Bradley County

Residential Open Space/Cluster Development Guidelines

 

1.                  Purpose:  Provide the legal means to build detached, single-family dwelling units with a normal side yard requirements on only one (1) side of each individual lot.

 

2.                  Zoning:  Allowed in R-1, R-2 and FAR

 

3.                  Minimum Lot Area: 5,000 square feet.

 

4.                  Minimum Lot Width at Front Building Line: Fifty (50) feet.

 

5.                  Minimum Setbacks:

 

a.                  Front:  Twenty-five (25) feet, except that a permanently unenclosed porch, portico, entry landing or similar structure may extend into the required front yard setback are no more than five (5) feet.

b.                  Side: A minimum of three (3) from the building location side line.  A minimum of twelve (12) feet required on the remaining side yard.  Situating dwelling units on adjoining lots so that only the required three (3) foot minimum sideline setback is attained from the common sideline is prohibited. 

c.                   Rear: Fifteen (15) feet

d.                  Corner Street: Twenty-five (25) feet, except that a permanently unenclosed porch, portico, entry landing or similar structure may extend into the required front yard setback are no more than five (5) feet.

 

6.                  Building Heights Limits: Two and one-half stories or thirty-five (35) feet.

 

7.                  Maximum Lot Coverage, All Buildings: 60%

 

8.                  Open Space Requirement: A minimum of 30% of the gross site area must be set aside as open space.  A note shall be placed on the plat stating that the open space is to be privately maintained by the Home Owners Association and not by the government of Bradley County.

 

9.                  Maintenance Easement Required: Where a unit is built within five (5) feet of the adjacent lot line, a maintenance easement agreement is required.

 

10.              Door or Openings Regulated: No doors or any other openings with the exception of ventilation openings and windows are permitted on the wall that is built nearer that five (5) feet to an adjoining side lot line.

 

11.              Subdivision Plat Approval Required: All cluster developments are subject to the platting requirements of a typical residential subdivision.  The Bradley County Regional Planning Commission is responsible for review of all cluster plats.

 

12.              Construction Start: Actual construction of roads, utilities and the units may begin with approval of a preliminary plat.

 

13.              Underground Utilities Required:

 

a.                   All private utilities, including service connections for cable TV and the like shall be installed underground.

b.                  Connection to a public water supply and the sanitary sewer system is mandatory, subject to approval to the appropriate utility providers.

c.                   All electrical service connections shall be installed underground and shall be approved by the proper utility provider.  Each housing unit shall be metered individually.

 

14.              Site Drainage Requirement: The preliminary plat shall indicate the method of drainage of the total site. The County Engineer’s Office is responsible for review and approval of the site drainage plan.

 

15.              Street Right of Way and Construction: All streets shall be constructed in accordance with the Bradley County Subdivision Regulations, with the exception that only forty (40) foot right-of-way is required on streets.

 

16.              Parking:  A minimum of two (2) off-street parking spaces is required for each unit.

 

17.              Home Owners Association: The developer shall file a declaration of covenants and restrictions that will govern the homeowners association.  This declaration shall be submitted with that application for preliminary approval.  The provisions shall include, but not be limited to the following:

 

a.                   The Homeowners Association must be set up before the lots are sold.

b.                  Membership must be mandatory for each buyer and each successive buyer.

c.                   The open space restrictions must be permanent, not just for a period of years.

d.                  The association must be responsible for liability insurance, local taxes, and the maintenance of recreational and other facilities.

e.                   Homeowners must pay their pro rata share of the cost and the assessment levied by the association can become a lien on the property.

f.                    The association must be able to adjust the assessment to meet changing needs.