(A) Purpose and findings.
(1) These criteria are not intended to restrict imagination, innovation or variety, but rather to assist in focusing design principles, which can result in creative solutions that will develop a satisfactory visual appearance, preserve taxable values and promote the public health, safety and general welfare. This section establishes design standards to permit appropriate densities while avoiding impacts on neighborhoods. These standards:
(a) Coordinate diverse housing types so that they are compatible with other types of housing;
(b) Avoid long, unbroken lines of row housing;
(c) Encourage housing layouts that make efficient, economical, comfortable and convenient use of land and open space;
(d) Provide a physical and visual connection between the living area of the residence and the street;
(e) Enhance public safety by allowing people to survey their neighborhood from inside their residences, places of work or shopping areas;
(f) Provide a more pleasant pedestrian environment by preventing large expanses of blank facades along streets;
(g) Ensure that the location and amount of the living area of the residence, as seen from the street, is more prominent than the garage;
(h) Prevent garages from obscuring the main entrance from the street and ensure that the main entrance for pedestrians, rather than automobiles, is the prominent entrance;
(i) Provide for a more pleasant pedestrian environment by preventing garages and vehicle areas from dominating the views of the neighborhood from the sidewalk;
(j) Enhance public safety by preventing garages from blocking views of the street from inside the residence;
(k) Supplement the zoning regulations applied to site-built, modular and manufactured homes with additional standards and procedures, which will promote a satisfactory living environment for residents of single-family homes and which will permit a mix of homes and other types of housing;
(l) Permit greater diversity in the types of housing communities;
(m) Ensure that all new single-family dwellings are compatible with other forms of housing;
(n) Ensure the provision of single-family housing opportunities for persons or families of low or moderate income by providing for design standards that ensure compatibility among various types of housing units as an alternative to exclusionary zoning practices;
(o) Provide interesting and aesthetically attractive multi-family developments while avoiding monotonous, “barracks”-style buildings;
(p) Ensure that multi-family buildings have a multi-faceted exterior form in which articulated facades are combined with window and door placements, as well as other detailing, to create an interesting and attractive architectural design and limit flat walls with minimal features; and
(q) Provide for zero lot line (ZLL) developments in which houses are shifted to one side of the lot, thereby providing for greater usable yard space on each lot, providing greater flexibility in site development standards and maintaining a single-family detached character of a neighborhood.
(2) In order to provide design flexibility and to encourage the production of affordable housing, this section allows attached dwelling units without adherence to the minimum lot area and internal yard requirements provided for in the zoning district. The impervious surface ratio and recreation area of the district apply to the total subdivision and not to each lot within the subdivision. Common open space is distributed in order to provide readily available amenities and visual relief to the entire development.
(B) Applicability.
(1) This section applies to any of the following:
(a) Any single-family detached dwelling unit;
(b) Any single-family attached or two-family dwelling unit (duplex);
(c) Any townhouse or row house;
(d) Any cottage house;
(e) Any triplex, quadraplex, apartment or other multi-family dwelling unit; and
(f) Any zero lot line dwelling.
(2) This section does not apply to dwelling units that are included in a mixed-use building, or accessory dwelling units, which are regulated separately in this chapter. (See § 153.1369 of this chapter.)
(3) This section applies to manufactured homes located on platted lots of record or in a subdivision. This section does not apply to manufactured home land-lease communities, which are regulated separately by this chapter. (See § 153.1368 of this chapter.)
(4) Nothing in this section prevents the creation of a subdivided lot for individual dwelling units within a building that includes attached dwellings.
(C) General criteria.
(1) Applicability. The combination of design elements, as described in Table 153.1372(A), is required for any dwelling unit subject to this section.
Dwelling Unit Feature | Zoning District or Use | ||
RE, RP | NS, NU | D, TND, PD | |
Dwelling Unit Feature | Zoning District or Use | ||
RE, RP | NS, NU | D, TND, PD | |
Exterior finish materialse | O | O | O |
Foundationd | O | O | O |
Garageb | O | M | M |
Main entrancea | M | M | M |
Roofc | O | O | O |
Windows and entrywaysf | O | O | M |
NOTES TO TABLE: a Subsection (C)(3) of this section. b Subsection (C)(4) of this section. c Subsection (C)(5) of this section. d Subsection (C)(6) of this section. e Subsection (C)(7) of this section. f Subsection (C)(8) of this section. RE = Residential Estate; RP = Resource Protection; NS = Neighborhood Suburban; NU = Neighborhood Urban; D = Downtown; TND = traditional neighborhood development; PD = Planned Development; M = the standard is mandatory; and O = the standard is optional. | |||
(2) Scale. No single-family dwelling unit, duplex or triplex shall exceed 8,000 square feet in size, nor exceed a FAR of 0.60. The total area of all dwellings and accessory structures shall not exceed a FAR of 0.75.
(3) Main entrance.
(a) Location of main entrance.
1. A building must include a front porch or stoop at all main entrances that face a street. The porch or stoop shall adjoin the main entrance and the main entrance shall be accessible from the porch.
2. The main entrance of each principal building must face the street. On corner lots, the main entrance may face either of the streets or be oriented to the corner. With buildings that have more than one main entrance, only one entrance must meet this requirement.
(b) Porches. Porches used to satisfy the design criteria shall comply with the following:
1. Porches shall be covered by a solid roof. The roof shall not be located more than 12 feet above the floor of the porch. If the roof of a required porch is developed as a deck or balcony, it may be flat.
2. The porch shall have minimum dimensions of six feet by six feet. For single-family detached dwelling units, the covered area provided by the porch must be at least 48 square feet and a minimum of eight feet wide. If the main entrance is for more than one dwelling unit, the covered area provided by the porch must be at least 63 square feet and a minimum of nine feet wide.
(c) Covered balconies. The covered area provided by the balcony must be at least 48 square feet, a minimum of eight feet wide and no more than 15 feet above grade. The covered balcony must be accessible from the interior living space of the house.
(d) Openings between porch floor and ground. Openings of more than one foot between the porch floor and the ground must be covered with a solid material or lattice.
(4) Garage.
(a) Generally. A garage wall may not be closer to the street lot line than the front facade elevation.
(b) Detached garages. These standards encourage detached garages as an alternative to front-loaded attached garages.
1. Detached garages are permitted in any zoning district. Detached garages shall be located in the rear or side yard. The footprint for the garage structure shall not exceed 24 feet by 30 feet or 780 square feet. The garage walls shall not exceed 15 feet in height measured from the eave to the adjacent grade, or the height of the principal structure, whichever is less.
2. A detached garage that is non-conforming due to its location in a setback may be rebuilt on its existing foundation if it was originally constructed legally. An addition may be made to these types of garages if the addition complies with the standards of this section, or if the combined size of the existing foundation and any additions is no larger than 12 feet wide by 18 feet deep. The garage walls may be up to ten feet high.
(c) Street-facing garage walls.
1. Applicability. This section applies to garages that are accessory to single-family detached dwelling units, manufactured homes, duplexes or triplexes. This section does not apply to development on flag lots or development on lots that slope up or down from the street with an average slope of 20%.
2. Maximum length and size. The length of that portion of a garage wall facing the street shall not exceed 50% of the length of the street-facing building facade. Garage doors may not exceed 80 square feet in area. No more than two individual garage doors are permitted per side. On corner lots, only one street-facing garage wall must meet this standard. Where the street-facing facade of the building is less than 24 feet long, the garage wall facing the street may be up to 12 feet long if there is one of the following:
a. Interior living area above the garage; or
b. A covered balcony above the garage that is at least the same length as the street-facing garage wall, at least six feet deep and accessible from the interior living area of the dwelling unit.
3. Street lot line setbacks. A garage wall that faces a street shall be located at least 20 feet behind the plane of the front facade. A street-facing garage wall may adjoin the front facade or
be located within the area described in this subsection (C), where:
a. The street-facing garage wall does not exceed 30% of the length of the building facade; and
b. The interior living area is located above the garage. The living area must be set back no more than four feet from the street-facing garage wall or shall include a covered balcony above the garage that is at least the same length as the street-facing garage wall, at least six feet deep and accessible from the interior living area of the dwelling unit.
4. Street-facing garage walls prohibited in “D” (Downtown) District or TND. Garage walls facing the street or extending beyond the front elevation of a dwelling unit are prohibited in the “D” (Downtown) District or a TND use pattern or district.
(5) Roofs.
(a) Slope. Principal structures must have a roof that is sloped, with a pitch that is no flatter than six units of horizontal run to 12 units of horizontal rise.
(b) Architectural features. The roof of a principal structure shall include either or both of the following architectural details:
1. At least one dormer facing the street. If only one dormer is included, it shall be at least five feet wide and shall be centered horizontally between each end of the front elevation. If more than one dormer is provided, a dormer at least four feet wide must be provided on each side of the front elevation; or
2. A gabled end, or a gabled end of a roof projection, facing the street.
(c) Roof eaves. Roof eaves must project from the building wall at least 12 inches, measured horizontally, on at least the front and side elevations.
(6) Foundation. The ground level of the first floor, including the lowest elevation of any point of the front facade, shall be elevated at least three feet from the horizontal surface of the street or sidewalk. Plain concrete block or plain concrete may be used as foundation material if the foundation material is not visible more than three feet above the finished grade level adjacent to the foundation wall.
(7) Exterior finish materials.
(a) Plain concrete block, plain concrete, and corrugated metal are not permitted as exterior finish material. Composite boards manufactured from wood or other products, such as hardboard or hardiplank, may be used when the board product is less than eight inches wide.
(b) Where wood products are used for siding, the siding must be shingles or horizontal siding. Shakes are not permitted.
(c) Where horizontal siding is used, it must be ship-lap or clapboard siding composed of boards with a reveal of three to eight inches, or vinyl or aluminum siding that is in a clapboard or shiplap pattern where the boards in the pattern are eight inches or less in width.
(8) Windows and entryways.
(a) At least 15% of the area of a street-facing facade must include windows or main entryways.
(b) All street-facing windows must comply with the requirements of this subsection (C)(8). Windows in rooms with a finished floor height four feet or more below grade are exempt from this standard.
(c) Windows on the upper floors shall be vertically oriented, except as provided in subsection (C)(8)(d) below. Windows may be horizontally oriented if they are grouped as provided in subsection (C)(8)(d) below, or if there is a band of individual lights across the top of the horizontal window. The individual lights must be vertically oriented and cover at least 20% of the total height of the window.
(d) Windows on the first floor shall be vertically oriented or grouped to provide a horizontal opening. If only two windows are grouped, both must be vertically oriented. Where more than two sizes are grouped, the windows on the outer edges of the grouping must be vertically oriented.
(e) In determining whether a window is vertically oriented as provided in this subsection, the area of the window that includes the panes, mullions, and transoms shall be included, and embellishments, such as shutters, shall be excluded. (See Figure 153.1372(A) below.)
Nothing is too insignificant for good design palettes, although multiple alternatives can be offered.
(D) Single-family dwelling units. Section 153.1360(C) Permitted Uses of this chapter applies to any single-family detached dwelling units. Single-family detached dwellings subject to this section must comply with at least two of the optional standards as set forth in Table 153.1372(A) above.
(E) Attached dwellings, generally.
(1) Applicability. This section applies to any attached dwelling unit. An ATTACHED DWELLING UNIT means any duplex, townhouse or row house.
(2) Zoning dimensional standards.
(a) The minimum lot size regulations apply to a building that contains multiple attached dwelling units but not to each individual dwelling unit.
(b) The side yard regulations of the applicable zoning district do not apply to an attached dwelling unit. However, this section establishes setback requirements where the building abuts single-family residential zoning districts.
(3) Building design.
(a) Attached dwellings subject to this section must comply with at least two of the optional standards as set forth in Table 153.1372(A) above.
(b) Each dwelling unit shall have a ground-floor entrance that faces a public street or common open space.
(F) Two-family dwellings (duplexes). Duplexes shall conform to subsections (F)(1) through (F)(3) below.
(1) Subdivision. A lot that includes two attached dwelling units may be subdivided or resubdivided through the common wall into separate fee simple lots for each dwelling unit subject to the following requirements:
(a) The two-family dwelling or duplex lot shall be vacated and replatted as provided in Divisions 7, 8, 9 and 10 of this chapter.
(b) Each single-family lot resulting from the subdivision shall have a minimum lot area of 4,000 square feet and shall be at least 40 feet wide, except in the case of a planned development, TND or TOD.
(c) Separate utility meters shall be provided to each newly created lot. Separate water and wastewater service lines shall be provided to each newly created lot and shall not traverse any other lot. Where common gas and electrical lines are provided to two single-family lots, easements approved by the service provider shall be provided.
(2) Building design.
(a) Garages shall either be detached or shall face the side or rear lot line.
(b) Duplexes shall include at least two of the following architectural elements:
1. Dormers;
2. Front porches;
3. Bay windows;
4. Balconies; and
5. Roof details, including chimneys or roof overhangs of at least 16 inches (measured horizontally).
(3) Lot design.
(a) Driveways or other paved surfaces shall not comprise more than 50% of the front yard. Applicants are encouraged to provide the principal vehicular access from an alley.
(b) Driveways that enter more than one garage shall be separated by a grass or landscaped strip extending at least 75% of the length of the driveway and at least three feet in width. (See Figure 153.1372(B) below.)
Providing rear alleys enables the home to present itself to the street, which promotes sociability and walkability.
(G) Townhouses or row houses. Townhouses or row houses shall conform to subsections (G)(1) through (G)(4) below.
(1) Building design. No more than ten dwelling units shall be contiguous. No contiguous group of townhouse dwellings shall exceed 150 feet in length.
(2) Lot design.
(a) Minimum frontage and lot width for the portion of the lot on which each unit is to be constructed shall be 15 feet. This dimension supersedes any lot width or frontage dimension required by the applicable zoning district.
(b) Interior dwelling units are not subject to the side setback requirements of the zoning district.
(c) Where a lot containing a townhouse or row house abuts a lot containing a single-family detached dwelling unit located in a residential zoning district, the abutting yard shall have a minimum width of ten feet.
(d) A rear yard is not required when a townhouse/row house lot abuts an alley or driveway having a minimum right-of-way width of 12 feet that is used to provide ingress and egress to the lot. If the lot does not have alley access, a 12-foot rear yard setback is required.
Good design makes density attractive and unique.
(3) Open area. If the dwelling units do not abut the front lot line, at least 200 square feet of contiguous open area shall be provided behind the front setback. The “contiguous open area” may consist of lawns, landscaped areas, a sidewalk or a parkway. “Contiguous open area” does not include parking, driveways or other impervious surfaces other than sidewalks or walkways from the front entrance to the street or parking areas.
(4) Parking. Off-street parking facilities may be grouped in bays, either adjacent to streets or in the interior of the lot. Off-street parking areas shall not be located in the front yard. (See Figure 153.1372(C) above.)
(H) Multi-family housing. Multi-family dwelling units shall conform to subsections (H)(1) through (H)(6) below.
(2) Common open space.
(b) The Code Enforcement Officer may waive up to 50% of the open space requirement if all units within the development are located within 1,000 feet of a public park as measured along a public sidewalk. Open space provided pursuant to this requirement shall be accessible to all residents of the development and shall measure at least 30 feet across its narrowest dimension.
(3) Private open space. Each dwelling unit shall have appurtenant private open space, such as a private porch, a deck, a balcony, a patio, an atrium or other outdoor private area. The private open space shall be contiguous with the unit in a single area. The private open space shall have the dimensions as described in Table 153.1372(B) below.
(4) Pedestrian facilities.
(a) Sidewalks shall be constructed within the interior of the development to link residential buildings with other destinations, such as, but not limited to, parking, adjoining streets, mailboxes, trash disposal, adjoining sidewalks or greenways, and on-site amenities, such as recreation areas.
(c) Sidewalks shall be provided adjacent to all public streets that provide access to the development.
(5) Building design. The following standards shall apply to building design.
(a) Building size.
1. Multi-family buildings shall not exceed 100 feet in length, or 30% of the length of the blockface, whichever is less.
2. A multi-family building or part of a multi-family building that is located within 200 feet of an “NS” (Neighborhood Suburban) District or a single-family dwelling unit in an “NU” (Neighborhood Urban) District shall not exceed the maximum primary or secondary height permitted by that district. (See Figure 153.1372(D) below.)
(b) Orientation. Multi-family buildings shall be oriented as follows:
1. For lots not exceeding 30,000 square feet, all multi-family buildings shall be oriented to the street.
2. For lots that are at least 30,000 square feet, at least 80% of the ground area between the front lot line and the maximum setback, excluding required driveways and access points, shall be occupied by multi-family dwelling units that are oriented to the street. The remaining area may include driveways and required access points, or courtyards or similar open spaces.
(c) Fenestration. Windows, porches, balconies and entryways shall comprise at least 30% of the length of the front elevation on each floor.
(d) Articulation/modulation. Buildings that contain multi-family dwellings shall be articulated as follows.
1. Multi-family buildings on multiple lots with an average frontage of less than 50 feet in width shall be articulated at intervals consistent with the existing lot lines or the lot lines of the opposing block.
2. Multi-family buildings on a single or on multiple lots with at least 50 feet of frontage shall be articulated at intervals of not more than 50 feet.
3. Multi-family buildings that face single-family homes shall be articulated at intervals consistent with the existing lot lines or the lot lines of the opposing block.
4. The articulation of buildings pursuant to this section shall include at least two of the following:
a. Horizontal projections or offsets, such as towers or turrets, which extend at least five feet from the front elevation and the height of the building up to the eaves. Projections or offsets shall be at least three feet in depth and eight feet in width;
b. Projecting entryways, such as stoops, balconies, porticoes, bay windows, arcades or porches;
c. Changes in roof elevations, roof dormers, hips or gables; or
d. Open balconies that project at least six feet from the front building plane. (See Figure 153.1372(E) below.)
(6) Utilities. All utility lines shall be located underground. Outdoor area lighting shall be provided for security. Such lighting shall be shielded to direct light downward and not into dwelling units on or adjacent to the multi-family site. Lighting shall be provided to illuminate the intersections of primary interior driveways and building entryways.
(I) Manufactured homes. Manufactured homes shall conform to the requirements of § 7.4.2 Permitted Uses and to the standards and criteria defined in subsections (I)(1) through (I)(3) below.
(1) Zoning standards. Any manufactured home on an individual lot shall conform to the same building setback standards, side and rear yard requirements, standards for enclosures, access, vehicle parking and square footage standards and requirements to which a conventional, single-family residential dwelling on the same lot is subject.
(2) Foundation. The dwelling shall be attached to a permanent foundation system in compliance with the International Conference of Building Officials, Guidelines for Manufactured Housing Installation, as may be amended, and the following requirements.
(a) All wheels, hitches, axles, transporting lights and removable towing apparatus shall be permanently removed prior to installation of the dwelling unit.
(b) The foundation shall be excavated and shall have continuous skirting or backfill, leaving no uncovered open areas excepting vents and crawl spaces. The foundation shall either not be located above grade or shall include masonry skirting.
(c) All manufactured homes shall be anchored to the ground by means of anchors attached both to the frame and with straps extending over the top and completely surrounding the sides and roof, consistent with building code requirements. In addition, test data giving certified results of pull tests in soils representative of the area in which the anchors are to be used shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer. Minimum load in direct pull shall be 5,400 pounds. Anchors shall be marked so that, after installation, the identification is in plain view for inspection.
(3) Orientation. Manufactured homes that are narrower than 16 feet in width shall be oriented on the lot so that its long axis is parallel to the street.
(J) Cottage housing developments. The following regulations apply to cottages and cottage housing developments (CHDs). For purposes of this subsection, a COTTAGE means a single-family detached dwelling that meets the requirements of this section, and a COTTAGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT means a lot, parcel or contiguous development site on which one or more cottages are located.
(1) Density. The permitted density in CHDs is described in Table 153.1372(C) below.
(2) Building design.
(a) The height of dwelling units in a CHD shall not exceed 18 feet or one and one-half stories.
(b) The building footprint of a cottage shall not exceed 1,700 square feet.
(c) The maximum first floor or principal floor area for an individual principal structure in a CHD shall not exceed 800 square feet.
(d) The total floor area of each cottage shall not exceed either one and one-half times the area of the principal floor area, or 975 square feet, whichever is less.
(e) The ridge of pitched roofs with a minimum slope of 6:12 may extend up to 25 feet. All parts of the roof above 18 feet shall be pitched. (See Figure 153.1372(F) below.)
Minimum roof pitch for cottage housing.
(3) Lot coverage. The maximum lot coverage permitted for principal and accessory structures in a CHD shall not exceed 40%.
(4) Required open space.
(b) Each dwelling shall have a principal entryway that opens to the common open space.
(c) All of the cottage units shall be within 60 feet walking distance of the common open space.
(d) The common open space shall have cottages abutting at least two sides.
(5) Parking.
(a) The amount of parking spaces shall be as provided in Division 14 of this chapter.
(b) Parking may be in or under a structure or outside a structure; provided that:
1. The parking is screened from direct street view by one or more street facades, by garage doors or by a fence and landscaping.
2. Parking between structures is only allowed when it is located to the rear of the principal structure and is served by an alley or private driveway.
3. Parking may not be located in the front yard or common open space.
4. Parking may be located between any structure and the rear lot line of the lot or between any structure and a side lot line that is not a street side lot line. (See Figure 153.1372(G) below.)
Cottages open onto common open space.
(K) Zero lot line. All developments shall conform to the requirements of § 7.4.2 Permitted Uses and to the standards and criteria in subsections (K)(1) and (K)(2) below.
(1) Applicability. This section applies to a ZLL development. A ZERO LOT LINE DEVELOPMENT is any subdivision or site plan in which a single-family detached dwelling unit is sited on a lot in such a manner that one or more of the building’s sides rests directly on or immediately adjacent to the lot line.
(2) Building design.
(a) The eaves on the side of a house with a reduced setback may project a maximum of 18 inches over the adjacent property line. In this case, an easement for the eave projection shall be recorded on the deed for the lot where the projection occurs.
(b) An easement to allow for maintenance or repair is required when the eaves or side wall of a house are within four feet of the adjacent property line. The easement on the adjacent property shall provide at least five feet of unobstructed space between the furthermost projection of the structure and be wide enough to allow five feet between the eaves or side wall and the edge of the easement.
(c) If the side wall of the house is on the property line, or within three feet of the property line, windows or other openings that allow for visibility into the side yard of the adjacent lot are not permitted. Windows that do not allow visibility into the side yard of the adjacent lot, such as a clerestory window or a translucent window, are permitted.
(d) In no case shall the reduced setbacks result in a distance of less than ten feet between residential structures.
(e) The reduced setbacks shall be denoted on the preliminary subdivision plat and final plat.
(Ord. 3020, passed 9-10-2013, § 7.70; Ord. 3160, passed 1-9-2018)