Amount of Residential Growth:
Target of less than 20%. This district (Rural) will be subject to a “Building Permit Allocation System”, described below.
Purpose:
· To help preserve rural character by directing growth away from the Rural District.
· To help assure that the number of new homes built in the Rural District meets the target set for it.
Building permits for the following uses shall be subject to allocation:
1. New homes, new mobile homes, new manufactured homes; whether on an individual lot or in an approved subdivision.
2. New multifamily housing and condominiums.
Building permits for the following uses shall not be subject to allocation:
1. Accessory structures.
2. Remodeling of an existing structure.
3. Replacement of existing structure.
4. Creation of an accessory apartment.
Determination of allocation number:
1. Initially, allocation number shall be 20% of the average number of new homes built town-wide over several recent years (including mobile/manufactured homes and excluding seasonal dwelling units in contract zones).
2. Number of actual permits issued yearly in the Rural District will be tracked.
3. The allocation number shall be reviewed regularly, at least every three years.
4. Adjustments should be made to the allocation number and the exceptions, if the actual number of building permits for new homes in the Rural District is significantly different from the target.
Annual process:
1. Permits are issued one per person, corporation or other legal entity.
2. Permits are issued on a first come basis.
3. Permits are not transferable.
4. There must be a “substantial start” made within 6 months of issuance of building permit.
5. If the actual number of permits issued in a given year is less than the allocation number, the excess shall not be carried over to the next year.
6. Once the allocation number has been reached, the following exceptions apply to building permits for new homes on lots:
a) Gifted to immediate family and not subject to subdivision law.
b) In subdivisions approved prior to adoption of this Comprehensive Plan.
c) In subdivisions that have permanently protected from future development significant areas of open space as determined by agreed upon criteria. For example: very large areas; areas adjacent to already conserved land; areas identified in an adopted Open Space Plan.
Five years after adoption of the new zoning, the amount of development shall be reviewed in all districts, and adjustments should be made to meet the rate of growth targets as laid out in this Plan, if necessary. These adjustments could include:
· Adjustments to the formula for the allocation number in the Rural District.
· Creation of an allocation number for the Residential District if target not being met (similar to the formula and process for Rural but adjusted for the different target percentage) This change will require public hearings and a vote at a future Town Meeting.
· Recommendation of adoption, at Town Meeting, of a town-wide rate of growth ordinance (in compliance with current state regulations and SPO guidelines) if overall development exceeds a certain threshold.