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Preliminary Plat_Brickyard Estates_CallahanPlanning Services Department City Hall 50 West 13th Street Dubuque, IA 52001 -4864 (563) 589 -4210 phone (563) 589 -4221 fax (563) 690 -6678 TDD planning@cityofdubuque.org cityofdubuque.org THE CITY OF � Dubuque DUB E i jj► Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007 March 8, 2012 The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members City of Dubuque City Hall — 50 W. 13th Street Dubuque IA 52001 Applicant: Joel Callahan, Callahan Construction, Inc. Location: Southwest Corner of Middle Road and Seippel Road Description: Preliminary Plat Brickyard Estates Dear Mayor and City Council Members: The City of Dubuque Zoning Advisory Commission has reviewed the above -cited request. The application, staff report and related materials are attached for your review. Discussion The applicant spoke in favor of the request, reviewing the layout of the subdivision, the types of residences that will be built, and the range of housing prices. Staff reviewed the staff report, noting street layout, availability of water and sewer, provisions for stormwater detention and location of open space. Staff reviewed the type of sustainable development tools incorporated into the proposed subdivision. The required 40 points were achieved by using 27 -foot width streets, 50 percent of the homes will be built to the State's Green Building Code, and 70% of the lots within the subdivision meet the requirements for solar lots. There were no public comments. The Zoning Advisory Commission discussed the request, reviewing the applicant's request to waive street right -of -way and paving width, and the guideline for open space /recreational space. Recommendation By a vote of 5 to 1, the Zoning Advisory Commission recommends that the City Council approve the request. A simple majority vote is needed for the City Council to approve the request. Respectfully submitted, it,48 IV Charles Miller, Chairperson Zoning Advisory Commission cc: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer Bob Green, Water Department Manager Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork THE C1TY OP x..113 Mtrsterpicce on the Mississippi ['Variance ❑Conditional Use Permit ❑Appeal ❑Special Exception OLirnfted Setback Waiver ❑ Rezoning /PUD oubuque A 2Q0.7 PLANNING APPLICATION FORM ]Preliminary Plat Major Final Plat ❑Minor Final Plat ['Simple Site Plan ['Minor Site Plan El Major Slte Plan ❑Simple Subdivision ❑Text Amendment ❑Temporary Use Permit CIAn nexation ❑Historic Revolving Loan ❑Historic Housing Grant Please type or grint legibly in ink G% Property owner(s): Cod t a �u ti'r Go-vs-Pr-it � •.� -'r1G. City of Dubuque Planning Services Department Dubuque, IA 52001 -4805 Phone: 563-589-4210 Fax: 563- 589 -4221 planning @cityofdubuc ue.orq ❑Certificate of Appropriateness ['Advisory Design Review (Public Projects) ['Certificate of Economic Non - Viability ❑Historic Designation ❑Demolition In Conservation Districts ['Port of Dubuque Design Review Phone: 5t3" 58-'-73 Address: '76, al co v' r- -rc e Pfrl -City: Dt'r Jo cbv -e. State: 14 Zip: 50-00 Fax #: 5/3 -S d--`I3) iced #: 563 • a 13--)015- E -mail: Ca i ta k� v, ; n c C o Applicant /Agent: 3-6.0 Co< (ce 1/ Yl Phone: 54° ) 015 Address: 7 (O ,41 (cvV1 fl -k�C >' Par %- City: 7r z 1cc eD c /-C State: A Zip: 5c9.00. Fax #: "7_ V2 /(/ Cell #• r l3 -• /01 E -mail: c..d / /e� `r el A/ / :7 poy. •e Site location /address: .'clr& , jfi ■71- _5 =1;11 /4. Neighborhood Association: Existing zoning: ($ Proposed zoning; &j,2 -2,R 3 District: N/A Landmark: O Yes No Legal Description (Sldwell parcel ID# or lot number /block number /subdivision): Sc - Pic 1 Total property (lot) area (square feet or acres): _25: s Describe proposal and reason necessary (attach a letter of explanation, if needed): \c:. 6'; V; C" prc e c) -j- y for k t („.k6 o►'� CERTIFICATION: I /we, the undersigned, do hereby certify /acknowledge that: 1. It Is the property owner's responsibility to locate property lines and to review the abstract for easements and restrictive covenants. 2. The information submitted herein is true and correct to the best of my /our knowledge and upon submittal becomes public record; 3, Fees are not refundable and payment does not guarantee approval; and 4. All additional required written and graphic materials are attached. Property Owner(s): 61 //a Yt st. L .c� 't) Date: / rU Applicant /Agent: r3 ( eel frei Date: FOR OFFICE USE ONLY -- APPLICATION SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST Fee: : /, SSC? • on> Received by: Prel;,c.. aru.,y Pia- I t Date: /24.47-- Docket: PREPARED BY BOESIN0 & ASSOCIATES OCR =55 12'2 LOCUST STR J' 37 5 75' 161/4 'We sc 247 n ex 002.451002 41314-4b1.-,`,*- 1375 Asbury IRc ET, C4.B000E, 101/4? A 52001 PHONE' (5631 556 -4389 PRELIMINARY PLAT BRICKYARD ESTATES AS COMPRISED 0= LOT 1 CF CALLAHAN PLACE, LOCATED IN T -E \E 1/4 OF SEC 25, 789N, R "E. CE THE 5TH P M , IN 71-5 CITY OF JJBUOUE, DUBUOUE CCUN-Y, IOWA 33,00- F - -- ... _ Sri- _ { ' 7 RP N8974'26 ' - 1323 70' MIDDLE -RD-(e - - - - - , ; - ccoY-c eo 4os5T _ _ - JJ89VdD E�12 ]016_ _ 4- �-' n SUS -A NA61 .TY MEASURE, 813600ED 1 SOLAR 5..80151501 2 27 -700- WIDE STREET 3 GREEN 3e1'_DING 00]0 (500) LOT 01 /2 E1 /4 8E1 /4 4476005 SEC 24 6210 Middle O8yc. Swann, eM k >omn • J• ReEl /x 5EC /t/ o ------ 502, 651BSf 5854471 .45867 56 0 3OC VM•HISCC, EI sine 54. 1MMIP■SSASIS = 30 POw-5 - 5 POINTS - 5 P1IN14 PGIN-5 OEIPtIEL -u 050E 1.0 35I�x's 5 Elizabeth THE AP A,OT'A._4F'dHlo PRIIMINARY01 T DOES NOT INCLUDE THE APPROVAL OF IN ENTRANCE ONT5 41002E POAP. FROM THIS LOT 79„NOR DOES ITN t UTn1s —Mb 'APP. L LAYOUT. CR, y.'( z \ Q r° 5307s: Z 34 , 530745 72,12211 COMMCPC -AL So 26 3075r S R {,1 5307s1 1 59497r tiy,T,a, =Wfl DE C S&o3 :'?41Cs 3A �= 6 o- 1 597251 7 to 58OOsPo 5001' 141d. DETENTION BASIN AREA (I7 NEEDED) 22.9797(, 8285of 97225: 5776s 105 ' 597541° 58451[0 5891-01,0 ;495 •; 500 TO a00 39' CROWN 00' 706 5, 4' - 410E 2; 12 5365st6 h--1215-51-1-27 CH . �: / 4 IOE 30" C sTJNC BASE 6 .5' PCC 2[ma0E 1, a[ s1 ^sTYPIC AIL Sc iC TIJN z. 23 600 TO 800 6" CROWN 07101- 047011 TEILL L05144 6000 092127600]' cause.. www.,1H 7621 Comma.soAN 66024 0 HI I-5 1 52iT 55 t5- 25 Dc � �- 5 I+ICH S GEWAL8 45 4CLLEDS 8/430 SSONE 3A-E ON . - eC, rONE TYPICAL SECTION _0 BE 8' nOxEawuE= 3' GOC TG BCC 5" CROWN ev.n / 0 J/4N- SG-L- 55 -4c 5, \ 25 n I -m EwtP n POL.E) \ `r Az 651. SA.eIL _ , ,, [ [ ON 1� CkG 71/0 CAL SECTION 2- 9- 1 ?8 LEGEND • 5 /8" 41100 (00013) (ORANGE CAE STA0010 '15487 ") O M4G /PK NAIL (FOUND) ■ 19047 PRE (FOUND; (1 -1 /0', UNLESS NOTED) O RAILROAD 5019E (F0LVD1 EXISTING P /OPER TY LINE E4I,,7707 PcpINE 014 140PCSE10 P40P PT' -NE - - - CEN- ERLIPIE PROPOSED EASEMENT 0'NE PROPOSED BL LOINS SETBACK ( ) 9500PC DIMENSION -- " - - - 4T0 SANITARY SEWER -- - 0T13 STORM SEWER -. ' - - - XTG RATER XTG 04ERFEAD 01100"PC ^1- - - - - XTG FIBER OPTIC - - - -- -- - 7TO STREETS (CURB & GUTTER) -,.- PRO PVC 5AN1-ARY SEWER - ' - PRO RCP STORK/ SEWER -- 4- '+ -w -�- SRC P.0 WATER MAIN PRO 5TREE15 (0U41 & GU-TEO) - - - - - -- -- -- - PRO BUf0INC SSTEACV - ST0 CCNTOLG XTC TREE .'NE NOTES ALL I✓EASJREMENTS ARE 171 8E5' AND CECMALS :HEREOF s I YEREB° CERTIFY :-AT T -5 ENGINEERING DOCUMENT WAS P970491D 57 ME OR LACER MY 011KEC- PERSONAL SUPERVIS ON AND THAT I AM A DULY LCEN5ED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER UNDER THE L455 G' THE STATE 01 1000/ KENNETH L DUES Nu (DATE) LICENSE NUMBER 10374 M" LCENSE RENEWAL DATE '5 DECEMBER 3:. 2000 PA0E5 04 5Y FE T5 007EPE3 BY ',415 SEAL A'L 545715 AS SHOWN IN 7-1' SHEEN IN'E% ON' THIS 5.4851 SHEE' TITLE PROJECT NOTES PRO DETENTION BA5151 AREA - - OF NEEDED) _ 501, 3 -B ROW 31G SRO PP H NI- NV CE CE SS STS 800 ACC ACC , ` 0L N0 BACK OF CJR8 9CC TO sop RIGHT 0E WA" 5857110 P,90'CSEO STREE L,0HT POWER POLE FRE HYDRANT WAN_? VALVE HANHDLE CATCH EASIN SAN TARP SEWER STORNI SEWER F_APEC END SECTION PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE ASPHALT CEMENT 007.77.90T61 930100_ NORTH WESTBROOK` DR- 1 PROPOSED ROW WIDTH 42 NYT/ 100' DI4 CUL-DE-SAC PROPOSED SBREET MDT- 2 !AIM 75' 015 CUL -OE -SAC PROPOSED 0750/0 RADIUS AT INTERSECTIONS ROW AND BCC 20' 2 LOT 1 OF CALLAHAN T_4CE, (81'ce IJ 0925225002). IS PRESEN -LY OWNED 77 001 -oS°n Ccnof 170 / 7629 0, oe Pov / Dub3g7e, 1A 52002 3 LC7 1 wF CALLAHAN PLACE IS PPESENTL" 20500 C5, BUT S PLANNED TO WE REZONED TO P3 4 4L_ ELEBA SONS AND CONTOURS SHOWN ON -H15 PLAT ARE ON AN ARBITRARY DATUM CONTOUR INTERVAL S 1 rEE- 5 PARKING IS TO BE LIMI -_] 00 ONE 510E OF THE STREET ONLY 6 'HE DEVELOPED ARID -HE CITY ENGINEERING DEPT APE IN J SCHSS10N PEGAR01 "C THE CsL -DE -SAC SIZES, AL-E+'04TE PAVEMENT THICKNESS' AND 047E 04E'n CURBS NO 264 PRELIMINARY PLAT BRICKYARD ESTATES PREPARED 0061 CALLAHAN COFI_TRUCTION, NO c/o ,.OE_ CALLAHAN 7629 COMMERCE PARS DUBUQUE 101NA 52002 ASSOCIATES' INC. ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS 12 2 LOGUE- ST. DUBUQUE. 'A 0563) 556 -9329 DATE REVISIONS 1/30/12 SCALE '77/12 PER CITY COMNI,ENTS DRAWN. TP'- CHECK_D BY- E SEE BAR SCALE 0 7iiin J ei L n0 s nee. Ra _ _ N89 14'26 - - -- F x MIDDLE -RD; a I1 _ 3106 R RO ST L M Sf _ = o I _ ,_- „ r I - r 095 /93 0 59 - 44 4 __ - 1➢s 9 93 / 2 THE APRY A 2iV _ OF THIS L 37 " I 9 1 __ 5 - - - - - - P 7475't 51 E } I PRELII,IINARY I DOES NOT m 1 'I m - I -- 0 _iROLUD I 1DAL L LAYOUT - 915 - - 590' 5 580 5 - 0 SAO 5 - - \ 6 • z 1) D_SL • C9 - PRO Flf x�(P{R+fO�S.Ln { -/��� /{[� P { �1 0 A z Ss 35 �. ' _uvs v , 7 zzsr '�' ( (� . �I 6 62 6 Ad L _ _ _ S - - SAV 5 5 0 2 265 sZ�1 9 % , - 91 Y___ 6 m 9t 5 » 84 2 1 53072.( " "y 5 can r 64 6 65 ' ' 68 6 67 5 70 7 _ c 5 /4 y s - 5 o t 5 68 69 7 72 73 5 915 - 0 1 2 020-- - _ '0 U cn0 01 -0 80 03 0 0 b7 0- SUBDIVISION STAFF REPORT Zoning Agenda: March 7, 2012 Project Name: Property Owner: Applicant: Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates Callahan Construction, Inc. Joel Callahan Number of Lots: 109 Acreage in R.O.W: 4.87 acres Total Area: 28.6 acres In City: Yes In 2 -Mile Area: N/A Flood Plain: Yes Density Allowed: 1/5,000 s. f. Commonly owned lots: None. Sanitary Sewer: Yes Water: Yes Storm Sewer: No Existing Street Access: Yes Proposed Land Use: Residential /Commercial Proposed Zoning: R- 1 /R- 2 /R -3 /CS Existing Land Use: Vacant Existing Zoning: CS Adjacent Land Use: North — Residential /AG Adjacent Zoning: North — AG /Residential East — AG /Residential East — AG /R -2/R -4 South — Vacant South — LI West — Commercial /Recreation West —CR /CS Physical Characteristics: The subject property is located at the southwest corner of Middle Road and Seippel Road and has most recently been used for agricultural purposes. The property generally slopes to the south, west and east. A Letter of Map Revision was submitted and approval by FEMA for the stream area and the proposed subdivision's buildable lots will lie outside the area designated as a flood plain. Proposed Phasing: The applicant proposes to plat the property in two phases. Previous Conditions of Zoning or Plats: None. Dedication of Open Space or Public Amenities: None. The guideline is 1.3 acres. Proposed Streets and Grades: Daytona Drive 4 -11 %, Darlington Drive 2 -4 %, Pocono Drive 1 -4 %, Talladega Drive 3 -11 %, Loudon Court 3 -11 %, and Fontana Court 2 -4% Recommended Motion: Motion to approve the submitted preliminary plat of Brickyard Estates as it is in compliance with City of Dubuque Unified Development Code, subject to waiving the right -of -way and street width requirements for the new public streets in the subdivision. Conformance with Comprehensive Plan: The 2030 Future Land Use Map designates the subject parcel for mixed residential use. The submitted Preliminary Plat involves Subdivision Staff Report — Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates Page 2 the following Comprehensive Goals: Land Use and Urban Design Goals: 1.5, 1.8, 7.2, and 9.3; Environmental Quality Goals: 1.4, 1.5, 2.3, 2.5, and 5.8. Impact of Request on: Utilities: Existing City utilities can be extended to handle the proposed 109 lot subdivision. Traffic Patterns: Based on April 2011 counts by the Engineering Department staff, there are approximately 675 average daily trips on Middle Road west of the proposed subdivision. Based on 2005 IDOT counts, there are approximately 4,100 average daily trips on Seippel Road between Middle Road and Old Highway Road. The 109 building lots, when fully developed, will generate approximately 1,000 average daily trips. Access from the subdivision is proposed to have a single access onto Seippel Road and two access points along Middle Road. Public Services: Existing public services are adequate to serve the proposed subdivision. Environment: Staff does not anticipate any significant impact to the environment provided adequate erosion control and stormwater management is provided during all phases of development of the property. Adjacent Properties: Planning staff anticipates the most likely impact to adjacent properties is an increase in vehicle trips traveling on Middle and Seippel Roads. Proposed Sustainable Development Tools: 1) Solar subdivision - 30 points 2) 27 -foot wide streets — 5 points 3) Green Building Code (50 %) — 5 points TOTAL: 40 points Recommended Conditions on Plat: None. Staff Analysis: The Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates subdivides approximately 27 acres into 109 building lots. The building lots will be zoned a combination of CS Commercial Service and Wholesale, R -3 Moderate Density Multi - Family Residential, R- 2 Two - Family Residential, and for R -1 Single - Family Residential. Access to the subdivision will be by way of a single access on Seippel Road and two proposed accesses on Middle Road. The proposed subdivision includes the construction of six new public streets proposed to be built to a 27 -foot paving width and a 42 -foot right -of -way width. The applicant is Subdivision Staff Report — Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates Page 3 requesting a waiver to allow a 42 -foot right -of -way where a 50 -foot right -of -way is standard for new residential public streets. The primary difference between the standard 50 -foot right -of -way and a 42 -foot right -of -way is that it reduces the parkway (the landscape strip between curb and sidewalk) from 7 -foot to 3 -foot in width. This provides less of a planting lawn for street trees and increases the likelihood that snow from street plowing would be deposited on the public sidewalks. A 5 -foot parkway is desired to allow for a greater variety of street trees. The City Council will need to waive both the 27 -foot street width and 42 -foot right -of -way width. The proposed subdivision can be served by extension of both City water and sewer. Both water and sewer utilities are currently serving the applicant's existing subdivision, Westbrook Subdivision, and the Dubuque Industrial Center West. These utilities will be extended to the north to serve the proposed subdivision. The Unified Development Code requires that each new subdivision utilize sustainable development tools and achieve a 40 point score from a list of sustainable development tools. The applicant has achieved a 40 point total with a mixture of three sustainable tools for the Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates as follows: 1) 27 -foot wide streets which reduce the amount of impervious area in the development (5 points). 2) The applicant will be utilizing the Green Building Code for over 50% of the buildings (5 points) 3) Solar subdivision: the subdivision includes 70% or more (solar lots) that have a minimum north -south dimension of 75 feet and a front line orientation that is within 30 degrees of the true east -west access (30 points). Attached to this staff report is a handout on how solar orientation can lower heating and cooling costs for a single - family home. The proposed subdivision will be required to meet the City storm water control regulations and policies. The applicant has indicated there is room to provide two areas of detention adjacent to the Middle Fork of the Catfish Creek. The storm water calculations and storm water control /detention are required as part of the final plat and improvement plans that must be reviewed and approved by City staff as part of submittal of the Final Plat to City Council. The Unified Development Code (Section 11 -9.1) establishes a suggested amount of recreational open space for new subdivisions. The amount is based on the number of proposed dwelling units. Based on the number of single - family building lots and multi- family building lots, the proposed subdivision is suggested to have 1.3 acres of recreational open space. Subdivision Staff Report — Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates Page 4 The applicant is not proposing to dedicate any recreational open space at this time. However, the applicant has had conversations with the Leisure Services Department regarding the future donation of the area south of the subdivision that includes the Catfish Creek that would serve as a greenway and bike /hike path that could eventually tie into the Bergfeld Recreation Area. The area under discussion is 10 -12 acres in size, and the applicant has provided two pedestrian access locations for residents of the subdivision to access a future greenway and bike /hike trail. Planning staff is supportive of this approach, as it facilitates the creation of a trail connection between residences, recreation areas, and businesses. A major issue to be resolved is how to get a trail safely across Seippel Road, given it currently has deep ditches on both sides of the right -of -way, and the existing bridge is only wide enough for two lanes. City staff will work with the applicant as development occurs in this area. Planning staff recommends the Zoning Advisory Commission recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates, subject to waiving the right -of -way and street width requirements for the new public streets within the subdivision. Planning staff would note that normally preliminary plats are not required to go on to the City Council. However, because the request includes a request to allow reduced right - of -way width for the new public streets within the subdivision, Planning staff recommends the Preliminary Plat for Brickyard Estates also be reviewed by the City Council. Prepared by: Reviewed: ,t1 /X Date: •2 • f ? THE CITY OF Dui Dubuque k E j 1.r 2007 N Masterpiece on the Mississippi Vicinity Map Applicant: Joel Callahan, Callahan Construction, Inc. Location: Southwest Corner of Middle Road and Seippel Road Description: Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates. Legend 4 Proposed Area to be Platted Dubuque City Limits Asbury City Limits u u. City of Asbury PENNSYLAMANNi Base Data Provided by Dubuque County GIS Path: H:\Planning Services\Vicinity Maps1ZAC Vicinity Maps\projects \Preliminary Plat of Brickyard Estates 02_24_12.mxd Solar Access: Using the Environment in Building Design By Mary - Margaretlenior, AICP More new buildings are energy efficient that at any time in our history. Yet most do little to use the environment in or- der to reach their real performance potential. About 40 percent of our end -use energy demand and over two- thirds of electricity demand is forbuitdings.Asigniflcantportion of that demand can be met using the sun if we learn to design and renovate buildings to take advantage of access to solar energy. Further, buildings now produce about 40 per- cent of U.S carbon emissions, another reason to take advantage of solar power. We know that more solar energy falls on our roofs than is required to meet the U.S. demand for electricity. However, our land -use policies and regulations discour- age the use of this valuable resource. We need to do everything we can to encourage decision makers, the building industry, and building owners to think of buildings as energy producers. For our future well- being it is essential that we consider energy production and use as an integral part of building design for new construction and renovations alike. We need to encourage builders, developers, designers, engineers, and owners to use the environment to heat, cool, ventilate, daylight, and power our buildings. As planners we need to help edu- cate and promote changes in how we design and renovate buildings and to use land -use controls to enable that to happen. It can no longer be an either -or choice between environmentally sensitive building design or dense development to achieve viable transit systems. It can and must be both. We cannot favor one approach to re- ducing energy use over another in making recommendations to decision makers. That is because the dominate fuel sources for build- ings and for transportation differ. At present, most energy for transportation comes from oil or biofuels. In contrast, coal is the primary energy source for buildings —with some natu- ral gas, hydroelectric, nuclear, and wind sup - plementing the grid. Of these energy sources, only hydroelectric, nuctear, and wind energy do not contribute carbon emissions. Concen- trated solar thermal plants may begin provid- ing electricity In the near future. According to Energy Information Admin- istration 2005 survey data, an office build- ing uses about 40 percent of its energy for heating, cooling, and ventilation; 3o percent for lighting; and i6 percent for office equip- ment and other "plug" loads. A commercial building built to American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air - Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1 (a standard com- monly referenced in building codes) may use about zo percent of its energy for heating and cooling, up to 7o percent and sometimes more for lighting, and the remaining for hot water, pumps, and equipment. A typical home may use one -half its energy demand for space conditioning (heating, cooling, and ventilation), zo percent each for refrigeration and hot water, and the remainder for appli- ances and electronics. It is crucial that we use all the opportuni- ties we can muster to design buildings to meet their energy needs. We must begin to think of buildings as being net energy producers —that is, buildings that can put energy into the elec- tric grid instead of just taking it out. How do we achieve such buildings? We begin by minimizing the energy toad of the building itself. This is done by using ef- ficiency measures to conserve energy and passive solar design strategies and other solar technologies to produce energy. The objective of passive solar —or whole - building— design is to capture the natural environment using elements that are already employed in buildings and to do so at little or no increase in construction or renovation costs. The resulting buildings are more economical to maintain, aestheti- cally pleasing, comfortable, and healthy. They are tight and airy, easier to sell and rent, and pleasant places to live, study, and work. Studies have shown that employee absenteeism is reduced and performance improves when office buildings incorporate elements of solar design. Buildings that take advantage of solar building design are less dependent on fuel cost variations and can maintain comfort during power outages. They may employ any architectural style desired and be of any building type and use required — single or multifamily housing, institutional, commercial, or industriat. Passive solar buildings use a south -fac- ing orientation (north- facing in the southern hemisphere) and building components (like windows, walls, and floors) to capture the benefits of the sun for heating and daytight- ing, and they use natural air flows and tem- perature gradients (the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures) for ventilation and cooling. They use landscap- ing and overhangs for shading. In some climates they may use evaporative cooling orcooting towers, and soon, all climates may be able to adopt evaporative cooling technologies because of new research on desiccant technologies (materials capable of removing moisture from the air). Once the building's energy need is min- imized, owners may consider active solar thermal for domestic hot water (DHW) and auxiliary heating and photovottaics (PV) for electricity. Excess electricity can be fed into the utility's grid for others to use. ZONINGPRACTICE 4.10 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION (page 2 ASK THE AUTHOR JOIN US ONLINE! Go online from May 10 to 21 to participate in our 'Ask the Author" forum, an interactive feature of Zoning Practice. Mary- Margaret enior will be available to answer questions about this article. Go to the APA website at www.planning.org and follow the links to the Ask the Author section. From there, just submit your questions about the article using the e-mail link. Tile author will reply, and Zoning Practice will post the answers cumulatively on the website for (he benefit of all subscribers. This feature will be available for selected issues of Zoning Practice at announced times. After each online discussion is closed, the answers will be saved in an online archive available through the APA Zoning Practice web pages. The important message is that solar building design can not be achieved simply through "add -ons." The approach discussed above is integratto the building and needs to be considered in the predesign stage, whether for new construction or renovation. Direct Gain About the Author Mary- MargaretJenior, AICP, is retired from tile Department of Energy, where she was responsible for the development and management of the passive solar /whole buildings research program. She represented the U.S. government on the Inter- national Energy Agency Solar Heating and Cooling Programrne Executive Committee. Earlier in her career she was a practicing planner forth- ' ' ' r ', the USN Trident Program, and the U.S. AirF nationwide. Even within a given geo- graphic area, microclimate variations must be taken into account. Design tools such as ENERGY -io and Energy Plus contain the weather data files for numerous U.S. locations). Sunspaces Thermal Storage Wall 1P IAase wan N — - CoUtlesyofNOE/ IIREL and the Sustainable Buildings Industries Council ct gain is the most common passive sol ispaces provide useful passive solar hea nes. A thermal storage wall is an effectiv httime heating. ELEMENTS OF SOLAR BUILDING DESIGN Before we see how these ideas can be en- couraged through land -use regulations, it is necessary to understand how to incorporate solar concepts into buildings. Keep in mind throughout the following discussion that solar design is location- specific. We'll begin with basic solar building design concepts and technologies. Latitude. Depending on tocation, the height and angle of the sun in the sky (the azimuth) throughout the year and climate characteristics (for example, heating and cooling degree days and air -flow patterns) wilt establish the basis for the design of solar buildings and therefore, solar access requirements. (Specific climate data are available for numerous weather stations fl L idcntial applications. rovide a valuable amenity to system, especially to provide Energy - efficiency measures. These measures include proper levels of insula- tion and glazing type, control of air infiltra- tion, properly sized mechanical equipment, efficient appliances and office equipment, and electric lighting systems and controls. Daylighting. This refers to the use of solar radiation captured through the use of clerestory glazing, sawtooth roof moni- tors, light shelves (horizontal surfaces over the windows' exterior that reflect daylight onto the ceiling and deep into the building), light tubes, and other means of bringing light into the building. Studies have shown that daylight can reduce electric bills 3o to 5o percent. Skylights are commonly used for daytighting. However, unless they are designed as an integral part of the building, they will likely increase the cooling toad. Elec- tric lighting controls are integral to the use of daylighting so that light Levels are constant when people are present and fixtures are not on when radiation levels are adequate. Suntempering. For housing and small nonresidential buildings, suntempering may be a desirable approach. Suntempering is accomplished by simply moving more of the windows to the south and relying on interior finishes and furnishings for thermal or heat storage. However, suntempered buildings wilt not reduce the use of purchased energy to the degree that solar buildings will. Passive solar or whole building design. Passive solar is the building itself. A passive solar building makes use of the building's nonmechanicat elements and proper ori- entation to provide daytighting; to collect, store, and distribute solar energy; and to take advantage of natural cooling. These buildings have thermal mass to store and emit heat during times when it is needed and to lessen the need for air conditioning. The amount of thermal storage required is dependent on the area of south - facing glass. Care must be taken in selectingglaz- ing so that the solar gains from the southern orientation are maximized. These buildings also employ means to direct natural airflows (solar -drive convective air movement) into the building using such strategies as oper- able windows, vents at floor level, and wing walls (walls that project from the building) to bring air into the building. Additional ventilation is provided by whole -house fans and operable clerestory or cupola windows. Passive solar buildings may also use night radiation to flush excess heat. This method involves exposing masonry surfaces to the coot night sky and insulating these surfaces ZONINGPRACTICE 4.10 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIAnON Ipage3 from outside air during the day. As daytime temperatures rise, the cooler surface acts as a heat sink for the living space. An ideal design wilt orient the major work, study, and living areas to the south and minimize the east - and west-facing glass. Even the type of glazing selected for each orientation may differ so that solar gains for south - facing glass are maximized and those for east- and west - facing glass are minimized. Passive solar buildings draw upon at least one of three design strategies to provide heat: direct gain, sunspaces, and thermal storage — orTrombe— walls. Trombe walls are glazed, south - facing masonry or concrete walls with a selective surface that aids in collecting and storing the solar ra- diation. Athermal storage system is often referred to as an indirect system. Passive solar buildings draw upon at least one of three design strategies to provide heat: direct gain, sunspaces, and thermal storage. passive solar buildings since the collectors are likely to be placed at ground level. Ha- waii now requires that alt new homes install solar hot water systems. Photovoltaic (PV) systems. PV systems generate electricity. The PV system might be on the building's roof, integrated into its overhangs, or provide the skin for the building's facade or atrium. Distributed power is a term likely to become part of our future vocabulary. Distributed power is PV- generated power that is fed into the utility's grid. In time, if enough buildings generate more power than they need, we will have less need for additional power plants. Ventilation air. For nonresidential build- ings like institutions, industrial facilities, and warehouses, transpired air collectors 0 Left :This retail complexin Stiver±liorne, Colorado, features PV, clerestory windows, daylighting diffusing slrylig(tts, and a'�." solar wall. Right: This Federal Express building in DenVer uses an absorber wall to help preheatintake air. Passive solar buildings depend on proper glazing -to- storage ratios and prop- erly sized overhangs to avoid overheating in spring and fall. Because these buildings use normal building components to meet much of their heating and cooling needs, they require little maintenance. In some climates, a passive solar home or small non- residential building (e.g., a school or office building) may not require a central heating and cooling system —a major cost saving benefit —and those that do require auxiliary heating and cooling will use smatter systems than conventional buildings. Buildings of 10,000 square feet or smaller make up the majority of the non- residential sector. Contrary to popular perceptions, smatter commercial, institu- tional, and Industrial buildings are similar to residential buildings in that they do require heating as well as daylighting, cool- ing, and ventilation. For larger buildings, daylighting is especially important since lighting is sometimes the biggest user of energy. Many buildings, regardless of size, can benefit from using solar to heat and to preheat ventilation air. Active solar systems. This refers to the use of collectors, usually located on the roof to collect solar radiation to heat water for domestic uses and possibly, to provide auxiliary heating in the winter months. The systems that provide both hot water and heat are often referred to as combisystems. Some collectors for hot water systems are freestanding, especially when roof orienta- tion is not ideal. For these systems greater solar access is necessary than required for placed on the south side of buildings have proven to be an effective technique to pre - heat ventilation air. Transpired collectors are a dark- colored, perforated facade with a fan, or the building's existing ventilation system draws air into the building. The air space between the absorber and the building wall form a plenum. The solar energy absorbed by the dark absorber and transferred to the air flowing though it can preheat intake air by as much as qo °F. The absorbers can be added to or designed as part of the build- ing's facade. Because of fire code require- ments, they may not be appropriate for some multistory buildings. Evaporative cooling. This refers to the use of a water medium to cool air for climate control in dry climates. Not all cli- mates require compressors to cool air and ZONINGPRACTICE zoo AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 4 control humidity inside buildings. Materials that remove moisture from the air are known as desiccants. Desiccant technologies are evolving and can be integrated into evaporative systems for use in all climates. Courtesy of00E /NREL and the Sustain bit BAMIngs ndustrie Council ® Above- For bottles in solar subdivisions, solar access may beprovildedtothesrearside,at • front yard. Short east west streets tied into north south collet tonrs is a gogd 5tree3 pattern Far solar access. Below: This subdivision plan frog/ Deventer' la the Netherlands shows how even dense development can be sited protect solar access. Local development controls should encourage subdivision layouts that provide for maximum east - west orientation for residential and smaller nonresidential uses. Geothermal heat pumps. The ground maintains a relatively constant temperature of 5o to 6o °F (10 to i6 °C). Thus, the ground temperature is warmer than the air temperature in winter and cooler in the warm months. Geothermal (or ground- source) heat pumps take advantage of the earth's constant temperature to heat and coot buildings. Because the sys- tem is outside the building, geothermal requires more land area than the other techniques discussed above. IMPLICATION FOR LAND -USE CONTROLS Currently, relatively few communities in- clude provisions in their local development controls that ensure that environmental resources can be used to heat, cool, day- light, and electrify buildings. The discus- sion that follows outlines a number of considerations for subdivision and zoning standards that would help private develop- ers build and remodel buildings that are better able to take advantage of access to solar energy. Subdivision design Local development controls should encour- age subdivision layouts that provide for maximum east -west orientation for residen- tial and smaller nonresidential uses. In the northern hemisphere, major living, work, and study areas should face south (north in the southern hemisphere) to the extent possible. It is easiest to protect solar ac- cess in subdivisions having streets that run east -west or 25 degrees of east -west. Where streets run north- south, cul -de -sacs or loop streets help provide for solar access. For dense development, creative site design is essential. Development standards Yard and height requirements of zoning ordinances can be used to ensure solar access. In an ideal situation, south - facing glazing should receive four hours of sun on December 21. That generally means that there should be no obstruction within an arc of 6o degrees on either side of true south. Relatively good solar access will still occur if the glazing is unshaded within an arc of 45 degrees. What the horizontal clear distance needs to be is location- specific and depends on the height of the sub- ject building of interest and the adjacent structures. Boulder, Colorado, for example, includes shadow lengths by height of building for io:oo a.m., noon, and z:oo p.m. on December zt in its development code. Properly sized overhangs will shade the glazing in the summer when the sun is higher in the sky. Since not all lots are large enough to accommodate optimum solar access, it is important to assess shading patterns in establishing compromises on yard re- quirements. One possible compromise is a flexible approach to building orientation and yard requirements when streets run north - south. With appropriate side yard ZONINGPRACTICE 4.10 AMERICAN PLANNING A550CIAn0Nlp°ge5 5° No Structures Allowed Fences Allowed g 1 Story Buildings Allowed Story Buildings Mowed Courtesy of DOE /NREE and Me sustainable Buildings Industries Co ()Above Buildings, trees, or other obstructions should." not be located so as to shade the south wall of solar buildings. Below: Trees and other landscaping features may be effectively used to shade east and west windowsfrom summer solar Courtesy of DOE/l IREL and the sustainable Buildings advises Coons allowances, buildings that are oriented perpendicular to the front lot line on north -south streets can stilt take advantage of solar access. In many cases, there is no reason that the main building axis needs to face the street and that yard requirements cannot be varied to allow for solar access. Obstacles can reduce not only the amount of solar available for winter indoor climate control, they can also limit daylighting and radiation falling on active solar collectors and photovoltaic surfaces. For example, the limbs of a deciduous tree can reduce solar heat gains in passive solar build- ings, and trees on the south side can all but destroy passive solar performance unless they are close to the building, with the lower limbs removed so that winter sun can penetrate under the trees canopies. When used properly, landscaping can provide for shading and ventilation. The ideal for shading is the use of deciduous trees to shade the east, southeast, southwest and west sides of the build- ing and trellises with deciduous vines to shade the east windows during the summer months. Evergreens and shrubs can be used to block prevailing, cold wind in the winter and shade heat - absorbing paved areas during warm seasons. Also, trees, fences, and shrub- bery can be used to channel summer breezes into the building. Daylighting design tools such as ENERGY io, available from the Sustainable Buildings Industries Council, provide a simplified means for accounting for select obstacles and can be used to assist in set - ting yard and landscaping requirements for planned developments. More adequate algorithms for tools such as EnergyPlus are emerg- ing. Planning agencies may wish to draw upon the skills of energy analysts to help them establish yard and landscaping requirements where unique site conditions exist. Paved surfaces such as driveways, walks, and patios can re- flect heat and glare into buildings thtough glazings. Development standards should encourage impervious surfaces to be located and designed to minimize these effects. Because solar building design requires operable windows for ventilation, the location of off- street parking is important. Large parking facilities can be a detriment to indoor air quality if vehicle exhaust is allowed to enter the building through windows or vents. Development standards should keep parking areas away from oper- able windows and vents and ensure that these areas are located so that prevailing breezes do not carry exhaust into buildings. Communities may wish to consider the use of overlay zones or planned unit development restrictions to ensure that solar access is adequate. In some instances, it might be possible to apply the prin- ciples of form -based codes, although that option needs careful study to determine if it would be feasible. Aesthetics need not be an issue in solar building design. There is sometimes a preconceived belief that buildings designed or renovated to use solar are "odd" in appearance. This is a mis- perception. Collectors needed for active solar systems can be roof - integrated and the photovoltaic systems can function as the skin of the building, as roof shingles or standing seam roofing, as glazing for atria and covered walkways, or be integrated into building over- hangs or awnings. As for passive solar buildings, they can be of any architectural style. There are no special panels or other special details that announce that a building is passive solar. All its compo- nents or elements are designed as an integral whole beginning at the predesign stage. ()This illustration shows how the angle of sunlight changes throughout the year. O0 r O / 8 O p,; p DO 0 Courtesy of DOE /IIBEI. credit —Ran Nadi ZONINGPRACTICE 2.10 AMERICAN PLANNING AssOCIAnnorl Wage 6 As more jurisdictions reference HERS Home Energy Rating Systems) or LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in their building codes, they will need to ascertain the extent to which their modified building codes are in agreement with their land -use controls. CONCLUSIONS The Land -use control considerations out- lined above notontyare essentiatto pro- vide for future energy needs and as means to limit gtobal- warming emissions, they need to be looked at as a way to improve the local (i.e., micro) balance of payments. When less money goes to remote power companies, more of that money can remain in the local economy. And the adoption and enforcement of solar access controls provide the proper environment for the creation of new job skills and employment options for residents. According to a study by the University of Catifornia, Berkeley, as many as 1.9 million jobs can be cre- ated by 202o. The American Solar Energy Society's study projects 4.5 mitlion jobs by 2030 across all regions and sectors of the economy, with the largest growth occurring in construction, farming, and professional services. After all, like energy management, economic development is also an integral part of local planning. Unfortunately, few cities or counties have recognized the need for solar access requirements. For those that have, the steps taken tend to be very limited. Most cities and counties have limited the focus to subdivision regulations, and have not rec- ognized the need to also adjust zoning stan- dards. Even existing development can use whole - building solar design concepts when renovating. Thus, development standards need to provide for solar design options in developed areas. Because solar design is location- specific, no community's standards should be exactly the same as another's, though all need to address the factors out- lined above. Further, even in a given geo- graphical region, there will need to be dif- ferences in the specifics of a standard. For example, Denver's requirements and those of Evergreen, Cotorado, which is at a higher elevation, will have different provisions. Some communities have encouraged the use of easements to protect solar ac- cess. While these legal mechanisms will work, it is more efficient and beneficial to have requirements that apply to all proper- ties. Fora community to reduce its demand for energy, greater benefit wilt occur when all development and renovation decisions recognize and provide for solar access. This statement is also true in southern climates. Contrary to standard belief, even communi- ties in places tike Florida and Arizona can benefit by developing land -use controls that require solar access for the building, as well as for the solar hot water and PV panels. In the sunny Southern states the peak energy demand is during wintertime cold spells, not during summer heat waves as in the North. Finalty, as more jurisdictions reference HERS (Home Energy Rating Systems) or LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in their building codes, they will need to ascertain the extent to which their modified building codes are in agreement with their land -use controls. SELECT SOURCES OF INFORMATION ® National Institute of Buildings Sciences. 2008 "Passive Solar Heating." In Whole Building Design Guide. www.wbdg.org /resources/ psheating.php ® Sustainable Building Industries Council, Green Builder Guidelines. - Available atwww.sbicouncil.org ® National Renewable Energy Laboratory: www.nreLgov /buildings ® Sustainable Buildings Industries Council: www.sbicouncil.org • American Solar Energy Society: www.ases.org • Internationat Energy Agency Solar Heating and Cooling Programme: www.iea- shc.org • U.S. Department of Energy, www. eere.energy.gov Oberlin College's Adatn Joseph Lewis Centerfor Environmental Studies has 4,682 square feet of photovotta)c panels closed loop geothermal wells that provide heating and cooling, daytighting, and an engineered wastewater treatment system modeled on natural wetland ecosystems; Photo by Robb Williamson: www.willlamsonimages.com Design Lisa Barton. VOL. 27, NO. 4 Zoning Practice is a monthly publication of the American Planning Association. Subscriptions are available for $85 (U.S.) and Siio (foreign). W. Paul Farmer, FAICP, Executive Director; Witliam R. Klein, AICP, Director of Research Zoning Practice (ISSN 1548 -0135) is produced at APA. Jim Schwab, AICP, and David Morley, AICP, Editors; Julie Von Bergen, Assistant Editor; Lisa Barton, Design and Production. Copyright ©2010 by American Planning Association, 122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603. The American Planning Association also has offices at 1776 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036; www.planning.org. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the American Planning Association. Printed on recycled paper, Including 50-7o% recycled fiber and io% postconsumer waste. ZONINGPRACTICE 2.10 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATIONIpage 7