(1) Dwelling unit restriction. No cellar, garage, tent, travel trailer, motor home, basement with unfinished structure above, or accessory building shall at any time be used as a living quarter, temporarily or permanently, except as approved by the city in emergency cases.
(2) Building type and construction.
(a) Single family detached dwellings. All single family detached dwellings shall meet the following design criteria:
1. All dwellings shall have permanent concrete, treated wood foundation, or other foundation anchoring system approved by the Building Official.
2. All dwellings, including an attached garage, shall have a minimum width of 24 feet at its narrowest point. Width measurement shall not take into account overhangs or other projections beyond the principal exterior walls.
3. All dwellings shall have a garage that is a minimum of 20 feet in width and has a minimum footprint of 520 square feet.
4. All dwellings with a sloped roof shall have a minimum 12-inch roof overhang and enclosed soffit.
5. All dwellings and any attached garage, excluding porches, shall have a minimum 4/12 roof pitch and shall be covered with shingles or tiles or a standing seam metal roof.
6. All dwellings shall be built in compliance with the Minnesota State Building Code.
7. The exterior walls of all single-family dwellings shall be similar in appearance to standard wood or masonry residential construction. Any metal siding upon single-family residence structures shall have a vertical dimension no greater than 12 inches. Sheet metal siding shall not be permitted.
(b) Two family dwellings and townhouse design and construction standards.
1. Unit width. The minimum width of a two-family or townhouse dwelling unit shall be 24 feet. The minimum footprint per unit shall be established within the zoning district.
2. Unit construction.
a. Building elevations and floor plans shall be furnished illustrating exterior building materials and colors to demonstrate compliance with division (2)(b)2.d. below. Building floor plans shall identify the interior storage space within each unit.
b. Decks or porches. Provisions shall be made for possible decks, porches, or additions as part of the initial dwelling unit building plans.
c. Minimum overhang. All dwellings with a sloped roof shall have a minimum 12 inch roof overhang and enclosed soffit.
d. Exterior building finish. The exterior of townhouse dwelling units shall include a variation in building materials which are to be distributed throughout the building facades on all sides and coordinated into the architectural design of the structure to create an architecturally balanced appearance. In addition, townhouse dwelling structures shall comply with the following requirements:
i. A minimum of 25% of the combined area of all building walls shall have an exterior finish of brick, natural stone, or artificial stone.
ii. Except for brick, natural stone, or artificial stone, no single building wall shall have more than 75% of one type of exterior finish.
iii. For the purpose of this section, the area of the building walls shall not include area devoted to windows, entrance doors, garage doors, or roof areas.
e. All dwellings and any attached garage shall have a minimum 4/12 roof pitch and shall be covered with shingles or tiles or a standing seam metal roof.
3. Storm shelter. In cases where dwelling units are constructed slab on-grade, provisions shall be made to provide for storm protection either internally to the unit or in a separate storm shelter structure. Compliance with this requirement shall be based upon Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines and standards which are on file with the City Building Official.
4. Garages. Each dwelling unit shall have a garage that is a minimum of 20 feet in width and has a minimum footprint of 520 square feet.
5. Utilities.
a. Public utility service. Separate public utility services shall be provided to each unit unless exempted by the City Engineer.
b. Sewer connection. Where more than one unit is served by a sanitary sewer service, all maintenance and cleaning shall be the responsibility of the property owners' association or owners.
6. Homeowners association. A homeowners association shall be established for all townhouses, multiple-family and townhouse developments subject to review and approval of the City Attorney. The homeowners' association shall be responsible for all exterior building maintenance, approval of any exterior architectural modifications, landscaping, snow clearing and regular maintenance of private streets and other areas owned in common when there is more than one individual property owner having interest within the development.
(c) Multiple-family dwelling construction standards. All multiple-family dwellings shall comply with the following requirements:
1. The exterior of multiple-family dwelling structures shall include a variation in building materials which are to be distributed throughout the building walls and coordinated into the architectural design of the structure to create an architecturally balanced appearance.
2. A minimum of 33% of all building exterior walls of a structure shall have an exterior finish of brick, natural stone, or artificial stone.
3. For the purposes of this section, the area of the building wall shall not include area devoted to windows, entrance doors, garage doors, or roof areas.
4. Building elevations shall be articulated to add visual interest. Large blank exterior walls shall be prohibited. Variation in elevations can be accomplished with projections or recesses, material changes, or other methods of building articulation.
5. Distinct ground level(s). The ground level of any 3-story building and the first two stories of a building four stories or taller shall be visually distinct from the upper stories. This distinction shall be articulated by at least one of the following: an intermediate cornice line; an awning arcade or portico; a change in building materials, texture, or detailing; a change in window shape or treatment; or other elements which meet the objective.
6. Minimum overhang. All dwellings with a sloped roof shall have a minimum 12-inch roof overhang and enclosed soffit.
7. All sloped roofs shall be covered with shingles, tiles or a standing seam metal roof.
8. A minimum of one-half of the required parking spaces shall be in an underground parking area or in a parking area below the building.
(d) Commercial, industrial, and institutional. All buildings constructed on land within commercial, industrial, public and semi-public zoning districts, and all institutional buildings (such as public, education, and religious buildings) in residential and rural zoning districts shall conform with the following:
ARCHITECTURAL METAL CLADDING. Refers to decorative, metal cladding systems such as copper, zinc, titanium, stainless steel and painted steel components fixed to the outside of the primary wall system.
ARCHITECTURAL REVEALS. A groove or a step in a panel face generally used to create a desired architectural effect.
2. All sides of the principal and accessory structures are to have essentially the same or a coordinated harmonious finish treatment.
3. Classes of primary materials. For the purpose of this section, primary materials shall be divided into class 1, class 2, and class 3 categories as follows:
Classes of Materials
| ||
Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
Classes of Materials
| ||
Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
Brick | Precast concrete panels with at least two architectural reveals per panel | Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) |
Glass, or other glazing materials | Specialty concrete block including textured, burnished block or rock faced block | Fiber Cement Exterior Siding |
Natural or cultured stone | Ceramic Tile (masonry, stone or clay), | Glass Block |
Architecturally textured concrete precast or poured in place panels | Masonry Stucco | |
Architectural metal cladding | Wood | |
Other materials not listed that are of equal quality to materials in a specific class may be approved for use by the Community Development Director. | ||
4. Buildings shall incorporate classes of primary material in the following manner:
a. Commercial, public, educational and religious buildings. At least 50% of all exterior wall finishes shall be composed of at least three class 1 materials. Class 3 materials shall not comprise more than 25% exterior wall finishes.
b. Industrial and warehouse buildings, multi-tenant office/industrial/warehouse or showroom/warehouse or other combinations. At least 75% of all exterior wall finishes shall be composed of at least two different class 1 or 2 materials. Class 3 materials shall not comprise more than 25% of the building.
c. To be counted as a primary material, the product must comprise at least 5% of the exterior wall surface.
5. Complete or partial buildings comprised of structural metal wall panel systems that act as the primary wall system, or as a complete wall system such as pole barns or similar structures common to agricultural or industrial storage uses are prohibited.
6. Commercial, public, educational and religious buildings shall have a well-defined base, middle and top. The base should appear visually distinct from the middle and top part (cornice) of the building through the use of a change in building materials, color, window shape or size, an intermediate cornice line, sign band, an awning, or similar techniques. A cap shall include the area from the top floor to the roof of the building and shall include a cornice, roof overhang, and change of color or material to differentiate it from the middle section of the building. Flashing shall not be considered a cap.
7. Any wall facing a public right-of-way shall not have an uninterrupted length exceeding 100 feet without including at least two of the following: change in plane, change in texture or masonry pattern, two class 1 materials, windows in a manner that is impactful to the design, or an equivalent element that subdivides the wall into human scale proportions. This shall only apply to commercial, public, educational, and religious buildings.
8. Buildings may be constructed of primarily one class 1 material if the design meets or exceeds the intent of this section.
9. A distinctively different color of brick may be considered as a second class 1 material. However, minor blended color variations shall not be considered as a separate material.
10. Earth tone colors of exterior materials shall be required. “Earth tone colors” shall be defined as any various soft colors like those found in nature in soil, vegetation, etc. Such colors are limited to various shades or tints of brown, black, gray, tan, beige, brick red, green, blue, or white.
11. The building walls may contain up to 10% contrasting colors. Contrasting colors shall be those colors not defined as earth tones.
12. All buildings with a sloped roof shall have a minimum 12-inch roof overhang and enclosed soffit.
13. All buildings with sloped roofs shall be covered with shingles or tiles or a standing seam metal roof.
14. All mechanical equipment, such as air handling units located anywhere on the property, including rooftop equipment, shall be screened from ground level view from adjacent streets, public rights of way, and adjacent properties.
15. Where a site abuts a residential property, the location of air handling and other equipment must take into account the potential for noise and other impacts on the residential property.
16. Building foundations not exceeding two feet need not comply with the requirements for the primary water treatments or materials.
17. Garage doors, window trim, and flashing shall not constitute required materials that make up exterior finish of a building for purposes of this section.
18. Replacement of non-conforming materials on existing buildings, or expansions of less than 50% of the floor area of an existing building may use the same or superior materials as existing.
(3) Height.
(a) Exceptions. The building height limits established herein for districts shall not apply to the following:
1. Farm structures.
2. Church spires not exceeding 60 feet in height.
3. Belfries not exceeding 60 feet in height.
4. Cupolas not exceeding 60 feet in height.
5. Chimneys and smokestacks.
6. Flag poles mounted on a building.
7. Non-commercial television and radio antennae, and satellite dishes.
8. Parapet walls extending not more than four feet above the limiting height of the building.
9. Elevator penthouses.
10. Cooling towers/water towers.
11. Lighting structures for public outdoor recreational fields not exceeding 80 feet in height.
12. Lighting structures for public hockey rinks not exceeding 60 feet in height.
(b) Conditional use permit. Building heights in excess of those standards contained in the district provisions and any other sections of this chapter may be allowed by conditional use permit if the following conditions are met:
1. Demonstrated need is established for the increase in height and said increase will not violate the intent and character of the zoning district in which the structure is located.
2. The site is capable of accommodating the increased structure size.
3. The potential increased intensity and size of use does not cause an increase in traffic volumes beyond the capacity of the surrounding streets.
4. Public utilities and services are adequate.
5. For each additional story over the district limitation or for each additional ten feet above the maximum allowed per district, front and side yard setback requirements shall be increased by 10%.
6. The construction does not limit solar access to abutting and/or neighboring properties. A shadow study shall be required illustrating shadow encroachment on adjoining properties.
7. The provisions of § 1007.016 are considered and satisfactorily met.
(c) Obstructions. In the case of any proposal to construct or alter a structure which will exceed a height of 200 feet above ground level of the site, or any proposal to construct or alter a structure to a height of greater than an imaginary surface extending upward and outward at a slope of 100:1 from the nearest point of the nearest runway of a public airport, the applicant shall notify the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation in writing of the plans at least 30 days in advance of making applicable permit requests to the city. The applicant shall provide the Zoning Administrator with any comments received from the Commission of the Minnesota Department of Transportation as part of the required applicable permit request. This local reporting is in addition to any Federal permitting and review processing which may be simultaneously required.