(a) Street Frontage Required. No lot shall contain any building used as a dwelling unless it abuts at least fifty (50) feet on a street or has a permanent exclusive unobstructed private easement of access or right-of-way to a public street. The Zoning Inspector, in the issuance of a permit, or the City Planning Commission, in case of land subdivision, shall be satisfied that the overall arrangement will not result in a hazardous or inaccessible condition in respect to emergency equipment nor be in conflict with any street plan or local street system adopted or established in the City of Conneaut.
(b) Double-Frontage Lots. Double-frontage lots shall, on both of the streets involved, meet the front yard regulations of the district in which they are located.
(c) Yard Requirements. No part of a yard required for any building may be included as fulfilling the yard requirements for an adjacent building.
(d) Vacation or Utility Trailer. Parking of a vacation or utility trailer in any district shall be prohibited, except in the camping areas in the O-1, Open Space District, except that one (1) trailer may be stored in the rear or side yard of any district, provided that no living quarters shall be maintained or any business conducted in connection therewith while such trailer is parked or stored. No other building or structure shall be attached to a vacation or utility trailer.
(e) Lots Abutting Railroads or Principal Streets and Highways. The side or rear yard of any dwelling abutting any railroad, major thoroughfare, arterial highway, or freeway shall in no case be less than fifty (50) feet from the right-of-way of any railroad, (includes crossing), major thoroughfare, arterial highway, or freeway.
(Ord. 33-82. Passed 2-22-82.)
(f) Fences, Walls, Hedges or Similar Plantings or Structures. Fences, walls, plantings or hedges may be permitted in any yard, or along the edge of any yard, subject to the following:
(1) Maximum height. Unless specified otherwise in this section, the height of fences and walls shall not exceed six feet six inches (6' - 6") in height in any side or rear yard. In all districts no fence shall be over three feet four inches (3' - 4") in height unless the fence is ninety percent (90%) open, then such fence may be four feet four inches (4' - 4") in height along a property line in a front yard or front yard setback. No wall, planting, or hedge in a front yard or front yard setback shall be over three (3) feet in height.
A. Fences, walls and hedges within corner visibility areas shall not obstruct the view of vehicles or impede pedestrian traffic.
B. In an industrial district, a fence may be permitted up to eight feet in height along the side or rear lot line.
C. Junk yards shall be fenced in on all sides with a fence of no less than six (6) feet in height.
D. Barbed wire or any other material deemed hazardous shall be prohibited in a residential district except as allowed to contain animals as allowed under the R-1 Residential District.
E. Soils used to create a berm shall not exceed 2 feet in height and plantings shall not exceed four feet in height in total.
(2) Obstructions prohibited. No fence shall be erected or maintained in such a way as to obstruct the vision of motorists and/or prohibit an adjoining property owner from entering or exiting driveways. No fence or wall shall be erected within any public right-of-way.
(3) Orientation. A finished side of a fence in any yard shall face outwards away from the property on which they are placed.
(4) Exemptions. The following shall be exempt: Electronic fences (such as those used to contain animals) buried beneath the ground shall not be regulated by this section, a temporary fence to enclose a garden located in a rear yard only, fencing required by correctional facilities, for recreational purposes such as ball diamonds or similar recreational purposes, or fencing that surrounds flower gardens of no more than 2 feet in height.
(5) Trees, shrubs, flowers or plants shall be permitted in any front, side or rear yard, in conformance with subsection (a) of this section.
(6) Other specified structures. Walls, driveways, arbors, curbs, retaining walls, mailboxes, name plates, lamp posts, bird baths and structures of a like nature shall be permitted in any front, side or rear yard provided they do not exceed the height allowed in subsection (a) of this section for front yard fences.
(7) Other standards. The following additional standards shall apply to all fences, walls and hedges in any zoning district:
A. Fences may be placed up to one (1) foot from the front lot line in a front yard or front yard setback or within two (2) inches of a side or rear property line except that no parts of any fences, including foundations, may extend beyond any lot line.
B. If a fence exists in the rear or side yard of an adjacent lot, only one other fence may be placed along the adjoining boundaries of such adjacent lot. Areas between abutting fences must be maintained in accordance with this chapter and the City’s Code of Ordinances.
C. No wire fence or wire shall be erected in any front yard within a residential district, unless enclosing a retention pond approved by the Planning Commission.
D. The use of electric current or charge on any fence or part thereof is prohibited except for the single strand electric fences used for the purposes of containing animals in the Agricultural and R-1 Residential District.
E. Orange plastic fencing, snow fencing, cyclone fencing, silt fencing, or similar type fencing shall be prohibited in a residential district unless required during construction to comply with other governmental agencies or regulations. When used to enclose a garden, the fencing shall be removed by November 1 of the current year. Snow fencing shall be allowed to be in place from November 1 of the current year to March 31 of the following year to control snow drifting.
F. A decorative entry fence with an archway of six feet six inches (6'- 6") in height, including a light fixture or decorative object is allowed for a distance of six feet in any direction that gradually slopes to a height of four feet four inches (4'-4") or less, in a front yard or front yard setback, erected parallel to the property line that abuts a residential walkway leading up to an entry of a residential building or driveway and complies with and does not constitute a traffic hazard.
G. A decorative entry gate and/or archway for a driveway entry including a light fixture or decorative object is allowed for a distance of six feet in any direction that gradually slopes to a height of four feet four inches (4'-4") or less, in a front yard or front yard setback, erected parallel to the property line and does not constitute a traffic hazard.
H. The Zoning Administrator shall take into consideration the existing grade of the property as it affects the heights of the fence.
I. The property owner is solely responsible for making sure that the fence is placed upon their property and therefore should make every effort to locate the property markers. In addition, if the fence will require maintenance, the property owner making application shall make allowances in the setback so as not to need permission from the adjacent property owner for said maintenance.
J. For those fences, walls, plantings or hedges planted or installed prior to the passage of this section shall be allowed to remain until such time as the fence, wall, planting or hedge is in need of repair or becomes a hazard to the public.
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(Ord. 73-13. Passed 7-22-13.)
(g) Visibility at Intersections: (EDITOR’S NOTE: Former subsection (g) was repealed by Ordinance 73-13.)
(h) Setback Requirements for Corner Buildings. On a corner lot the principal building and its accessory structures shall be required to have the same setback distance from all street right-of-way lines as required for the front yard in the district in which such structures are located.
(i) Yard Requirements for Multi-Family Dwellings. Multi-family dwellings shall be considered as one (1) building for the purpose of determining front, side, and rear yard requirements. The entire group as a unit shall require one (1) front, one (1) rear, and two (2) side yards as specified for dwellings in the appropriate district. Each individual building shall meet all yard requirements for the appropriate district as though it were on an individual lot.
(j) Conversion of Dwellings. The conversion of any building into a dwelling, or the conversion of any dwelling in order to accommodate an increased number of dwelling units shall not be permitted unless:
(1) The yard dimensions still meet the yard dimensions required by the zoning regulations for new structures in that district.
(2) The lot area per family equals the lot area requirements for new structures in that district.
(3) The floor area per dwelling unit is not reduced to less than that which is required for new construction in that district.
(4) The conversion is in compliance with all other relevant codes and ordinances.
(k) Trash Areas Required. All commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential uses shall provide a trash and/or garbage collection and pick-up area which shall be enclosed on at least three (3) sides by a solid wall or fence of at least five (5) feet in height if such area is not within an enclosed building or structure. Provisions for adequate vehicular access to and from such area or areas for collection of trash and/or garbage as determined by the Zoning Inspector shall be required.
(l) Side and Rear Yard Requirements for Nonresidential Uses Abutting Residential Properties. Nonresidential uses shall not be located nor conducted closer than forty (40) feet to any lot line of a residential property except that the minimum yard requirements may be reduced to fifty percent (50%) of the requirements if acceptable landscaping or screening approved by the Zoning Inspector is provided. Such screening shall be a masonry or solid fence between four (4) and eight (8) feet in height maintained in good condition and free of all advertising or other signs. Landscaping provided in lieu of such wall or fence shall consist of a strip of land not less than twenty (20) feet in width planted with an evergreen hedge or dense planting of evergreen shrubs not less than four (4) feet in height at the time of planting. Either type of screening shall not obscure traffic visibility within fifty (50) feet of an intersection.
(Ord. 33-82. Passed 2-22-82.)
(m) Accessory Structures in Residential Districts. No accessory structure(s) shall be erected in any required yard other than a rear or side yard, nor shall it occupy more than thirty percent (30%) of a required rear yard. A detached accessory structure may be located in the side yard setback except a side yard that abuts a street. Accessory structures shall not exceed fifteen (15) feet in height, unless a greater height is permitted by the Zoning Board of Appeals and shall be distant at least five (5) feet from all lot lines of adjoining lots which are in any residential district and ten (10) feet from any other structure on the same lot. On a corner lot in any residential district, an accessory structure shall be a distance from the side street lot line not less than the required front set back line.
Dog pens shall be located five (5) feet from a property line and the owner of the animal shall cleanup the feces from the animal so that it does not become a nuisance to the adjoining property owners.
(Ord. 34-19. Passed 9-9-19.)
(n) Temporary Structures. Temporary structures, construction trailers, equipment, and materials used in conjunction with construction work only may be permitted in any district during the period construction work is in progress, but such temporary facilities shall be removed upon completion of the construction work. Storage of such facilities or equipment beyond the completion date of the project shall require a Zoning Certificate authorized by the Zoning Inspector.
(o) Architectural Projections. Open structures such as porches, canopies, balconies, platforms, carports, covered patios, and similar architectural projections shall be considered parts of the building to which attached and shall not project into the required minimum front, side, or rear yard.
(p) Exceptions to Height Regulations. The height limitations contained in these regulations do not apply to spires, belfries, cupolas, antennas, water tanks, cooling towers, ventilators, chimneys, agricultural or other appurtenances usually required to be placed above the roof level and not intended for human occupancy.
(q) Agriculture. Nothing contained in this Zoning Ordinance shall prohibit the use of any land for agricultural purposes or the construction or use of buildings or structures incident to the agricultural use of the land where agricultural uses are permitted, but a Zoning Certificate shall be required for any such new building or structure.
(r) Essential Services. Essential services shall be permitted as authorized by law, it being the intention hereof to exempt essential services from the application of the Zoning Ordinance.
(Ord. 33-82. Passed 2-22-82.)