Memorandum

To:                  Chris Layton, Town Manager

From:              Andy Garman, Director of Community Development

Date:               5/1/08

Re:                  Public Hearing on Ordinance 08-02, an Ordinance Amending Section 156.092 of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Duck, North Carolina, related to off-street parking requirements for single-family and two-family (duplex) dwellings

 

At the March 12, 2008 meeting, the Planning Board finalized their discussion of residential driveway and parking regulations related to circular driveways.  This item was referred by the Town Council on February 6, 2008.  To summarize, when new residential driveway regulations were adopted in September of 2007, a provision was included to limit the width of lot (driveway) access to 20 feet.  This was one of several measures designed to improve the aesthetics of residential driveways and parking areas.  As you know, the minimum width for a residential drive aisle is 12 feet.  The combination of these standards effectively prohibits more than one curb cut on a lot since each drive aisle is required to be 12 feet wide.  A question was raised as to whether it was the Town’s intent to prohibit multiple curb cut driveways.  The most commonly cited example is a circular driveway.  The Planning Board unanimously agreed that it was not their intent to eliminate the possibility for circular or multiple curb cut driveways and voted to recommend the attached draft ordinance which includes lot access width standards for single and multiple curb cut driveways.  Single curb cut driveways will still be limited to 20 feet in width and multiple curb cut driveways will be limited to 24 feet in width.  There is also a minimum separation requirement established between the driveway entrances of multiple curb cut driveways.  Attached is the draft ordinance as recommended by the Planning Board with the requisite findings of consistency with the Town’s adopted CAMA Land Use Plan.  The Town Council scheduled this item for public hearing at their April regular meeting.

 

Attachments:     Recommendation Memo from the Planning Board

Draft Ordinance to Amend Driveway and Parking Regulations