The purpose of the Rural Districts is to ensure a sound residential
development of the Town in accordance with the aims of the Plan of
Conservation and Development and in keeping with the rural character
of the community and the natural features of the land.
The following uses shall be permitted when specifically approved as a special permit by the Planning and Zoning Commission, in accordance with Article
12, subject to such conditions as said Commission may establish:
A. Schools for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, operated by or for
the benefit of a governmental unit, including nursery schools, but
excluding a camp.
(1)
The lot shall contain a contiguous area not less than the following:
(a) Nursery school: two acres, but not less than the minimum lot area
required in the district in which it is located.
(b) Elementary school: five acres plus one acre for each 100 pupils or
fraction thereof.
(c) Above the sixth grade: 10 acres plus two acres for each 100 pupils
or fraction thereof.
(2)
No building for any school or college, except a nursery school,
shall be located within 100 feet from any street line or property
line.
B. Churches, parish houses, convents, and similar religious buildings,
including cemeteries.
C. Clubs, lodges and community houses except those of which a chief
activity is a gainful service or activity carried on as a business.
D. Libraries and museums operated by governmental units or nonprofit
corporations.
E. Convalescent homes, homes for the elderly, and adult day care.
F. Fire or police stations, Town office buildings and similar governmental
buildings, including a post office.
G. Utilities, as follows: electric transformer stations; telephone exchanges for local services; water or natural gas pumping stations or gate houses; antennas and towers. See §
315-8.4.
H. Public parks and public playgrounds operated by a governmental unit
or nonprofit corporation.
I. Commercial kennels, located on not less than seven acres, for not
more than 14 dogs. All buildings, enclosures or runs for dogs shall
be located not less than 300 feet from any property line.
J. Riding or boarding stables, provided that they are on lots of not
less than 10 acres and that no buildings or structures used for the
housing or containment of animals, including outdoor runs, are located
within 300 feet from any property line. No horse shows or exhibitions
shall be permitted except as approved by special permit. No exterior
loudspeakers shall be used in conjunction with any horse shows or
exhibitions.
K. Boat houses, landings, docks, slips, wharfs, basins, and structures
accessory thereto, for the use of the owners and/or occupants of the
premises and their guests in residence; provided, however, that an
applicant shall substantially meet the criteria of the Guidelines
for Tidal Areas in Appendix F of these regulations.
L. Earth material operations described in Article
18, subject to the additional requirements of Article
18.
All signs in Rural Districts shall be in conformance with Article
22 of these regulations.
All new lots created within Rural Districts shall meet the following
minimum dimensions and areas. All lots shall have a minimum lot frontage
of 50 feet at the front lot line.
District
|
Minimum Gross Lot Area
(square feet)
|
Minimum Net Buildable Lot Area
(square feet**)
|
Minimum Lot Width
(feet)
|
Front and Rear Yard
(feet)
|
Side Yards Each
(feet)
|
Maximum Building Coverage
|
Maximum Impervious Surface Coverage
|
---|
RU-120
|
120,000
|
42,000
|
200
|
50
|
*
|
8%
|
12%
|
RU-80
|
80,000
|
28,000
|
200
|
50
|
*
|
8%
|
10%
|
RU-40
|
40,000
|
14,000
|
150
|
50
|
*
|
8%
|
10%
|
A. *Side yard minimums shall be 30 feet each except when the provisions of Articles
13 and
14 require additional setbacks.
B. A rectangle
conforming to the shape factor, as defined in Article 2, must totally
fit within the limits of the area used to establish the net buildable
area.
C. The building
coverage percentage and impervious surface percentage shall be based
on the gross lot area.
D. **On
a lot where the minimum lot width/building setback line is not achieved
within 300 feet of the front lot line (also commonly described as
a "flag lot" or "rear lot"), the portion of the lot between the front
lot line and the building setback line shall not be used as part of
the minimum gross lot area requirement. In no case shall the area
between the front lot line and the building setback line be less than
50 feet in width. On flag lots, no vehicles may be parked or material
stored on a regular basis between the building setback line and the
street.
All areas of this district which lie within the area of special flood hazard or within a floodway, as defined in §
315-15.3, shall be subject to the flood management standards of Article
15.
The tidal area frontage shall be at least 100 feet in RU-40
Districts and at least 200 feet in RU-80 Districts and RU-120 Districts.
Required frontage length is established by the straight line distance
between any two points on the tidal area frontage of a lot.