(A) Percentages and fractions. When a measurement results in a fractional number or percentage, any fraction of 1/2 or less shall be rounded down to the next lower whole number and any fraction of more than 1/2 shall be rounded up to the next higher whole number. Any percentage of .5 or greater shall be rounded up to the next higher whole number and any percentage less than .5 shall be rounded down to the next lower whole number.
(B) Distances.
(1) When a minimum distance between buildings or uses is specified, such distance shall be measured in a straight line without regard to intervening structures or objects, between the two closest lot lines of the properties in question.
(2) The distance between signs is measured between signs on the along the centerline of the road to which the sign is oriented.
(C) Lot area. The lot area is the total area within the lot lines of a lot, excluding any street right-of-way but including any water features such as lakes, ponds, or streams.
(D) Sign area.
(1) For individual signs, the area of a sign face shall be measured by the smallest square, circle, rectangle, or combination thereof that will encompass the entire sign area.
(2) For multi-faced signs, the area shall be computed by adding together the area of all sign faces visible from any one point at the same time. When two identical sign faces are placed back-to-back so that only one face is visible from an point at any time, and when such sign faces are part of the same sign structure and are not more than 42 inches apart, only one of the faces shall be counted toward the sign area.
(3) The total area of signs permitted on a lot shall be determined as specified in § 157.095.
Sign Measurements
(E) Height.
(1) Measurement.
(a) Building height. The height of a structure shall be measured from the average grade
adjoining the walls of the structure to the average of the highest points of the roof surface of a flat roof; or to the deck line of a mansard roof; or the mean height level between eaves and ridge for a gable, hip or gambrel roof.
Building Height Measurements
(b) Sign height.
1. The height of a sign shall be measured in a vertical plane from the base of the sign at normal grade to the top of the highest attached component of the sign. Normal grade shall be construed to be the lower of
a. Existing grade prior to construction; or
b. The newly established grade after construction, exclusive of any fill, berming, mounding or excavating solely for the purpose of locating the sign.
2. In cases where the normal grade cannot reasonably be determined, sign height shall be measured from the grade at the edge of pavement of the street to which the sign is oriented to the highest point of the sign.
Freestanding Sign Height Measurement
(2) Exceptions. The following uses and structures are exempt from the height limitations of this chapter:
(a) Architectural projections, including but not limited to spires, steeples, belfries, parapet walls, cupolas, domes, flues, and chimneys;
(b) Special structures such as silos, windmills, elevator penthouses, gas tanks, grain elevators, observation towers, scenery lofts, heating and air conditioning equipment and necessary mechanical appurtenances, cooling towers, fire towers, ornamental towers, substations, and smoke stacks;
(c) Towers and utility structures including but not limited to water towers, electric power and communication transmission lines. Wireless communication towers are regulated by § 157.115.
(F) Setback.
(1) Lot lines. Building setback shall be measured from a line drawn parallel to a lot line at a distance equal to the depth of the required yard setback. The distance shall be measured along a straight line drawn perpendicular to the lot line and the setback line (See the following figure). For front yards, setbacks are measured from the centerline of the adjacent street, as established by the thoroughfare plan. Lots having more than one street frontage are considered to have a front yard for each such frontage.
Yard Definitions
(2) Cul-de-sacs. The required setback on cul-de-sacs and curved streets shall be determined by measuring the required setback from the radius of the cult-de-sac resulting in a setback line that is parallel to the arc of the street right-of-way.
Cul-De-Sacs