§ 2.6. A-3 multifamily residential.
2.601
Permitted uses in the A-3 district are: as listed in section 2.3.2.602
Prohibited uses in the A-3 district are: all uses not permitted herein and trailers, except as used for temporary offices for construction purposes.2.603
Height regulations in the A-3 district are: No building shall exceed 45 feet in height.2.604
Area regulations in the A-3 district are as follows:(1)
Yard:
(a)
Front yard: Front building lines shall conform to the average building lines in a developed block but in no case shall it be less than 20 feet. When there is undeveloped land for a distance of 150 feet on both sides of a proposed building, the minimum building setback line shall be 25 feet from the established street right-of-way lines. On through lots this minimum depth shall be provided on both streets.
(b)
Side yard: There shall be two side yards, one on each side of the building having a minimum width of five feet each. However, this regulation shall not be so interpreted as to reduce the buildable width of any lot existing before the adoption of this ordinance to less than 24 feet. On corner lots the necessary reduction shall be on the side yard not abutting the street. See section 1.4.
(c)
Rear yard: There shall be a rear yard having a depth of not less than 20 percent of the depth of the lot; provided, however, that the depth of the required rear yard shall not be less than 20 feet and need not exceed 50 feet.
(d)
Section 2.201(2)(c) applies.
(2)
Lot size in the A-3 district shall be as follows:
(a)
There shall be a lot width of a minimum of 75 feet at the building line.
(b)
Every lot shall contain basic area of not less than 7,500 square feet. Where more than one family occupies the same building, an additional 2,500 square feet per family is required in addition to the base area.
2.605
Off-street parking requirements in the A-3 district are as provided for in part 4.2.606
Applicability of regulations: This division establishes standards and procedures that apply to any development, use, alteration, structure, or natural growth on any lot or portion thereof which is in whole or in part contained within the boundaries of any property that permits the construction of multi-family housing units. Multi-family housing units are defined as any property that contains more than one single-family residential unit.2.607
Architectural regulations: The following architectural regulations shall apply to all multi-family housing.(1)
Exterior materials. The exterior portions of any building shall comply with the following requirements:
(a)
Siding material shall consist of masonry-type material, such as brick, stone, stucco, architectural concrete block or cementitious siding. If a material other than brick or stone is used, it shall be painted in earth tones. External insulating finishing system ("EIFS"), metal siding, metal trim, smooth cinder block, plasticized materials and vinyl are prohibited.
(b)
Siding material shall be consistent and uniform. Siding shall be a minimum of 75 percent brick. Buildings with brick on the front face only and buildings with first floor brick and second floor lap siding are prohibited.
(c)
All exposed bricks shall not be laid in a definition of stackbond. All joints shall be tooled. Brick panel veneer systems are permitted.
(d)
The maximum allowable exposure on lap siding is eight (8) inches.
(e)
The roof shall be constructed of asphalt shingles or a material that resembles asphalt shingles (i.e. metal roofing; roofing that resembles shake shingles). Slate roofs are permissible. Roofs shall be black, a shade of gray, or earth tones. Built-up roofs are prohibited.
(f)
Applied trim materials shall consist of brick, painted wood, vinyl or other painted materials that exhibit wood-like properties. Metal, block stone and concrete are prohibited. Wrought iron handrails are permitted. Trim colors shall be earth tone colors.
(g)
Foundations shall not have greater than an eight-inch exposure or shall be faced in brick or stone veneer. Exposed block, stucco, and concrete are prohibited.
(2)
Roofs. The roof of any building shall comply with the following requirements:
(a)
The main roof of the buildings shall be gabled roofs, hipped roofs, mansard roofs, or combinations thereof. Flat roofs, curving roofs, and shed roofs are prohibited.
(b)
Roofs shall comply with section 2.607(1)(e).
(c)
Roof overhangs of not less than eight inches and not greater than 24 inches shall be provided.
(d)
Eave lines shall be consistent, largely unbroken, and horizontal. All eaves shall be architecturally detailed with one or more of the following elements: detail molding, crown molding, built-up fascia, or frieze board.
(e)
Roofs shall contain at least one roof projection for every one hundred (100) linear feet of building frontage. Roof projections may include cupolas, dormers, balustrade walks, chimneys, or gables.
(3)
Massing. The massing of all buildings shall comply with the following requirements:
(a)
Any building that is longer than 100 feet shall be designed so as to appear as multiple structures through the use of varied roof forms, building projections, or architectural details.
(b)
The apparent exterior floor-to-floor height of each story of a building shall be limited to 12 feet. Individual floors shall be delineated on the building facade through the use of window placement and horizontal details. Interior floor-to-floor heights may exceed 12 feet.
(c)
No primary eave line shall be greater than 35 feet above grade.
(d)
Buildings shall have at least one building projection on the front facade below the eave line. Building projections consist of stoops, bay windows, covered porches, extruded entrances, and pedestrian arcades. With exception of pedestrian arcades, building projections shall not extend more than six feet from the face of the building.
(e)
Individual building walls shall be primarily rectilinear and simplified in form. With the exception of bay projections, curved walls or non-ninety-degree corners are prohibited. Front facades shall have a predominant plane from the ground to the eave and shall not be dominated by building projections.
(f)
Buildings that are longer than 100 feet shall provide no less than ten (10) lineal feet of pedestrian arcade or covered porch.
(g)
Porches and arcade columns shall be not less than six feet wide in any direction. Metal columns are prohibited. Columns shall contain a base and a capital and shall generally align with story heights.
(h)
The rear side of the building cannot face a public street.
(4)
Fenestration. The fenestration of all buildings shall comply with the following requirements:
(a)
Windowed doors shall contain a solid border a minimum of six inches wide and shall also contain mullions or divided lights not exceeding six inches in any direction. Flat doors are prohibited.
(b)
Reserved.
(c)
Primary doors shall not exceed forty-two (42) inches in width and 84 inches in height. Oversized doors are prohibited.
(d)
All windows shall be vertically proportioned with a height to width ratio between 3:2 and 5:2. Transom windows are not subject to vertical proportions and do not count in the overall window proportion. Slit windows, strip windows, and ribbon windows are prohibited.
(e)
Windows shall be provided on at least ten percent but no more than 50 percent of the front facade. Blank facades are prohibited. Windows shall generally be spaced in an even rhythm. Windowless sections of the front facade shall not exceed 30 feet in width.
(f)
All windows shall be rectilinear, provided however, that arch top windows are permitted. Triangular or otherwise angular windows are prohibited. Round windows are permitted as accent windows in locations such as gables.
(g)
Primary windows shall be at least 24 inches wide and at least thirty-six (36) inches tall. Picture windows shall be no wider than five feet and no taller than seven and one-half feet.
(h)
Shutters shall be constructed of wood, vinyl, or a material with wood-like properties, shall be sized to fit the window, and shall have horizontal slats, vertical boards, or raised-paneled. Shutter colors shall be equal to or similar to earth tone colors.
(i)
On brick walls all windows shall have sill and header trim details. On non-brick walls all windows shall have sill or header trim details.
(j)
The bottom of windows shall be at least 20 inches above grade.
(5)
Fencing.
(a)
All fencing shall comply with Sections 2.2202, 2.2203, and 2.2207 thru 2.2211.
2.608
Sidewalk and pedestrian crosswalks: The following sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks and regulations shall apply to all multi-family housing:(1)
Public sidewalks shall be located adjacent to all public streets and shall be a minimum of five feet wide and four inches thick and lay on a bed of a minimum of four inches of sand.
(2)
Pedestrian walkways shall be located on private property and shall be located at all building entrances. All buildings shall provide a ten-foot minimum pedestrian zone between the building and parking area. The pedestrian zone shall contain walkways, planting areas, plazas, and similar landscaped spaces. All pedestrian walkways shall be a minimum of five feet wide, laid on a minimum of four inches of sand.
(3)
All public sidewalks and pedestrian walkways shall be continuous where possible and shall connect to other pedestrian areas through painted crosswalks.
(4)
All major intersections shall have well-defined pedestrian crossing signs. Traffic signals shall have mast arms.
(5)
All utilities shall be placed under ground.
(6)
The front entrance of all buildings shall be easily and safely accessible to pedestrians from the public sidewalk through a combination of pedestrian walkways and crosswalks.
(7)
Covered sidewalks that are a part of the building and that are located within the buildable area of the lot are encouraged where possible. Such covered sidewalks may be used for outdoor seating and dining and as terraces and arcades.
2.609
Landscaping: The following additional landscaping regulations shall apply to all multi-family housing.(1)
A minimum landscape area of five feet wide shall be constructed along the foundation of the building where the building faces a parking lot, street, driveway, or is visible from a public street.
(2)
The landscaping on each lot shall contain the following landscape elements: flowerbeds, shrubs, and a minimum of three inch caliper trees per every 20 feet.
(3)
With the exception of trees, landscape elements including shrubs shall not exceed four feet in height at maturity.
(4)
Street trees are required along all public streets. Street trees shall be planted a minimum of 20 feet on center. Street trees shall be planted in four feet by four feet minimum holes, and shall be no less than ten feet in height and three inches in caliper. Street trees shall be delimbed to seven feet above the grade. Trees shall be oak, elm or maple.
(5)
In addition to trees along public streets, a complement of shrubs shall be installed between the trees to form a visual barrier along the street. Shrubs shall not exceed four feet in height at maturity.
(6)
All medians shall be landscaped with plant material that does not interfere with vehicle safety. Concrete-only medians are prohibited.
2.610
Buffer Zone Requirements: Buffer zones shall be established in accordance with Sections 2.2207 thru 2.2212 of the Zoning Ordinance.2.611
Lighting: The following lighting regulations shall apply to all multi-family uses.(1)
All lots shall provide streetlights, parking lights, pedestrian lights, and indirect building lights. With the exception of indirect building lights, all light fixtures shall be of a design that is compatible with the surrounding area.
(2)
Public streetlights shall be provided along public streets at a maximum of 100 feet on-center and shall be evenly spaced along the block face.
(3)
All utilities shall be placed under ground.
(4)
Parking lights shall be provided in all parking areas, shall not exceed 25 feet in height, shall have light fixtures that project downward, and shall be spaced in a uniform manner so as to provide full lighting for the parking area.
(5)
Pedestrian lights shall be provided within high-volume pedestrian areas and around public and private open space. Pedestrian lights shall be spaced a maximum of 25 feet apart and shall be evenly spaced so as to provide full lighting for pedestrian areas.
(6)
Indirect building lighting shall be provided and shall be located a maximum of ten feet from the subject building. Such lighting shall not be located or directed so as to impair vehicular traffic safety and shall not be directly across any pedestrian areas of travel.
2.612
Parking: The following additional regulations shall apply to all multi-family housing uses.(1)
Each lot shall provide no less than two parking spaces per dwelling unit. All parking spaces shall have equal access to the street.
(2)
Parking areas shall be separated from buildings by a planted area or other landscaped area that is no less than ten feet in width.
(3)
Shared parking is encouraged. Applicants may make application to the planning department for authorization for a special exception for shared parking. Said applications shall be considered and decided by the director of planning, or his designee, pursuant to the standards and procedures set forth in Part 4 of the Slidell Zoning Ordinance. Parking lots shall be landscaped in accordance with the requirements of section 2.2514 thru 2.2518.
(4)
The use of bicycle racks is encouraged. When placed in a parking lot, the bicycle racks shall be provided at a ratio of two bicycle racks for each 20 parking spaces. Bicycle racks shall be located near building entries. The racks shall be equal to or similar to Urban Accessories Circle Bike Rack Model D.
2.613
Public areas, curb cuts, and service areas: The following regulations apply to the public areas, curb cuts, and service areas in all multi-family developments.(1)
Public plazas and outdoor dining areas are encouraged. Such areas shall be protected from vehicular traffic by location, vegetation, or landscape walls and shall be easily accessible to pedestrians.
(2)
All dumpsters and other building service areas shall be located where they are concealed from view from the public right of way. All dumpsters shall be concealed with secured gates, landscaping, and solid screening.
(3)
Curb cuts along public streets shall be minimized and shall be shared with adjacent developments where possible. Curb cuts shall be permitted only where 25 feet away from a curb cut on an adjoining property, and shall not be permitted within 25 feet of the intersection of any two public streets. Curb cuts shall not exceed a width of 24 feet.
2.614
Street furniture: The following regulations apply to street furniture in all multi-family districts.(1)
At least one bench and one trash receptacle per six units shall be provided on each lot and shall be located as close as possible but no more than 25 feet from a building entry.
(2)
All benches and trash receptacles shall be accessible from a building entrance by a pedestrian walkway. Benches and trash receptacles shall be used in conjunction with other pedestrian amenities such as planters, landscaped areas, and outdoor tables. Benches and trash receptacles shall not contain signs.
(3)
Bench colors shall be earth tones. Neon colors are prohibited. Benches shall be firmly anchored to the ground.
(4)
Trash receptacles shall be constructed of non-corrosive, weather-resistant material. Wood is prohibited. Trash receptacles shall be earth tone colors. Neon colors are prohibited. Trash receptacles shall be firmly anchored to the ground.
2.615
Sign regulations: All multi-family residential areas shall comply with all requirements of Section 2.23 and 500 thru 530 of the Zoning Ordinance subject to the following additional regulations.(1)
Signs shall be designed so as to be compatible with the style that compliments the area;
(2)
All ground signs shall be monument style ground signs with a base and framework made of brick;
(3)
Ground signs shall not exceed 54 square feet in sign area;
(4)
No signs shall be located on the primary building facade.
(5)
Window signs are prohibited;
(6)
Banners are prohibited;
(7)
Signs shall have a finish consistent with a wood or wood-like appearance;
(8)
Sign colors shall be primarily earth tones.
(9)
All signs shall be indirectly lighted;
(10)
Internally lighted neon, gas, colored, flashing, animated, marquee, sound emitting, fluorescent, rotating or otherwise moving signs are prohibited;
(11)
Sign shape and lettering shall be limited as follows:
(a)
All signs shall be rectangular, circular, or oval in proportion.
(b)
Sign facing shall be flat in profile and shall not exceed a thickness of eight inches.
(c)
Signs with more than two faces are prohibited.
(d)
Sign lettering shall not exceed 18 inches in height.
(e)
Sign lettering material shall be of a material that will not permit the passage of light through the lettering.
(12)
No sign may be placed closer than 25 feet from the front property line.
(13)
Building address signs shall be displayed as per existing code.
2.616
Design guidelines: The planning director or designee is authorized to administer the design guidelines within multi-family zoning districts. These guidelines provide acceptable architectural design controls, landscaping, detail drawings, signage, fencing, lighting, street and site furniture, and grating. These guidelines shall be used to promote proper design criteria for multi-family districts and shall guide the planning director in deciding whether a proposed design complies with the requirements of the multi-family district.2.617
Plans required; certificates of compliance:(1)
Plans required. Prior to the issuance of any land clearing or development permit, building permit, or sign permit, the applicant shall submit to the director of planning an application, full plans including a site plan, landscaping plan, building design including elevations and architectural details of proposed buildings, exterior materials and colors, and plans and elevations of all signs, all of which shall demonstrate that the proposed design is in compliance with all of the requirements of this section and the underlying zoning classification.
(2)
Fees. Plans shall be accompanied by an application and payment of a planning review fee as follows:
Values of project Fees $0 - $50,000 $250 $50,001 - $100,000 $500 $100,001 - $250,001 $1,000 $250,001 - $500,000 $2,500 $500,001 - $1,000,000 $5,000 $1,000,001 - $5,000,000 $5,000 (for 1st million plus $1,000 for each additional million) $5,000,001 - and up $10,000 max fee If a cost estimate is not available when the plans are reviewed, the fee will be based upon a $75.00 per square foot valuation.
(3)
Review. The director of planning or his designee shall review each application for compliance with all requirements of the design guidelines and the underlying zoning classification. Where the director or his designee determines that said plans comply with the requirements of the design guidelines a certificate of compliance shall be issued in the form of the director or the director's designee signing the plans and drawings after which the applicant shall then apply for land clearing or development, building or sign permits. Where the director determines that said plans do not comply with the requirements of this chapter, then the director shall notify the applicant in writing stating the manner in which said applicant fails to comply with such requirements. All applications shall be considered and decided by the director of planning within 60 days of receipt of a complete application. Any appeal of the director of planning's decision in this regard shall be to the zoning board of adjustments.
(4)
In the event the environmental conditions of the site, or new design techniques are not accommodated for in the regulations, then the applicant may apply to the Slidell Planning Commission for approval of their design. Once approved by the commission, any changes in the design must go back to the commission for their approval. The planning commission may hold a public hearing on the design, and must act on the applicant's request within 60 days of the first meeting of the commission. The applicant must bear the cost associated with advertising the public hearing.
(Ord. No. 1009, 8-24-1976; Ord. No. 1010, 9-14-1976; Ord. No. 1256, § 2, 3-25-1980; Ord. No. 1326, 12-9-1980; Ord. No. 1363, 2-24-1981; Ord. No. 1381, 4-14-1981; Ord. No. 1490, 2-24-1982; Ord. No. 2466, 8-31-1992; Ord. No. 3211, 9-28-2004; Ord. No. 3518, 1-13-2009)