Township of Plainsboro, NJ Article XXI Village Residential I Zone Regulations

[Added 8-8-2001 by Ord. No. 0-01-10]

§ 101-213 Purpose.

The VR Village Residential I Zone is intended to permit and promote residential land uses, having a distinctly traditional village character, within a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly environment. It is intended to encourage pedestrians to walk from residential areas into the nearby village center areas.

§ 101-214 Goals.

The goals of the Village Residential I Zone include having residential building setbacks typical of a village environment, that encourage a lively and interesting streetscape; achieving design compatibility with existing and planned developments through appropriate controls that address architectural character, building height, bulk, materials, colors and landscaping; providing adequate on-street and off-street parking; and coordinating vehicular and pedestrian circulation with existing and planned developments, including applicable provisions of the Circulation Plan Element of the Master Plan. A planned village residential area shall reflect the traditional village planning and design principles contained in the Master Plan's "Village Area Plan" adopted by the Planning Board as part of its Land Use Plan Element, including:

A. Provide for a street pattern that interconnects with existing and proposed uses and links the neighborhoods together.

B. Provide a layout of streets and open space edges which encourages sidewalk and pathway interconnections.

C. Provide for neighborhood focal points such as small parks or community spaces and other open spaces, as appropriate, so that a sense of place is fostered and enhanced.

D. Promote the creation of a new neighborhood that is spatially understood, limited in size, and exhibits the design features of a traditional village neighborhood.

E. Promote the creation of an environment that encourages a sense of security and social interaction.

F. Buildings within a planned village residential development shall form a consistent streetscape, spatially delineating public street spaces and private yards.

G. Architecture and landscaping shall respect the character of the surrounding Plainsboro Township village area within the framework of a traditional mixed-use village environment.

H. Provide a transition and connection between the village center areas and the nearby residential areas.

§ 101-215 Permitted uses.

In the VR Village Residential I Zone, no building or premises shall be used and no building shall be erected or altered which is arranged, intended or designed to be used except as part of an approved planned village residential development, which may include the following uses, where all such uses shall be subject to the performance standards set forth in Chapter 85, Subdivision and Site Plan Review:

A. Single-family detached units.

B. Townhouse units.

C. Parks and playgrounds.

D. Public or private open space.

E. Family day-care homes, subject to the terms set forth in the family day-care home definition in § 101-1.

[Added 11-10-2011 by Ord. No. 0-11-13]

F. Home occupations and professional offices, subject to the standards found in § 101-13.5.

[Added 11-10-2011 by Ord. No. 0-11-13]

G. Necessary public utilities and services pursuant to § 101-13.6.

[Added 10-10-2018 by Ord. No. 18-13]

§ 101-216 Accessory uses.

In the VR Village Residential I Zone, the following uses may be permitted as accessory uses:

A. Recreational and/or open space facilities, including, but not limited to, walkways and courtyards.

B. Signs.

C. Street furniture, planters, and trash receptacles.

D. Fences and walls shall complement the architectural style, type, and design of the dwelling unit and the overall project design, as established during the site plan review and approval process. All design standards for fences and walls shall be established and approved by the Planning Board as part of the subdivision and site plan approval process.

E. Decks, patios and terraces shall complement the architectural style and design of the dwelling units and the overall project design, as established during the site plan review and approval process. All design standards for decks, patios and terraces shall be established and approved by the Planning Board as part of the subdivision and site plan approval process.

F. All residential accessory storage structures shall be attached to the principal dwelling or detached garage. Such structures shall be no taller than one story and shall be designed as an integral part of the structure to which it is attached, including same exterior materials and color. No freestanding structures of this type shall be permitted. The yard setback requirements for such structures shall be the same as the structure to which it is attached.

G. All swimming pools and spas shall be in-ground type and shall be located at least 10 feet from all property lines. Spas, however, may be allowed aboveground if incorporated into an attached house deck and enclosed by a fence that is at least one foot higher than the spa. All design standards for pool and spa facilities shall be established and approved by the Planning Board as part of the subdivision and site plan approval process.

H. Other accessory structures (e.g., gazebo, arbor/trellis, etc.) not otherwise enumerated above shall be established by design standards approved by the Planning Board.

I. Temporary construction trailers and one sign, not exceeding 32 square feet, advertising the developer, general contractor(s), architect, financial institution and similar data, for the period of construction beginning with the issuance of a construction permit and concluding with the issuance of the final certificate of occupancy or one year, whichever is less, provided that said trailer(s) and sign are on the site where construction is taking place and are set back at least 15 feet from all street and lot lines. The one-year restriction may be extended by the Township Planner/Zoning Officer in increments of six months, as necessary and appropriate.

§ 101-217 Prohibited uses.

Any use not expressly permitted in the VR Village Residential I Zone shall be prohibited.

§ 101-218 Planned VR Village Residential I developments.

Any development application in the VR Village Residential I Zone shall be submitted, initially, as a planned development, in the nature of preliminary site plan and subdivision applications, for the entire zone. Such application shall describe any phasing of the proposal together with any on-site and off-tract improvements needed to support such phases. The applications for preliminary site plan and subdivision approval may also include a request for final approvals with respect to such phase or phases and subject to the following:

A. A planned village residential development shall be subject to the requirements of this zone and to the mandatory findings for a planned development as required by the Municipal Land Use Law at N.J.S.A. 40:55D-45.

B. The minimum tract area and existing street frontage for a planned VR Village Residential I Zone development shall be 10 acres and 900 feet, respectively.

C. The minimum common open space area in a VR Village Residential I Zone development shall be 15% of the total tract area.

D. In a planned village residential center development, two dwelling unit types shall be provided, consisting of single-family detached and townhouse units. Not more than 24 housing units shall be single-family detached units and not more than five housing units shall be townhouse units.

E. During site plan and subdivision review, the following shall be addressed to the satisfaction of the Planning Board:

(1) Consistency with Chapter 85, Subdivision and Site Plan Review, as applicable.

(2) Consistency with the area and yard requirements for permitted single-family detached and townhouse units contained in Tables 6 and 7 of this zone.[1] However, minimum lot frontage, width, depth and yard setback requirements shall not be regarded as inflexible. They shall be applied in a manner that will achieve implementation of an acceptable plan of development, as determined by the Planning Board.

[1] Editor's Note: Tables 6 and 7 are included at the end of this chapter.

(3) The function and visual relationship between the planned village residential development and adjacent developments.

(4) Sidewalks and pathways that are linked to off-site sidewalk and pathway networks. The applicant shall utilize the Township's Master Plan Pedestrian Circulation and Bikeway Plans in designing and constructing a comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle pathway network for the development.

§ 101-219 Alley specifications.

Alley specifications are as follows:

A. Traffic flow: one-way.

B. Parking: none.

C. Right-of-way: 20 feet. Where two alleys intersect each other at or near 90° or where there are bends in an alley that approach 90°, the inside corner of the pavement shall have a radius of approximately 12 feet.

D. Pavement width: 12 feet.

E. Speed limit: 10 miles per hour.

F. Curbing: along inside radii only.

G. Drainage: inverted center line with inlets prior to roadway intersections.

H. Pedestrian crossing: sidewalks cross alleys at grade.

I. Average daily traffic: less than 200 trips a day.

J. Street lighting: at corners and every 200 feet.

K. Landscaping: stabilized turf or crushed stone where it abuts residential lots.

§ 101-220 Garage and parking design standards.

A. Off-street parking shall be provided as follows:

(1) Minimum two garage parking spaces for each single-family dwelling.

(2) Minimum one garage parking space and one driveway parking space for each townhouse dwelling.

B. Required garage parking spaces shall be reserved for parking purposes. Deeds and/or homeowners' association documents shall contain specific provisions addressing this and prohibiting the conversion of garages to living space.

C. Garages serving single-family dwellings shall be located behind the street elevation of a dwelling, and, with the exception of corner lots, no garages shall be located to the side of a dwelling.

D. With the exception of single-family lots that do not back up to alleys, driveways and driveway access shall be prohibited in any front yard area.

E. Driveways for single-family lots that are accessed through the front yard shall be no wider than 10 feet and no closer than three feet from the side property line and the side of the principal building.

F. The sides of single-family unit garages, where the garage is either detached or partially detached (e.g., connected to house by open breezeway or porch), shall have a minimum setback from the rear and side property lines of four feet. All garage doors for vehicles that face an alley shall be set back a minimum of 20 feet from the edge of the alley.

G. Townhouses are permitted to have garages and/or driveways that share a common property line. All townhouse driveways and parking spaces shall only be accessed from a rear alley.

H. Garages on corner lots are permitted direct access to a side street, provided the garage is set back a minimum of 20 feet from the right-of-way.

§ 101-221 General design requirements.

A. A planned village residential development shall be conceived, designed, subdivided, site planned and approved by the Planning Board as a single planned development according to a comprehensive site development plan. In addition, site landscaping, building design and common area maintenance guideline control standards shall be established.

B. The entire planned village residential development shall be developed with a common architectural theme that shall be subject to review and approval by the Planning Board at the time of preliminary site plan approval. The architectural theme shall include buildings, signing, fencing, lighting, paving, curbing, landscaping and other similar and related physical features.

C. Building design and use.

(1) The treatment of side and rear walls of any building that abuts a public street or park, in terms of fenestration, building materials and colors, shall be similar to the treatment of the front facade.

(2) All buildings shall be designed to convey a small-scale village character. Buildings included in the VR Village Residential I Zone shall contain the following design elements:

(a) Building exteriors shall have vertical and/or horizontal offsets to create visual breaks on the exterior.

(b) A variety of building setbacks, rooflines, color schemes, elevations and heights shall be required in the development to avoid a repetitious and monotonous streetscape. The use of muted or pastel colored exterior building siding material is discouraged. The placement of the various single-family model types within the development shall be varied so that the same elevation is not permitted adjacent to one another, directly across the street from one another or adjacent to the house directly across the street from one another.

(c) The exteriors of all buildings in the development, including any permitted accessory buildings, shall be architecturally compatible and constructed of complementary materials. Design guidelines for future building improvements shall be prepared by the applicant to ensure the ongoing design integrity of the development.

(d) Architectural details, style, color, proportion, and massing shall reflect the features of a traditional village residential neighborhood.

(e) Natural materials such as wood and masonry are recommended. High quality man-made siding materials, such as "Hardi-Plank," are permitted. Stucco or similar treatment is prohibited.

(f) Pitched roofs (5:12 to 12:12) are required. Roof pitches shall be generally consistent throughout the development. Flat- and mansard-type roofs are prohibited.

(g) Provide dormers, gables and windows across a building facade and other similar design features, as appropriate.

(h) Provide for an orderly relationship among windows, doors, porches, and roof forms.

(3) The front facades, as well as other street and public open space facing elevations of single-family and townhouse units, are dedicated to the public view and shall therefore reflect a traditional village character. Open and usable porches (minimum eight-foot depth), stoops, bay windows and/or other decorative architectural treatments are required and may encroach into building setback lines. The rear elevations of all structures shall have substantial architectural features to preclude flat and monotonous elevations. Compliance with these requirements shall be subject to planning staff review and approval by the Planning Board.

(4) Garages shall be located to the rear of the principal building. Access to garages on corner lots shall be as cited in § 101-221F of this zone. The majority of garages shall be accessed off a rear alley. Windows are encouraged on garages to admit light and eliminate blank walls. Sufficient storage area to accommodate tools, auto accessories, trash/recyclable materials storage, lawn and garden maintenance equipment, etc., shall be provided in sizing the garage, so that an accessory storage structure will not be necessary. Individual bay overhead garage doors are required. Detached garages shall be offered as a permitted option on certain available single-family models.

(5) All single-family and townhouse units are encouraged to have clearly defined front yards using landscaping, hedging or fencing, none of which shall exceed three feet in height.

(6) Townhouse units shall be strategically located along a public or private open space area, as appropriate, to enhance the overall character and design of the planned village residential development. However, no garages serving such townhouse units shall directly face the public or private open space area. Where the rear of the townhouse unit is visible from an on-site or off-site street, or an open space area, such building elevations and yard areas shall be specially designed and treated to present a pleasant appearance from such vantage points.

(7) Townhouse buildings shall consist of no more than five townhouse dwelling units in order to prevent establishing long and monotonous buildings. The massing of townhouse buildings shall be subject to review by the Planning Board.

(8) All single-family and townhouse dwelling units shall have private outdoor space, which may include a deck, patio and/or terrace. Such outdoor space shall be enclosed, as appropriate, by a decorative wall or fence, evergreen hedge, or combination thereof.

D. Site design.

(1) Buildings shall be set back no greater than 25 feet from the Plainsboro Road right-of-way, with greater setbacks allowed where special conditions warrant, subject to the approval of the Planning Board.

(2) Larger residential lots are encouraged at street intersections, and smaller residential lots are encouraged adjacent to parks or other open spaces.

(3) The scale and massing of buildings on any given street shall be harmonious.

(4) Special ground texture treatment shall be required for pedestrian crossings in streets and elsewhere, as appropriate, consistent with the brick sidewalk treatment planned for Schalks Crossing Road in the village center area. A special pedestrian/bike path design using concrete and brick shall be required along Plainsboro Road, consistent with the pathway design planned along Plainsboro Road immediately east of this zone.

(5) Landscape details such as gates, walls, and benches shall be integrated into the overall design of public spaces.

(6) All streets, alleys, sidewalks and pathways shall connect to other such facilities within and outside the village residential development, as appropriate. Dead-end streets are generally not permitted within a village residential development unless such condition is unavoidable, subject to Planning Board approval.

E. Neighborhood park. The applicant for a village residential development shall provide an open space area that shall serve as the site organizing element of the development. Roadways within the development shall substantially surround such open space area. Pedestrian connections shall be provided to and through this open space area. Landscaping and any design elements shall be reflective of a traditional village residential neighborhood character. A homeowners' association shall be established by the ultimate developer to own, maintain and control any common elements of the development, as approved by the Planning Board.

F. Traffic and circulation.

(1) The applicant shall be required to submit a detailed traffic study showing the project's impact on the existing surrounding roadway network which includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the Plainsboro Road/Scudder's Mill Road intersection, the Plainsboro Road/Schalks Crossing Road intersection, the Scudder's Mill Road/Schalks Crossing Road intersection, and the Plainsboro Road/Dey Road intersection. A fair share determination of the development's contribution shall be assessed for any off-site improvements needed to maintain an acceptable level of service with review input from the Township Engineer.

(2) Vehicular access to and from the village residential development shall be via no more than two roadway curb cuts onto Plainsboro Road as indicated on the Traffic Circulation Plan Element of the Master Plan. No driveways serving individual dwellings shall be provided along Plainsboro Road. The developer shall be required to provide a local street connection through the development between Plainsboro Road and the adjacent shopping center.

(3) A five-foot wide sidewalk shall be located on both sides of all interior streets. A minimum two-foot-wide grass strip is required between the sidewalk and the street. The proposed street types shall be consistent with the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS) and reviewed and approved by the Planning Board.

(4) On-street visitor parking shall be provided in the VR Village Residential I Zone to the satisfaction of the Planning Board.

(5) Street trees shall be required along public streets as per § 85-24 of the Township Code.

(6) To the greatest extent possible, all portions of the village residential development shall be linked via a sidewalk and pathway network as approved by the Planning Board. The village residential development shall be pedestrian-oriented, with a design that enables and encourages pedestrian and bicycle circulation, with linkages to the surrounding village area. The applicant shall utilize the Township's Master Plan Pedestrian Circulation and Bikeway Plans in developing a pedestrian and bicycle pathway network.

G. Utilities. All utilities shall be installed underground and all uses shall be connected to approved and functioning public water and sanitary sewer systems. Prior to final development plan approval, an applicant must obtain a "will serve" letter from the appropriate agency allocating capacity in the system to the development. With respect to stormwater management, cross easements and shared cost agreements shall be entered into by the applicant with adjacent owners, as needed.

H. Landscaping.

(1) Those portions of individual lots not used for off-street parking, pedestrian circulation, patio or deck areas shall be planted with trees, shrubs, plants or grass and other suitable landscaping materials or a combination thereof and maintained in good condition.

(2) Residential lot property lines that abut alley rights-of-way shall be separated by a six-foot-high fence to maximize rear yard privacy. Fences shall be placed on the residential lot no closer than one foot from the alley right-of-way. Alley rights-of-way shall be separated from adjacent outbound parcels by a minimum of a ten-foot-wide planted or fenced buffer.

(3) No planting shall be permitted within the alley right-of-way.

(4) Buffering shall be located within minimum yard setbacks. Buffer areas shall be located along the property lines of residential lots that abut parking lots or nonresidential uses to minimize reflection of lights and to minimize debris from being blown to or seen from residential properties. Buffering shall be designed to reduce the impacts of noise, movement of people and vehicles, and to shield activities from adjacent properties and nearby roadways. Buffering shall consist of decorative walls or fences, evergreen trees, ornamental trees, shrubs, or a combination thereof, and shall be installed to have an immediate positive impact. All buffered areas shall contain a minimum eight- to ten-foot-tall evergreen trees planted at an average of 10 trees per 100 linear feet; a minimum of three to three-and-one-half-inch caliper shade trees planted at an average of three per 100 linear feet; a minimum of eight- to ten-foot-tall ornamental trees planted at an average of 1.5 per 100 linear feet; and minimum three-foot-tall shrubs planted at an average of 55 per 100 linear feet. Actual spacing of the plantings shall be determined in each specific instance by the landscaping plan.

(5) Landscaping shall provide for a variety and mixture of plant materials taking into consideration their susceptibility to disease, colors (by season), textures, shapes, blossoms, and foliage.

(6) Detention basins, headwalls, outlet structures, concrete flow channels, riprap channels, and other drainage improvements shall be screened with plant materials and/or berms. Such drainage structures, as appropriate, shall be situated in the least visible location or, if visible, incorporated into the natural curves of the land. Detention basin embankments and the basin itself shall be extensively landscaped with wet site tolerant plant materials, with the intention of recreating a seasonal and high water wet ecosystem. The detention facility shall be sized to accommodate the future growth of vegetation planted in the basin.

I. Lighting.

(1) Lighting shall be the minimum required for safety and shall be provided in the least intrusive manner. Traditional freestanding light fixtures shall be required along streets and pedestrian pathways. The style of the freestanding light fixtures used shall be consistent with the traditional styled streetlight fixtures planned for the village area along Schalks Crossing Road. The height of such fixtures shall be appropriate to its setting.

(2) The source of the illumination for freestanding and building-mounted lights shall generally be shielded, and the style of the light and light standard shall be consistent with the architectural style of the proposed structure.

(3) Spotlight-type fixtures attached to buildings and visible to the public are prohibited. Where lights along property lines will be visible from adjacent properties, the lights shall be appropriately shielded and/or the mounting heights will be reduced.

(4) Sidewalks and pathways may be lit with low bollard-type standards, not to exceed four feet in height.

(5) All proposed lighting plans shall be accompanied by a point-by-point plan indicating numerical illumination levels. The plan shall indicate the average, minimum, maximum and minimum to maximum illumination levels for maintained footcandles.

J. Decorative walls and fences.

(1) Decorative walls may be required by the Planning Board to compliment the style, type and design of a building based on its prominence along a public street or space.

(2) Decorative walls or fences shall be constructed of durable, high-quality materials and shall display a high level of quality in finish and detail. Use of native fieldstone is encouraged. Gates in walls between streets and open areas may be necessary.

(3) Plantings shall be considered as part of any wall or fence plan.

(4) No hedge, wall or fence of any type shall be erected or maintained if it is deemed a safety hazard in obstructing the view of motorists.

K. Environmental considerations. There shall be a minimum dwelling unit setback of 100 feet from the existing railroad right-of-way. Sound attenuation systems, barriers or devices to include, but not be limited to, walls and landscaped earthen berms capable of reflecting noise shall be placed within the setback area parallel to the railroad right-of-way. Any proposed sound attenuation system shall be designed to completely interrupt the line of sight measured at ground level within the yards of the dwelling units closest to the train tracks.

L. Plan submission requirements. A planned village residential development shall adhere to the plan submission requirements as set forth in Chapter 85, Subdivision and Site Plan Review. The relationship between the proposed village residential development and the existing village center shall be addressed in the following items, to be included in the plan submission:

(1) A village-wide plan that shows the development proposed within the context of the overall Plainsboro village area.

(2) A context plan which shows surrounding street, sidewalk, landscaping, and other connections and relationships between the proposed development and development in the immediate surrounding area.

(3) A minimum of three precedent photo examples of buildings that are similar to the proposal. Precedent examples from outside the region are encouraged, but they should reflect an historic architectural style that relates to the proposed development.

(4) A parcel plan which deals exclusively with the proposed development and includes, but is not limited to, illustrative sidewalk details, street trees and landscaping, lighting standards, benches and amenities, civic space (if appropriate), and pedestrian street crossing materials.