21.218 Proposed AJ Amendment(AJ revisions in orange; diagrams with a black line through them are proposed to be removed)
City of Northampton
MASSACHUSETTS
In the Year Two Thousand Twenty One
Upon the Recommendation of Mayor David J. Narkewicz and Planning & Sustainability
21.218 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ZERO LOT LINE SECTION OF CODE
An Ordinance of the City of Northampton, Massachusetts, providing that the Code of Ordinances, City of Nor
thampton, Massachusetts, be amended to alter the requirements of Zero Lot Line projects in order to mainta
in more consistent setbacks within neighborhoods.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Northampton, in City Council assembled, as follows: Mo
ve subsection 10.14 to a new Subsection in Chapter 350-6 and amend as shown
§ 350-10.146.13ZeroReduced lot line (ZRLL) developments.
ZeroReduced lot line (ZRLL) developments are developments, or portions of developments, where
house lots have a minimum side yard setback of zero or more feet on one side (the "zeroreduced lot
line"), while the opposite side meets the standard side yard setback of the district (the “standard
setback”), if the following standards are met:
A. If a garage or other parking structure is built, it must be set back at least twice the normal
front yard setback, or the garage/structure must cover no more than 25% of the front
facade of the principal structure; and
B.A. The zeroreduced lot line side of a house lot must:
1) Abut permanently protected open space where the owner can show a
maintenance easement, as defined below, will be granted; or
2) Abut the lot line of a lot which is under the control of the same property
ownercommon ownership at the time the zeroreduced lot line development is
proposed and
i. shares a party wall with the abutting structure on the separate
parcelcommonly-owned lot OR has a reduced side setback
reduction from the standard setback of up to 5’ from the standard
setback.
i.ii. Abuts the typicalstandard setback area of an adjoining zero lot line
lot under the samecommon ownership. However the last such lot
in a series as described under the same ownership shall have 2x
the typicalstandard setback for both side lotsthe standardhas a
reduction from the standard setback such that the setback on one
lot and the setback on an adjoining commonly-owned lot added
together may be 10 feet less than double the standard setback.;
C.B. A five-foot maintenance easement must be granted toobtained by the owner of a house on
a zeroreduced lot line by fromthe abutting property owner abutting the zeroreduced lot line in
any development pursuant to in A(1) or A(2)(ii) above where the setback is five feet or less
to allow normal maintenance. Said easement may allow a roof overhang of up to two feet
and may allow roof drainage to sheet flow intoonto the easement area and sheet flow
across the abutting property. In. addition, private covenants may be required to insure
proper maintenance of the house abutting the zero lot line; and
C. There shall be a minimum of four shade trees of not less than 2.51.5 inches' caliper
planted or maintained on each lot in accordance with the City’s Tree List & Planting
Guidelines, including two along the street frontage. (See also § 350-6.5D.)
D. Only one principal structure per lot is allowed in a zeroreduced lot line development.
E. Any detached accessory structure on the lot must meet the minimumstandard setbacks for
such structures.