§ 108.0. R-20 (Residential: Single) District
A.
Purpose
The R-20 District is established to permit single-family detached dwelling units at approximately two units per acre. The District reflects the established single-family neighborhood characteristics of many of the stable residential areas of the county.
B.
Uses Permitted as a Matter of Right
1.
One single-family detached dwelling unit per lot.
2.
Farming, provided that on a residential lot or parcel of less than 40,000 square feet no livestock shall be permitted. However, residential chicken keeping is allowed as noted in Section 128.0.
3.
Conservation areas, including wildlife and forest preserves, environmental management areas, reforestation areas, and similar uses.
4.
Convents and monasteries used for residential purposes.
5.
Government structures, facilities and uses, including public schools and colleges.
6.
Private recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, basketball courts and tennis courts, reserved for the use of on-site residents and their guests. Such facilities shall be located within condominium developments as well as within communities where all properties are included within recorded covenants and liens which govern and provide financial support for operations of the facilities.
7.
Carnivals and fairs sponsored by and operated on a nonprofit basis for the benefit of charitable, social, civic or educational organizations subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.D.
8.
Seasonal sales of Christmas trees or other decorative plant materials, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.D.
9.
Underground pipelines; electric transmission and distribution lines; telephone, telegraph and CATV lines; mobile transformer units; telephone equipment boxes; and other similar public utility uses not requiring a Conditional Use.
10.
Commercial communication antennas attached to structures, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.E.4. Commercial communication towers located on government property, excluding School Board property, and with a height of less than 200 feet measured from ground level, subject to the requirements of Sections 128.0.E.2 and 128.0.E.3. This height limit does not apply to government communication towers, which are permitted as a matter of right under the provisions for "Government structures, facilities and uses."
11.
Volunteer fire departments.
C.
Accessory Uses
The following are permitted accessory uses in the R-20 District. More than one accessory use shall be permitted on a lot, provided that the combination of accessory uses remains secondary, incidental and subordinate to the principal use.
1.
Any use normally and customarily incidental to any use permitted as a matter of right in this District. Accessory structures are subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.A.
2.
Accessory apartments, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.A., provided that:
a.
The area of the lot is at least 12,000 square feet;
b.
Except for an exterior entrance and necessary parking area, there shall be no external evidence of the accessory apartment; and,
c.
The accessory apartment shall have no more than two bedrooms.
3.
Farm tenant houses, caretakers' cottages and similar uses customarily accessory to agricultural and residential estate uses, provided that these uses shall not be permitted on parcels of less than 50 acres, and further provided that one unit shall be allowed for each 50 acres of that parcel.
4.
The housing by a resident family of:
a.
Not more than four non-transient roomers or boarders; or
b.
Not more than eight mentally and/or physically disabled persons or persons 62 years of age or older, provided the use is registered, licensed or certified by the State of Maryland; or
c.
A combination of a and b above, provided that the total number of persons housed in addition to the resident family does not exceed eight.
5.
Home occupations, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.C.
6.
Home care, provided that if home care is combined with housing of mentally or physically disabled persons or persons 62 years of age or older, as allowed by Subsection 4.b above, the total number of persons receiving home care at any one time plus the number of persons being housed shall not exceed eight.
7.
Parking:
a.
Off-street parking of no more than two commercial vehicles on lots of three or more acres and no more than one commercial vehicle on lots of less than three acres. Private off-street parking is restricted to vehicles used in connection with or in relation to a principal use permitted as a matter of right in the district.
b.
Off-street parking or storage of unregistered, inoperable, wrecked, dismantled or destroyed motor vehicles shall not be permitted, except as provided by Section 128.0.D.
8.
Storage of recreational vehicles or boats, provided that on lots of 20,000 square feet or smaller, such storage shall be limited to the following:
a.
One recreational vehicle with a length of 30 feet or less; and
b.
One boat with a length of 20 feet or less.
9.
Farm stand, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.I.
10.
Snowball stands, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.D.
11.
Home based contractors on lots larger than two acres, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.C.2.
12.
Small Wind Energy System, building mounted, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.L.
13.
Residential Chicken Keeping, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.D.
14.
Accessory Solar Collectors.
15.
Livestock on residential lots or parcels, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.D.
D.
Bulk Regulations
(Also see Section 128.0.A, Supplementary Bulk Regulations.)
1.
The following maximum height limitations shall apply:
a.
Principal structure ..... 34 feet
b.
Accessory structure ..... 15 feet
2.
Minimum lot size (except as provided in Section 108.0.F. of these Regulations for mandatory open space) ..... 20,000
sq. ft.3.
Minimum lot width at building restriction line ..... 60 feet
4.
Minimum setback requirements
a.
From arterial or collector public street right-of-way
(1)
Structures
(a)
Front or side
(i)
Lots that front a public street constructed after October 18, 1993 ..... 40 feet
(ii)
All other lots ..... 50 feet
(b)
Rear
(i)
Principal structure ..... 50 feet
(ii)
Accessory structure ..... 10 feet
(2)
Uses (other than structures) in all development projects except single-family detached ..... 20 feet
b.
From other public street right-of-way
(1)
Structures
(a)
Front or side
(i)
Lots that front a public street constructed after October 18, 1993 ..... 30 feet
(ii)
All other lots ..... 50 feet
(b)
Rear
(i)
Principal structure ..... 30 feet
(ii)
Accessory structure ..... 10 feet
(2)
Uses (other than structures) in all development projects except single-family detached ..... 20 feet
c.
From lot lines
(1)
Structures
(a)
Front ..... 20 feet
Except pipestem lots facing and adjoining the project boundary\30 feet
(b)
Side ..... 10 feet
(c)
Rear
(i)
Principal structure ..... 30 feet
(ii)
Accessory structure ..... 10 feet
(2)
Uses (other than structures) in all development projects except single-family detached ..... 20 feet
E.
Moderate Income Housing Units
At least 10% of the dwellings in each R-20 development shall be Moderate Income Housing Units. Multi-plex units that are comparable in size to surround dwellings are permitted on a single-family detached lot.
F.
Open Space and Lot Size
1.
Open space percentage and lot size shall be calculated pursuant to the Howard County Subdivision and Land Development Regulations. In accordance with those regulations, developments that are eligible and elect to use the option for a smaller minimum lot size shall provide the required higher percentage of open space.
2.
Special requirements for neighborhood infill subdivisions or resubdivisions:
a.
Density ..... 2 dwelling
units per net acreb.
Minimum lot size ..... 20,000
square feetG.
Density Exchange for Neighborhood Preservation Parcels
1.
Sending parcel for Neighborhood Preservation:
A parcel qualifying with the criteria for residential infill development as defined in Section 16.108(b) of the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations or parcels principally used for Swimming Pool, Community, as defined in of the Zoning Regulations may be sending parcels for neighborhood preservation in accordance with the requirements of Section 128.0.K of the Zoning Regulations.
2.
Receiving Parcel for Neighborhood Preservation:
A parcel may be developed as a receiving parcel in association with Neighborhood Preservation Parcel sending parcels at a bonus of up to 10% more dwelling units than would be achievable based on net density in the R-ED District if developed as single-family detached dwelling using the R-ED regulations, in accordance with Section G.3 below and Section 128.0.K requirements.
3.
Development under R-ED Regulations
a.
Land in the R-20 District may be developed pursuant to the R-ED District regulations in their entirety, if the property to be developed is:
(1)
Subdivided for single-family detached units only; and
(2)
A lot or group of contiguous lots with a combined total lot area of more than 100,000 square feet.
b.
Land developed pursuant to this section is subject to the R-ED District regulations, including the requirement for Planning Board review, except that structures are required to be set back 75 feet from project boundaries adjoining single-family detached developments.
H.
Conditional Uses
Conditional Uses in the R-20 District are subject to the detailed requirements for Conditional Uses given in Section 131.0. For the list of permitted Conditional Uses, refer to the chart in Section 131.0.