Guidelines for Development of Hillside and Cluster Housing

APPENDIX U A"

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GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HILLSIDE AND CLUSTER HOUSING

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 84 8.0 APPENDIX" A" - GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HILLSIDE AND CLUSTER HOUSING

The Southwest Okanagan Mission Sector Plan, as the first step in the planning process, provides the initial opportunity to provide form, identity and focus to this area of the City. The intent is the establishment of a closely knit residential community that is neighborly and pedestrian friendly while preserving the strongly identified natural features. Of particular concern is the development of the now undeveloped South Slopes area. It is recognized that the development of the hillsides will require special consideration at the design, servicing and construction stage to ensure that the impact on the natural environment is minimized.

Although each Concept Development Plan must include detaiied Design Guidelines to guide the form and character of development, some general guidelines to guide hillside and cluster housing have been prepared:

• The predominant type of housing will be low density single family, with emphasis on clustering. Housing should be street level to preserve the existing character of the area. Cluster housing must be sensitive to surrounding single family development.

• New development must ensure careful architectural transition between detached and attached housing types by means of scale, compatible design elements and open space. Massing and roof forms that reflect individuality of dwellings and sensitivity to the natural environment will be required.

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 85 • The pattern of development will be responsive to the varied topography, taking advantage of views and the surrounding natural landscape.

• Building forms should be stepped to conform to the topography. They should be simple one and two storey structures in colours which blend into the landscape. Building and roof forms should be "broken" into compositions of smaller components to reflect the landscape. Roof forms should be pitched to follow slope and should be broken up and staggered

• Excessive cantilevers and overhangs are discouraged on downhill elevations. Avoid large expanses of a wall in a single plane on downhill elevations. The building must step back on each floor to reflect the slope of the site

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• Building materials must blend in with the color and texture of the natural vegetation and ground form

• Changes to the existing terrain should be kept to a minimum. This includes minimizing areas of grading and avoiding unstable slopes. Lot design should incorporate slopes rather than "create" large, flat lots, particularly in steeper areas.

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 86 • Hillside development must preserve or protect unique or special natural features of the site, such as land forms, rock outcroppings, mature trees and vegetation" drainage courses, hilltops and ridge lines

• To protect the scenic and aesthetic value of highly visible ridges, hills and knolls, building sites should be selected so that construction occurs below the ridge.

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• Planting and landscaping materials should reflect the Okanagan landscape. Removal of natural vegetation must be minimized. Mature vegetation or trees must be preserved or incorporated into the design of the project. Site design should demonstrate that a diligent effort has been made to preserve both the natural vegetation and tree cover. The "no net loss" principle is to apply. This will be addressed more completely at the Concept Development Plan stage and may involve the registration of "No Disturb Covenants" or Council adoption of Tree Cutting Bylaws.

• Planted yard areas and common areas should be properly planted prior to development to enable plants to grow and mature over time.

• Indigenous plants must be maintained within setbacks and property lines. Where land is disturbed, it is to be replanted with plant material indigenous to the area. An extensive use of non-indigenous grasses which require large amounts of water is discouraged. In

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 87 general, developments must incorporate xeri-scaping principles into development of landscape programs.

• Low-flow or drip irrigation systems which minimize the use of water will be required. Impervious paving surfaces should be minimized for improved water conservation (i.e. paver blocks, brick on sand, turf blocks, etc.).

• Complete lot clearing to enable the creation of "view lots" will discouraged and controlled through the Concept Development Plan stage.

CirculationlAccess Principles

• Roadway/Access patterns should follow topography. Street layout should be aligned to conform to the topography whenever possible. Long stretches of straight road should be avoided. This can be achieved in a variety of ways including the introduction of gentle horizontal and vertical curves.

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 88 • The City must show flexibility with roadway standards where it can be justified (i.e. use of lanes or private access easements) and where it will result in the preservation of the hillside. Where road right-of-way widths are reduced, additional off-street parking may be required on each lot or cluster site.

• Private access roads may reduce grading requirements and eliminate civic maintenance responsibilities

• Side access garages are encouraged so that the street facing elevations of houses are not dbminated by garages. Platform garages may be necessary if slope is too severe.

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• Single loaded roadways, split roadways and lanes may be utilized for access purposes where appropriate and where construction of a roadway would result in further site disturbance.

• Cyclist/Pedestrian Systems should utilize existing natural corridors and should be of manageable grade. Special attention should be made to the provision of barrier free access to cyclist/pedestrian systems in both the public (linear parks, public parks, etc.) and private realm, in order to provide equal opportunities to special needs users.

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 89 • Driveways which serve more than one site are encouraged to reduce unnecessary grading, paving and site disturbance. Driveways should be aligned with the natural contours of the site and finished grades should be consistent with the finished grade of the site.

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 90 Hillside Grading and Drainage Principles

• Utilize natural drainage ways where possible

• Man-made storm drainage systems should be designed to create a natural rather than manufactured appearance

• Utilize surface drainage systems as amenity/open space corridors

• Use storm water detention ponds which recharge ground water and irrigate landscape amenities

• Create opportunities for wildlife habitats in surface drainage areas

• Avoid flattening of terrain to create building sites: respect existing topography

• Avoid sharp cuts and fills and long linear slopes of uniform grade

• Proposals should include erosion control measures: during and after construction

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 91 • Terracing should be done in small steps; avoid wide step terracing. Retaining walls must be of minimum height and must be surfaced with natural materials

Subdivision and/or Lot Layout Principles

• Alternative lot configurations (panhandle, substandard frontage, etc.) can be utilized to encourage terracing of buildings and minimize cut and fill roadways

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• Building envelopes must be established on all lots

• Lot size and shape will vary in relation to topography

• Driveway viability may dictate increased lot sizes

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 92 • Driveway configurations must respect contours and should connect to roadways at an angle between 70 and 90 degrees

Visual Impact Mitigation

• Design techniques which minimize grading impacts and protection of sensitive areas and natural drainage features on highly visible slopes shall be used

• New development shall be adequately buffered from adjacent development and properties by tree preservation and increased setbacks

• Development shall be limited within 30m of all ridge lines

• Design of buildings and sites should be sensitive to the natural terrain of existing knolls

• Roads and streets should be designed, constructed and landscaped to minimize views from the valley floor, roads and adjacent properties

• Large retaining wall and structures visible from off-site require special treatment

• Building heights should be limited to the height of existing tree cover and shall maintain vegetative backdrop visible from off-site

• All new residential development will be located to minimize interference with views of neighbouring properties

• At the time of preparation of Concept Development Plan, the landowner must also prepare an Environmental Impact Review of the proposal. A key component of this review is the completion of a Visual Impact Analysis. which will be required for all hillside developments.

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 93 Cluster Housing Design and Application Principles

The general intent of cluster housing is that residential units are concentrated on a smaller portion of the overall building site so that the remainder of the site can be preserved as unbuilt open space for conservation or recreation/amenity space. The net density of the cluster development will be equivalent to or in some cases slightly higher than conventional development while preserving substantially more of the site as open space. Some principles of cluster housing are outlined as follows:

• Cluster housing options will be encouraged where they will reduce required grading and site disturbance, and will be encouraged on all sites in excess of 25% slope. Cluster housing developments must be designed in response to the natural environment.

• Clustering allows the creation of greater green spaces between development nodes and leaves more of the site undisturbed while maintaining the same densities as single family residential.

• Clustering allows the sharing of driveways, parking and open space amenities which may result in reduced site disturbance.

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SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 94 • Flexibility and innovation must be shown by the City and Developer in order to permit projects which result in a reduced impact on the natural environment. An example may be: Setbacks may be relaxed to allow clustering of units to protect existing slopes and mitigate perceived building heights.

• The cluster units must be stepped to follow the natural slope of the hill.

• Continuity of landscape treatment must be incorporated in each cluster development.

• Cluster developments (hillside or not) should be organized around common amenit ies internal to the site.

SOUTH WEST MISSION SECTOR PLAN 95 9.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Association of British Columbia Grape Growers, Atlas of Suitable Grape Growing Locations in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, Agriculture Canada, 1984.

2. Brandes Jr., Donald H. and Luzier, J. Michael, Developing Difficult Sites (Solutions for Developers and Builders), Home Builder Press, 1991

3. City of Kelowna, Linear Parks - City of Kelowna Field Notes, Heather Wooldridge, Summer 1992.

4. City of Kelowna, Strategic Plan-Choosing Our Future, October, 1992.

5. City of Kelowna, Kelowna Community Plan 1985-2004, 1986.

6. City of Kelowna, Development Permit Guidelines for Environmentally Sensitive Area, 1993.

7. City of Kelowna, Subdivision By-law No. 6050-86 and amendments.

8. City of Kelowna, Master Drainage Plan, Okanagan Mission Basin Study, Dayton & Knight, 1991.

9. City of Kelowna, Mission Flats and South City Sanitary Sewer Study, Stanley & Associates, 1990.

10. City of Kelowna, Predesign - Kelowna South Water Study, Reid Crowther and Partners Ltd., 1990.

11 . BC Environment, Urban Runoff Quality Control Guidelines for British Columbia, 1992.

12. 20 Year Servicing Plan and Financing Strategy, April 1992.

13. Hillside Residential Design Guidelines Manual, San Rafael (no date).

14. Habitat Protection Criteria and Design, Canadian Wildlife Services, 1992 (draft).

15. Preserving Our Foodlands, Landscape Buffer Specifications, BC Agricultural Land Commission.

16. Reid Collins and Associates, Kelowna Natural Features Inventory Summary Report, Prepared for the City of Kelowna, 1991.

17. Reid Collins and Associates, Kelowna South Slopes Community Forest Strategic Plan, 1992.

18. U;1termann Richard, Small Robert, Site Planning For Cluster Housing, New York, Van Norstrand Reinhold Company, 1977. 19. Yaro Prof. Robert D., Dealing With Change in the Connecticut River Valley: A design Manual for Conservation and Development, Boston, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Environmental Law Foundation, December 1990. !

Ntlgbbgrbopd Nolle' Ind Unh' WIthIn 20 Y...

NODE EXISTING NEW TOTAL INAll 580 75 655 la 34 900 934 lb 650 560 2. 500 500 2b · 450 450 2. · 250 250 touIF~. PRESStft ZONES 3, 650 550 · ;~~ 110. OF \RTI TO • __ 3b · 500 500 ION! COIfTOUI M P1Irt 0130 150 150 · IIA,.. Q V. IP'- 14.1 • M1 3926 4639 LAIIIRN NIl' I IMAll PIM'I • 1U.II ... 130 1e?4U ITA.. I lAIKlE PIM'I • 127.0 ... 480 411·4TF Neighborhood Nod" I!Id U!t!ml1e Uah, Ir, t ITAIDIY ...... 127.0 ... 480 PI• 4TF·12I ...... IOOITIII I IIIIALL PIM'I • 1U.II ... 400 Y 121 • NT NODE EXISTING NEW TOTAL .~.r· I lAIKlE PIM'I • IM.O ... 700 INAll 580 75 855 t IT_ NII'.IM.O ... 700 YI M7-n 1, 34 900 934 • PIM'I • 1410 ... 121 lb 650 560 =-.~ t ITAIDIY NIl' • Mt.o ... 121 2a · 500 500 IPIM'I ...... 180 2b · 450 450 =;=:a. tlT_YNII' ...... 180 2. · 250 250 3a · 150 550 3b 800 500 Part 0130 180 160 SUBTOTAl. .14 31125 4539 2d · no 550 Ra., of 3io · 200 200 3d 700 700 .. 30 700 730 OKANAGAN iii II 250 258 to 6 80 65 'LAKE 200 200 I · 40 40 41 26 25 IUBTOTAl 4:· 2726 2768 TOTAL 881 0080 7307

SOUTHWEST OKANAGAN:MISSION SECTOR PLAN NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD NODES/ SCALE SE~VICE AREA ~OUNDARIES STUDY AREA:. 5000 ACRES . DEVelOPMENT AREA: 2783 ACRES

LEGEND

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r NEIGt.atIRHOOD IIOIHlARY

~ A1EA BOIHlARY I .....'MUI i Neighborhood Nodes and Units Wilhin 20 Years i NODE i EXISTING NEW i TOTAL LIFT ST A TIQNS I INFILL 580 75 I 655 ESTIMATED NO OF UNITS TO BE SERVED 1a 34 900 934 1b 550 ; 550 LIFT SERVICE NEW AGGR=GATE I 2a I 500 500 STATION AREAS UNITS TOTAL 2b 450 450 I ! -is 2c 250 250 #1 4a, 4c 778 i ':20 3a 550 550 112 40, 4d -U2 US"'AL~--- ' 30 500 500 #3 40,41 83 ~303 CI' .... ~IDOD ... '--8 US Ie Part Exist. 286 ~:a9 Part of 3c I 150 150 #4 ExiSt. 203 '792 I 3925 4539 #5 Car. JtEi.- 2DOIIIII IlL : Neigh. #1 1570 3362 Q f"AIp • 8 r. FM. • IODIID IlL Neighborhood Nodes and Ultimate Units

NODE EXISTING NEW TOTAL INFILL I 580 , 75 655 OKANAGAN LAKE la 34 900 934 1b ; I 550 550 2a 500 500 2b 450 450 2c I 250 250 3a i 550 550 3b 500 500 Part of 3c 150 150 SUBTOTAL 614 3925 4539 2d 550 550 Rest of 3c 200 200 3d 700 700 4a 30 700 730 4b 8 250 258 4c I 5 : 60 65 4d I ; 200 200 4e 40 40 4f 25 25 SUBTOTAL I 43 2725 2768 TOTAL I 657 6650 I 7307

SOUTHWEST OKANAGAN MISSION SECTOR PLAN NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD NODES/ SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES SCALE • ,I • STUDY AREA:. 5000 ACRES DEVELOPMENT 'AREA: 2763 ACRES

LEGEND [SANITARY SEWERS I PAOPOIED ClAII ROADS

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1EllHlJ0IHI00IJ IIOIHlARY IIERVIC! AREA IIOIHlARY IAllTAIIT __ I'OIICI MAlI -- MAP 14 Ne!gbbgrbood Nod.. Ind Unit, WIthin 20 y ..,.

NODE EXISTlNG NEW TOTAL INAU 580 75 655 ,. .. 34 900 934 lb · 550 550 2e · 600 500 2b · 450 450 2c · 260 250 38 650 550 3b · 600 500 [ Pert ol3c · 150 150 · 3925 4539

Ne!gbbgrbood Node. II!d Ultlmatl uona [ NODE EXISTING NEW TOTAL INAU 580 75 655 ,. 34 900 934 lb · 650 550 2. · 500 500 2b · 450 450 2c 250 250 38 · 650 550 3b · 500 500 Pert oI3c · 150 150 SUBTOTAL 814 3925 4539 2d · 550 550 lINtol~ · 200 200 OKANAGAN 3d · 700 700 4a 30 700 730 411 II 250 258 LAKE ... 5 60 85 4d 200 200 ... 40 40 41 25 25 SUBTOTAl 43· 2725 2768 TOTAIL '" IlIISO 7301

SOUTHWEST OKANAGAN, MISSION SECTOR PLAN NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD NODES/ SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES SCALE STUDY AREA:. 5000 ACRES DEVELOPMENT AREA: 2763 ACRES

LEGEND CSTQBMW~n;.1:! 'DRAINAGE PROPOsm 0RIl ROADS SYSTEM' ALA IPROPOSEJ)) ---- : _omHOOO BOIHlARY ----• SERVICE AREA BOUNlARY ) MJiP15