Publisher's Note: This Section has been AMENDED by new legislation (Ord. 70-2024
, passed 10-1-2024). The text of the amendment will be incorporated below when the ordinance is codified.
All accessory buildings permitted by this chapter shall be subject to the following general requirements:
A. Location of Accessory Buildings:
1. Front Yards: Accessory buildings are prohibited in any required front yard and shall be set back at least as far as the principal building when the principal building exceeds the required front yard setback. Notwithstanding the foregoing, hoop houses and cold frame structures up to twenty four inches (24") in height may be placed in a front yard.
2. Corner Lots: No accessory building on a corner lot shall be closer to the street than the distance required for corner side yards. At no time, however, shall an accessory building be closer than twenty feet (20') to a public sidewalk or public pedestrian way and the accessory building shall be set back at least as far as the principal building. Notwithstanding the foregoing, hoop houses and cold frame structures up to twenty four inches (24") in height may be placed in a corner side yard.
3. Side Yards: Hoop houses, greenhouses, and cold frame structures associated solely with growing food and/or plants are allowed in any interior side yard. Other accessory buildings are permitted in a required interior side yard when located a minimum of four feet (4') from any portion of the principal building and behind the rear wall of the principal building as shown in the illustration below:
4. Rear Yards: Accessory buildings shall be built a minimum of four feet (4') from any portion of the principal building; however, pedestrian connections, such as breezeways, that do not exceed five feet (5') in width may be allowed. The minimum distance requirement does not apply to cold frames associated solely with growing food and/or plants.
5. Distance from lot lines: In residential districts, accessory buildings shall be built at least one foot (1') from sides and rear lot lines except when sharing a common wall with an accessory building on an adjacent lot.
6. Distance from residential buildings: Accessory buildings shall be a minimum of ten feet (10') from any portion of a principal residential building on an adjacent lot when that adjacent lot is in a residential zoning district; excluding hoop houses, greenhouses, and cold frames associated solely with growing food and/or plants. This provision shall not be construed to limit the construction or expansion of a principal building.
7. Double Frontage Lots: On properties where two opposite ends of the lot have frontage on a street, accessory structures and buildings may be located in a front yard provided the accessory building or structure:
a. Is located in a provided yard that is directly opposite to the front yard where the primary entrance to the principal building is located;
b. Is in a location that is consistent with other accessory building locations on the block;
c. Complies with any sight distance triangle requirements of this title; and
d. Complies with all other accessory building and structure requirements of this title.
B. Maximum Coverage:
1. Yard Coverage:
a. In residential districts, any portion of an accessory building, excluding hoop houses, greenhouses, and cold frames associated solely with growing food and/or plants, shall occupy not more than fifty percent (50%) of the total area located between the rear facade of the principal building and the rear lot line.
b. The combined coverage for all hoop houses, greenhouses, and cold frames shall not exceed ten percent (10%) when located on vacant lots or, when located on a lot with a principal building, shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the total area located between the rear facade of the principal building and the rear lot line plus the side yard area between the front and rear facades of the principal building.
2. Building Coverage:
a. In the FR, R-1, R-2 and SR residential districts the maximum footprint of any accessory building, shall not exceed 50% of the building footprint of the principal structure except as follows:
(1) Notwithstanding the size of the footprint of the principal building, at least 480 square feet of accessory building coverage shall be allowed subject to compliance with all other requirements in Section 21A.40.050.
(2) Accessory buildings constructed within the buildable area that are located between the rear façade of the principal building and the rear yard setback may exceed 720 square feet provided the building is located entirely within the buildable area and the property complies with the maximum building coverage requirements of the underlying zoning district.
(3) The building coverage for a detached accessory dwelling unit shall be subject to the standards in 21A.40.200, regardless of the building coverage requirement in this section.
(4) An accessory building that contains an accessory dwelling unit on the second level may exceed the maximum coverage up to the footprint of the accessory dwelling unit.
b. The combined coverage for all hoop houses, greenhouses, and cold frames shall not exceed thirty five percent (35%) of the building footprint of the principal structure.
C. Maximum Height of Accessory Buildings/Structures:
1. Accessory to Residential Uses in the FP District, RMF Districts, RB, R-MU Districts, SNB and the RO District: The height of accessory buildings/structures in residential districts are measured from established grade to the highest point of the accessory building and shall conform to the following:
a. The height of accessory structures with flat roofs shall not exceed twelve feet (12'). The height of flat roof structures may be increased up to seventy five percent (75%) of the height of the principal structure, not to exceed fifteen feet (15') provided the setbacks increases one foot for every one foot of building height above twelve feet (12').
b. The height of accessory structures with pitched roofs shall not exceed seventeen feet (17') measured to the midpoint of the roof. The height of pitched roof structures may be increased up to seventy five percent (75%) of the height of the principal structure, not exceed twenty one feet (21') provided the setbacks increase one foot for every one foot of structure height above seventeen feet (17').
2. Accessory to Residential Uses in the FR, R-1 Districts, R-2 District and SR Districts: The height of accessory buildings/structures in the FR districts, R-1 districts, R-2 district and SR districts are measured from established grade to the highest point of the accessory structure and shall conform to the following:
a. The height of accessory structures with flat roofs shall not exceed twelve feet (12'), except that in the SR-1A zoning district the height of accessory structures with flat roofs shall not exceed nine feet (9'). The height of flat roof accessory structures may be increased up to seventy five percent (75%) of the height of the principal structure, not to exceed an additional three feet (3') except in the SR-1A zoning district where up to an additional two feet (2') may be permitted provided the setbacks are increased one foot (1') for every one foot of additional building height.
b. The height of accessory structures with pitched roofs shall not exceed seventeen feet (17') at any given point of building coverage. In the SR-1A zoning district the height of accessory structures with pitched roofs shall not exceed fourteen feet (14'). The height of pitched roof accessory structures may be increased up to seventy five percent (75%) of the height of the principal structure, not to exceed an additional four feet (4') except in the SR-1A zoning district where up to an additional three feet (3') may be permitted provided the setbacks are increased one foot for every one foot of building height.
D. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, all structures shall comply with the Sight Distance Triangle Requirements as defined and illustrated in Chapter 21A.62
of this title. The planning director, in consultation with the transportation director, may approve alternative design solutions that result in similar visual clearance and effectively mitigate safety concerns. (Ord. 29-24, 2024: Ord. 10-24, 2024: Ord. 46-23, 2023: Ord. 17-23, 2023: Ord. 64-21, 2021: Ord. 82-12, 2012: Ord. 59-12, 2012: Ord. 51-11, 2011: Ord. 20-11, 2011)