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Harris County Community Services Department <br /> Affordable Housing Project Design Standards <br /> <br />Commonareasshouldbeaccessiblefromallbuildingsandconnectedbyacomprehensive,on <br />sitepedestriancirculationsystem.Publicopenspacerecreationareas,plazasandcourtyards <br />shouldbelocatedandlandscapedtotakeadvantageofsolarorientation,provideprotection <br />fromprevailingwind,andtoaffordsummershadeandwintersunshine.Mechanicalunits <br />shouldbescreenedfromview. <br />ParkingandTrafficCirculation <br />Numberofparkingspaceshouldbemadeavailabletoaccommodatethehouseholdnumberof <br />thesinglefamilyunitprojectaccordingtothesizeoftheunitorthenumberofunitsina <br />multifamilyhousingproject.Parkingareasshouldbebufferedfromadjacentresidential <br />properties.Accessdrives,internalcirculationdrives,parkingareas,andpedestrianwalkways <br />shouldbedesignedtoprovidesafetyandconvenienceforbothmotoristandpedestriansand <br />ensureaccessforthephysicallydisabled.Surfaceparkingdesignshouldutilizesharedaccess <br />driveswithadjacent,similarlyzonedpropertiestoreduceinterferencewithpedestrians.The <br />numberofcurbcutsshouldbeminimizedandpedestrianaccessenhanced.Pavement <br />materialsshouldbechosentominimizereflectedlightandglare.Eachparkingspaceshallbe <br />independentlyaccessibleandhaveaverticalclearanceofnotlessthan7.5feet. <br />Parkingandcirculationaislesshouldbeperpendiculartotheentryfacesofbuildingsto <br />minimizeconflictingmovementsbypedestriansandvehicles. <br />LandscapingandTrees <br />Landscapingshallcomplementthebuilding,maximizetheuseofopenspaceandprovideplants <br />suchthatatleast50%oftheareaavailableforlandscapingisplantedwithnativeoradaptive <br />species.Landscapingonlargerprojectsshouldbecompatiblewiththeneighborhood,provide <br />animportantvisualamenitytotheresidentsandprovideadequatededicatedspaceforchildren <br />toplay.Inadditionthelandscapeelementsshouldbedesignedtoreducetheheatisland <br />effect,assistinstormwatermanagementofthesiteandreducetheoverallirrigationwater <br />demandandwaterbudget. <br />Newlandscapingmaterialsandvegetationshouldconformtoalowmaintenancelandscaping <br />methodsandshouldconsiderintegrationwiththestormwatermanagementplantoprovide <br />wateranddrainagethatiscomplimentarywithplants.Rootstructuresshallbeconsideredfor <br />theirrequiredspace,effectsonnearbypavementsandfoundations,andpossibleinterference <br />withsubsurfaceutilities.Plantsshallbesizedaccordingtoproperplantingpracticeandshallbe <br />adequatetowithstandnormaluse.Turfgrassishighlyeffectiveincontrolofenvironmental <br />pollution,suchasthesuppressionofdust,glare,andnoise,andinheatdissipation.Turfshould <br />includetheuseofgrassvarietiesthataredroughtresistantandnativetothearea.Existing <br />matureandhealthytreesshallbepreservedwhereverpossible.Forinformationonturfgrasses <br />andlandscapinginTexas,applicantsshouldconsulttheTexasAgriLifeExtensionServices <br />). <br />(http://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/ <br />Harris County Community Services Department 26 <br />Affordable Housing Project Design Standards <br />Revised May 2011 <br /> <br />