BY DEBBIE PAGE
The Troutman Planning Board on Monday approved Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) amendments regulating mini-warehouses and self-storage and for parking in front yards. The board also recommended approval of a rezoning and annexation request so a property owner can access town water service.
CDC Land Development brought a request to town planning staff requesting an amendment to the one-mile distance separation requirement for mini-storage/self-storage facilities in the highway business zoning district.
The amendment leaves the one-mile separation requirement in place for stand-alone mini-warehousing sites but added language that allows mini-warehousing within the one-mile distance if it is part of a mixed-use development and does not front the same roadway as an existing mini-warehouse site.
Town Planner Andrew Ventresca said that this change will allow new mixed-use developments to have storage areas for its residents.
The planning board unanimously recommended the change to the Town Council.
The board also recommended a change to the UDO regarding parking of all vehicles in residential zoning areas to be consistent with the town’s Code of Ordinances. The new language prohibits “the parking of automobiles, buses, motorcycles, trailers, and other vehicles in the front yard of lots within residentially zoned districts” at all times.
The restriction “is not intended to include driveways or paved/hard surfaced areas connected to driveways.”
The amendment also limits driveway width in residentially zoned properties to 22 feet. The current rules allow 40 percent of the width of the lot, which Ventresca found unattractive.
Ventresca said that current front yard parking violators are visited by police officers since the restriction is not found in the UDO. The UDO change would shift these duties to the code enforcement officer, which Ventresca said would be less intimidating and a more appropriate response.
Rezoning/Annexation Request
The board also unanimously approved a request for a suburban residential zoning designation for a homeowner’s annexation request for 875 Old Mountain Road scheduled for the Town Council meeting in May. To access town water, the property must be annexed into Troutman.
Though the future land-use map has recommended this area near Buffalo Shoals Road as neighborhood commercial, Ventresca said the suburban residential zoning is closest to the current Iredell County residential agriculture zoning of the residential property.
Next Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, at 6 p.m. because of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday.