City of Caruthersville, MO Article XIV Height and Area Requirements

Section 405.510 Height and Area Regulations.

[CC 1983 App. B Art. XIII; Ord. No. 379.5, 5-18-1970]

The required height and area regulations are hereby established and are shown in Section 405.580, and are qualified or supplemented in the text of this Article. The district regulations hereinafter set forth in this Section qualify or supplement, as the case may be, the district regulations appearing elsewhere in this Chapter.

Section 405.520 Height.

[CC 1983 App. B Art. XIII §1; Ord. No. 379.5, 5-18-1970]

A. Public, semi-public, or public service buildings, hospitals, institutions or schools, when permitted in a district may be erected to a height not exceeding sixty (60) feet if the building is set back from each yard line at least one (1) foot for each two (2) feet of additional building height above the height limit otherwise provided in the district in which the building is located. In designated airport approach and transition zones, such buildings shall not exceed the height restrictions of such zones as specified in this Section.

B. Chimneys, church steeples, cooling towers, elevator bulkheads, fire towers, monuments, stacks, stage towers, or scenery lofts, tanks, water towers, ornamental towers, spires, wireless towers, grain elevators or necessary mechanical appurtenances may be erected to such height as may be authorized by the City Council, but not to exceed one hundred fifty (150) feet. In designated airport approach and transition zones, such structures shall not exceed the height restrictions of such zones as specified in this Section.

C. The following special regulations shall apply to any land airport and its surrounding land areas. Said map and all the information shown thereon shall have the same force and effect as if all were fully set forth or described herein. The original of this is properly attested and is on file with the City Clerk.

1. Within the air space above the approach zone to each end of a runway not designed to be used for instrument landings, no building or structure or tree shall be erected or altered or permitted to grow to project above a plane with a slope of one (1) vertical to twenty (20) horizontal projected from a point two hundred (200) feet beyond the end of the runway pavement for a distance of ten thousand (10,000) feet, said plane to be oriented on the runway centerline and to be a symmetrical trapezoid two hundred fifty (250) feet wide at its lowest point and two thousand two hundred fifty (2,250) feet wide at its highest point.

2. Within the established transition zones adjacent to each non-instrument runway and approach zone, no building or structure or tree may be erected or altered or permitted to grow to project above a plane with a slope of one (1) vertical to seven (7) horizontal. Transition zones extend outward and upward from a line one hundred twenty-five (125) feet on either side of the centerline of non-instrument runways for the length of such runway plus two hundred (200) feet on each end, to a height one hundred fifty (150) feet above the elevation of the Airport Reference Point. In addition, transition zones are established adjacent to non-instrument approach zones which flare outward and upward symmetrically along the entire length of each approach zone to where they intersect the surfaces of the horizontal and conical zones.

3. Within five thousand (5,000) feet from the established Airport Reference Point, no building or structure or tree shall be erected or altered or permitted to grow to project above a horizontal plane one hundred fifty (150) feet above the established airport elevation. This horizontal plane does not include the approach or transition zones.

4. Within the conical zone which commences at the periphery of the horizontal zone and extends outward and upward therefrom a distance of three thousand (3,000) feet, no building or structure or tree shall be erected or altered or permitted to grow to project above a plane with a slope of one (1) vertical to twenty (20) horizontal.

5. Nothing in this Subparagraph on height regulations for airports shall be construed as prohibiting the growth or construction of any tree or structure to a height up to twenty (20) feet above the surface of the land.

Section 405.530 Front Yards.

[CC 1983 App. B Art. XIII §2; Ord. No. 379.5, 5-18-1970; Ord. No. 732 §1, 7-20-1992]

A. When forty percent (40%) or more of the frontage on one (1) side of the street between two (2) intersecting streets is improved with buildings that have a front yard which is greater or less than the required front yard in the district, no building shall project beyond the average front yard so established; provided however, that a front yard depth shall not be required to exceed fifty percent (50%) in excess of the front yard otherwise required in the district in which the lot is located.

B. An open, unenclosed porch or paved terrace may project into a front yard for a distance not exceeding ten (10) feet. An unenclosed vestibule containing not more than forty (40) square feet may project into a front yard for a distance not to exceed four (4) feet.

C. Where there are corner lots, the side yard next to the secondary street shall be a minimum of seven (7) feet. As to houses constructed on fifty (50) foot corner lots, said houses may be constructed facing the secondary street with a minimum of a thirteen (13) foot front yard and a minimum of a ten (10) foot back yard, and minimum of a thirty (30) foot side yard fronting the main street. Further, no house constructed on a fifty (50) foot corner lot facing a secondary street shall have a back door on a section of said house where said house abuts an adjoining lot.

Section 405.540 Side Yards.

[CC 1983 App. B Art. XIII §3; Ord. No. 379.5, 5-18-1970]

A. For the purpose of the side yard regulations, a two-family dwelling, or a multiple dwelling, shall be considered as one (1) building occupying one (1) lot.

B. Whenever a lot at the effective date of this Chapter (May 18, 1970) has a width of less than sixty (60) feet, each side yard may be reduced to a width of not less than ten percent (10%) of the width of the lot, but in no instance shall a side yard be less than three (3) feet.

C. The required side yard on the street side of a corner lot shall be the same as the required front yard on such street, except that the building width shall not be reduced to less than thirty-two (32) feet, and no accessory building shall project beyond the required front yard on either street.

D. Where dwelling units are erected above a commercial establishment, no side yard is required except when required for the commercial building on the side of a lot adjoining a residence district.

E. Terraces, uncovered porches, platforms, and ornamental features which do not extend more than three (3) feet above the floor level of the ground story may project into a required yard, provided these projections be at least two (2) feet from the adjacent side lot line.

Section 405.550 Rear Yards.

[CC 1983 App. B Art. XIII §4; Ord. No. 379.5, 5-18-1970]

A. Open-lattice enclosed fire escapes, fireproof outside stairways, and balconies opening upon fire towers, and the ordinary projections of chimneys and flues into the rear yard may be permitted for a distance of not more than three and one-half (3½) feet and where the same are so placed as not to obstruct light and ventilation.

B. Not more than ninety percent (90%) of the required rear yard area may be occupied by unenclosed parking spaces.

Section 405.560 Buildings and Accessory Buildings.

[CC 1983 App. B Art. XIII §5; Ord. No. 379.5, 5-18-1970]

A. Where a lot or tract is used for farming or for a commercial or industrial purpose, more than one (1) main building may be located upon the lot or tract, but only when such buildings conform to all open space requirements around the lot for the district in which the lot or tract is located.

B. In the event that a lot is to be occupied by a group of two (2) or more related buildings to be used for multiple dwelling, institutional, motel or hotel purposes, there may be more than one (1) main building on the lot; provided however, that the open spaces between buildings that are parallel, or within forty-five degrees (45°) of being parallel, shall have a minimum dimension of twenty (20) feet for one-story buildings, thirty (30) feet for two-story buildings, and forty (40) feet for three-story or four-story buildings.

C. Accessory buildings may be built in a required yard but such accessory buildings shall not occupy more than thirty percent (30%) of a required rear yard and shall not be nearer than two (2) feet to any side or rear lot line, except that when a garage is entered from an alley, it shall not be located closer than ten (10) feet to the alley line. If a garage is located closer than ten (10) feet to the main building, the garage shall be regarded as part of the main building for the purposes of determining side and rear yards.

D. No accessory building shall be constructed upon a lot until the construction of the main building has been actually commenced, and no accessory building shall be used for dwelling purposes.

Section 405.570 Open Space.

[CC 1983 App. B Art. XIII §6; Ord. No. 379.5, 5-18-1970]

A. Except as otherwise provided herein, every part of a required yard shall be open to the sky, unobstructed by any structure, except for the ordinary projections of sills, belt courses, cornices, and ornamental features which may extend to a distance not to exceed eighteen (18) inches into any required yard. Roofs and eaves may extend not more than thirty (30) inches into any required yard.

B. Where an open space is more than seventy-five percent (75%) surrounded by a building, the minimum width of the open space shall be at least twenty (20) feet for one-story buildings, thirty (30) feet for two-story buildings, and forty (40) feet for three-story or four-story buildings.

Section 405.580 Height and Area Requirements.

Editor’s Note — The Height and Area Requirements Table is included as an attachment to this chapter.