The R-2 Medium-Density Residential District provides a mix of housing choices. The inclusion of single-family residential, two-family residential and multifamily residential provides a diversity of housing choices while the bulk and density regulations maintain the lower-density scale of the neighborhoods. These residential areas are located proximate to neighborhood-scale shopping and service opportunities. The district requirements are intended to preserve, promote and protect a quality of urban residential living characterized by unobstructed front yards, pedestrian-scale streetscapes and buildings scaled and designed to be compatible with the neighborhood.
The following uses are permitted in the R-2 District:
A. 
Single-family detached dwellings.
B. 
Single-family attached dwellings.
C. 
Two-family dwellings.
D. 
Family and group family day-care homes.
E. 
Adult family day-care homes.
F. 
Places of worship, except in structures originally designed solely for residential purposes.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
G. 
Convents and rectories.
H. 
Home occupations , subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-139.
[Added 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
I. 
[1]Office, when in an existing structure built for a nonresidential use, operating between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
[Added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection I, concerning specialty retail sales and service, added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363, was repealed 8-9-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-263, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection J as Subsection I.
The following uses are allowed as special permit uses in the R-2 District:
A. 
Adaptive use of designated landmarks, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-130.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
B. 
Ancillary parking lots , subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-131.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
C. 
Bed-and-breakfast establishments, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-132.
D. 
Community garages and parking lots.
E. 
Day-care centers, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-135.
F. 
Homeless residential facilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-140, that accommodate up to 10 persons.
G. 
Live-work space, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-142.1.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
H. 
Multifamily dwellings, subject to the requirements in § 120-20 relating to lot, area and yard and § 120-166 relating to dwelling unit conversions.
I. 
Public and semipublic uses.
[Amended 7-19-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-247[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection J, Parks and recreational areas, was repealed 7-19-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-257, which ordinance also provided for the relettering of former Subsections K through M as Subsections J through L, respectively.
J. 
Public utilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-144.
K. 
Residential care facilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-146.
L. 
Hospice.[2]
[2]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection M, concerning full-line food store and low-impact retail sales and service, added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363, as amended, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 8-9-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-263.
Conversion of any residential structure to any nonresidential use or increasing the number of residential units where the dwelling unit conversion standards are not met in the R-2 District is prohibited except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
The following lot, area and yard requirements shall apply to the R-2 District:
A. 
Lot frontage requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot frontage, detached: average frontage of lots on the block on which the property is located.
(b) 
Minimum lot frontage, attached, two units: 30 feet per unit.
(c) 
Minimum lot frontage, attached, three or more units: N/A.
(d) 
Minimum lot frontage, two-family: average frontage of lots on the block on which the property is located.
(e) 
Minimum lot frontage, multifamily: N/A.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot frontage: N/A.
B. 
Lot area requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Single-family detached and attached.
[1] 
Minimum lot area, detached: 5,000 square feet.
[2] 
Minimum lot area, attached, two units: 3,000 square feet per unit.
[3] 
Minimum lot area, attached, three units or more: N/A.
[4] 
[1]Maximum lot coverage: 50%.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(1)(a)[4], providing maximum building coverage, was repealed 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection B(1)(a)[5] as Subsection B(1)(a)[4].
(b) 
Two-family.
[1] 
Minimum lot area: 6,000 square feet.
[2] 
[2]Maximum lot coverage: 50%.
[2]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(1)(b)[2], providing maximum building coverage, was repealed 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection B(1)(b)[3] as Subsection B(1)(b)[2].
(c) 
Multifamily.
[1] 
Minimum lot area: 3,000 square feet per unit.
[2] 
[3]Maximum lot coverage: 50%.
[3]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(1)(c)[2], providing maximum building coverage, was repealed 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection B(1)(c)[3] as Subsection B(1)(c)[2].
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot area: N/A.
(b) 
[4]Maximum lot coverage: 50%.
[4]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(2)(b), providing maximum building coverage, was repealed 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection B(2)(c) as Subsection B(2)(b).
C. 
Yard requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Front yards.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 7-27-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-240]
[1] 
Minimum front yard setback, principal uses and structures: where applicable, the average front yard depth of buildings on the two lots adjoining a property; or the average front yard depth of buildings on the block frontage on which the property is located; or 20 feet.
[2] 
Maximum front yard setback, principal uses and structures: where applicable, the average front yard depth of buildings of the two lots adjoining a property; or the average front yard depth of buildings on the block frontage.
[3] 
Minimum front yard setback, attached garages and carports: front yard of the principal use or structure plus 10 feet.
[Amended 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323]
(b) 
Side yards.
[1] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached principal use or structure: five feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet.
[2] 
Minimum side yard setback, attached principal use or structure: zero, except when adjacent to a detached structure, in which case the setback shall be five feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet.
[3] 
Attached accessory structures: five feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet.
[4] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(c) 
Rear yard.
[1] 
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure: 20 feet or the existing setback, but in no case less than 10 feet.
[2] 
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum front yard setback, average front yard depth of building(s) on the block on which the property is located or 20 feet, whichever is more, but in no case more than five feet larger than the average of the front yard depth on buildings on the two adjoining lots.
(b) 
Side yards.
[1] 
Minimum side yard setback, principal use or structure: 10 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 25 feet.
[2] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: 10 feet.
(c) 
Rear yard.
[1] 
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure: 10 feet.
[2] 
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: 10 feet.
D. 
Corner lots. Both yards abutting streets shall be considered front yards and shall follow the regulations of this article; all side and rear yards shall follow the regulations of this article.
The following requirements shall apply to buildings constructed in the R-2 District:
A. 
Building heights.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Maximum building height, principal use or structure: 2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet.
(b) 
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure: 15 feet.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Maximum building height, principal use or structure: 2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet.
(b) 
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure: 15 feet.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
The following summarizes the requirements for the R-2 District.
Summary Chart of R-2 Regulations
Requirement
Residential
Nonresidential
Single-Family
Two-Family
Multi-Family
Detached
Attached 2 Units
Attached 3+ Units
Minimum lot frontage
Average frontage of lots on block
30 feet per unit
N/A
Average frontage of lots on block
N/A
N/A
Minimum lot area
5,000 square feet
3,000 square feet per unit
N/A
6,000 square feet
3,000 square feet per unit
N/A
Maximum lot coverage
50%
50%
50%
50%
Front Yard
Minimum front yard setback, principal use or structure
The average front yard depth of buildings on the 2 lots adjoining a property; or the average front yard depth of buildings on the block frontage on which the property is located; or 20 feet
Average front yard depth of building(s) on the block on which the property is located or 20 feet, whichever is more, but in no case more than 5 feet larger than the average of the front yard depth on buildings on the 2 adjoining lots
Maximum front yard setback, principal use or structure
The average front yard depth of buildings of the 2 lots adjoining a property, or the average front yard depth of buildings on the block frontage
Minimum front yard setback, attached garages and carports
The front yard of the principal use or structure plus 10 feet
Side Yard
Minimum side yard setback, detached principal use or structure
5 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet
10 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 25 feet
Minimum side yard setback, attached principal use or structure
0, except when adjacent to a detached structure, in which case the setback shall be 5 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet
Attached accessory structures
5 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure
N/A
10 feet
Rear Yard
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure
20 feet or the existing setback, but in no case less than 10 feet
10 feet
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure
N/A
10 feet
Bulk
Maximum building height, principal use or structure
2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet
2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure
15 feet
15 feet
The applicable City-Wide Design Guidelines and Standards (Article XIX) and Requirements Applying to All Districts (Article XX) in this chapter shall apply to all uses in the R-2 District.