(A) Yards, exceptions, minimum requirements. Subject to the requirements that there be a minimum distance of six feet between any point of a roof or eaves on a principal building and any point on any principal building on an adjacent lot the following exceptions shall apply:
(1) Cornices, chimneys, planters or other similar architectural features may extend two feet into a required yard.
(2) Open, enclosed, uncovered porches at ground level may extend into a required yard not more than six feet.
(3) Fire escapes may extend into a required yard not more than four feet.
(4) Patios extending into required rear yards may be covered by a roof, but shall not be enclosed by walls.
(5) Canopies, eaves, balconies, roof overhangs or other similar features not included in the foregoing parts of this section may extend into a required yard not more than four feet.
(6) Average front yard exception: Except as otherwise provided in this section, in all R, MH Districts where lots comprising 50% or more of the frontage on one side of a street between intersection streets are developed with buildings having an average front yard with a variation of not more than ten feet, the average front yard of these buildings shall be the minimum required, provided this average requirement is not less than 20 feet or more than 35 feet.
(B) Yards, existing building requirements. No yards now or hereafter provided for a building existing on the effective date of this Zoning Code shall subsequently be reduced below, or further reduced below if already less than, the minimum yard requirements of this zoning code for equivalent new construction except as otherwise specifically provided for herein.
(C) Yards, location, required open space. All yards, courts and other open spaces allocated to a building or dwelling group shall be located on the same zoning lot as the building or dwelling group unless otherwise specifically provided for herein.
(D) Yards, maintenance of courts and other open spaces. The maintenance of yards, courts, and other open space and minimum lot area legally required for a building shall be a continuing obligation of the owner of the building or of the owner of the property on which it is located if the building is vacant. Furthermore, no legally required yards, courts or other open space or minimum lot areas allocated to any building shall, by virtue of change of ownership or for any other reason, be used to satisfy yard, court, other open space or minimum lot area requirements for any other building.
(Ord. 2014-18, passed 4-16-2014)