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Home My WebLink AboutAPA PAS Inquiry Page 1 of 4 r Bill Gibson-PAS Inquiry Response--Townhouse Development From: "David Morley" <dmorley @planning.org> To: <bgibson @vailgov.com> Date: 7/12/2010 3:35 PM Subject: PAS Inquiry Response--Townhouse Development American Planning Association Making Great Communities Happen Bill: There are at least two common approaches to regulating townhouse or rowhouse style development. Either communities create a special district for townhouses, rowhouses, and other similar types of residences, or they codify specific development standards for these uses. Both approaches allow communities to control the site design and density of these projects in a way that distinguishes them from other types of single-family and multifamily development. Most jurisdictions with townhouse districts or development standards treat attached or zero side lot line units as a single grouping. Side setbacks apply only to end units, and development standards typically specify a minimum lot area per unit. Some communities explicitly limit the number of units permitted in a single grouping (especially for attached units). I found relatively few examples of communities with specific architectural design standards for townhouses, but some codes do have simple guidelines either to emphasize consistent use of design elements or to prevent design monotony. Façade articulation and setback variations are the most common anti-monotony requirements or guidelines. The Zoning Practice article by Fishman and Smith cited below does a good job of explaining some of the inherent design tensions in townhouse projects. Below, I've assembled a list of links to townhouse and rowhouse districts. Many of these regulations illustrate the ideas presented above. Based on differences in community character, standards for density and lot area per unit can vary considerably. Background on Townhouse Development Fishman, Mary and Tom Smith. 2010. "Townhouse Standards."Zoning Practice, February. Available at http://www.planninq.orq/zoningpractice/2010/pdf/feb.odf. • Highlights some best practices for townhouse projects based on Chicago's experiences during the last housing boom. Phillips, Jory and Dennis Meier. 2006. Urban Neighborhoods—Multifamily Code Update: White Paper: Townhouses. Seattle: City of Seattle. Available at http://www.mrsc.orq/ArtDocMisc/townhouses.pdf. • Includes illustrations showing how townhouses usually fit onto lots. Examples of Townhouse Districts Arlington (Virginia), County of. 2007. Zoning Ordinance. Section 10A. R-15-30T Residential Townhouse Dwelling Districts. Available at http://www.co.arlington.va.us/departments/CPHD/planning/zoning/pdfs/Ordinance Sectionloa.pdf. Section 11. R2-7 Two-Family and Townhouse Dwelling Districts. Available at http://www.co.arlinaton.va.us/departments/CPHD/planning/zoning/pdfs/Ordinance Sectionl0a.pdf. • District standards address lot size and bulk controls. file://C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\XPgrpwise\4C3B36... 07/12/2010 Page2of4 ` Chesterfield (Virginia), County of. 2010. County Code. Chapter 19. Zoning Ordinance. Article III. Division 11. R-TH Residential-Townhouse District. Section 19-105. Required Conditions. Available at http://www.chesterfield.qov/WorkArea/linkit.asox?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=3769. • District standards start on page 89. • Addresses lot size and bulk controls, open space, frontages, and unit groupings. Clackamas (Oregon), County of. 2005. Clackamas County Zoning and Development Ordinance. Section 1604. Village Townhouse District (VTH). Subsection 1604.06. Dimensional and Development Standards. Available at http://aauatic.co.Clackamas.or.us/docs/dtd/zdo/ZDO1604.pdf. • District standards address lot size and bulk controls, architectural design, accessory structures, and landscaping. Cleveland (Ohio), City of. 2007. City Code. Part III. Title VII. Chapter 337. Section 337.031. Townhouse (RA) Districts. Available at http://caselaw.1p.findlaw.com/clevelandcodes/cco part3 337.html. • District standards address lot size and bulk controls and include a number of guidelines for site and architectural design. Hoffman Estates (Illinois), Village of. 2010. Code of Ordinances. Chapter 9. Zoning Code. Article 5. Residential Districts. Section 9-5-10. R-10 Attached Single-Family Dwelling Residential District. Chapter 10. Subdivision Code. Article 5. Site Design and Operation Requirements. Section 10-5-4. Townhome (Attached Single-Family) Development Guidelines. Available at http://library.municode.com/index.aspx? clientId=13575&stateId=13&stateName=Illinois. • District standards address lot size and bulk controls. • Subdivision design standards include site and architectural design guidelines to avoid monotonous townhouse projects. Madera (California), County of. 2007. Madera County Code. Title 18. Chapter 18.23. RT-Residential Townhouse District. Available at http://www.madera- countv.com/countvcode/ DATA/TITLE18/Chapter 18 23 RT RESIDENTIAL .html. • District standards address lot size and bulk controls. Miami-Dade (Florida), County of. 2010. Code of Ordinances. Chapter 33. Zoning. Article XVA. RU-TH, Townhouse District. Article XVB. RU-RH, Rowhouse District. Available at http://www.municode.com/resources/oateway.aso?pid=10620&sid=9. • District standards address lot size and bulk controls, utilities, parking, walls, common areas, and unit groupings. Pembroke Pines (Florida), City of. 2010. Code of Ordinances. Title XV. Chapter 155. Section 115.113. Townhouse (T-12) District. Available at http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/oateway.dll/Florida/Pembroke/citvofpembrokeoinesfloridacodeofordinanc? f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:Dembrokepines fl. • District standards address site size and bulk controls, utilities, parking, walls, and common areas. Examples of Townhouse Development Standards Cambridge (Massachusetts), City of. 2010. Zoning Ordinance. Article 11.000. Special Regulations. Section 11.10. Townhouse Developments. Available at http://www.cambridoema.gov/cdd/cp/znq/zord/zo article11 1332.odf. • Development standards address bulk controls, open space, and parking for townhouse-style development. Chicago (Illinois), City of. 2010. Municipal Code. Title 17. Zoning Ordinance. Chapter 17-2. Residential Districts. Section 17-2-0500. Townhouse Developments. Available at http://www.amleoal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Illinois/chicagozonino/chicaoozoninaordinanceandlanduseordinanc?. f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:chicagozonina il. • Development standards referenced in the Zoning Practice article cited above. • Addresses bulk controls, landscaping, open space, and facades. Flowery Branch (Georgia), City of. 2010. Zoning Ordinance. Article 12. Section 12.6. Townhouses. Available file://C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\XPgrpwise\4C3B36... 07/12/2010 Page 3 of 4 at http://www.flowervbranchga.orq/include/pz/zoning/12.pdf. • Development standards address lot size and bulk controls, unit groupings, and parking. Lacey (Washington), City of. 2008. Municipal Code. Title 14. Buildings and Construction. Chapter 14.23. Design Review. Section 14.23.076. Design Criteria for Townhouses. Title 16. Zoning. Chapter 16.61. Townhouse Development. Available at http://www.ci.lacev.wa.us/Imc/Imc main Page.html. • Townhouse design criteria provide guidelines for site and architectural design. • Development standards address lot size and bulk controls. Pekin (Illinois), City of. 2007. City Code. Title 9. Chapter 4. Article D. Rowhouses. Available at http://www.ci.Dekin.il.us/cityclerk/pdf/citvcode/9-4D.pdf. • Development standards address lot size and bulk controls, unit groupings, and exterior appearance. Plymouth (Minnesota), City of. 2010. Zoning Ordinance. Section 21115.07. Two Family, Townhouse, Manor Home, Multiple Family Uses. Available at http://plvmouthmn.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx? documentid=754. • Section 21115.07 starts on page 153 of the PDF. • Authorizes the creation of townhouse subdivisions as long as the parent lot meets the zoning standards. • Screening, landscaping, and parking standards for townhouse development are located in other sections of the ordinance. Putnam (West Virginia), County of. 2007. Subdivision Regulations. Article 1300. Requirements for Townhouses. Available at http://plannina.putnamcountv.orq/sub%20regs%20PDF%20files/1300% 20Townhouses.pdf. • Subdivision development standards address unit groupings, access and circulation, and lot size and bulk controls. Thurston (Washington), County of. 2009. Code of Ordinances. Title 21. Chapter 21.61. Townhouse Development. Available at http://www.municode.com/Resources/aateway.asp?pid=16720&sid=47. • Development standards address lot size and bulk controls as well as access. Design Guidelines for Townhouse Development Mountain View (California), City of. 2004. Design Guidelines for Townhouse Development. Available at http://www.ci.mtnview.ca.us/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BIobID=2484. • Guidelines for project review address neighborhood compatibility, amenity areas, unit design, parking and circulation, and landscaping. Toronto (Ontario), City of. 2003. Infill Townhouse Design Guidelines. Available at http://www.toronto.ca/planning/urbdesian/pdf/townhousequideline.pdf. • Guidelines for project review address streets and open spaces, building location and organization, building form, and the pedestrian environment. Westminster (Colorado), City of. 2006. Design Guide lines for Traditional Mixed Use Neighborhood Developments. Section 2.4. Townhouses and Rowhouses. Available at http://www.ci.westminster.co.us/files/tmund.pdf. • Guidelines for townhouses start on page 24. • Guidelines address site and architectural design for townhouses and rowhouses. I hope you find this material helpful! Thank you for using the PAS Inquiry Answer Service, and please let us know if we can be of further assistance. Please return the read receipt attached to this message, or otherwise acknowledge that you have received this Inquiry Response. Regards, David Morley, AICP Research Associate Planning Advisory Service Coordinator file://C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\XPgrpwise\4C3B36... 07/12/2010 Page4of4 Co-Editor, Zoning Practice American Planning Association 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 786-6392 (312) 786-6700 (fax) dmorley @plannina.org Check out APA's new FAQ page to find the answer: www.planninq.orq/customerservice file://C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\XPgrpwise\4C3B36... 07/12/2010