Between the front yard building line as established by this section and the street line, no building or portion of a building may be erected above the established grade except as otherwise provided in this section.
(a) Residence District Front Yards. In a Residence District, except where a front yard building line is or shall hereafter be indicated on the Zone Map accompanying this Zoning Ordinance, front yard building lines are hereby determined as follows:
(Ord. 1735-1957. Passed 12-3-57.)
(1) The minimum building or setback line for the various Area Districts shall be as follows:
Area District | Setback (Feet) |
A-1 | 50 |
A-2 | 50 |
A-3 | 35 |
A-4 | 35 |
A-5 | 30 |
A-6 | 35 |
The above setback or front yard building lines shall be measured from the street line and shall not be reduced except as hereinafter provided.
(Ord. 2214-1962. Passed 5-1-62.)
(2) On a street frontage between two successive intersecting streets, the minimum setback where two Area Districts meet shall be that of the lower numbered district.
(3) On a street frontage between two successive intersecting streets where twenty-five percent or more of such frontage is improved, the average setback of the existing buildings along such frontage shall be the front yard building line.
(4) No plat or subdivision may be recorded before it has been submitted to the Planning Commission, which shall establish the building or setback line consistent with the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance, prior to the filing of the same for record, but without prejudice to the right of the property owner to adopt greater front yard building lines than specified herein.
(5) Where in any portion of a street frontage there are lots of markedly less depth than normal, the Planning Commission, in defining and applying the provisions of this section and when in its opinion practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships occur, may divide such street frontage into sections for the application of the above setback requirements.
(b) Corner Lots. The following provisions shall apply where no building line is indicated on the Zone Map:
(1) Along the side line of a corner lot in a Residence District, except as otherwise provided herein, the distance of the building line back from the side street shall be ten percent of the average width of such lot. However, such distance back from the side line need not be more than five feet.
(2) On the rear third portion of a corner lot in a Residence District the building line shall be ten feet back from the side street line. In a Residence District, where the rear lot line of a corner lot is also the side line of the lot in the rear, the building line on such rear third portion of a corner lot shall be fifteen feet back from the side street line.
(3) On the rear of a corner lot in any Use District, where the rear lot line thereof is also the side line of a butt lot in the rear upon which a setback building line is established, no building shall be erected nearer the side street, at the rear line of the corner lot, than the established building line of such butt lot. For each foot the building sets in from such rear lot line or from the center of the rear alley, if any, it may set one foot nearer the street line, except as limited by subsections (1) and (2) of this subsection (b).
(c) Retail and Commercial Districts. Where a Retail and Commercial District adjoins or is surrounded by Residence Districts and the greatest frontage dimension of the area included in such Retail and Commercial District does not exceed 500 feet, the regulations provided above for front yard lines and side street yard lines in Residence Districts shall apply also to such Retail and Commercial Districts, except where a building line is otherwise indicated on the Zone Map. However, where areas are indicated for motor vehicle parking in the front areas of lots and lands in such Retail and Commercial District, the building line shall be to the rear of such parking areas at least such distance as would otherwise be required from the street line by this Zoning Ordinance.
(d) Any Use District. Where on any street frontage in any Use District a specific building line is indicated on the Zone Map which accompanies this Zoning Ordinance, such building line shall be the front or side street yard line for that street.
(Ord. 1735-1957. Passed 12-3-57.)
(e) Obstruction to View. On any lot, no hedge, shrub, tree or other growth or structure shall be erected or maintained between the front yard building line and the street line, as established by this Zoning Ordinance, so as to obstruct the view of traffic. Hedges located on the side of premises shall be maintained by the property owner at a height not to exceed three feet. Walls and fences are prohibited between the front yard building line and the street line, with the exception of decorative structures, subject to the approval of the Building Commissioner.
(Ord. 8263-1996. Passed 9-3-96.)
(f) Front Yard Exceptions. Whenever the plat of a subdivision approved and on record in the office of the County Recorder shows a setback building line along any frontage adopted for the purpose of creating a front or side street yard, such building line shall apply in place of any other yard line provided herein.
(Ord. 1735-1957. Passed 12-3-57.)
(g) Yard Encroachments. Entrance canopies or similar overhanging roofed spaces covering not more than twenty square feet of horizontal area for each fifty feet of lot frontage, and porticos or bays projecting not more than three feet exclusive of cornices and aggregating a vertical area in any story of not more than twenty percent of the area of the face of that story, shall be exempt from the front or side street yard restrictions of this Zoning Ordinance on buildings not nearer the street line than ten feet. Also exempt are steps and landings below the level of the first floor, hedges and such other objects as are exempted or permitted under this Zoning Ordinance.
(Ord. 7483-1990. Passed 10-16-90.)
(e) Obstruction to View. On any lot, no hedge, shrub, tree or other growth or structure shall be erected or maintained between the front yard building line and the street line, as established by this Zoning Ordinance, so as to obstruct the view of traffic. Hedges located on the side of premises shall be maintained by the property owner at a height not to exceed three feet. Walls and fences are prohibited between the front yard building line and the street line, with the exception of decorative structures, subject to the approval of the Building Commissioner.
(Ord. 8263-1996. Passed 9-3-96.)