3700. OLD HOMOSASSA AREA REDEVELOPMENT PLAN STANDARDS. Aesthetic standards are mandatory for nonresidential projects only.

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1 3700. OLD HOMOSASSA AREA REDEVELOPMENT PLAN STANDARDS Aesthetic standards are mandatory for nonresidential projects only PURPOSE AND INTENT The purpose of this section is to establish those supplemental standards necessary to fully implement the applicable objectives established by the Old Homosassa Area Redevelopment Plan. This Plan is referenced in the Future Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan. These supplemental standards are intended to protect the heritage and ecological health of Old Homosassa and to enhance its historic character. Historic vernacular styles need to be protected, but modern construction codes such as floodplain regulations and handicapped access, add new components to that vernacular. Development or redevelopment of private property will be allowed, provided all applicable standards are met and provided that the following supplemental design requirements are met: A. Preserve or enhance the existing character of the community. B. Protect, and not exploit, the environmentally sensitive community resources. C. Promote uniform development and redevelopment. D. Promote access to the river as well as general pedestrian connectivity. E. Preserve the 1886 town plat, as practical, but residential density shall be limited to current established lots/parcels of record. F. Support the commercial fishing industry APPLICABILITY AND ALLOWED USES A. Applicability. Supplemental standards shall apply to residential and nonresidential properties in the Old Homosassa Special Overlay District. The Homosassa Special Overlay District shall be adopted as part of the Land Development Code (LDC) Atlas. The Old Homosassa Overlay District lies within the Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA) and will be subject to applicable development standards. B. Allowed Uses. Allowed uses are summarized in Table 3-3, based on LDC Atlas land use designations.

2 TABLE 3-3 ALLOWED USES IN THE OLD HOMOSASSA SPECIAL OVERLAY DISTRICT LDC Atlas Land Use Designation Allowed Residential Uses Allowed Nonresidential Uses CL, Low Intensity Coastal and Lakes CLR, Coastal and Lakes Residential Old Homosassa Special Overlay District Single family: - One dwelling unit per lot of record or business (whichever is lower) in conjunction with allowable business. Attached Housing: - Limited to one dwelling unit per lot of record (not to exceed six units per building). 1 Home occupations, including more intensive home businesses by Conditional Use approval. CLC, Coastal and Lakes Commercial RVP, Recreational Vehicle Parks MHP, Mobile Home Parks GNC, General Commercial IND, Industrial 1. All attached housing projects require Conditional Use approval. Same as CL, CLR RV Parks are commercial land uses and not considered residential. Existing only No new Mobile Home Parks. No residential uses shall be allowed in the GNC district with the exception of a caretaker s residence. No residential uses shall be allowed in the IND district with the exception of a caretaker s residence. See LDC for Conditional Use review criteria. See LDC for allowable neighborhood commercial and water-related uses in CLC. See LDC for Recreational Vehicle Park standards. MH Parks are residential land uses and shall be limited to existing facilities only. Existing only No new General Commercial Existing only No new Industrial

3 3703. SUPPLEMENTAL DESIGN STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL PROJECTS The existing character of Old Homosassa shall be preserved through uniform development and redevelopment. (See Figures for historic building styles.) Modern flood regulations shall be accommodated in the design while retaining the historic character of the community to the greatest extent possible. Aesthetic standards are mandatory for nonresidential projects only. Aesthetic standards are not mandatory, and are guidelines, for residential projects. A. Relationship of buildings to street (aesthetic standard). The façade should address the street and adjacent properties, and should be in keeping with the general size and scale of the adjacent buildings. Broken facades can be used to create this effect when larger buildings are proposed. Front yard/side yard landscaping should also be used to further this effect. Columns and other elements of the façade should be in keeping with those traditionally used in Old Homosassa. Relationship of buildings to street. B. Relationship of buildings to water (aesthetic standard). To encourage waterfront access, structures constructed along the waterfront should not completely obstruct the view of the waterfront from other properties that are close by. This is an important component to the community character.

4 Relationship of buildings to water C. Tripartite façade (aesthetic standard). The building façade should have three distinct components, including a roof, base and body. The base should be that area of the structure between grade and the first living floor. The first living floor should be separated from the base by a change in materials, such as stucco/siding, or delineation, such as a linear offset or porch floor. Tripartite Scheme D. Massing/Lot Coverage (mandatory standard for all projects). Buildings shall be limited to two stories above the first living floor. The lowest floor, if below the base flood elevation and used for garage/storage, shall not count as a story. The second living floor should step back a minimum of ten feet from the first living floor. A porch may be deemed part of the first living floor for this purpose. Massing

5 In order to limit lot coverage (mandatory standard for all projects), Impervious Surface Ratio (ISR) limits for the various land use districts shall apply to total Ground Area Coverage (GAC) standards as shown in Table 3-4. Pervious pavement shall be counted as impervious. TABLE 3-4 ALLOWED GROUND AREA COVERAGE Land Use Designation Ground Area Coverage CL 0.25 CLR, CLC 0.35 GNC, IND 0.70 E. Thresholds (aesthetic standard). It is a tradition, in Old Homosassa, to have a porch, dock, or some other form of designed space between land and water, or between inside and outside. Each building in Old Homosassa should have its own threshold, for example a porch or covered space between indoor and outdoor main areas. Columns and other elements of the façade should be in keeping with those traditionally used in Old Homosassa. Specifically, Cracker style columns are preferred over classical style columns, because that is in keeping with the heritage of the community. Cracker Style Columns Homestead Porch Craftsman Porch

6 F. Roof (aesthetic standard). In the tradition of existing buildings, the roof should be a simple shape, gable or hip, with minimal breaks in that shape. Roof pitches should be between 3:12 and 12:12. No roof eave should be higher than nine feet above the floor below. Hip Roof (12:12) Gable Roof (3:12) Materials (aesthetic standard). Materials used should be expressive of the heritage of Old Homosassa, and consistent with the appearance of materials used in the construction of existing structures. Inventive uses of local rocks, woods, and traditional materials are acceptable and encouraged. Traditional uses of new material that emulate local materials are also acceptable and encouraged. Roofing materials should be consistent with roofing materials used in the community, limited to metals and shingles, as are currently used. Dock Construction Local Rocks/Woods SUPPLEMENTAL DESIGN STANDARDS MANDATORY FOR NONRESIDENTIAL PROJECTS. The existing character of Old Homosassa shall be preserved while promoting public safety. Modern handicapped access regulations shall be accommodated in the design while retaining the historic character of the community to the greatest extent possible.

7 A. Pedestrian Circulation. Nonresidential properties fronting W. Yulee Drive and S. Cherokee Way should incorporate walkways that connect to public sidewalks wherever possible. In order to preserve the visual character of the community and wherever possible, sites should be graded so that the nonresidential floor is approximately 2.5 feet above grade and accessed by a porch. Handicapped ramps should be located so as not to dominate the façade and may be shared by businesses as long as current Florida Building Code accessibility standards are met. Walkways and streets should be inviting, comfortable and dressed in street furniture. Suggested Walkways & Street Furniture Cont. Suggested Walkways & Street Furniture B. Parking Areas. Parking should be located to the side or rear of new development if possible and buffered from the street by hedges and/or berms. Wood privacy fences may be used with hedges planted to the street side. The number of required parking spaces should be minimal, based on the pedestrian oriented objective of the community. Nonresidential parking may be reduced below that required by the LDC as follows, subject to approval:

8 1. Wherever street parking is approved, this parking may be counted as part of the adjacent development s parking. 2. If residential off-street parking is provided as part of the development, the required number of nonresidential parking spaces may be reduced by one. 3. Required parking may be reduced by 25 percent for shared parking, pursuant to the requirements of this LDC. Sharing of handicapped parking spaces is encouraged, as long as current Florida Building Code requirements for handicapped accessibility are met. Parking buffered by berm or fence with hedge C. Exterior Lighting. To encourage circulation, the walks should be inviting, safe and well lighted. To this end, consider bollard lighting to light walk areas without creating light pollution. Porches should be lighted in a sensitive manner while providing security. Streets should be lighted at a low, nondisruptive level. Suggested Lighting

9 D. Signage. There should be a maximum of one freestanding sign per business or building, whichever is less, no more than 8 square feet in area. Signs should be consistently at such a height that the lowermost protuberance is seven feet above the walking surface. There should be no back lit signage. Signs should be unlit or front lit with two light sources. Portable signs shall not be allowed. Suggested Signage SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL PROJECTS The environmentally sensitive community resources of the Old Homosassa Special Overlay District shall be protected by the following standards, which are mandatory except as noted. A. Surface water quality. All structures shall be a minimum of 50 feet from the mean high water line, except where swales or berms are provided. If swales or berms are provided, structures shall be a minimum of 40 feet from the Homosassa River and 35 feet from all other water bodies and wetlands. The waterfront and wetland setback must include a fifteen-foot natural vegetative buffer adjacent to the water body or wetland. If this buffer has been disturbed, it must be replanted with native vegetation.

10 B. Stormwater management. The shape of manmade bodies of water, including wet retention areas, should be designed to appear natural by having off-sets at the edge alignment. Shoreline areas as well as retention ponds should be planted with appropriate native vegetation to promote the ability of the pond to provide environmental habitat. Alternate designs may be approved. C. Wetlands Protection. A minimum setback of 50 feet to prevent stormwater runoff shall be provided from an established wetland boundary, except where swales or berms are provided. If swales or berms are provided, a 40 foot setback from established wetlands connected to the Homosassa River and 35 feet from all other established wetlands shall be provided. D. Floodplain protection. These standards apply where the first floor elevation of a proposed project is required by floodplain regulations to be higher than the existing grade in order to be above the Base Flood Elevation (approximately four to five feet in most locations). Site fill for the support of the structure or in the yard area shall be no more than allowed by the LDC. However, no fill shall be allowed within 20 feet of any wetland, the Homosassa River, or any canal or water body connecting to the river. The minimum fill to achieve compliance with the design standards herein, and all other codes, is allowed. Examples, which are not mandatory, are: 1. Stemwall construction with fill approximately 2.5 feet below the first habitable floor. This solution would be appropriate for nonresidential structures where handicapped accessibility is required. 2. Elevated structures with minor or no fill. This solution would be appropriate for residential structures where the lowest floor is not habitable and is used for garage and/or storage. (See Figures for diagrams of elevated structures.)

11 Nonresidential Stemwall Construction