[Ord. 1973-1, 2/5/1973, § 500]
The regulations for each district pertaining to minimum lot size, minimum lot width, maximum lot coverage, maximum height and minimum yard space shall be as specified in the "Table of Dimensional Requirements" included in this Part 5.[1] All uses and activities established after the effective date of this chapter shall provide for the minimum and not exceed the maximum dimensions specified. In cases where provisions of Part 4 or other Parts of this chapter provide dimensions differing from the general regulations specified in the table, such provisions shall take precedence.
Regulations applying to lots, buildings and uses in existence prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be governed by Part 9.
[1]
Editor's Note: The table is included as an attachment to this
chapter.
[Ord. 1973-1, 2/5/1973, § 510; as amended by Ord.
1988-1, 8/1/1988; and by Ord. 1998-4, 8/13/1998]
1.
Height Exceptions. The height limitations of this chapter shall not
apply to church spires, belfries, cupolas, monuments, silos and domes
not used for human occupancy nor to chimneys, ventilators, skylights,
water tanks, bulkheads, similar features and necessary mechanical
appurtenances normally built above the roof level. Such features,
however, shall be erected only to such height as necessary to accomplish
the purpose they are to serve and shall not exceed in cross-sectional
area 20% of the ground floor area of the building.
2.
Special Front Yard Requirements.
A.
Exceptions. If the alignment of two or more existing buildings on
each side of a lot within a distance of 50 feet of the proposed building
and fronting on the same area of the same street in the same block
is nearer to the street than the required front yard depth, the average
of such existing alignment within that distance shall be the required
front yard.
B.
Additional Setbacks. For those properties fronting on arterial and
collector highways identified in the Comprehensive Plan, minimum front
yards shall be 50 feet in all districts, measured from the future
right-of-way. Future rights-of-way shall be 120 feet for arterial
highways and 80 feet for collector highways, measured equally from
the center line of the existing right-of-way.
3.
Traffic Visibility Across Corners. In all districts (except CC),
no structure, fence, planting or other structure shall be maintained
between a plane two feet above curb level and a plane seven feet above
curb level so as to interfere with traffic visibility across the corner
within that part of the required front or side yard which is within
a triangle bounded by the front and side lot lines and a straight
line drawn between points on each such lot line 20 feet from the intersection
of said lot lines or extensions thereof.
4.
Permitted Uses in Yards.
A.
Projections. Ground-story terraces and unenclosed porches may project
into any required yard not more than 1/2 its required dimension and
not more than 10 feet in any case. Chimneys, flues, columns, sills
and ornamental features may project not more than two feet into a
required yard.
B.
(1)
No fence or wall exceeding six feet in height shall be erected within any of the yards required by this Part, except in the Industrial District where security fences may be up to eight feet in height. [See also Subsection 4B(3) below].
(2)
Fences or walls not exceeding six feet in height may be permitted
to be located within any of the required yards, but shall be set back
at least two feet from all property lines and from the edge of any
adjoining street, road or alley right-of-way. Where, however, there
is written mutual consent between the adjoining property owners, a
fence or wall may be placed on a property line. A copy of such mutual
consent, along with arrangements for maintenance of the fence or wall,
shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer along with the application
for placement of the structure.
(3)
In no case shall a fence or wall be erected which could cause
danger to traffic on the street or road (whether public or private)
by obscuring a driver's view.
(4)
Fences having only one finished side shall be installed so that
the finished side faces out or away from the subject property.
(5)
All fences shall be maintained in good condition and shall not
be allowed to become dilapidated.
C.
Accessory Buildings. Completely detached accessory buildings may
in no case occupy required front or side yard space directly adjacent
to the principal building; but, in the case of rear yards, completely
detached accessory buildings shall be permitted with a minimum clearance
of five feet from the property line. Accessory buildings which are
attached to the principal building may extend into the side or rear
yard a distance of 1/2 the normal required yard but may in no case
project into the front yard.
D.
Outdoor Storage and Off-Street Parking. Outdoor storage and off-street
parking may project into any side or rear yard a distance of not more
than 1/2 its required dimension.
5.
Multiple Frontage Lots. On corner or double frontage lots, each side
of a lot having a street frontage shall meet the required front yard
setback for that lot.
6.
Spacing of Nonresidential Buildings. Where two or more main buildings
for nonresidential uses are proposed to be built upon a property in
one ownership, front, side and rear yards are required only at lot
lines abutting other properties.
[Ord. 1973-1, 2/5/1973, § 620]
1.
When Required. In general, buffering, either in the form of yard
space and/or screening, is required in commercial and industrial districts
along district boundaries between themselves and residential districts.
A.
Buffer yards shall be required in HC and I Districts when abutting
SR, UR and VC Districts.
B.
Screening shall be required in CC and CI Districts when abutting
SR, UR and VC Districts.
C.
Where streets, highways, railroads or rivers serve as district boundaries,
no buffering is required along such boundary.
D.
Where streams or other bodies of water serve as boundaries, such
stream or river may serve to meet the buffering requirements, providing
approved by special exception.
2.
Buffer Yards. A buffer yard is yard space as defined in § 27-202 but whose dimension normally exceeds the normal building setback requirement.
A.
Buffer yards shall be at least 50 feet in width, measured from the
applicable district boundary line. Buffer yards may be coterminous
with required front, side or rear yards but in no case shall the combined
width be less than 50 feet.
B.
In all buffer yards, the exterior twenty-five-foot width shall be
planted with grass seed, sod or ground cover and maintained and kept
clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds and tall grass in conformance
with existing regulations.
C.
No structure, manufacturing or processing activity or stoppage of
materials shall be permitted in the buffer yard; however, parking
of passenger automobiles shall be permitted in the portion of the
buffer yard exclusive of the exterior twenty-five-foot width.
3.
Screening. Screening is the provision of a barrier to visibility,
airborne particles, glare and noise between adjacent properties composed
entirely of trees, shrubs or other plant materials.
A.
Plant materials used in the screen planting shall be at least four
feet in height when planted and of such species as will produce, within
two years, a complete visual screen of at least eight feet in height.
B.
The screen planting shall be maintained permanently, and any plant
material which does not live shall be replaced within one year.
C.
The screen planting shall be so placed that, at maturity, it will
be not closer than three feet from any street or property line.
E.
The screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular or
pedestrian access.
