Except as otherwise provided in this code:
A. No structure or part thereof shall be erected, altered, added to or enlarged, nor shall any site or structure be used, designated or intended to be used for any purpose, or in any manner other than is included among the uses hereinafter listed as permitted or conditional in the district in which such structure, land or premises is located.
B. No structure or part thereof shall be erected, nor shall any existing structure be altered, enlarged or rebuilt or moved into any district nor shall any open space be encroached upon or reduced in any manner, except in conformity to the yard, site area and building location regulations hereinafter designated for the district in which such structure or open space is located.
C. No yard or other open space provided about any structure for the purpose of complying with provisions of this title shall be considered as providing a yard or open space for any other structure, and no yard or other open space on one site shall be considered as providing a yard or open space for a structure on any other site.
D. Two (2) or more abutting lots may be combined and used as though a single site. Such a combination of lots shall be deemed to be a single site for all purposes of this title; provided, however, that there shall not exist on any part thereof any structure or improvement which depends for compliance with this title upon the same being treated as a single site.
E. A lot or lots, may be divided into parts, provided that each part is equal to or exceeds the minimum lot area requirements of this title, and so long as such parts are used as though separate lots they shall be deemed to be separate lots under all provisions of this title.
F. No deed or conveyance of any portion of a site shall be made which reduces the site area, yards, off street parking space or other minimum requirements of this title, without the prospective grantor and grantee first recording, in the office of the county recorder, a covenant for the benefit of the city, agreeing that such site shall continue to be maintained, operated and used as though a single site so long as any part thereof depends on the other for compliance with the provisions of this title.
G. The following lots shall be excepted from the minimum lot area requirements, herein referred to as "legal substandard lots":
1. Any lot of record on October 19, 1948, or
2. Any lot of record in any area heretofore or hereafter annexed to the city, of record as of the time of such annexation, and which was not in violation of any area requirement of any county ordinance on zoning or subdivisions, in effect at the time of such annexation, or
3. Certain lots mentioned in subsection 10-15-7J of this title relating to the effect of eminent domain.
The existence of a "legal substandard lot" shall not be deemed to change any requirement of minimum lot area per family, except where such lot is used only for the purposes of a one-family dwelling, nor any building coverage requirement. Except as provided under subsection H of this section, no lot shall be deemed to be a legal substandard lot within the exception of the minimum lot area requirements where such lot, at the time of adoption of this title had, or any time after the adoption of this title, has a common side lot line with another lot under a common ownership.
H. Where a group of legal substandard lots have common side lot lines and are under a common ownership, and have in the aggregate less than the minimum area requirement, the aggregate of said lots may be continued to be used as a single legal substandard lot. (Ord. 622, 9-2-1980)