§ 8.3. General standards and requirements.

8.3.1 Size of the traditional neighborhood development site. A tract of land to be developed as a traditional neighborhood development shall contain not less than 20 contiguous acres and not more than 250 acres, and be of a configuration that is conducive to a traditional neighborhood development. The simultaneous planning of larger and adjacent parcels is encouraged.

Notwithstanding the provisions noted above, a traditional neighborhood development may have land that is less than 20 acres if the board of commissioners, upon showing by the applicant, is convinced that a traditional neighborhood development is in the public interest because one or more of the following conditions exist:

a)

The property is adjacent to or across a street from property that has been developed or redeveloped under a traditional neighborhood development ordinance, and a traditional neighborhood development will contribute to the maintenance of the character, amenities, values and architectural style of the neighboring traditional neighborhood development.

8.3.2 Pedestrian shed. The basis of any traditional neighborhood development shall be the pedestrian shed. The pedestrian shed represents the physical limits most Americans will walk before choosing to drive. Traditional neighborhood development, by design, is compact, walkable, and mixed-use, and it is meant to be comfortable, safe, and ecologically sustainable. It allows a mix of uses within the neighborhood, so its residents or customers do not have to drive everywhere. A TND may be comprised of a partial or entire standard pedestrian shed (¼-mile radius) or more than one standard pedestrian shed including neighborhood edge T3, neighborhood general T4 and neighborhood center T5 as specified in Table 14-a. Larger sites shall be designed and developed as multiple pedestrian sheds, each with the individual neighborhood zone requirements as specified in Tables 1 and 14-a.

8.3.3 Ownership of land. All of the land in a traditional neighborhood development shall initially be under one ownership. Individual properties in the traditional neighborhood development may be sold after a plat has been recorded, with the properties subject to deed covenants/restrictions that ensure the continuance of the traditional neighborhood development as originally approved and developed.

8.3.4 Location. The traditional neighborhood developments shall be appropriate in the following locations:

a)

On property within the alternate use corridors;

b)

On land within the adopted future growth boundary areas of the cities of Cherokee County;

c)

In areas planned for high density residential use on the adopted interim land use policy map;

d)

On property outside of the areas listed above (subsections a)—c)), provided the following conditions exist:

i.

Subject property is served by an urban road, as identified by the Georgia Department of Transportation Functional Classification Map 2005; and

ii.

Subject property is within an area of a street density of 6.03 miles/square mile or greater, as determined by Cherokee County; and

iii.

Subject property is not currently zoned for medium to low density residential or PUD use.

8.3.5 Phasing. In the event the traditional neighborhood development project contains phases of development and construction, such phases shall be indicated and approved as part of the traditional neighborhood development master plan.

8.3.6 Buffer requirements. No buffers shall be required between uses inside of traditional neighborhood developments.

Buffers shall be required between TND and other zoning districts under the following circumstances:

a)

TND to adjacent developed commercial or residential property.

1.

Existing developed commercial or residential property adjacent to a planned TND which does not plan for connection points (either vehicular or pedestrian) within an approved neighborhood plan shall have a 30-foot buffer.

2.

Where a neighborhood plan proposes similar building type, use, and lot configuration as found on adjacent developed property, and proposes to connect said properties, a minimum buffer of ten feet shall be maintained.

b)

TND to other industrial districts.

1.

Existing industrial development shall have a 50-foot buffer.

(Ord. No. 2006-Z-004, 5-2-06; Ord. No. 2007-Z-002, 8-7-07)