(A) Survey. Any person desiring to improve property shall submit to the Building Official a survey of the premises and information on location and dimensions of existing and proposed buildings, location of easements crossing the property, encroachments and any other information which may be necessary to ensure conformance to city codes.
(B) Placement of buildings. All buildings shall be placed so that they will not obstruct future streets which may be constructed by the city in conformity with existing streets and according to the system and standards employed by the city.
(C) Buildable lots.
(1) A lot or parcel of land for which a deed has been recorded in the office of the county’s Register of Deeds upon or prior to 05-09-1960 shall be deemed a buildable lot; provided, it has frontage on a public right-of-way, and the space requirements for the district in which it is located can be maintained or adjusted to conform as follows:
(a) A platted lot or parcel of land of record on or prior to 05-09-1960, which does not meet the requirements of this chapter as to area, width or other open space may, if it is properly zoned, be utilized for single-family detached dwelling purposes; provided, the measurements of the area, width or open space are within 70% of the requirements under the terms of this chapter, but the lot or parcel shall not be more intensively developed. The existing lots that fall within 70% of the requirements and have lot widths less than required by this chapter shall be permitted to have side yard setbacks in the same percentage proportion as the lot width reaches the requirements of this chapter. In no case shall a side yard setback be less than five feet.
(b) Where two or more contiguous vacant lots are held in common ownership within a subdivision which was duly recorded prior to 05-09-1960, which lots are individually not of the required minimum area or width for the district in which they are situated, building permits will be issued; provided that, the lots shall be combined in a way as to provide the minimum lot frontage and area required for each structure.
(2) The purpose of this provision is to permit utilization of recorded lots which lack adequate width or area, as long as reasonable living standards can be provided, and to widen substandard size vacant lots wherever practicable so that they will be in harmony with the existing or projected character of the neighborhood in which they are situated.
(D) Principal buildings. Except in the case of planned unit developments as provided for in §§ 160.315 through 160.319 of this chapter, not more than one principal building shall be located on a lot. The words PRINCIPAL BUILDING shall be given their common, ordinary meanings; in case of doubt or on any question or interpretation, the decision of the Building Official shall be final, subject to the right of appeal to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
(E) Front lot lines. On a through lot (a lot fronting on two parallel streets), pursuant to the definition of through lot in § 160.012 of this chapter, both street lines shall be front lot lines for applying the yard and parking regulations of this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 1103.03) (Ord. 970, passed 01-13-2020)