By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – The Board of Commissioners Thursday, Aug. 3 adopted changes to the city’s zoning ordinance. The changes were made to maintain commercial areas, improve parking in driveways, and reduce the number of bedrooms allowed on narrow lots.
Planning official Roger McLarnon explained the changes following a public hearing at the Planning Board level that determined the changes meet the intent of the city’s Master Plan.
Over the years, the city has lost some of its commercial spaces. The trend is being driven by the increase in residential development, which is in higher demand.
A major component of the revisions unifies permitted uses in all three commercial zones and allows retail sales in the Commercial Business District and C-1 and C-2 districts. Previously, one of the zones only allowed certain types of retail sales in professional buildings.
“All commercial uses will be identical,” McLarnon said.
The ordinance will also increase the front setback in commercial zones to 6 feet from zero. The change will allow commercial property owners to install a “secondary” elevated section of sidewalk that can protect their property in the event of flooding.
The changes also limit the square footage of residential space allowed above commercial space. The ordinance states that residential square footage is limited to twice the size of the commercial square footage below. For instance, only 2,000 square feet of residential space will be allowed above 1,000 square feet of commercial space. The ordinance also requires all mixed-use projects to be heard by the planning board.
Newly constructed residential properties will now be required to have garage doors placed at least 18 feet from the right-of-way to allow enough space to properly park a vehicle without it overhanging the sidewalk. Residential properties with a lot width of 40 feet or less will be limited to one 10-foot-wide curb cut. Double-wide curb cuts can be 18 feet wide for lots larger than 40 feet, with the same 18-foot setback for garage doors.
“Ribbon” driveways, which have been permitted for several years to improve drainage, may now be covered with high-grade turf with a minimum pile of 3 inches over a crushed stone base, and will count toward the landscaping percentage requirement. As an alternative, pavers with a half-inch gap over a stone or sand base will be permitted and will count as a 50% credit toward the landscaping requirement.
“If the ribbon driveways are being used as intended, the grass won’t survive,” McLarnon said.
To reduce the height of residential development on narrow lots, the ordinance now allows two habitable floors above parking, or 2.5 floors without parking below. The measure will slightly reduce density by limiting the number of bedrooms constructed.
The ordinance also limits the size and placement of outdoor woodburning firepits and requires they have an approved spark arrestor or screen. They cannot be used for cooking and can only be used between 9 a.m. and midnight.
The ordinance also limits building heights to 25 feet in the Marven Gardens section of the city.
The ordinance, as approved, also sets fees for in-house professional staff to review cases to $100 per hour for the engineer and planner.
McLarnon said other changes are currently being considered and the ordinance could be updated in the future.
Also, he stated that the city is required to update its Master Plan every 10 years. The last master plan update was completed in 2016.
“We’re creeping up on that, so it’s something we have to think about,” he said.
McLarnon said he would like to obtain more feedback from residents and perhaps visit other communities to see what they are doing to address zoning issues.
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