§ 5.1. Overall site design.

5.1.1. Intent.

It is the intent of this article to provide general performance standards to ensure that development within the Chapel Hill planning jurisdiction will be designed, arranged, and constructed in a safe, orderly, energy-efficient, and visually harmonious manner, and will reflect the basic character of the development site and its immediate surroundings as well as the nature of the proposed uses of the site. Site and structure designs that emphasize energy conservation are encouraged.

5.1.2. Applicability.

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this appendix, no land or structure shall be used or occupied, and no excavation, removal of soil, clearing of a site, or placing of fill shall take place on land contemplated for development, and no structure, or part thereof, shall be constructed, erected, altered, renovated, or moved except in compliance with the general performance standards specified herein and the specific standards contained in the design manual required below.

5.1.3. Public Works Design Manual.

The town manager shall maintain a public works design manual which shall contain specific design and construction standards. The town manager shall revise the Public Works Engineering Design Manual as needed in accordance with the provisions of the Land Use Management Ordinance. Such standards shall be in accord with the general performance standards contained herein, and shall reflect, where applicable, generally accepted design and construction practices and techniques and requirements of the town Code of Ordinances. The public works design manual shall contain sufficient flexibility in the application of specific standards so as to permit modification of the standards where such modifications have been determined by the town manager to be equally or more appropriate to safe, orderly, energy-efficient, and visually harmonious development due to particular conditions of a development site, and that such modifications continue to be in conformance with the general performance standards contained herein.

(Ord. No. 2017-06-26/O-9 )