Read the Duplex Ordinance Summary Going Before City Council February 27th



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By Mark Baratelli

After extensive public input at meetings on March 17, 2015, April 21, 2015 and September 21, 2016, the Municipal Planning Board recommended approval of the LDC amendment on December 20, 2016 (LDC2016-00199).  City Council heard a legislative appeal on January 23, 2017. The appeal was denied and staff was directed to prepare an ordinance. Ordinance No. 2017-17 amending the Land Development Code to revise the standards for duplex and tandem development goes before City Council February 27th. 

The purpose of the changes is to continue to encourage redevelopment in the City’s two-family zoning districts while maintaining the character and development pattern in established neighborhoods.

The code amendments include changes to parking standards, driveways, landscaping, and building design standards. Additional changes are proposed for the Colonialtown North Special Plan zoning overlay area.


New Duplex Ordinance Summary:
The information below is a summary of proposed ordinance #2017-17 changes, relating to duplex and tandem development. Code citations that relate to the ordinance text are included in parentheses for each item.

Mass and scale
By reducing the visual impact of larger homes, these developments will appear more compatible in scale with single family homes and the neighborhoods they’re built in.

Proposed code amendments to help achieve this are:
  1. On corner lots in the R-2A district permit only tandems, not duplexes. (Section 58.515(a)) 
  2. Require at least 1 canopy tree in the front yard. (Currently a minimum of 2 trees per lot, but both could be in the rear yard.) By ensuring landscaping is a part of these new developments, this can be an effective way to reduce the visual impact of a large building. (Section 60.223(c)) 
  3. Keep maximum floor area ratio (FAR) at 0.50 for duplexes, and require maximum FAR of 0.50 for single family. The current maximum 0.50 FAR for duplexes & tandems still allows for large buildings; single family homes have no FAR limitation. New development is typically significantly larger than established homes, and typically includes multiple garages, which add to the size of the building but are not subject to FAR limits. (Section 58.110, Figure 1, Section 58.516(d)(1)) 
  4. Permit tandem dwellings in R-2A & R-2B districts wherever duplexes are permitted, except where Historic Districts or Special Plan Overlays restrict tandems. (Currently, tandems are allowed only on corner lots.) Increase the tandem rear yard setback from 15 feet to 20 feet, to better match surrounding lots. Tandems can help reduce the appearance of mass because they are two separate buildings. (Section 58.516(a), Section 58.516(g)C.) 
  5. Allow court homes (four units with a shared driveway) for both tandem and duplex development. (Section 58.515(h)) 
  6. For duplexes on a 50 foot lot, reduce the rear yard setback by 5 feet provided that the unit is front-to-back and there are limited accessory structures in the rear yard. The purpose of this is to incentivize front-to-back units instead of side-by-side units, and provide some additional room to fit the required garage on a small lot. (Section 58.515(f)) 
  7. The gross floor area of a rear unit tandem on an interior lot may not exceed the gross floor area of the front unit. This is to prevent larger homes from being built behind existing homes. (Section 58.516(d)2) 
  8. Where canopy street trees cannot be accommodated, require an equivalent amount of onsite canopy trees. (Section 58.515(g))

Accommodating parked cars
By utilizing different techniques, new development can accommodate the additional space needed for multiple cars, but also ensure that the character of the neighborhood is not compromised by protecting on-street parking, ensuring better access for large vehicles like trash collection and mail delivery and ensuring that driveways and garages aren’t the dominate feature of new homes.

Proposed code amendments to help achieve this are:
  1. Delete the exception to the Traditional City garage standards for duplexes. Currently, the City’s Traditional City garage standards for duplexes allow for up to a 24’ wide garage on a 40’ wide duplex, resulting in a 60% maximum garage width. For all other residential uses, the maximum garage width is 50% of the front façade. (Section 62.600 (e)(1)) 
  2. Revise the curb cut standards to match single family: For most lots, only one curb cut is allowed. A second curb cut is allowed only if there is at least 42 feet separation. Increase the maximum driveway width from 16 feet to 18 feet for duplex and single family. (Section 61.240) 
  3. Require a second parking space for each unit greater than 1500 sq. ft. (Currently 2000 sq. ft.) (Section 61.240, Figure 26) 
  4. Prohibit “tuning fork” driveways that start as a single drive at the property line and split into two separated drive lanes adjacent to the building. (Section 61.240) 
  5. Require garage to be set back at least 5 feet from the front of the house. (Section 62.600 (e)(5)) 
  6. Require 2 feet of landscaping between building fronts and a driveway. The new rules may incentivize open-air parking instead of a garage. The code currently allows (and will continue to allow) a home to be set back an additional 20 feet to allow a parking space behind the front setback but in front of the house. If this option is chosen, landscaping should be required so that there’s separation between the end of the driveway and the front of the house. (Section 61.302(g))

Building Types and Appearance
It’s important that new development build on the aesthetic personality of our neighborhoods through architectural detail and variety that blends in with the existing character and single family homes.
Proposed code amendments to help achieve this are:
  1. Create an “anti-monotony” standard, prohibiting the same building elevation from being constructed on two adjacent standard-sized lots. This is required for most large single family subdivisions, and should be the standard in the R-2 neighborhoods as well. (Section 58.517(a)) 
  2. Units with a front loaded garage may not be a mirror image building elevation (symmetrical). Each unit must be differentiated from the other. (Section 58.517(b)) 
  3. Provide for an administrative appearance review process for duplexes and tandems, with specific design guidelines. Guidelines will focus on creating a cohesive architectural style, preferably one that is commonly found within the Traditional City. Guidelines will include a menu of architectural elements, and applicants will need to demonstrate that a minimum number of elements are included (examples: porch with a railing, bay window, window banding detail, etc). (Section 58.110, Figure 2A; Figure 1 footnote 12; Section 58.517(c), (d)) 
  4. Interior side elevations: Require appearance review for side elevations subject to the standards above. Require one of the following options for preventing blank walls on interior side elevations: 
  5. A minimum 10% transparency (windows) for side walls. 
  6. Articulation of the wall (inset or recess at least 2 feet deep, at least 6 feet wide) 
  7. Allow variances to the duplex and tandem standards through the design variance process. This provides an opportunity to present an alternative design that meets other goals such as tree preservation, while giving staff and the public an opportunity to review the design at the Board of Zoning Adjustment. (Section 58.517(f)) 

Providing Homeownership Options
Duplexes and tandems can provide attractive, affordable homeownership opportunities in some of Orlando’s most desired neighborhoods.

Proposed code amendments to help achieve this are: 
  1. Allow duplexes and tandems to be sold and owned in fee simple by platting or lot split (current code does not allow for developers to separate each unit into a fee simple lot). By allowing for this, owners would no longer need to go through a cumbersome process to set up a 2-unit condominium association. (Section 58.518)
  2. Add standards for maintenance of common improvements which would help to ensure the exteriors of these homes are maintained. (Section 58.518(d), Section 65.411(A)(8), Section 65.581, Section 65.582(A)) 

Colonialtown North Special Plan District
Over the years, this unique district, which was once largely comprised of smaller single family homes, has seen one of the largest influxes of duplexes in Orlando. It’s important to continue to protect the special character of the neighborhood and while ensuring new development is compatible with single family homes.

Proposed code amendments to help achieve this are:
  1. Reduce FAR for all uses (duplexes, tandems & single family) to 0.40 in R-2A, keep as is for R-2B district (duplexes currently have a maximum 0.5 FAR). (Section 62.497 (c)(1)) 
  2. Permit tandem dwellings in the R-2A district wherever duplexes are permitted (tandems are currently prohibited). (Section 62.497 (c)(1)) 
  3. Continue to allow front yard porch encroachments, but limit to 6 feet depth (currently 8 feet). Prohibit 2-story porch encroachments. (Section 62.497 (c)(4)) 

Additional Changes for Continuity 
  1. Provide a cross-reference to existing Section 58.1152 related to requirements for non- conforming single family lots. (Section 58.110, Figure 2A, footnote 16) 
  2. Clarify terms related to accessory units and identify whether an accessory unit can become a tandem. (Section 58.110, Figure 2A, footnote 22; Section 62.600(f)) 
  3. For duplex and tandem development, provide applicability, intent and how to address conflicts in the regulations. (Section 58.514) 
  4. Add standards to address front door orientation for duplex and tandem development (Section 58.515(b), 62.600(b)). 
  5. Clarify that an open-air parking space that has living space above is a carport (Section 62.600(e)(2)). 
  6. Add or revise the following definitions: court home development; dwelling, front-to-back duplex; dwelling, one family (or single family); dwelling, side-by-side duplex; dwelling, two family (or duplex). (Section 66.200) 
  7. Revise the minimum width for a ribbon driveway from 16 feet to 13 feet. (Section 61.240)