(a) Reductions.
(1) For each foot by which a lot existing and of record at the time of the enactment of this Zoning Ordinance is narrower than fifty feet, one and one-half inches may be deducted from the required least width of any side yard and three inches from the sum of the least widths of both side yards for buildings not exceeding three stories in height; provided, that no side yard shall be narrower than five feet in any case.
(2) Where, at the time of the enactment of this ordinance, three-fourths of the lots on both sides of the street within a block front are less than fifty feet wide, an existing plot or unimproved portion of a plot within such block may be deemed to have been divided, at the time of the enactment of the ordinance, into lots of substantially the average width of such three-fourths; provided, that no lot shall be deemed to be less than thirty-five feet wide in any case.
(b) Variations.
(1) Where an unbroken section of a side wall or a building is not parallel the side lot line, the required least width of any side yard may be applied to the average width; provided, that such side yard shall not be narrower at any point than five feet.
(2) Where a side yard is adjacent to a succession or series of side walls of a building or where the side yard is irregular, the least width of a side yard may be averaged; provided, that each part of the side wall complies with the required least width for a side yard of equivalent length and side wall height.
(3) Recesses, offsets or courts having an open side at least six feet wide abutting on a side yard may be considered a part of such a side yard for a depth not exceeding the width of the abutting open side.
(c) Structures or Projections.
(1) A wall, planting or fence, any of which are not over six feet high above the average natural grade, in all residential districts and over eight feet high above the average natural grade in all commercial and industrial districts, may be erected within the limits of a side yard. Such wall, planting or fence may be higher than six feet in residential districts and eight feet in commercial and industrial districts if a retaining wall or, if above such height, at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its surface is unobstructed and open in a uniformly distributed manner. A barbed wire fence of two feet maximum height may be erected above a wall or fence of six feet or greater height in any commercial or industrial district.
The provisions of subsection (c)(1) hereof are, however, subject to the health and safety requirements of the City and, as such, the power to reject the allowances of subsection (c)(1) hereof is hereby reserved to the City.
(2) Bays, including their cornices and eaves, balconies and fire escapes, may project into a required side yard not more than one-third of the width of the latter, nor more than three feet in any case.
(3) Chimneys, flues, belt courses, leaders, sills, pilasters, lintels, and ornamental features may project not more than one and one-half feet into a required side yard.
(4) Cornices, eaves and gutters may project into or over a required side yard not more than one-third the width of the latter, nor more than one and one- half feet in any case.
(Ord. 1697. Passed 5-19-88.)