30.41C.075 Site design and development standards - buffers and open space.
The following standards shall apply to all rural cluster subdivisions and short subdivisions:
(1) Setback buffers to separate existing or perimeter road rights-of-way that border the development project from the nearest cluster residential lot lines in the development shall be established in open space tracts that are a minimum of 100 feet in width. When the existing site character is meadow or pasture, the setback buffer tract(s) shall be a minimum of 200 feet in width. Setback buffer tracts may be reduced to a minimum of 60 feet in width when a sight-obscuring topographic variation or physical condition, such as forest, will serve as a visual buffer. Setbacks for a meadow or pasture site may be reduced to a minimum of 120 feet in width if natural characteristics such as topography or geologic outcrops, or if existing buildings retained on site, obscure the view of new rural cluster development.
(a) Maintenance of existing vegetation or additional landscaping in setback buffer tracts shall be required in accordance with SCC 30.25.033.
(b) An exception to the vegetation retention requirements in SCC 30.25.033(5) may be made for utility easements and designated road rights-of-way or walkways, if no other options are available.
(2) Perimeter buffers shall be established in open space tracts on all boundaries of the project site abutting residential property. Perimeter buffers shall be a minimum of 50 feet in width unless larger buffers are required under SCC 30.41C.075(1). Maintenance of existing vegetation or additional landscaping in perimeter buffers shall be required in accordance with SCC 30.25.033.
(3) Open space tracts to separate clusters shall be a minimum of 200 feet in width, and may be reduced to a minimum of 120 feet when a sight-obscuring topographic variation or physical condition, such as forest, will serve as a visual buffer between the clusters.
(a) Landscaping in buffers between clusters shall be required in accordance with SCC 30.25.033.
(b) Open space tracts retained for forestry resource uses shall be separated from residential lots by a buffer 100 feet in width.
(4) Open space shall include a minimum of 45 percent of the gross site area except in forestry and forestry and recreation zones and designated natural resource lands, where 60 percent is required, and in the rural urban transition area, where 65 percent is required.
(a) Open space required for separation from roadways and adjacent properties and for separation of clusters may be counted toward the open space calculation in lot yield.
(b) Where practicable, open space tracts within a rural cluster subdivision or short subdivision shall be located contiguous to designated open space tracts on adjacent properties.
(c) Open space shall be configured so that it is adjacent to or directly across the street from as many of the clustered lots as practical. (Added by Amended Ord. 08-087, Feb. 4, 2009, Eff date Apr. 5, 2009).