Separate Extensions Limited to Three Floors or 20% of Maximum Height
Floor Area Ratio Relief Standards for High-Density Complexes Also Reflected
Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province will release guidelines for remodeling projects of aging mid- to high-rise apartments within this month.
A panoramic view of Gwangmyeong Haan-dong area, densely packed with aging mid-rise apartments. The city plans to release a basic plan this month that will serve as a guideline for remodeling multi-family housing. Gwangmyeong City Hall website
Gwangmyeong City announced on the 4th that it plans to conduct a public review for residents this month regarding the remodeling basic plan currently under service to support the improvement of living environments in aging multi-family housing.
The plan will serve as guidelines that regulate floor area ratio, allowable expansion range, and the extent of household increase when remodeling projects are pursued for aging apartments where redevelopment or reconstruction is difficult due to profitability issues.
The current Building Act stipulates that floor area ratio relief is possible when promoting remodeling projects. However, since specific standards have not been established, systematic review during the deliberation stages such as the Architectural Committee and Urban Planning Committee is difficult, causing delays in administrative procedures and hindering project progress.
The city plans to include the basic direction of remodeling projects, demand forecasts, and operational standards in the basic plan. In particular, the plan will include operational standards that contain the key floor area ratio relief criteria for remodeling projects.
The city will designate multi-family housing complexes that have been completed for more than 15 years and have a site area of 10,000㎡ or more or 200 or more households as "priority management" targets and establish remodeling operational standards.
Regarding the increase in the number of floors in the operational standards, the principle is to follow the Housing Act standards; however, in the case of separate building extensions, the range will be limited to within three floors or 20% of the complex’s highest floor, considering the landscape. For example, if the highest floor of an existing apartment is 12 floors, a building constructed as a separate extension will be allowed up to 15 floors.
If the existing floor area ratio exceeds the standards set by the city’s urban planning ordinance, the plan will include limiting the floor area ratio relief range based on the ordinance, considering fairness with other projects such as new construction, redevelopment, or reconstruction.
Standards will also be established to create a pleasant living environment for residents. Detailed criteria will be presented to mandate securing certain levels of residential performance certifications such as Green Building Certification, Zero Energy Building Certification, and Intelligent Building Certification through remodeling.
Park Seung-won, Mayor of Gwangmyeong City, said, "We will establish clear standards through the formulation of the basic plan to improve the living environment of aging multi-family housing complexes," adding, "We will continuously improve policies so that all citizens can enjoy a pleasant living environment."
The city plans to finalize the plan within the year after going through the resident public review process, urban planning committee deliberation, and approval by Gyeonggi Province.
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