Highland_Haven/Open/Transfer/202311xx - to City - Concept Plan/Description of PUD.md

#Highland Haven: Creating Intimacy through Density

Highland Haven proposes to develop a tight-knit community on the southern side of Fort Atkinson. The 1.3-acre site, currently comprising two adjacent lots in the Town of Koshkonong, is proposed to be merged and annexed into the City of Fort Atkinson. The larger of the two lots currently holds a neglected single-family home slated for demolition.

Instead of traditional single-family homes, this Planned Unit Development (PUD) project embraces a community-focused design. It features eight modestly sized houses (~1600sf) situated around a shared courtyard and a communal greenhouse. This layout prioritizes efficient land use and environmental conservation. Moreover, it supports, hopefully enhances, the neighborhood's existing small-scale atmosphere while addressing the housing needs of historically underserved demographics such as young professionals, new families, seniors, and empty nesters.

Despite their closer proximity compared to typical single-family homes, the L-shaped configuration and detached garages provide opportunities for more private outdoor spaces between dwellings. The objective is to minimize unused spaces--minimizing the typical 'No Man's Land' between houses in a typical development. To enhance intimacy and privacy, the houses are designed (and outlined in the association's bylaws) to limit the number of windows facing directly towards a neighbor's property.

In addition to fostering personal privacy, the project places a strong emphasis on community interaction. The shared courtyard and greenhouse/shed create a neighborhood within a neighborhood, encouraging a sense of belonging and collective ownership. Initiatives will be implemented to promote shared ownership of common tools, fostering a cooperative spirit among residents.

To separate these more public areas from the private homes, a layering of native prairie grass landscaping will be used. Aside from acting as a privacy buffer, these native grasses will enhance local biodiversity while requiring less maintenance. There has also been an effort to save some of the more mature trees on the lot, as well.

In a departure from the 'garage-scapes' of a typical suburban development, the project proposes consolidating parking around shared driveways. The narrow driveways are deliberately designed to slow down vehicular traffic, promoting a pedestrian-friendly environment. This intentional design choice aims to increase community engagement, creating a safer and more inviting space for residents to interact.

By incorporating a modular house design and employing prefabrication methods like factory-built panelized walls, along with collaborating with local subcontractors, our aim is to maintain construction costs at a reasonable level. Our intent is to try and offer more affordable housing options for the community.

The design is influenced by Fort Atkinson's agricultural heritage, incorporating a variety of siding materials, roof orientations, and varying setbacks & spaces. This approach mirrors the eclectic mix of structures that organically accumulate on a typical farm over time.

Our goal with the Highland Haven project is to transform an underused area into a community-centric development. We aim to achieve this by creating a denser layout to optimize land use, while also emphasizing intimacy and fostering a pedestrian-friendly environment for residents.

Thank you for your consideration.

• Promote Traditional Neighborhood Design principles

• Promote/encourage compact development

  • Infill development
  • Uses land more efficiently
  • Preserve land and protect nature resources
  • Increase property values

• Community Character

  • Denser but preserves the intimate nature of the neighborhood
    • preserve/enhances the city's small-city character
  • Identity and sense of place
  • Nod to farming culture
  • preserve and enhance neighborhood integrity

• Enhance community interaction

  • establishes community gathering places
  • greenhouse

• Pedestrian friendly - human scaled

  • promotes walking
  • shared driveways
    • less impermeable surface
    • remove the 'garage scale'.
  • narrow driveways to slow cars down
  • tap into bike path
  • sidewalks

• Preserve and create open spaces

• Variety of housing type

  • housing diversity
  • mix of housing types

• empty nesters, young professionals, and new families, and seniors

  • house-hold size is decreasing
    • house-hold size (2.36) will decrease to 2.0 by the year 2040,

• Private/public thresholds

  • with house
  • with landscape

• Design articulation

  • Creating outdoor spaces
  • varying materials
  • varying roof orientation
  • varying setbacks

• Save trees

  • wood character retention

• Rain gardens/bioswales

• Affordable

Disperse higher-density residential development throughout the City, rather than creating large concentrations of this type of development in just a few areas.

Single Family Residential—Urban (SF-U) All new development in this category should be generally encouraged at densities of 4 to 6 homes per acre.

• Create something between a single family housing and duplex or townhome densities.

• Town housing development - map p. 31

• Future two family/townhouse residential p. 111

• Work with local sub contractors

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Goals: • Increasing density without increasing the sense of scale--acutally trying to create more intimacy through increased density • Create well-defined and useable spaces everywhere--that is, avoid the typically nebulous (no-mans-land) spaces between dwellings, or front yards • Although more compact, codify public/private boundaries where windows or openings are allowed, or not • Make affordable, without looking affordable--spending more on less • Explore prefabrication -panelized wall/roof/floor • Create something different--break the monotony of the "garage-scape" Types of projects that capture these goals, have been called... • Micro-neighborhoods • Pocket Neighborhoods • Small-scale Neighborhoods • Village-style Developments • Neighborhood Clusters • Housing Enclaves Some common attributes of these types of projects... • Small scale encourages a sense of community and social interaction • Pedestrian friendly • Shared parking • Shared courtyards/gardens • Shared utility sheds • Narrow private alleys doubling as useable spaces • Buffered or gradated boundaries between public/private

Mixed Land Uses:

TND encourages a mix of residential, commercial, and sometimes industrial uses within the same neighborhood. This helps create a more balanced and vibrant community where people can live, work, and shop without having to travel long distances. Walkability:

Pedestrian-friendly design is a central aspect of TND. This involves creating sidewalks, narrow streets, and interconnected pathways to encourage walking as a primary mode of transportation. Compact Development:

TND promotes higher-density development with buildings situated closer to the street, reducing the need for extensive parking lots and encouraging a more efficient use of space. Variety in Housing Types:

TND encourages a mix of housing types, including single-family homes, townhouses, apartments, and other forms of housing. This diversity accommodates people with different lifestyle preferences and income levels. Traditional Street Grids:

Traditional, interconnected street patterns with a grid layout are favored over large, disconnected cul-de-sacs. This grid system enhances accessibility, reduces traffic congestion, and contributes to a more navigable and efficient urban form. Public Spaces and Parks:

TND incorporates public spaces, parks, and plazas as focal points for community interaction. These areas provide opportunities for recreation, socializing, and community events. Architectural Diversity:

TND encourages a variety of architectural styles and building designs. This diversity helps create a visually interesting environment and reflects the historical context of the region. Transit-Oriented Development (TOD):

In some cases, TND may integrate with public transportation systems, promoting the development of transit-oriented nodes to further reduce reliance on automobiles. Emphasis on Community:

TND emphasizes the creation of a strong sense of community. Design features such as front porches, shared common spaces, and local gathering places contribute to fostering social interactions among residents. Sustainability:

TND often incorporates sustainable design practices, including energy-efficient buildings, green infrastructure, and a focus on reducing environmental impacts. These principles collectively aim to create neighborhoods that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional, fostering a sense of community and promoting sustainable living.

Minimum Lot Area, 6,000 square feet
Maximum Impervious Surface Ratio, 70 percent Minimum Green Space, 30 percent Maximum Building Coverage, 35 percent Minimum Lot Width, 50 feet on corner 40 feet all other lots Minimum Lot Width (on corner), 50 feet Minimum Lot Depth, 100 feet Minimum Lot Frontage at Right-of-Way, 30 feet Minimum Front Setback (minor street), 20 feet Minimum Front Setback (all other streets), 20 feet Maximum Front Setback, 25 feet Maximum Principal Building Setback from Attached Garage Setback (see (8) below), 8 feet behind the front plane of a front-loaded attached garage (see (8) below) Minimum Porch Setback (front and side yard), 12 feet Minimum Street Side Setback (on corner lots), 15 feet Minimum Side Setback, 7 feet Minimum Rear Setback, 20 feet* Maximum Principal Building Height, 35 feet Minimum Principal Building Separation, 10 feet Minimum Pavement Setback (lot line to pavement - excludes driveway entrances), 5 feet on side and rear yards & 10 feet from any street right-of-way Minimum Garage Door Setback to Alley (if applicable)*, 10 feet for side-loaded garages & 20 feet for rear-loaded garages Minimum Parking Required, See Article III Minimum Dwelling Unit Structure Area, 800 square feet Accessory Buildings: Residential Nonresidential Minimum Front Setback, Even with or behind the principal structure, 60 feet and at least 5 feet behind the principal structure Minimum Side Setback, 3 feet, 3 feet Minimum Side Setback (on corner), Even with or behind the principal structure, 60 feet and at least 5 feet behind the principal structure Minimum Rear Setback, 3 feet, 3 feet Maximum Height, 20 feet, 18 feet