The purpose of Articles
III through
VI is to indicate which land uses may locate in each zoning district and under what requirements and which land uses may not locate therein. A further distinction is made for land uses that may locate in a given district only upon obtaining a conditional or temporary use permit to do so. Finally, certain land uses may locate in a given district as a matter of right upon compliance with special regulations for such a land use.
The land uses listed in Article
II are specifically designated and refer to the detailed listing of land uses contained in Article
IV (Detailed Land Use Descriptions and Regulations).
A. Land uses permitted by right. Land uses listed as permitted by right are permitted per the general land use requirement of this chapter (§
550-47); per the general requirements of the specific zoning district in which they are located; per any additional requirements imposed by applicable overlay zoning districts as designated on the Official Zoning Map; per the general requirements of this chapter, including §
550-145; and per any and all other applicable City, county, state and federal regulations.
B. Land uses permitted as a conditional use. Land uses listed as permitted as a conditional use are permitted subject to all the requirements applicable to uses permitted by right as listed in Subsection
A above, plus any additional requirements applicable to that particular land use as contained in Article
IV (Detailed Land Use Descriptions and Regulations), including any additional requirements imposed as part of the conditional use process. Each application for and instance of a conditional use shall be considered a unique situation and shall not be construed as precedence for similar requests. (See also §
550-142 for conditional use procedures.)
C. Land uses permitted as an accessory use. Land uses permitted as an accessory use are permitted subject to all the requirements applicable to uses permitted by right as listed in Subsection
A above, plus any additional requirements applicable to that particular land use as contained in Article
IV (Detailed Land Use Descriptions and Regulations).
D. Land uses permitted as a temporary use. Land uses listed as permitted as a temporary use are permitted subject to all the requirements applicable to uses permitted by right as listed in Subsection
A above, plus any additional requirements applicable to that particular land use as contained in §
550-57. (See Article
IV, Detailed Land Use Descriptions and Regulations.)
E. Land uses not listed in a specific zoning district are not permitted in such zoning district, except as legal nonconforming uses (per Article
V).
F. Although a land use may be indicated as permitted by right or permitted as a conditional use in a particular district, it does not follow that such a land use is permitted or permissible on every parcel in such district. No land use is permitted or permissible on a parcel unless it can be located thereon in full compliance with all of the standards and regulations of this chapter which are applicable to the specific land use and parcel in question, or unless an appropriate variance has been granted pursuant to §
550-147.
Appendix B, which is nonregulatory, summarizes the treatment
of all land uses as regulated in each zoning district.
All uses of land initiated within the jurisdiction of this chapter
on, or following, the effective date of this chapter shall comply
with all of the provisions of this chapter. Specifically:
A. Land use regulations and requirements. All uses of land shall comply
with all the regulations and requirements of this chapter pertaining
to the types of uses to which land may be put within particular zoning
districts. Such regulations and requirements address both general
and specific regulations which land uses shall adhere to and which
are directly related to the protection of the health, safety and general
welfare of the residents of the City of Watertown and its environs.
[Amended 10-4-2016 by Ord. No. 16-18; 12-20-2016 by Ord. No. 16-24]
B. Density and intensity regulations and requirements. All development
of land shall comply with all the regulations and requirements of
this chapter pertaining to the maximum permitted density (for residential
land uses) and intensity (for nonresidential land uses) of land uses.
Such regulations and requirements address issues such as floor area
ratios (FARs) and landscape surface ratios (LSRs) which are directly
related to and are a critical component of density and intensity and
the protection of the health, safety and general welfare of the residents
of the City of Watertown and its environs.
C. Bulk regulations and requirements. All development of land shall
comply with all the regulations and requirements of this chapter pertaining
to the maximum permitted bulk of structures and the location of structures
on a lot. Such regulations and requirements address issues such as
height, setbacks from property lines and rights-of-way, and minimum
separation between structures which are directly related to and a
critical component of the effective bulk of a structure and the protection
of the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the
City of Watertown and its environs.
D. Natural resources and green space regulations and requirements. All land use and/or development of land shall comply with all the regulations and requirements of this chapter and Chapter
532, Floodplain and Shoreland-Wetland Zoning, pertaining to the protection of sensitive natural resources and required green space areas. Such regulations and requirements address issues such as absolute protection, partial protection, and migration which are directly related to and a critical component of the protection of natural resources and the protection of the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the City of Watertown and its environs.
E. Landscaping and bufferyards regulations and requirements. All development
of land shall comply with all the regulations and requirements of
this chapter pertaining to the provision of landscaping and bufferyards.
Such regulations and requirements address issues such as minimum required
landscaping of developed land and minimum required provision of bufferyards
between adjoining zoning districts and/or development options which
are directly related to and a critical component of the effective
bulk of a structure and the protection of the health, safety and general
welfare of the residents of the City of Watertown and its environs.
F. Performance standards and requirements. All development of land shall
comply with all the regulations and requirements of this chapter pertaining
to the provision of appropriate access, parking, loading, storage
and lighting facilities. Such regulations and requirements address
issues such as maximum permitted access points, minimum required parking
spaces, the screening of storage areas, and maximum permitted intensity
of lighting, as well as defining acceptable levels of potential nuisances
such as noise, vibration, odors, heat, glare and smoke, which are
directly related to and a critical component of the protection of
the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the City
of Watertown and its environs.
G. Signage regulations and requirements. All land use and/or development of land shall comply with all the regulations and requirements of Article
XII pertaining to the type and amount of signage permitted on property. Such regulations and restrictions address issues such as the maximum area of permitted signage and the number and types of permitted signage which are directly related to and a critical component of the protection of the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the City of Watertown and its environs.
H. Procedural regulations and requirements. All land use and/or development of land shall comply with all the regulations and requirements of Article
XIII pertaining to the procedures necessary to secure review and approval of land use and/or development. Such regulations and restrictions address both procedural and technical requirements and are directly related to and a critical component of the protection of the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the City of Watertown and its environs. At a minimum, all development shall be subject to the requirements of §
550-145.
I. Number of buildings per lot. In the RH, CR-10, ER-1 and SR-4 Districts, only one principal building shall be permitted on any one lot. In the TR-6, MR-8, MR-10, NO, PO, NB, PB, GB, CB, PI, GI and HI Districts, more than one principal building shall be permitted on any one lot upon the granting of a conditional use permit for a group development in compliance with Article
VI.
J. Number of land uses per building.
(1) No more than one nonresidential land use shall be permitted in any building unless a conditional use permit for a group development is granted in compliance with Article
VI.
(2) With the exceptions of a commercial apartment or a home occupation, no building containing a nonresidential land use shall contain a residential land use. (See §
550-56A and
J.)
K. Division or combining of a lot. No recorded lot shall be divided into two or more lots, and no two or more recorded lots shall be combined into one or more lots, unless such division or combination results in the creation of lots, each of which conforms to all of the applicable regulations of the zoning district in which said lot is located (as set forth in this chapter). (See also Chapter
545, Subdivision of Land.)