(A) Building height shall be defined as the distance from finished grade to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof or to the deck line of a mansard roof or to the height of the highest peak or gable of a pitched or hipped roof. The height of a stepped or terraced building is the maximum height of any segment of the building along the finished grade directly below. On lots with a grade change of 10% or more between the front and rear property lines, building height is measured from the “grade plane” as determined in the following subsection, and height shall be measured from the measure point at the top of the building, as determined above, to the grade plane.
FIGURE 17.010 (B): MEASURING BUILDING HEIGHT
FIGURE 17.010 (C): MEASURING BUILDING HEIGHT OF A TERRACED OR STEPPED BUILDING
(1) On lots with a grade change of 10% or more between the front and rear lot lines, or between the front lot line and its most distant point when there is no rear lot line, building height is measured from the adjacent natural or finished grade, whichever is lower, to the coping of a flat roof or to the deck line of a mansard roof or to the average height of the highest gable of a pitched or hipped roof.
(B) In measuring the height of a building in stories, the following measurement rules apply:
(1) A mezzanine shall be counted as a full story if its floor area exceeds one-third of the total area of the nearest full floor directly below it or if it is enclosed on more than three sides.
(2) A basement shall be counted as a full story if the finished surface of the floor above the basement is:
(a) More than three feet above the reference plane established according to § 17.010.050 (A)(1); or
(b) More than eight feet above the basement floor at any point.
FIGURE 17.0410 (D): DETERMINING IF A BASEMENT IS A STORY
(3) A story may not exceed 18 feet in height from the upper surface of the floor to the ceiling above.
(C) The height of any fence or wall shall be determined from the downslope side of the wall by measuring the vertical distance from the highest finished grade adjacent to the fence or wall to the highest point of any portion of the fence or wall. In the case of fences or walls between the setback line and lot line, height shall be measured from highest finished grade on the downslope side adjacent to the fence or wall to the top of the fence or wall.
(1) The height of a fence that is on top of a retaining wall is measured from the highest finished grade point on the downslope of any point on such fence to the highest point of the fence on the highest side of the wall.
(2) Any fence or railing required to comply with minimum height in applicable Building Code requirement is permitted.
(D) Deck height is the vertical distance from finished grade directly below the deck to the top of the floor of the deck.
FIGURE 17.010 (E): MEASURING HEIGHT OF FENCES AND WALLS
(D) Deck height is measured from ground to top of the floor of the deck.
FIGURE 17.010 (F): MEASURING HEIGHT OF DECKS
(Ord. 885, passed 11-1-2023)