Lafayette committee introduces land-use ordinance

LAFAYETTE — The Lafayette Committee introduced an ordinance on Sept. 2 to amend certain land-use and zoning procedures.

Although residents won’t see a drastic change, they will notice that the height restriction of a detached accessory structure, not including agricultural structures, has been revised from a maximum height of 15 feet to 20 feet. The increase of 5 feet is the first change to the structure height ordinance in 23 years.

As well as tightening the Land Use Procedures chapter to allow for shorter and to-the-point definitions, there also are revisions to the ridgeline ordinance, which states: “No building or structure shall exceed 30 feet in height.”

A ridgeline is a line along a hillside, which when viewed from any public area appears to be the highest elevation of the hill.

Land Use Board Chairman Kevin O'Leary said definitions were revised and added in order to stay within the residential code.

“The 30=feet only applies to the Ridgeline ordinance," O'Leary said. "Historically, we have been concerned with the height in the Ridgeline areas. Everything else in the residential zones is staying at 35 feet."

This ordinance will be considered for final passage at the regular Township Committee meeting on Sept. 16.