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Home My Public Portal About1985_09_11_O021The Town of Leesburg in Virginia PRESENTED September 11, 1985 ORDINANCE NO. 85-0-21 ADOPTED September 11, 1985 AN ORDINANCE: AMENDING THE LEESBURG SUBDIVSION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS REGARDING THE DESIGN AND APPROVAL OF COMMON DRIVEWAYS AND COMMON PARKING COURTS. WHEREAS, on January 9, 1985, the Town Council initiated amendments to the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations regarding amendments to §§13-75(c) and 13-99(c); and WHEREAS, on March 21, 1985, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on these proposed amendments and subsequently recommended to Council the approval of these amendments; and WHEREAS, small-lot single-family developments may contain lots that front on private parking courts that do not serve the function of either a public or private street; and WHEREAS, the Council and Commission have found that such developments on private courts may provide a more pleasant environment and a more economical use of public street frontage, thereby promoting the public health, safety and welfare; THEREFORE, ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia as follows: SECTION I. Section 13-75(c) of the Subdivision and Land Developments is amended to read as follows: Section 13-75. Lots. (c) Every residential lot shall abut a public o~ pcivat~ street~; except a_~s provided below: (1) Dwellings Abuttin~ Common Driveways. Single-family de- tached dwellin~ lots may abut a common driveway provided that: ((a)) Approval Criteria. The Plannin~ Commission may approve applications for developments with common driveways provided that all standards in this section are satisfied and that the Commission determines that the development will provide a ~reater amount of usable open space area than if~ ~ublic road section was utilized~ and will ~uarantee the perpetual maintenance of th__~e common drivewa~ through appropriat~ legal instruments. ((b)) Minimum Lot Size. Each single-family detached lot shall be at least 20~000 square feet in area. pcourt-1 ? -2- ((c)) Maximum Dwellings served. Each approved common drive- way shall serve no more than ten single-family lots, unless approved by Council. ((d)) Pavement~ Easements and Function. Common driveways permitted under this section shall have a minimum pavement width of 24 feet~ a minimum public ~asement width o__f 4__0 feet, and shall not serve a through function. In addition, all ~ommon driveways shall be designed and constructed in conformance with the Construction Standards of the Town of Leesbur~. ((e)) Minimum Separation Distance from Abutting Residences. No common .driveway shall be located closer than 25 feet to any abuttin~ residential zonin~ district or the lot line of any existin~ residential use which i__s no__~t directly served by the common driveway. ((f)) Maximum Length. N__o common driveway shall extend a distance of more than 600 feet from a public road to the property which the common driveway serves~ or exceed a total length of 1200 feet if a loop streett unless approved by Council a_~s part of an ~xgeption provided under subsection ((c)) above. ((~)) Identification of Common Driveway. Each common drive- way shall be clearly identified as a private drive. A single sign, not to exceed two square feet in area~ shall be posted a_~t the entrance o__f each such driveway, displaying onlZ the words "Private Drive" and the addresses of any residences utilizin~ the common driveway. ((h)) Final Plat Requirements. In addition to all other requirements for a final platt any subdivision ~ontaining ~ common driveway shall include a statement on the final plat acknowledging the private maintenance responsibility~, and ~uaranteein~ public utility an__d emergency vehicle access. (2) Dwellings Abuttin~ Common Parkin~ Courts. Single-family detached, .two-family and single-family attached dwelling lots may abut a common parking court provided that: ((a)) Approval Criteria. The Plannin~ Commission may approve applications for common parking courts provided that all standards in this section are satisfied and that the Commission determines that the development: will provide a ~reater amount of usable open space than i__fA public road section was utilized4 will ~uarantee the perpetual maintenance of the common parking court through appropriate legal instruments~ and will ~rovide con- venient and adequate parking for all residents an__~d t__hei__~r ~uests. ((b)) Maximum Lot Size. No single-family dwellin~ lot frontin~ on a common parking court shall exceed a maximum of 8t000 square fee__t i__n area. pcourt-2 -3- ((c)) Minimum Acreage. A minimum of four acres shall be re- quired for all developments proposing the use o_~f.comm_____o__n parking courts. ((d)) Maximum Dwellings Served. Each approved common parking court shal~l serv_____~en__~omor___~e tha.___~n~ tota___~l o_~f l_~6pingle-famil~ de- tached or semi-detached dwelling lots} or a total of 36 single- famil~ attached dwelling lots. ((e)) Function; Construction Standards. No common parking court shall serve a through function and all common parking courts shall be designed and constructed__in accordance with the Construction Standards of the Town of Leesburg. ((f)) Number and Dimensions of Parking Spaces. The width of all aisles and sizes of all parking spaces shall comply with the standards established i~n Section 2-7 of the Zoning Ordinance~ provided~ however that common parkin~ courts include at least 2.50 parking spaces per dwelling unit. ((g)) Landscaping Required. Common parking courts created under the provisions of this section shall be adequately land- scaped to ensure the residential character of the dew~lopment~ as provided in Article 9A-3-4 of the Leesburg Zoning Ordinance. ((h)) Minimum Separation Distance from Abutting Residences. No common parking court shall be located closer than 25 feet to an~ abutting residential zoning district or the lot line of an~ existing residential use which is not directl~ served by the common parking court. ((i)) Identification of Common Parking Court. Each common parking court shall b_~e clearl~ identified as a private roadway. ~ single sign, not to exceed two square feet in area, shall be posted at the entrance of each such parking court~ displaying onl~ the words "Private Drive" and the addresses of a_2ny residences utilizing the parking court. ((~)) Final Plat Requirements. In addition to all other requirements for a final plat~ an~ subdivision containing ~ common parking court shall include a statement on the final plat acknowledging the private maintenance responsibilit~ and ~uaranteeing public utilit~ and emergency vehicle access. SECTION II. Section 13-99(c) of the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations is amended to read as follows: Section 13-99. Definitions and rules of construction. (c) "Drivewa~ Common" shall mean ~ private roadwa~ providing vehicular access to lots. pcourt-3 -4- "Dwelling, Single-Family Attached" shall mean a one-family dwelling attached to two or more one-family dwellings by common vertical walls. This definition includes such dwelling types as townhouse~ triplex~ and ~uadraplex. "Dwellin§~ Single-Family Detached" shall mean a dwelling designed for one family which is not attached to any other dwelling by any means. "Dwelling, Two-Family" shall mean a one-family dwelling attached to one other one-family dwelling by a common wall. "Parking Court~ Common" shall mean a parking area for the principal us__~e of the owners or occupants o__f th__~e lots abutting the parking area. SECTION III. Ail prior ordinances in conflict herewith are repealed. SECTION IV. This ordinance shall be in effect upon its passage. PASSED this llth day of September / , 1985. Robert E. Sevila, Mayor Town of Leesburg ATTE ST: Clerk of council ' pcourt-4