Unified Development Ordinance, 31st Supplement, May 2024

CHAPTER 5. ​OVERLAY DISTRICTS | Article 5.5. Transit Overlays

D. Landscaping Requirements 1. When vehicular surface areas are constructed in the front yard area of a single-unit living in a detached house or tiny house and a parking space is designed to be within 45 degrees or less of the public street, a continuous berm or row of evergreen shrubs shall be provided within 5 feet of the edge of the parking space on the side nearest the public street in order to screen the broad side of the parked vehicle from view of the public street. 2. Berms shall have a minimum height of 1½ feet and a minimum crown width of 2 feet and a side slope of no greater than two-to-one, and shall be planted and covered with live vegetation. 3. Evergreen shrubs installed to satisfy the requirements of this subsection shall be a locally-adapted species expected to reach a minimum height of 36 inches and a minimum spread of 36 inches within 2 years of planting. 4. All shrubs shall be a minimum 24 inches tall when planted and shall be planted a maximum distance between shrubs of 5 feet on center. Shrubs planted on berms may have a lesser mature height provided that the combined height of the berm and the plantings after 2 years are at least 36 inches high. E. Temporary Parking The property owner may apply for a zoning permit to allow temporary parking in the front yard area on grass or surfaces other than the grass or other erodible minimum surfacing requirements. This permit shall be issued to the property owner once in any 3-year period per premise basis, shall not exceed an initial period of 90 days and may be extended by the Development Services Director for additional periods of 30 days. F. Locational Guidelines The general characteristics desired of the land placed in the Special Residential Parking Overlay District are the following: 1. At least 75% of the land within the district is developed. 2. The district contains at least 15 contiguous acres. Public and Institutional uses and outdoor recreation may be included within the boundaries of a Special Residential Parking Overlay District; however, such uses shall not be included within the calculation for establishing the minimum 15 acre requirement.

3. Vehicular surface areas lawfully existing prior to July 19, 2012 and are constructed of permanent, nonerodible surface treatment. 4. Erodible vehicular surface areas may be used for off-street parking without retrofitting to the standards of this overlay district when all of the following conditions are met. a. Erodible vehicular surface areas exist in front yard areas prior to July 19, 2012 and such vehicular areas do not comply with Sec. 5.6.1.C.1. and Sec. 5.6.1.C.2. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a turn-around area no greater than 8 feet by 18 feet is allowed for any front yard vehicular surface area with access to a street with a posted speed limit of greater than 35 miles per hour. b. Parking shall be limited to single-file, perpendicular to the street right-of way in front of the existing curb-cut. The Development Services Director is authorized to permit in writing angled parking for 1 vehicle or side by side parking for 2 vehicles only when all of the following conditions are present: i. Existing man-made structures on the lot prevent the establishing of a parking area of at least 44 feet in length measured from the property side of an existing sidewalk, or in the absence of a sidewalk to the face of the curb or edge of street pavement. ii. The vehicular surface areas do not exceed the limits of this subsection. iii. Cars are angled with headlights toward the building on the lot and do not extend 10 feet beyond the face of the adjoining car, which is parked perpendicular to the street. 5. No vehicle shall be parked or stored outside of the vehicular surface areas described above within the front yard area with the exception of temporary parking under Sec. 5.6.1.E. and vehicles actively and continuously being unloaded, loaded, washed or repaired. For purposes of this provision, vehicle shall include, but not be limited to, passenger vehicle, truck, van, motorized recreation vehicle, motor vehicle as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 20, camper, golf cart, boat trailer, car trailer or other similar vehicle.

Supp. No. 31

5 – 26 Published May 2024

Part 10: Unified Development Ordinance City of Raleigh, North Carolina