Commission determines that the use of rear lots creates a hazard to public health or safety, or does not contribute to a more efficient and less environmentally detrimental subdivision layout than would result without the use of rear lots.
(6)
No rear lot driveway access strip shall be located so as to impede future development or use of land through which it passes.
(9)
The Commission may impose other such conditions as it finds necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare, including but not limited to the establishment of a minimum sight line at the driveway access point, requiring combining individual driveway entrances, establishing a maximum total length of the driveway access strip, and increased frontage where necessary to assure adequate separation between individual driveway entrances.