(A) General. As a rule, this Code provides for a single, primary building on an individual lot. Any and all other structures on the lot shall be considered accessory structures. Exception: Complexes where several primary buildings are located on one parcel of land, such situations shall be controlled by the Ohio Building Code and the City Zoning Code.
(B) Relationship to Zoning Code. Buildings shall be located within the buildable area of the lot, fully providing for the requirements of the Zoning Code.
(C) Site access. Each building site shall be planned so the building can be used and maintained from an abutting street without trespass upon adjoining properties.
(1) Means of entrance. A means of entrance shall be provided from the public right-of-way to the building. The means of entrance shall be a legal, permanent, uninterrupted, unobstructed system of access roads, driveways and walks.
(2) Easements. The use of easements to cross other properties is permitted where land configuration dictates, but such easement must be detailed on the site plan for evaluation of the access systems and shall be recorded in all applicable deeds. Where access easements are used/required, the following statement shall be placed on the site plan:
"The City of Forest Park does not accept any private easements shown on this plat and is not obligated to maintain or repair any installations in said easement. The applicant agrees, as a condition of approval of this plat, that there will be included in the deed of conveyance of every lot in this subdivision subservient to an access easement a condition requiring the grantee, his heirs and assigns, to continually maintain the easement area for the purpose designed and a condition that within such easement no structure, planting or other material shall be placed or permitted to remain which may obstruct, retard or change the use of the easement, such conditions being for the mutual benefit of the owners of all lots on which similar easements are reserved."
(D) Paving requirements. The required means of entrance from the public street to the building shall be a system of a sidewalk or hard-surfaced path, a driveway and any necessary access roads. All drives and parking areas shall be surfaced per division (D)(5) below. The walkway serving the building main entrance shall be per division (D)(6) below, or of an otherwise approved hard surface.
(1) Permit required. A permit is required to install new concrete or other paving in the front yard setback, including drive expansions, new walks, turn-arounds, porches, parking areas, but not for repair or replacement of existing elements in like manner as the original.
(2) Slope of walkways. Slope of non-vehicular entrance means or any service means shall be limited to a maximum gradient of one inch per foot (8%), except where the more restrictive requirements of the OBC, RCO, or ANSI A117.1 apply.
(3) Width of walkways. Minimum width of the main entrance walk means, from the driveway or from the street, shall be three feet; the minimum width of any other walk or path shall be two feet.
(4) Slope of drives.
(a) Slopes on driveways and access roads shall be limited to a maximum gradient of one and three-quarter inches per foot (14%). Driveways which are level (no slope in any direction), approach dead-level, or which hold "pocket" water, are not permitted. A positive slope of minimum dimensions shall be provided to drain the driveway into the formal storm drainage system or to an approved natural drainage feature. No slope may start anywhere in the public right-of-way other than as required by the City Engineer or Public Works Director.
(b) Slopes of drives at garages. Drives must slope down away from a garage to a point at least 12 inches below the garage floor, or a trench drain with a minimum six-inch diameter drain to an appropriate outfall such as a drainage swale shall be installed in the drive adjacent to and the full length of the garage door.
(5) Width of the drives. Minimum width of a driveway is eight feet. When the main walk is incorporated with the driveway, the combined width shall be no less than ten feet.
(6) Surfacing. All driveways outside of the public right-of-way and all areas used for off-street parking shall be surfaced with a minimum thickness of four inches of concrete (minimum psi in accordance with the OBC or RCO as appropriate) or bituminous pavement to a minimum depth of two inches over a base of five inches of compacted aggregate base (minimum standard ODOT Item 304) or such thickness of other appropriate road material as may be comparable to the above specified concrete or bituminous paving and is specifically approved by the City Manager. Gravel is not an acceptable drive or parking surface material except in the rear setback of M and IP districts.
(7) Location of drives. No driveway paved surface or any other paved surface may be closer to a property line than two feet. No driveway or access road shall be constructed within the limits of any road pavement radius return at any road intersection.
(8) Maximum width. The maximum width of a paved drive or total width of all paved surface, within the front yard setback, shall be 35% of the lot frontage.
(9) Turnarounds. When a turnaround is appended to a private drive, the maximum dimensions of the turnaround are 15 feet long and nine feet wide, with maximum 5' x 5' flares on each side adjacent to the drive.
(E) Work in public right-of-way. All construction in the public right-of-way shall meet the following provisions, as required by the City Engineer and the Public Works Director.
(1) Permit required. Any alteration of the right-of-way, berm, and/or ditch area relative to the driveway or access road construction shall conform to the standards of the City Engineer, and shall be done under a permit from the Public Works Director.
(2) Drives to road without curbs. Any driveway or access road connecting to a road having no curb shall, at the property line, be constructed no higher than eight inches above the existing center line of the road pavement measured at a point opposite the driveway location, and no lower than an elevation level with the existing center line of the road pavement, except at the discretion of the City Engineer.
(3) Culvert required. All driveways or access roads constructed across ditches shall have a 12-inch minimum diameter reinforced concrete pipe installed in the ditch under the driveway in accordance with city standard drawings.
(4) Drives to road with curb. Any driveway or access road connecting to a road with a curb section shall, at the property line, be constructed to an elevation based on 1/4 to 3/4-inch per foot, ascending from the top of the rolled curb, or top of depressed vertical curb, for the distance from the back of the curb to the property line.
(5) Drives to be located away from hazards. No part of any driveway, driveway approach or access road within the public right-of-way shall be installed closer than five feet to any inlet, fire hydrant, utility pole or guy wire anchor.
(6) Curb cuts. Curb cuts shall conform to the City Engineer's standards, and permit and inspection procedures.
(Ord. 25-2019, passed 8-5-19)