(A) Compliance.
(1) Notwithstanding the requirements of §§ 153.049 through 153.052, in the Local Commercial and General Commercial Districts, the Zoning Inspector and/or the Board of Appeals and/or the Township Board may permit lots to be not less than 20 feet wide and lots to contain an area not less than 1,500 square feet only in instances where such lots are contained within a platted subdivision which is irrevocably dedicated to use for commercial purposes and where central sewage and water systems are available.
(2) No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth for the district in which the yard or lot is located. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall meet at least the minimum requirements established by this chapter.
(3) No part of a yard or other open space required for, or in connection with, any structure for the purpose of complying with this chapter shall be included as part of a yard or open space similarly required for any other structure.
(B) Yard measurements.
(1) Lots which abut on more than one street shall provide the required front yards along every street.
(2) All front, side, and rear yards shall be the minimum perpendicular distance measured from the lot line to the principal structure, excluding all projections not exceeded three feet in length from the structure wall.
(3) A three-sided lot shall be considered to have a front and two sides. The street lot line will be considered the front line except on a lot abutting the water, then the front will be interpreted to be the water side.
(C) Lot width. Width of a lot shall be considered to be the distance between straight lines connecting front and rear lot lines at each side of the lot, measured across the rear of the required front yard; provided, however, that width between side lot lines at their foremost points (where they intersect with the street line) shall not be less than 80% of the required lot width, except in the case of lots on the turning circle cul-de-sacs, where the 80% requirements shall not apply.
(D) Height exceptions. Exceptions to the maximum height regulations for each district specified in this chapter may be permitted subject to the following provisions.
(1) The limitations affecting the height of structures shall not apply to the following appurtenant appendages and structures, provided they comply with all other provisions of this or other applicable ordinances; parapet walls, chimneys, smokestacks, church spires, flagpoles, radio and television towers, penthouses for mechanical equipment, water tanks, anemometers, and wind energy conversion systems.
(2) Building height in excess of the height above average ground level allowed in any district may be permitted, provided all minimum front, side, and rear yard depths are increased one foot for each additional one foot of height, and provided that adequate fire protection can be demonstrated.
(Ord. 5, passed 1-18-1973; Ord. 8, passed 9-16-1976; Ord. 16, passed 12-20-1990)