Forsyth County › Unified Development Code
Chapter 20B — Specialty District, Article 3 — MIXED RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT (MRD)
§ 20B-3.1
Purpose and Intent.
The Mixed Residential District is intended to provide for residential development, which may contain a variety of housing types to accommodate diverse housing preferences. The Mixed Residential District encourages creative, residential planning and development within the county that will preserve unique environmental features and be consistent with the Forsyth County Comprehensive Plan.
The provisions of a Mixed Residential District are intended to establish a zoning district that will:
(A)Provide a variety of housing options that may include single-family detached, single-family attached and multi-family housing products;
(B)Offer flexibility in design and product types while protecting the integrity and quality of surrounding neighborhoods;
(C)Maintain harmony of scale, intensity, and design across varying housing options;
(D)Encourage a sense of community through design that promotes a sense of place through quality craftsmanship;
(E)Promote the health and well-being of residents through the development of pedestrian and bicycle accommodations;
(F)Create a development of high architectural and aesthetic quality by demonstrating such standards via an approval process that is more rigorous than the requirements for rezoning to other zoning districts, but is no more onerous than is necessary to enable a thorough analysis.
§ 20B-3.2
Uses Permitted.
(A)General. Uses shall provide an orderly relation and function to other uses in the development and to existing land uses. Adherence to the Forsyth County Comprehensive Plan in regards to recommended uses shall be required. Development within the district shall be limited to those uses specifically requested as part of the Master Development Handbook and approved by the Board of Commissioners, unless otherwise specifically noted in the approval of the Mixed Residential District.
(B)Uses Permitted. The Mixed Residential District encompasses an exclusively residential development, which may contain a variety of housing types.
(C)Residential Density. The maximum residential density for the Mixed Residential District shall be six
(6)units per acre.
(D)Open Space. The Mixed Residential District shall have a minimum open space requirement of twenty (20%) percent of the total site acreage.
§ 20B-3.3
Design Criteria.
The following design criteria will be used to evaluate conformity with the purpose and intent of this Article. Design elements that are not required, but encouraged, may be utilized to develop recommended zoning conditions as part of the review process if they are omitted from the Master Development Handbook.
(A)General Site Design
(1)The minimum size for a Mixed Residential District shall not be less than thirty (30) acres.
(2)A functional town center, community green, park, or other focal point shall be included to create character and identity.
(3)Perimeter setbacks and buffers shall protect the privacy of existing and anticipated uses that adjoin the subject property.
(4)A minimum undisturbed buffer of twenty-five (25) feet and setback of fifty (50) feet shall be provided along an exterior property line abutting a residential, OR, A1 or AG-Res district.
(5)The Mixed Residential District should incorporate multi-modal transportation elements in the development, depending on the foreseeable needs of future residents and users of the site, and the relationship of the project site to the community at large. Such multi-modal elements may include provisions for public transport, carpooling lots, ridesharing service locations, pedestrian and bicycle paths and lanes, bicycle parking areas, and other similar provisions.
(6)Interconnections to adjoining property, whether developed or undeveloped, shall be included and incorporated into the design where appropriate. Proposed parcels should be arranged and designed so as to allow for the opening of future streets and provide access to those areas not presently served by streets.
(B)Open Space. Open space within the context of the Mixed Residential District shall be independent of regulations found in other parts of this Code. Open space for the Mixed Residential District is intended to create active community spaces and preserve undisturbed land areas. Open space shall meet the minimum standards found in 20B-3.2, 20B-3.3, and shall incorporate the use of active community spaces as defined in Table 20B.3. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no property that is approved
TABLE 20B.3 ACTIVE COMMUNITY SPACE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
| Active | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Space | Example Illustration | General Description | Design Requirements |
| Type | |||
| Playground | A Playground provides space for supervised recreation for children within a neighborhood, or as part of a larger neighborhood or community park. | • Shall be designed with commercial grade play equipment • Minimum area of two thousand (2,000) square feet with no maximum requirement | |
| Square | A Square provides a means to emphasize important places, intersections, or centers. | • Shall be bound by streets on a minimum of three (3) sides or seventy-five (75%) percent • May be bound by front facing lots on one (1) side or twenty-five (25%) percent of their perimeter • No rear facing lots allowed adjacent to a square • Tree planting is encouraged parallel to the street right-of-way • Minimum area of two thousand (2,000) square feet up to a maximum area of two (2) acres | |
| Plaza | A Plaza is an outdoor area for community leisure that is entirely bounded by streets, lanes, or buildings. | • Shall maintain an orthogonal shape that is parallel to a bounded street, lane, or building • Shall be level, stepped or gently sloping • Minimum area of four thousand (4,000) square feet up to a maximum area of one (1) acre | |
| Community Space | Example Illustration | General Description | Design Requirements |
| Type | |||
| Community Park | Community Parks are designed for active and passive recreational use. Community Parks create a central open space that services an entire neighborhood or group of neighborhoods or incorporates physical features that are an asset to the community. | • Trees shall be planted at the edge of community park boundaries • Shall be bounded by streets on a minimum of fifty (50%) percent of their perimeter • Minimum area of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet with no maximum requirement |
Reading grid · rebuilt for display · verify at source (p. 294) ↗
§ 20B-3.4
General Conditions.
(A)Code Provisions. Whenever there is a conflict or difference between the provisions of this article and those of other chapters of the Unified Development Code, the provisions of this article shall prevail.
Subjects not covered by this article shall be governed by the respective provisions found elsewhere in the Unified Development Code.
(B)Water and Sewer. Public water with sufficient flow volume and pressure to meet water supply and fire flow needs shall be required for all Mixed Residential Districts. Public Sewer or an Existing Private Sewage Treatment Plant with Sufficient treatment and collection system Capacity shall be required for all Mixed Residential Districts.
(C)Variance Requests. Applications requesting rezoning to the Mixed Residential District must identify all variance requests in the rezoning application and represent such requests in the Master Development Handbook. Variances shall be limited to the requirements of the Unified Development Code and shall follow the requirements of Chapter 8.
§ 20B-3.5
Procedures.
(A)Pre-Application Meeting. Before submitting an application for rezoning to Mixed Residential District, the applicant shall schedule a pre-application meeting with planning staff and the District Commissioner to determine the feasibility for the proposed plan and its relationship to the Forsyth County Comprehensive Plan and the Unified Development Code. The application can only advance to the Planning Commission with the support of the District Commissioner. Support of the District Commissioner for the application to proceed shall not limit the District Commissioner’s discretion in voting on the application.
(B)Master Development Handbook. To enable a thorough analysis of an application for the Mixed Residential District, the application requirements exceed those of other zoning districts. In addition to the standard requirements, applications for the Mixed Residential District shall include a Master Development Handbook. The handbook shall illustrate design criteria per 20B-3.3 in addition to proposed land use standards listed below. To avoid duplication, the information required for the Master Development Handbook can be combined with the standard requirements to amend the official zoning map. The Master Development Handbook shall include:
(1)The Uniform Plan. A plan of the project showing the location of proposed zones and the general trajectories of the various thoroughfares. The Uniform Plan shall differentiate between the following zones:
(a)Residential Zones with separate designations for varying housing types
(b)Open Space Zones with active community spaces identified The applicant may develop more specific zones and or modify the name of the zones to better represent the theme of the proposed Mixed Residential District. See 20B-3.2 for requirements related to permitted uses.
(2)Land Use Standards. A matrix of text and or diagrams that regulate the permitted uses and performance standards for each zone identified in the Uniform Plan. Regulations of the Unified Development Code that are not listed in the Land Use Standards shall default to the standards identified in other chapters, which will be determined by the director in any case in which applying the regulations of other chapters would be unclear. At a minimum, the following land use standards shall be established for each zone identified in the Uniform Plan:
(a)Permitted uses
(b)Minimum lot size
(c)Minimum lot width
(d)Minimum setbacks
(e)Minimum building separation
(f)Buffers and impervious surface setbacks*
(g)Maximum height
(h)Maximum building coverage
(i)Parking and loading requirements
*Riparian buffers and impervious surface setbacks as set forth in UDC 18-11.2 shall not be modified except via the process in UDC 18-11.3.
(3)Community Standards. The community standards are intended to produce visual compatibility among various building types and, at a minimum, the Community Standards shall address lighting, signage, fences, landscaping, building materials, building colors, and other architectural features.
The following shall be submitted to address each of the Community Standards:
(a)Lighting. A pedestrian scale lighting illustration that demonstrates the relationship of the pedestrian to street light features and types and styles of light fixtures that will be used.
(b)Fences. Fence and wall details that demonstrate a cohesion in material and maintain a relationship with the character of the surrounding land uses and structures.
(c)Landscaping. A landscape plan that incorporates planting materials to enhance the existing area, particularly as viewed from an adjacent right-of-way, and to mitigate development impacts.
(d)Building Materials. Building elevations and details pertaining to wall finishes with indication of the wall cladding material.
(e)Building Colors. Building elevations or renderings demonstrating the permissible colors for materials on walls, roofs, and any accent feature.
(f)Architectural features. Details pertaining to elements found in the built environment that create community character and visual interest.
(4)Phasing Standards. The phasing standards shall consist of a construction phasing schedule and plan for phased projects. Phased projects shall comply with the following criteria:
(a)For all Mixed Residential District developments, upon completion of the initial phased development, the proposed future phases shall remain as accessible open space areas, provided the land is undisturbed and not hazardous to the health, safety, and welfare of residents and the public, until such time that the proposed portion will be constructed.
(5)Additional Requirements. Text, drawings, and/or diagrams providing the following information:
(a)Method of water and sewer service, including verification of capacity;
(b)A summary of the anticipated maintenance and ownership of streets and open spaces;
(c)Proposed maximum number of residential dwelling units by type and minimum lot size.
(d)A plan identifying the existing tree canopy. Information available from the County's GIS data is acceptable for the rezoning stage;
(e)Existing topography with contour intervals no greater than four (4’) feet. Information available from the County's GIS data is acceptable for the rezoning stage;
(f)State waters, wetlands, and floodplains. Information available from the County's GIS data is acceptable for the rezoning stage; and
(g)A summary of issues related to connectivity. The information should include available information on private and public streets; significant vehicular parking and loading areas; the provision of bicycle parking areas, paths, sidewalks, and other similar features; and interconnections to adjoining property.
(h)The design of all building facades, including exterior finish materials, architectural elements and other details necessary to clarify exterior features.
§ 20B-3.6
Amendments
(A)Conformance to Approved Master Development Handbook. All further development of the property shall conform to the approved Master Development Handbook, regardless of any change in ownership, unless the County approves minor or major amendments.
(B)Minor Amendments. The director may approve minor amendments to the approved Master Development Handbook, which are in compliance with the provisions and intent of this article, and do not depart from the principal concept of the approved Master Development Handbook. Minor amendments are those determined by the director to meet the purpose and intent of the Mixed Residential District, which would not affect adjacent properties. Minor amendments shall be approved as part of the land disturbance permitting process. The director may require the applicant to provide written justification for the minor amendment if such justification is not evident within the land disturbance permit itself.
(C)Major Amendments. Should the director determine that a requested change or deviation from the approved Master Development Handbook departs from the principles of the Master Development Handbook and would affect adjacent properties, the proposed modification will be classified as a major amendment. The applicant may apply for approval of a major amendment to the Board of Commissioners as an application for modification of conditions of zoning, as established in Chapter 8 Article IX of this Code.
Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 1 -