High-Density—

P&Z Proposes ‘Multiple Housing Development’ Zone

By Andrew Gorosko

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members are reviewing a set of proposed zoning rules, known as the Multiple Housing Development (MHD) regulations, which would allow the construction of high-density multifamily housing projects with a maximum of 100 dwellings in R-2 and R-3 (Residential) zones.

Such housing would be rented out or sold at market rates and not be categorized as “affordable housing.”

The regulatory proposal is planned for a P&Z public hearing on May 3. The proposed regulations under review by the P&Z are subject to revision before the panel takes action.

The MHD zoning rules proposal is a revision of the Conservation Multifamily District (CMD) zoning regulations proposal, which P&Z members had discussed at an agency session last December 1, said George Benson, town director of planning and land use.

The MHD rules would apply both to rental apartments and to condominiums, Mr Benson said.

The proposed MHD rules are intended to encourage physical flexibility in site design and housing construction types to promote housing choice, economic diversity, and open space preservation. The vast majority of local residents live in single-family houses.

The proposed MHD rules would allow single-family houses in cluster-style development, two-family dwellings, and multifamily dwellings, or some combination of those housing types on a site to provide a local diversity of housing types.

Such high-density housing complexes would be designed to maintain the rural character of the community and to maintain the character of the adjacent neighborhood.

Such housing complexes would be subject to the “special permit” provisions of the zoning regulations, thus providing the P&Z with much latitude in specifying the requirements for such construction.

Also, such housing would need to be constructed on sites with frontage on arterial roads or on major collector roads to provide suitable traffic access. The minimum site size for such development would be six acres.

Also, such projects’ developers would need to designate at least 30 percent of the site as “common open space” which is suitable for both active and passive forms of recreation. Such open space would remain under the private ownership of the property owners at the site and would be maintained by those property owners.

The proposed zoning rules would allow a maximum development density of four dwellings “per usable acre” based upon a density calculation formula. That formula decreases a site’s potential overall construction density if that site contains steep slopes, wetlands, watercourses, and flood hazard areas.   

Also, a MHD housing complex would need to be connected to a public water supply or to a private water company’s water supply system. Individual domestic water wells could be used in certain cases to serve a maximum of 20 single-family dwellings.

MHD housing complexes would have their wastewater discharged to either a sanitary sewer system or to a large community septic system or to individual septic systems on the site, depending upon the specifics of a development proposal.

All utilities in a such a complex would be buried.

All multifamily dwellings would be built in the townhouse-style or the garden apartment-style of construction. No more than one dwelling could be located above another dwelling.

Each dwelling must have direct access to the outdoors. Multifamily buildings would need to be at least 40 feet apart, unless there are attached garages, in which cases the minimum building separation distance would be 20 feet.

 Dwellings could contain one to three bedrooms. Parking areas and garages would need to be located within 150 feet of the entrances to dwellings. Sidewalks would be required within a complex.

The proposed regulations also address site illumination, parking, and landscaping.

The rules would have the developer keep the existing vegetation and ground contours at the site in their predevelopment state to the greatest extent possible. Also, fences, walls, berms, and dense landscaping would be used, as needed, to provide year-round visual screening from adjacent properties.

The rules would allow the construction of a building at the site to be used by residents and their guests for dining, recreation, amusement, and meetings.

Mr Benson said he expects the P&Z would have multiple public hearings on the MHD zoning proposal.