08-18-1993 Public Hearing-Flag Lot Issue Minutes

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Ordinance Amendment - Definition of Lot Width/Flag Lots - Public Hearing July 28. 1993 Page 2 a flag lot is the result of subdividing a deep lot in half to create a "front lot" and "back lot , with a connecting corridor along side the front lot for access to the rear lot. The City has generally moved away from allowing creation of flag lots becau.se tliey by definition require a variance. One option the City allowed in the distant past was an easement through the front lot to access the back lot. In contemporary times, however, the City has required that the corridor be platted separately as an outlot when back lots are allowed. No lot area credit is granted for the outlot. From a planning standpoint, not all cities allow the creation of flag lots, and in the definition of flag lot appearing in "The Illustrated Book of Development Definitions" (1981, Rutgers University Press), it is noted that "Flag lots are permitted in rural and developing municipalities to permit development of back land areas while still maintaining their rural character. The usual requirenfents a flag lot are as follows: minimum lot area at least twice the area in the zone where !c«.ated exclusive of the right-of-way connecting the lot with die public road; minimum front, side and rear yard requirements m be met on the portion excluding the right-of-way; minimum of 20’ and maximum of 50 ’ for right-of-way; not more thrm 1 tiag lot for each right-of-way; rights-of-way should be a minimum distance apart of at least the minimum lot width in the particular zone." One negative aspect of a flag lot is that its driveway corridor is adjacent to the side and rear yard of the front lot. SecondFy, the back yard of the front lot abuts the functional front yard of the flag lot and without proper screening and buffering, the flag lot resident may find having rear yard uses abutting his front yard to be visually and otherwise incompatible. Adequate buffering might mitigate this, hence the typical requirement of "twice the required lot area" noted above. Issues related to the number of curb cuts within a given length of busy roadway may be a valid concern in some situations. Fire safety and emergency vehicle access would be a further concern as the narrow corridor extends a greater distance from the road. It should also be pointed out that whether the City allows the creation of flag lots, back lots with cutlot driveways, or front and back lots witli an easement access, the functional result is the same. Staff Recommendation This is a public hearing, and Planning Commission is requested to consider whether flag lot are appropriate on lakeshore or generally in the City. Identification of issues and concerns about the use of flag lots will help in determining whether a code amendment is appropriate and how it might be structured. Staff would, if appropriate, bring options back to Planning Commission for further consideration.