The development standards for the Residential Single-Family Zone preserve the character of single-family neighborhoods and provide flexibility to allow different densities and development standards. The development standards work together to promote desirable residential areas by addressing aesthetically pleasing environments, safety, privacy, energy conservation, and recreational opportunities. The site development standards allow for flexibility of development while maintaining compatibility within the City's various single-family neighborhoods. In addition, the regulations provide certainty to property owners, developers, and neighbors about the limits of what is allowed.
A. Lot Areas: No building or structure nor the enlargement of any building or structure shall be hereafter erected or maintained unless the following described yards and lot areas are provided and maintained in connection with said building, structure or enlargement:
Every building erected shall be on a lot having an area of not less than five thousand (5,000) square feet with a frontage on public streets of not less than fifty feet (50') and shall have a width of not less than fifty feet (50') at the front building line. Lots with frontage on a cul-de-sac shall have a minimum frontage on a public road of not less than fifty feet (50').
B. Setbacks:
1. Purpose: The setback regulations for buildings and garage entrances serve several purposes:
a. They maintain light, air, separation for fire protection, and access for firefighting;
b. They reflect the general building scale and placement of houses in the city's single-family neighborhoods;
c. They promote a reasonable physical relationship between residences;
d. They promote options for privacy for neighboring properties;
e. They require larger front setbacks than side and rear setbacks to promote open, visually pleasing front yards;
f. They provide adequate flexibility to site a building so that it may be compatible with the neighborhood, fit the topography of the site, allow for required outdoor areas, and allow for architectural diversity; and
g. They provide room for a car to park in front of a garage door without overhanging the street or sidewalk, and they enhance driver visibility when backing onto the street.
2. Front Yard Limits: Each lot shall have a front yard of not less than twenty feet (20') in depth from front lot line unless provided for elsewhere in this code.
3. Side Yard:
a. On interior lots there shall be a side yard on each side of the outer walls of any building constructed thereon of not less than five feet (5').
b. Buildings erected upon corner lots need only comply with the front yard requirement with regard to their primary facade, which is designated as having the primary entrance. A side yard setback is required for flanking streets on corner lots. Flanking street setbacks may be reduced from twenty feet (20') to ten feet (10') but shall include design features such as projections, recessions, windows or other architectural treatment to prevent a blank wall appearance.
4. Rear Yard: Each lot upon which a dwelling is constructed shall have a rear yard of not less than fifteen feet (15').
5. Garage And Parking Entrance Setback: To avoid vehicles parking on the sidewalk, no front entry garage shall be constructed within twenty five feet (25') of a property line having frontage along a public street. Any uncovered off street parking developed within the front yard setback shall have a minimum depth of twenty five feet (25').
6. Riparian And Shoreline Setback:
a. Purpose: The purpose of this subsection B6 is to protect scenic and recreational resources, water quality and natural shoreline habitat. In addition, shoreline setbacks and buffers help avoid damage to development from erosion and flooding. (Ord. 1263, 12-29-2011)
The waterfront building setback for new development and redevelopment (tear downs) along waterfront properties within the city of Sandpoint shall be a minimum of forty feet (40') from the artificial high water mark. For purposes of this subsection B6, the artificial high water mark shall be considered according to the North American vertical datum of 1988 (NAVD88) as 2,066.4 or 2,062.5 feet using the national geodetic vertical datum of 1929 (NGVD29). (Ord. 1336, 11-2-2016)
New development adhering to the forty foot (40') setback and/or reconstruction that involves issuance of a building permit for greater than twenty five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) of improvements, shall be required to plant fifty percent (50%) of the area in the minimum twenty five foot (25') building setback with native vegetation comprised of a mixture of grasses and shrubs. For the purpose of this subsection B6, building permit valuation shall be a cumulative aggregate from the date of the adoption hereof forward.
The city shall assist the applicant in determining appropriate native vegetation required, and will coordinate with the applicant on the planting success the following year.
The building setback can be reduced to twenty five feet (25') if the setback area is revegetated with primarily native vegetation. Establishment of a tree canopy is encouraged. No constructed structures other than those required for waterfront access/docks are allowed within the twenty five foot (25') setback. The applicant shall record on the title documentation from the city of Sandpoint confirming that the structure has been built under the flexible setback option and as such, the structure is conforming and the area within the twenty five foot (25') lakefront setback is to remain planted primarily with native vegetation (as described above).
A variance may be sought for those projects or activities for which it can be demonstrated that strict compliance would result in a practical difficulty. City owned property shall be exempt from the required standards.
b. Shoreline Setback Exceptions: Placement of constructed trams, rails, uncovered steps, stairs or walkways, any of which shall be five feet (5') or less in width and installed to provide access to the shoreline, are permitted within the shoreline setback. Such structures shall not be constructed in a manner that is parallel to the shoreline that would create a boardwalk along the waterfront (except where steep slopes require switchback designs).
7. Exceptions To The Required Setbacks: Certain parts of structures may be allowed to encroach into the required setbacks as described herein. Setbacks are modified further for attached housing, cottage housing and substandard lots.
a. Maximum Encroachment: No part of any structure shall encroach within fifteen feet (15') of the front property line, three feet (3') of the side property line(s) and ten feet (10') of the rear property line.
b. General Exceptions: The following shall be permitted to encroach up to the maximum encroachment:
(1) Established Building Lines: Sites with legally existing nonconforming development in a required setback are eligible for a onetime reduction to the required setbacks. The building line created by the nonconforming wall serves as the reduced setback line. At a maximum, the nonconforming wall may be doubled in length, e.g., a two foot (2') long wall within the side yard setback may be lengthened to four feet (4') total. The vertical height of the wall shall not be increased, e.g., a second story cannot be placed up to the reduced setback line if the existing nonconforming wall is only one story high.
(2) Minor Features: Minor features of a building such as eaves, chimneys, water collection cisterns and planters, bay windows, and uncovered balconies, may extend into the required setback. Bays and bay windows encroaching into the setback also must meet the following requirements: a) each bay and bay window may be up to twelve feet (12') long, but the total area of all bays and bay windows on a building facade cannot be more than thirty percent (30%) of the linear total of the facade; b) bays and bay windows must cantilever beyond the foundation of the building; and c) the bay may not include any doors.
8. Specific Exceptions: The following shall be permitted to encroach up to the maximum encroachment. Any structure shall be limited to fifteen feet (15') in height above grade for that portion within the setback area.
a. Adjacent Structures: Where both adjacent lots on the primary frontage are developed with structures and both adjacent structures have front yard setbacks less than the minimum, the subject lot may build within the front setback to the maximum encroachment.
b. Porches: Unenclosed front porches may encroach into the front yard setback up to ten feet (10') from the front property line.
c. Garages: Garages shall not be permitted to encroach on the front yard setback but may be used in calculating adjacent structure setbacks as described above. Detached garages may encroach on side and rear setbacks up to the maximum encroachment. Detached garages are subject to additional requirements.
C. Lot Coverage:
1. Purpose: The building coverage standards, together with the height and setback standards control the overall bulk of structures. They are intended to assure that taller buildings will not have such a large footprint that their total bulk will overwhelm adjacent houses. Additionally, the standards help define the character of the different zones by limiting the amount of buildings allowed on a site.
2. Building Footprint: Each lot upon which a dwelling, private garage or other outbuilding is constructed shall have a maximum thirty five percent (35%) building footprint and a maximum thirty percent (30%) impervious surface.
D. Building Height: No structure shall exceed a building height of thirty five feet (35') above the average elevation of the finished grade at the front of the building.
1. Exceptions To The Maximum Height:
a. Chimneys, flagpoles, satellite receiving dishes, roof mounted solar panels and other similar items may extend above the height limit, as long as they do not exceed five feet (5') above the top of the highest point of the roof.
b. Utility power poles, and public safety facilities are exempt from the height limit.
E. Garages:
1. Purpose: Together with the main entrance and street facing facade standards, these standards ensure that there is a physical and visual connection between the living area of the residence and the street. Additionally these standards:
a. Ensure that the location and amount of the living area of the residence, as seen from the street, is more prominent than the garage;
b. Prevent garages from obscuring the main entrance from the street and ensure that the main entrance for pedestrians, rather than automobiles, is the prominent entrance;
c. Provide for a more pleasant pedestrian environment by preventing garages and vehicle areas from dominating the views of the neighborhood from the sidewalk; and
d. Enhance public safety by discouraging garages from blocking views of the street from inside the residence.
2. Where These Standards Apply: The regulations of this subsection E apply to all attached or detached garages in the residential single-family zone. On corner lots, only one street facing garage wall must meet the standards of this subsection E.
3. The Standard:
a. Dimensions:
(1) The length of the garage wall facing the street may be up to fifty percent (50%) of the length of the street facing unit facade (see figure 1 of this section). For attached houses on corner lots, garage walls are limited to twenty five feet (25') in length.
Figure 1
(2) Garages shall be recessed, or may be flush to the primary facade when the primary facade contains an unenclosed porch having a depth of seven feet (7') or greater and occupying a minimum of twenty five percent (25%) of the linear primary structure facade.
(3) Garages facing the street having building walls greater than twelve feet (12') in height or facade walls greater than twenty four feet (24') in length shall include architectural detail to break up and limit the massive appearance of the wall. Doing so requires utilizing at least two (2) of the following architectural features on street facade:
(A) Dormers;
(B) Gables;
(C) Covered porch entries;
(D) Pillars or posts;
(E) Eaves;
(F) Offsets in building face or roof (minimum of 16 inches);
(G) Window trim;
(H) Bay windows;
(I) Balconies;
(J) An alternative feature providing for visual relief, similar to subsections E3a(3)(A) through E3a(3)(I) of this section.
b. Side And Rear Setbacks: In the residential single-family zone, detached garages are allowed in the side and rear building setbacks if all of the following are met:
(1) The garage is set back at least twenty five feet (25') from a front lot line, and if on a corner or alley accessible lot, it may be constructed one foot (1') from a flanking street or alley lot line;
(2) Dormers are set back at least five feet (5') from the side and rear lot lines.
(3) Second floor windows facing abutting lots utilize appropriate material (glass block or opaque glass) to maintain privacy of adjacent property.
(4) Maintenance easements are provided by adjacent property owner when utilizing less than a two foot (2') setback from adjacent property line.
(5) Snow drop and stormwater runoff from the structure are contained on site.
4. Existing Detached Garages:
a. Change Of Use: In the residential single-family zone, a detached garage that is in the side or rear setback may be converted to another type of detached covered accessory structure so long as it is compliant with regulations specified in section 9-1-8 or 9-1-5 of this title. Second floor windows facing abutting lots utilize appropriate material (glass block or opaque glass) to maintain privacy of adjacent property.
b. Rebuilding: A detached garage that is nonconforming due to its location in a setback, may be rebuilt on the footprint of the existing foundation, if the garage was originally constructed legally. Where the structure facade faces a street, garages utilizing this provision shall be designed and reconstructed in a manner to prevent a blank wall appearance through the utilization of projections, recessions, windows or other architectural treatment.
c. Additions: An addition may be made to a detached garage that is nonconforming due to its location in a setback as follows:
(1) The expanded garage complies with all other standards of this section.
F. Main Entrances:
1. Purpose: These standards:
a. Together with the street facing facade and garage standards, ensure that there is a physical and visual connection between the living area of the residence and the street;
b. Enhance public safety for residents and visitors and provide opportunities for community interaction;
c. Ensure that the pedestrian entrance is visible or clearly identifiable from the street by its orientation or articulation; and
d. Ensure that pedestrians can easily find the main entrance, and so establish how to enter the residence.
e. Ensure a connection to the public realm for development on lots fronting both private and public streets by making the pedestrian entrance visible or clearly identifiable from the public street.
2. Where These Standards Apply:
a. The standards of this subsection F apply to houses, attached houses, and manufactured homes, in the residential single-family zone;
b. Where a proposal is for an alteration or addition to existing development, the standards of this subsection F apply only to the portion being altered or added;
c. On sites with frontage on both a private street and a public street, the standards apply to the site frontage on the public street. On all other sites with more than one street frontage, the applicant may choose on which frontage to meet the standards.
3. The Standard:
a. Location: At least one main entrance for each structure must:
(1) Either:
(A) Face the street;
(B) Be at an angle of up to forty five degrees (45°) from the street; or
(C) Open onto a porch. See figure 2 of this section. The porch must be a covered unenclosed porch with a minimum of twenty five (25) square feet in area.
Figure 2
G. Street Facing Facades:
1. Purpose: This standard:
a. Together with the main entrance and garage standards, ensures that there is a visual connection between the living area of the residence and the street;
b. Enhances public safety by allowing people to survey their neighborhood from inside their residences; and
c. Provides a more pleasant pedestrian environment by preventing large expanses of blank facades along streets.
2. Where This Standard Applies: The standard of this subsection G applies to houses, attached homes, and manufactured homes in the residential single-family zone. Where a proposal is for an alteration or addition to existing development, the applicant may choose to apply the standard either to the portion being altered or added, or to the entire street facing facade.
3. The Standard: At least fifteen percent (15%) of the square footage area of each facade that faces a street lot line must be windows or main entrance doors. Windows used to meet this standard must allow views from the building to the street. Glass block does not meet this standard. Windows in garage doors do not count toward meeting this standard, but windows in garage walls do count toward meeting this standard. To count toward meeting this standard, a door must be at the main entrance and facing a street lot line.
H. Attached Housing Options:
1. Purpose: The alternative development options allow for variety in development standards while maintaining the overall character of a single dwelling neighborhood. These options have several public benefits:
a. They allow for development which is more sensitive to the environment, especially in hilly areas and areas with water features and natural drainageways;
b. They allow for the preservation of open and natural areas;
c. They promote better site layout and opportunities for private recreational areas;
d. They promote opportunities for affordable housing;
e. They promote energy efficient development; and
f. They allow for the provision of alternative structure types where density standards are met.
g. They reduce the impact that new development may have on surrounding residential development.
h. Attached housing allows for more efficient use of land and for energy conserving housing.
2. Where This Standard Applies: The regulations of this subsection apply to all attached housing in the residential single-family zone. The alternative development options listed in this subsection H are allowed by right unless specifically stated otherwise. The project must comply with all of the applicable development standards of this subsection H. The project must also conform to all other development standards of the base zone unless those standards are superseded by the standards in this subsection H.
3. The Standard:
a. Area Requirements:
(1) Lot Dimensions: Attached housing must be on a lot that has a minimum area of ten thousand (10,000) square feet unless otherwise stated by this code.
(2) Building Setbacks:
(A) Interior (Noncorner) Lots: On interior lots the side building setback on the side containing the common wall is reduced to zero. The reduced setback applies to all buildings on the lot and extends along the full length of the lot line that contains the common or abutting wall. The side building setback on the side opposite the common wall must be ten feet (10').
(B) Corner Lots: On corner lots either the rear setback or nonstreet side setback may be reduced to five feet (5'). However, the remaining nonstreet setback must comply with the requirements for a standard rear setback.
b. Number Of Units: A maximum of two (2) units are allowed per structure. Attached houses may have a common wall. Accessory dwelling units are prohibited on lots developed with attached housing.
c. Single-Family Character: Attached housing shall contribute to the single-family character of the neighborhood by utilizing exemplary design and architecture to seamlessly integrate with other structures in the vicinity. (See figure 3 of this section.)
Figure 3
d. Second Story Design: A second story of any attached housing unit requires additional design standards. Along the street facing facade, the building shall incorporate features such as offsets, balconies, projections, window reveals, or similar elements to preclude large expanses of uninterrupted building surfaces. Such features shall occur at a minimum of every twelve feet (12') along the vertical face of the facade, and each floor shall contain a minimum of offsets or breaks in facade of two feet (2') or greater in depth.
e. Landscape Standards: The following landscape standards must be met on lots in the residential single-family zone to qualify for attached housing development:
(1) A minimum of three (3) front yard trees with a minimum dbh of two inches (2") shall be planted per unit. (Ord. 1263, 12-29-2011)