| The time has come to review Chatham Borough’s Master Plan. Chatham Borough has maintained its Master Plan for many years and revises it periodically. Our Master Plan includes a number of goals which call for the preservation of open natural areas in the residential sections and for the privacy of the residents. To meet these goals, it is the responsibility of the Planning Board to generate regulations, subject to approval by the Borough Council.
Several of these regulations have existed for more than 20 years and have helped to make Chatham an attractive town. Each of these regulations has its own particular purpose, but they are also complementary and together they represent a practical and proven interpretation of the Land Use Section of our Master Plan.
Based on input from the Borough Council and residents and feedback from the Construction Office and the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the time has come again to review our land use regulations for possible changes. The Planning Board is collecting data from several sources to start this process.
Throughout 2005 the Planning Board will review the Master Plan for action by the Council in about a year from now. The Land Use Section and those regulations for meeting its goals will be considered in the light of the current environment. An important element will be input from the public. Do our citizens feel the Borough would be better served by keeping the present balance of building size to open space, or is some change in order? The Planning Board welcomes letters or comments which address this question.
The following is a brief explanation of why regulations are necessary and an indication of the consequences of change.
Regulation Purpose:
1. Building Coverage (BC): Its purpose is to set an appropriate footprint of the buildings in relation to the size of the lot. It represents a balance between the needs of the owners and those of their neighbors in terms of open area preservation for air and light as called for in the Master Plan.
2. Setbacks: Their purpose is to prevent buildings from encroachment upon neighboring property and to maintain reasonable open space between adjacent houses and garages.
3. Floor Area Ratio (FAR): Its purpose is to set the bulk or volume of the buildings on a lot in relation to the size of the lot. It has no effect upon the footprint but rather works to control the volume of the upper floors and attic.
4. Lot Coverage (LC): its purpose is to reduce runoff of rain water and provide for recharge of ground water. The regulation considers the combined footprint of the buildings plus any other impervious surfaces such as patios, walks, and driveways.
Regulation Modification:
It would be reasonable to review the regulations for possible modification if there were a change in the goals of the Master Plan or if a change might bring greater effectiveness. In considering modification, the first thought would be to revisit the purpose. For example, do we want to allow building nearer the property line or maintain the existing degree of privacy for the neighbors? Or on FAR, do we want to ignore disproportionate attic and upper story designs or continue to consider the bulk of the houses. If the answer is to change the basic purpose, one should work to revoke the regulation. Usually, however, it is more constructive to take a less radical approach and re-calibrate rather than revoke a regulation. In that event, a different schedule of quantitative limits would be established; a new balance would exist. This has been done several times to good effect over the past 10 years.
Note: Alan Robertson has been a member of the Planning Board in Chatham Borough for 12 years. He is retiring as of January 2005.
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