(A) Generally. Unless variations are granted pursuant to the variation provisions of this UDO, or unless site development allowances are granted through the Planned Development process as provided in Article 16-7, all new buildings shall conform to the bulk regulations established in this UDO for the district in which each building is located, and no existing building shall be enlarged, reconstructed, structurally altered, converted or relocated in such a manner as to conflict with the bulk regulations in this UDO for the district in which such buildings shall be located.
(B) Maintenance of yards, courts, and other open spaces. The maintenance of yards, courts, and other open spaces and minimum lot area legally required for a building shall be a continuing obligation of the owner of such building or of the property on which it is located, as long as the building is in existence. Furthermore, no legally required yards, courts or other open space or minimum lot area allocated to any building shall, by virtue of change of ownership or for any other reason, be used to satisfy yard, court, other open space or minimum lot area requirements for any other building.
(C) Location of required open spaces. All yards, courts and other open spaces allocated to a building or group of buildings shall be located on the same zoning lot as such building or group of buildings.
(D) Required yard for existing buildings. No yards on or hereafter provided for a building existing on the effective date of this UDO shall subsequently be reduced below, or further reduced below if already less than the minimum yard requirements of this UDO for equivalent new construction.
(E) Calculating dimensions.
(1) Yards.
(a) The required front yard setback shall be measured as the shortest distance between the building and the front property line.
(b) The required side yard or rear yard setback shall be measured by the shortest distance between the building and the lot line.
(2) The vertical distance measured from the sidewalk level or its equivalent established grade opposite the middle of the front of the building to the highest elevation of the roof in the case of a slant or flat roof; to the deck line of a mansard roof; and to the mean height level between eaves and ridge of a gable, hip or gambrel roof; provided that, where buildings are set back from the street line, the height of the building may be measured from the average elevation of the finished lot grade at the front of the building (see Figure 16-3-8 (F)(2)).
(3) Lot coverage. The part or percent of the lot occupied by a combination of building and accessory uses covering the lot area, not including driveways but including parking pads (see Figures 16-3-8 (F)(3)). For properties zoned R-1, R-2, and R-3 with single-unit detached dwelling units, not more than 30% of the lot area may be occupied by buildings and structures, including accessory buildings except when structural coverage includes lot area covered by a swimming pool or by a deck which collects water or allows water to penetrate into the ground underneath the deck and where the area underneath the deck is covered with agricultural paper, cloth or other pervious sheeting, in which case only the area of the swimming pool or deck shall be permitted to exceed 30% of the lot area up to a maximum of 35% of the lot area.
(Ord. 2021-05-15, passed 5-3-2021; Ord. 2021-08-33, passed 8-2-2021; Ord. 2022-09-39, passed 9-6-2022)