MOORESVILLE ZONING ORDINAN - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

III. SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS In applying the requirements of the chart, attention should be focused on the actual use in a proposed zone if the use involves a special exception. Appropriate buffering should be determined by the requirements of the zone in which the special exception use would normally be located. As shown in the chart on Page 54. IV. EFFECTIVENESS OF BUFFERS The goal of these buffering requirements is to describe the minimum buffering required to protect one use from the potentially negative effects of an intruding use. Attention should be given to: 1. distance between incompatible uses. 2. Width of buffer, 3. Height of buffer and 4. Substance of material used to buffer. Consideration must be given to the specific use within a particular intruding zone, as not all uses in a given zone will have the same negative effects on surrounding land uses. Different kinds of buffers will be required by different intruding uses to effectively buffer protected uses. The performance standard of the buffer should be that the protected use should be no more affected by the intruding use's presence as it would be by the presence of any use that would not require a buffer. V. EXAMPLES OF BUFFERS In general, natural buffers are preferred over man-made buffers. Natural buffers include: 1. Topographical variations, including hills and ravines. 2. Vegetation, inciuding evergreen trees and dense growths of deciduous trees and hedges. 3. Bodies of water, including creeks, ponds and lakes. 4. Combinations of the above, including landscaped berms. 5. Judicious site planning with regard to prevailing wind directions. Man-made buffers include: 1. Intervening non-intruding land uses. 2. Fences. 3. Pools. The appropriateness and adequacy of a proposed buffer should be evaluated in terms of its effectiveness at mitigating anticipated negative effects of an intruding use. If equivalent effectiveness can be obtained with alternative buffering methods not listed above, they should be looked upon with favor by the governing body. 55.