Chapter 148 SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT. (updated 7-28-08)

Section 148-29 LOTS.

A.  Shape.

     1.  Lots shall not contain peculiarly shaped elongations, unusable for normal building

     purposes, solely to provide necessary square footage.

2.  The depth of residential lots shall not be less than one (1) nor more than four (4) times the width, unless the town approves other configurations because of unusual topographical conditions.

B.  Location.

1.  The municipal boundary of the town shall not cut through lots but rather shall act as lot lines for property adjacent to either side of the municipal boundary.

2.  Each lot shall abut a street dedicated to and accepted by the Town of Front Royal, and each lot shall have a minimum frontage of fifty (50) feet on said street, except as follows:

a. Townhouse lots shall abut a public street with the minimum lot width as required in Section 175-112.

b. Duplex lots.  In the event that a parcel is to be subdivided into a lot for each individual dwelling unit of a duplex, each duplex dwelling unit lot shall have a minimum frontage equal to at least fifty percent (50%) of the minimum lot width required herein.

c. Lots approved in accordance with Section 148-16, Optional open space subdivision, shall conform to the requirements of that section.

          d. Subdivision on existing private nondedicated streets is permitted only as follows:

               [1] Each lot and residual parcel shall be a minimum of two (2) acres in area.

[2] Each lot and residual parcel shall abut with a minimum frontage of one hundred      seventy-five (175) feet on the existing private nondedicated street.

[3] The existing private nondedicated street shall have been platted and recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Warren County on or before December 31, 1978.

[4]  The existing nondedicated street shall have a platted width of at least fifty (50) feet at the date of subdivision approval, provided that Locust Dale Drive shall have a platted width of at least fifty (50) feet except for that section at or near State Route 55 which shall have a platted width of thirty (30) feet.

[5] As of the date of subdivision approval, the platted nondedicated street shall be in existence and shall conform to minimum design standards of a graded road surface of at least twenty (20) feet wide, suitable for motor vehicle traffic, topped with gravel, crushed stone or other all-weather material, and provided with such culverts and ditching as are necessary to carry water runoff and to prevent erosion of the road surface.  Conformity with said minimum design standards shall be subject to the inspection and approval of the Director of Public Works.

[6] The applicant shall dedicate to the Town of Front Royal such additional footage along the street frontage of each lot and residual parcel as shall be necessary to increase the street width to sixty (60) feet for that portion of the street abutting the subdivided lots and residual parcels.  The applicant shall further dedicate to the Town of Front Royal any and all property interest he may possess in the existing nondedicated street as a whole.

[7] All the aforesaid dedications shall be contingent and shall not take effect until such time as the entire street or a contiguous portion connected to a public street is improved to the then-current state standards for public streets, is subsequently dedicated to the Town of Front Royal by all parties in interest and is accepted by the Town of Front Royal as a public street.  Until such time, the Town of Front Royal shall be under no obligation to maintain or improve any portion of the aforesaid street, and the town shall not be liable for any acts or omissions associated with the street and its use.

      e.    Townhouse and duplex subdivision abutting common parking courts shall be permitted

            as follows:

            [1] A minimum of four (4) acres shall be required for such subdivision development.

[2] Each approved common parking court shall serve no more than a total of thirty-six (36) dwelling unit lots, one (1) dwelling unit per lot.

[3] No common parking court shall serve a through function, and all common parking shall be designed in accordance with the provisions of Section 148-48.

[4] The town shall be satisfied that the development will provide a greater amount of usable open space than if a public road section were utilized.

[5]  Common parking courts shall comply with the standards regarding width and size of parking spaces and shall include at least two and five-tenths (2.5) parking spaces per dwelling unit.

[6] Common parking areas shall be adequately landscaped to ensure the residential character of the development, as provided in Section 148-48.

[7] No common parking court shall be located within twenty-five (25) feet of any abutting lot which is not directly served by the common parking court.

[8] Each common parking court driveway shall be clearly identified as a private roadway.  A single sign, not to exceed two (2) square feet in area, shall be posted at the entrance, displaying only the words "Private Drive" and the addresses of the residences utilizing the parking court.

[9] In addition to all other requirements for a final plat, any subdivision containing a common parking court shall include a statement on the final plat acknowledging a perpetual private maintenance responsibility and guaranteeing public utility and emergency vehicle access.

(Ord. No. 4-99 repealed (e) “Subdivisions abutting approved non-dedicated common driveways” and renumber (f) to (e) 3-22-99-Effective Upon Passage)

C.   Corner lots.  Corner lots shall have frontage equal to or exceeding the minimum width at the setback line prescribed under the Town Zoning Ordinance *.

D.   Side lines.  Side lines of lots shall be approximately at right angles to straight street lines and shall be radial to curved street lines.

E.   Remnants.  All remnants of subdivided parcels below minimum lot size shall be added to adjacent lots or common open space areas unless such remnants are designated for a specific accessory use for the subdivision or other use approved by the town.

F.   Lot size.

      1.  All lots shall conform to the size requirements specified in the Town Zoning Ordinance.

2.  In the event that septic tanks or wells are to be used, larger lot areas shall be required to conform to Health Department findings and requirements.