Minimum Floor VR District
(square feet)
|
Areas Per Unit Other Districts
(square feet)
| ||
---|---|---|---|
Efficiency
|
300
|
600
| |
One-bedroom
|
400
|
700
| |
Two-bedroom
|
600
|
950
|
Minimum lot area (tract)
|
5 acres
|
Minimum residential lot area
|
NA
|
Minimum lot width (tract)
|
100 feet
|
Minimum lot depth (tract)
|
125 feet
|
Minimum front yard setback (tract)1
|
75 feet
|
Minimum side yard setback (tract)1
|
40 feet
|
Minimum rear yard setback (tract)1
|
50 feet
|
Minimum setback from buildings onsite:
| |
Front to front
|
60 feet
|
Front to side
|
40 feet
|
Side to side
|
20 feet
|
Rear to rear
|
50 feet
|
Rear to side
|
30 feet
|
Minimum building setback to internal roadway2
|
15 feet
|
Maximum building coverage (residential)
|
30%
|
Maximum impervious coverage
Residential lot coverage
|
60%
|
Maximum building height:
|
35 feet/2 1/2 stories
|
Maximum gross residential density
|
N/A
|
Maximum units per building
| |
Independent living
|
100 units per building
|
Assisted living
|
120 units per building
|
Parking setbacks:
| |
From building
|
10 feet
|
From property line
|
5 feet
|
From existing public street
|
25 feet
|
Parking spaces; number
|
Per RSIS
|
Parking stall size
|
10 feet by 18 feet
|
Drive aisle width
|
24 feet
|
Open space area, minimum3
|
15% of tract area
|
NOTES:
| |
---|---|
1
|
Patios, decks, and fences shall be located within required building
setbacks.
|
2
|
Open porches and stairs permitted to be located closer to internal
roadway.
|
3
|
Open space shall be arranged as common area situated between
and among buildings from a central location within the development.
Areas in required setbacks and landscaped buffers shall not be counted
toward the minimum open space area.
|
(3.1)
|
Affordable Accessory Apartment Unit.
[Added 11-27-2000 by Amendment 14; amended 8-10-2005 by Amendment 24; 2-12-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-001] | ||||
(a)
|
General requirements and conditions. Affordable
accessory apartment units shall be permitted as a conditional use
in all zoning districts in the Township of Alexandria, provided that
the use and buildings shall adhere to the following minimum standards
and conditions and the use shall be accessory to a permitted principal
use on the land:
| ||||
[1]
|
No more than one affordable accessory apartment unit per lot
shall be permitted.
| ||||
[2]
|
No more than a total of three affordable accessory apartment
units shall be created under this subsection through July 2025.
| ||||
[3]
|
The affordable accessory apartment unit shall comply with all
applicable statutes and regulations of the State of New Jersey in
addition to all local building codes.
| ||||
[4]
|
An affordable accessory apartment unit shall, for a period of
at least 10 years from the date of the issuance of a certificate of
occupancy, be rented only to a low- or moderate-income qualified household
as defined by applicable Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and
Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (UHAC) regulations at the time
of initial occupancy of the unit.
| ||||
[5]
|
Rents of affordable accessory apartment units shall be affordable
to very-low-, and moderate-income households as per applicable COAH
and UHAC regulations, or by Court order, and shall include a utility
allowance.
| ||||
[6]
|
Rent increases shall be in accordance with COAH or Court-approved
percentages.
| ||||
[7]
|
There shall be a recorded deed or declaration of covenants and
restrictions applied to the property upon which the affordable accessory
unit is located running with the land and limiting its subsequent
rental or sale within the requirements of Subsection H(a)[2], [3],
[4] and [5] above.
| ||||
[8]
|
Each affordable accessory apartment unit shall have living/sleeping
space, cooking facilities, a kitchen sink and complete sanitary facilities
for the exclusive use of its occupants. It shall consist of no fewer
than two rooms, one of which shall be a full bathroom consisting of
at least a toilet, sink, shower and door separating the bathroom unit
from the other rooms in the unit.
| ||||
[9]
|
The affordable accessory apartment unit shall have a separate
door with direct access to the outdoors.
| ||||
[10]
|
The potable water supply and sewage disposal system for the
affordable accessory apartment unit shall be adequate to service the
unit. Department of Health certification of the adequacy of the sewage
disposal system serving the units shall be submitted with a conditional
use application for an affordable accessory apartment.
| ||||
[11]
|
During the period in which affordability controls are in place, the affordable accessory apartment unit shall be affirmatively marketed to the housing region in accordance with applicable COAH and UHAC regulations, as well as § 53-5.15, Affirmative marketing requirements.
| ||||
[12]
|
Affordable accessory apartment units may be located in an existing
accessory building so long as the existing building footprint of the
building is maintained. Any additions to a principal or accessory
building to accommodate an affordable accessory unit shall conform
to the setback requirements for principal buildings in the district.
| ||||
[13]
|
New freestanding accessory buildings containing affordable accessory
apartment units shall conform to the setback requirements for principal
buildings in the district.
| ||||
[14]
|
Affordable accessory apartment units are exempt from bedroom
mix requirements in N.J.A.C. 5:93-7.3.[18]
| ||||
[15]
|
A municipal affordable housing trust fund subsidy of $10,000
per moderate-income affordable accessory apartment units and $11,980
per low-income affordable accessory apartment unit shall be provided
to create the affordable accessory apartment unit.
| ||||
(b)
|
Other requirements.
| ||||
[1]
|
All standards and requirements of the zone district, except
as modified by this section, shall apply.
| ||||
[2]
| |||||
[3]
|
The total number of parking spaces required shall be met on
site in compliance with RSIS for the principal dwelling and accessory
apartment. The accessory apartment parking demand is calculated using
the "Garden Apartment" classification in RSIS. If parking for an accessory
apartment is added, screening is required sufficient to minimize the
visual impact on adjoining residential uses, which shall include evergreen
or dense deciduous plantings, walls, fences, or a combination or a
combination of the four.
| ||||
[4]
|
Exterior alterations are permitted, provided that they are in
keeping with the architectural integrity of the structure, and the
look, character and scale of the surrounding neighborhood as viewed
from the street, including, but not limited to, the following considerations:
| ||||
[a]
|
The exterior finish material should be the same or visually
consistent in type, size, and placement, as the exterior finish material
of the remainder of the building;
| ||||
[b]
|
The roof pitch should be consistent with the predominant roof
pitch of the remainder of the building;
| ||||
[c]
|
Trim should be consistent in type, size, and location as the
trim used on the remainder of the building;
| ||||
[d]
|
Windows should be consistent with those of the remainder of
the building in proportion and orientation;
| ||||
[e]
|
Exterior staircases should be designed to minimize visual intrusion
and be complementary to the existing building.
| ||||
(c)
|
Administrative entity. The Township's designated
Administrative Agent is the entity that will administer the Township's
accessory apartment program. The Administrative Agent shall administer
the program in accordance with applicable COAH and UHAC regulations
and pursuant to the following procedures and requirements
| ||||
[1]
|
The administrative responsibilities of the Administrative Agent
include, but are not limited to, advertising, income qualifying prospective
renters, setting rents and annual rental increases, maintaining a
waiting list, distributing the subsidy, securing the certificates
of occupancy, qualifying properties, handling application forms, filing
deed restrictions and monitoring reports and affirmatively marketing
the accessory unit program.
| ||||
[2]
|
Applicants for accessory apartment units shall submit required
application forms and documentation directly to the Township's Zoning
Officer, who shall transmit application material to the Township's
Administrative Agent. The Township's Administrative Agent shall only
approve an application for an accessory apartment unit if the project
is in conformance with applicable COAH and UHAC requirements, the
Township's Zoning Ordinance and Development Regulations, any applicable
Court orders or Court-approved agreements, and this section. All approvals
or denials shall be in writing with the reasons clearly stated.
| ||||
[3]
|
In accordance with applicable COAH or UHAC requirements, the
Township shall subsidize the physical creation of an affordable accessory
apartment unit in accordance with current COAH and UHAC minimum requirements
or such additional amount as determined necessary by the Township
or the Court to create either a low- and moderate-income unit meeting
COAH and UHAC requirements. Prior to the grant of such subsidy, the
property owner shall enter into a written agreement with the Township
ensuring that: (1) the subsidy shall be used to create the affordable
accessory apartment unit; and (2) the unit shall meet the requirements
of this section and all applicable COAH and UHAC regulations.
| ||||
(d)
|
Submission requirements and application procedures.
Applicants for the creation of an affordable accessory apartment unit
shall submit an application for a development permit and the required
application information to the Township's Zoning Officer, who shall
submit a copy of the application to the Township's Administrative
Agent, the administrative entity for the program.
| ||||
[1]
|
Applicants shall submit the same information required for an
application for a single-family dwelling, along with the following
additional requirements:
| ||||
[a]
|
For an affordable accessory apartment unit located within a
principal building, a sketch of the floor plan(s) of the unit showing
the location, size and relationship to both the affordable accessory
apartment unit and the primary dwelling unit in the building.
| ||||
[b]
|
For an affordable accessory apartment unit located in an accessory
building, the floor plan(s) of the affordable accessory apartment
unit and for all other rooms and building elements in the accessory
building not used for residential purposes and their use (i.e., storage,
garage, etc.).
| ||||
[c]
|
Elevations showing any new construction and modifications of
any exterior building facades to which changes are proposed.
| ||||
[d]
|
A site development sketch showing the location of the principal
building and accessory buildings, all property lines, proposed additions
if any, along with the minimum building setback line, the required
parking spaces for both dwelling units, and any site conditions which
might affect development.
| ||||
[2]
|
The Zoning Officer shall process the application in accordance
with normal procedures. The issuance of a development permit or any
affirmative action by a municipal agency shall be preceded by or conditioned
upon approval by the Township's Administrative Agent pursuant to this
section.
| ||||
(e)
|
Conversion of existing accessory apartment unit.
Accessory apartment units created prior to the adoption of this subsection
or without proper permits may be converted to a low- and moderate-income
affordable accessory unit under the provisions of this section consistent
with N.J.A.C. 5:93-5.9 of COAH's Prior Round regulations. All the
requirements of this section and applicable COAH and UHAC regulations
shall apply, except that the Township shall not provide a subsidy
unit.
|
(3.2)
|
H-2c ECHO Accessory Residential Dwelling Unit.
An ECHO unit shall be considered as an accessory conditional use to
an existing residential structure and use on any residentially used
lot, where permitted in the zone. This use is designed to provide
an affordable alternative to assisted living, nursing home or boarding
home care, so that immediate relatives, 60 years of age or older,
may live nearby but not in the same housing unit. The ECHO unit shall
be easily removable when it is no longer needed.
[Added 10-8-2003 by Amendment 20] | ||||
(a)
|
Occupancy standards. An ECHO unit is for the
use and occupancy by not more than two persons, one of whom is related
by blood, marriage or adoption to the owner of the primary dwelling
and who shall occupy the primary residence on the premises. The unit
may also house one professional caregiver if the unit is only occupied
by one qualified individual. One of the ECHO unit-related occupants
shall be at least 60 years of age. Should the qualified occupant vacate
the unit, the caregiver and/or nonqualified occupant must also vacate
the unit within 60 days.
| ||||
(b)
|
The owner of the primary dwelling shall file
an annual letter with the Township Zoning Officer certifying the continuing
compliance by the permittee with the conditions of the original permit
issuance. In the event of the death or permanent change of address
of the occupant(s) of the ECHO unit, the owner of the primary dwelling
shall give written notice to the Zoning Officer within 30 days of
the change. Within 90 days of the death or permanent change of address
of the occupant(s) of the ECHO unit, the ECHO unit shall be removed
from the premises and written notification of such shall be given
to the Zoning Officer. The Zoning Officer shall have the discretion
to extend the time for removal upon written request and reasonable
cause. Within 60 days of the removal of the ECHO unit, the lot shall
be restored to the status prior to the installation of the unit. The
owner of the primary dwelling shall give written notification of such
to the Zoning Officer within this time period.
| ||||
(c)
|
An ECHO unit shall be subject to the following
conditions:
| ||||
[1]
|
Minimum lot size required shall be 1.5 acres.
On lots containing either an H-2 or H-2b Accessory Dwelling, the minimum
lot size shall be six acres.
| ||||
[2]
|
ECHO units shall meet the setbacks for the principal
structure. In nonresidential zones, the setbacks shall be those residential
standards most closely comparable to the property's lot size.
| ||||
[3]
|
ECHO units shall not be located within the front
yard and they may only be placed in the side yard area, provided that
buffering is provided to screen the unit from view from the street
and adjoining neighbors and approved by the Board. The preferred location
is within the rear yard, behind the existing principal residential
structure.
| ||||
[4]
|
Only one ECHO shall be permitted per lot, and
it shall meet the following requirements:
| ||||
[a]
|
It shall be federally or state labeled pursuant
to the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards
Act of 1994 or N.J.A.C. 5:23-4A, whichever is applicable.
| ||||
[b]
|
It shall not exceed 720 square feet of gross
floor area.
| ||||
[c]
|
It shall contain a kitchen (without a garbage
disposal), living facilities, not more than two bedrooms, and a single
bathroom equipped with low flow plumbing fixtures as required by the
Plumbing Subcode of the Uniform Construction Code.
| ||||
[d]
|
It shall be self-contained, barrier-free, energy
efficient and capable of being moved to another site.
| ||||
[5]
|
Written approval of existing well and septic
systems by the County Department of Health shall be submitted along
with the conditional use application to the Township Planning Board.
The existing septic system may be expanded if necessary, but a separate
septic system shall not be created for the unit.
|