Legislative Initiative to Revise R5R Zoning for Structures Constructed on NonConforming Lots

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Legislative Initiative to Revise R5R Zoningfor
Structures Constructed onNon-Conforming Lots
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Current Zoning

• R5R Zoning requires a minimum lot size to build
  the following
• Single Family Residential - 5,000 Square Feet
• Duplex Residential - 10,000 Square Feet

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Issue

• The vast majority of lots in R5R districts are
  less than 10,000 SF
• Lots platted prior to 1974 are grandfathered to
  allow duplex construction, regardless of lot size
  

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Current Market

• The desire to live near the ocean/bay, limited
  land availability,
• and the financial goal of maximizing return on
  investment
• is driving duplex development to occur on
  non-conforming lots
• at an alarming rate.

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Current Market

• The ability to build duplexes on non-conforming
  lots has
• drastically driven up property values.

• While it may increase the citys tax base, it is
  dramatically reducing
• the number of single homes and increasing real
  estate speculation

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Current Market
10,000 SF Lot

• All lots in an R5R zone are being assessed for
  their potential duplex
• development value, consequently the tax burden
  has increased sharply.

• Many of these current residents have either
  lived in their
• homes for decades or retired to the area and
  are on fixed incomes.

• They are being forced to sell because they
  cannot cover the property
• tax increases. When they do, another duplex
  goes up.

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Impact
Increased density on established neighborhoods
results in

• Increased paved areas
• Reduced green space
• Reduced neighborhood quality of life

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Impact
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Impact
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Impact
www.ascension2000.com/fire.htm
Chicks Beach Fire
Increased risk of fire to neighbors and hinders
fire rescue efforts
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Impact

• Single family owners are being forced out of
  their neighborhoods.

• Community pride cohesiveness is eroding.

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Impact
Large, three-story duplexes on non-conforming
lots
Inherently dwarf their neighbors, block
sunlight, and are counter to the scale and
context of existing neighborhoods.
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Impact
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Impact
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Impact
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Our proposal does not eliminate duplex
development in R5R. It only improves it.
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BARSolution

• Key Proposal Points
• Increase of maximum lot coverage from 35 to 40
• Elimination of issues surrounding living vs. free
  space
• Criteria for third-floor construction that blends
  with the scale of surrounding two-story dwellings
• Optional design incentives

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BARSolution
Modify current R5R Zoning to include a Building
Area Ratio (BAR) which would tie the allowable
size of a new or modified structure to the size
of the lot.
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BARSolution

• Zoning on conforming lots would not change

• The BAR will promote development of
  appropriately scaled
• structures on non-conforming lots, while
  maintaining the
• owners right to property development.

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BARSolution
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BARSolution
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BARSolution
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• R5R Free Space
• Problem after Problem
• R5R is the only zoning district where free space
  plays a big role with very negative impacts.
• Depending on lot size, free space can add more
  than 30 sq. ft. to a home.
• Due to the 200 rule for duplexes, this means
  huge additional sq. ft. on tiny lots that
  overwhelm the neighborhoods.

• Free space is often abused, leading to garage and
  storage space that is converted to illegal living
  space.
• A 10,000 sq. ft. duplex lot in R5R is allowed
  1,000 sq. ft. of free space - 10 of the lot. A
  non-conforming 3,000 sq. ft. lot on which duplex
  development is grandfathered is allowed the same
  1,000 sq. ft. of free space - 33 of the lot, a
  gross inequality.
• As all R5R lots are somehow grandfathered, the
  free space issue is applied unequally, causing
  serious massing size issues.

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(Free Space)
SF Square Feet
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Proposed Optional Design Incentives
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BARSolution
Under the proposed BAR, duplex development on
non-conforming lots will begin to blend
contextually into existing older neighbor- hoods.
The community pride cohesiveness for residents
in all R5R neighborhoods will improve.
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R5R with BAR is SMART GROWTH