(A) Counting the agriculture district, which is considered to be a very low density single-family district, and acts to serve as a "holding" zone for subsequent higher density consideration, there are eight districts designed to meet present and future housing needs; to protect the character of, and property values in, residential areas; to encourage a suitable environment for family life; and to provide choice in density, as well as in type of housing. Five of the districts are for low-density single-family uses, and are intended to be defined and protected from the encroachment of uses not performing a function necessary to the low density, residential environment. One district is intended for medium-density single-family uses, and one exists for multi-family residential uses. More specific descriptions of the residential districts are as follows and it is the intent and desire of the city that all zoned areas, be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer service.
(B) Agriculture district. The purpose of this district is to provide for a very low density single-family district, while helping preserve existing agricultural resources, and to guide the conversion of these lands to higher density residential use when appropriate. Agricultural areas should be protected for development by appropriate standards until they are well served by public facilities and services that will permit higher density residential development.
(C) R-E, Estate Single-Family district. The purpose of this district is to accommodate single-family residential development on low density, large estate type lots. This zone is intended to help establish and preserve rural/estate character in certain areas of the city.
(D) R-1, Single-Family Residential. The purpose of this district is to accommodate single-family residential uses on generously sized residential lots of at least one acre. This zone is generally applied on the fringe of built-up areas of the city, and may act as a buffer to R-E zones.
(E) R-2, Single-Family Residential. This district is intended to provide single-family residential uses on moderately sized, low-density lots of at least one-half acre.
(F) R-3, Single-Family Residential. This district is characterized by single-family residential development on medium-sized lots of at least 9,600 square feet, with density not exceeding three units/acre. As with other residential zones, this district also serves as a buffer in providing for a step-down in intensity from higher to lower density residential and other types of development. It is the intent and desire of the city that R-3 zoned areas, which typically have smaller sized lots, be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer service.
(G) R-3-L, Single Family Residential. This district is intended to provide single-family residential uses on moderately sized, low-density lots of at least 14,520 square feet, one-third acre.
(H) R-4, Single-Family Residential. This district is characterized by single-family or duplex residential development on medium sized lots of at least 8,000 square feet, with density not exceeding four units/acre. As with other residential zones, this district also serves as a buffer in providing for a step-down in intensity from higher to lower density residential and other types of development. It is the intent and desire of the city that R-4 zoned areas, which typically have smaller sized lots, be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer service. The R-4, Single-Family Residential is not an available residential zoning district classification for assignment and is only available for current properties that are assigned to the R-4 zoning district.
(I) R-MF-16 Multi-Family Residential. This district is to provide for multi-family development, and is characterized by traditional apartment-type units in attached living complexes. Congregate housing for the elderly is also anticipated in this zone. The maximum density in this district is 16 dwelling units to the acre. It is the intent and desire of the city that R-MF-16 zoned areas be served by municipal water and sanitary sewer service.
(J) R-MH Manufactured Home/Mobile Home Residential. This district is to provide for replacement of manufactured home/mobile homes on individually owned lots. Areas so classified must have all municipal services available. A maximum density in this district is one unit per acre.
(K) Uses permitted.
(1) Uses permitted in the residential districts are set forth in the following table. Where the letter "P" appears opposite a listed use and underneath a residential district, the use is permitted in that district "by right" subject to:
(a) Providing off-street parking and loading facilities as required by § 153.210;
(b) Providing landscaping and screening as provided by § 153.212; and
(c) Conformance with special conditions applying to certain uses as set forth in § 153.160 et seq.
(2) Only one principal structure per lot shall be permitted in R-E, R-l, R-2, R-3L, R-3, and R-4 single-family districts. In addition to the accessory uses provided for in § 153.040 et seq., an accessory structure may be permitted for sheltering riding horses on a residentially zoned lot or parcel with a minimum area of two acres, provided:
(a) The structure is at least 100 feet from adjacent property lines;
(b) No more than two horses are kept and sheltered on the property; and
(c) The stall area does not exceed 450 square feet.
(3) In A districts, only one principal dwelling structure per lot shall be permitted.
(L) Where the letter "C" appears instead of "P", the use is permitted subject to acquiring a conditional use permit as set forth in §§ 153.120 et seq. Where neither "P" nor "C" appears, and "NP" appears in the table, the use is not permitted.
(M) Uses not listed. When a use is proposed that is not listed in this chapter, the Planning Official shall recommend the appropriate districts based on land uses that are similar in size, bulk, and traffic generation. If the applicant does not agree with this interpretation, he or she may appeal the interpretation to the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Zoning Districts | A | RE | R-1 | R-2 | R-3 | R- 3L | R-4 | R-MF-16 | R-MH |
Zoning Districts | A | RE | R-1 | R-2 | R-3 | R- 3L | R-4 | R-MF-16 | R-MH |
Residential uses | |||||||||
Single-family detached | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | NP |
Duplex | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | P | NP |
Triplex, quadplex | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | P | NP |
Townhome | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | P | NP |
Detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) | P | P | P | P | C | C | C | NP | NP |
Emergency housing unit | C | C | C | C | NP | C | NP | NP | NP |
Multi-family | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | P | NP |
Manufactured housing unit | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | P |
Manufactured housing, residential design | NP | NP | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | P |
Manufactured housing park | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | C |
Group residential | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Civic and commercial uses | |||||||||
Airport or airstrip | C | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Animal care, general | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Animal care, limited | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Automated teller machine | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | P | NP |
Bed and breakfast | C | C | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Cemetery | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | NP |
Church | P | C | C | C | C | C | C | P | NP |
College or university | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | P | NP |
Communication tower | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | NP |
Convenience store | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Day care, limited (family home) | C | NP | C | C | C | C | C | C | NP |
Day care, general | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Golf course | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | P | NP |
Government service | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | P | NP |
Hospital | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Library | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | P | NP |
Medical services | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Museum | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
Nursing home | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Parks and recreation | P | C | C | C | C | C | C | P | NP |
Post office | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Recreation/entertainment, outdoor | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Safety services | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
School, elementary/middle | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | P | NP |
Utility, major | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | NP |
Utility, minor | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | NP |
Vocational school | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | C | NP |
Manufacturing and extractive uses | |||||||||
Asphalt or concrete plant | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Mining or quarrying | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Sod farm | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Topsoil | C | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP | NP |
Agriculture uses | |||||||||
Agriculture, animal | P* | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | NP |
Agriculture, crop | P | P | P | P | C | C | C | C | NP |
Agriculture, product sales | P | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | NP |
Animal, farm | P | P | P | P | P | P | C | NP | NP |
Chicken, hobby | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | NP | NP |
* All concentrated feedlot operations for livestock shall be subject to conditional use approval.
(N) Lot, yard and height regulations. Except as otherwise provided herein, no lot or yard shall be established or reduced in dimension or area in any residential district that does not meet the minimum
requirements in the following table; nor shall any building or structure be erected or enlarged that will cause the maximum lot coverage or maximum height regulations to be exceeded for such district as set forth in said table. A listing of supplements and exceptions to these regulations follows the table.
(P) When an existing lot is reduced because of conveyance to a federal, state or local government for a public purpose, and the remaining area is at least 75% of the required minimum lot size for the district in which it is located, then that remaining lot shall be deemed to comply with minimum lot size requirements.
(Q) Utility facilities, using land or an unoccupied building requiring less than 1,000 square feet of site area, are exempt from minimum lot size requirements of all districts.
(R) Minimum lot size requirements shall not be interpreted as prohibiting the construction of a single-family residential dwelling unit on a lot that was legally platted and recorded before the adoption of these regulations. For lots that are rendered nonconforming, the necessity of obtaining a variance from such created nonconformity shall not be required as a condition of issuance of a building permit, provided all setback and other requirements can be met.
(S) Residential storage sheds of less than 250 square feet in size are exempted from setback requirements if:
(1) The structure is portable.
(2) The structure is maintained in good condition.
(3) The area around the structure is maintained in good condition.
(T) Certain architectural features may project into required yards (setback) as follows:
(1) Cornices, canopies, eaves, or other architectural features, may project a distance not to exceed 30 inches.
(2) Fire escapes may project a distance not exceeding four-and-a-half feet from the exterior wall of the building.
(3) An uncovered stair and necessary landings may project a distance not to exceed three feet, provided such stair and landing shall not extend above the entrance floor of the building except for a railing not exceeding three feet in height.
(4) Bay windows, balconies, and chimneys may project a distance not exceeding 30 inches, provided that such features do not occupy, in the aggregate, more than one-third of the length of the building wall on which they are located.
(U) When an existing setback is reduced because of conveyance to a federal, state or local government for a public purpose, and the remaining setback is at least 75% of the required minimum setback for the district in which it is located, then that remaining setback shall be deemed to satisfy minimum setback requirements.
(V) Setback averaging. When a majority of the lots have existing principal structures on them and the street setbacks of said principal structures are on lots within the same block, with the same zoning classification and fronting on the same side of the street, and are less than the required street setback, applicants shall be allowed to use the "average" street setback on that block. In such cases, the "average setback" shall be the mean (average) setback of all developed lots on the same side of the street within the same block as the subject property and with the same zoning classifications; provided that in no case shall more than six lots on either side of the subject property be included in the calculation.
(W) Maximum height limitation is 35 feet in all residential zones with the exception of the A and R-MF-16 districts, where the limitation is 45 feet. Chimneys, smokestacks, ventilators, cooling and water towers, bulkheads, grain elevators and silos, utility and flagpoles, belfries, spires and steeples, and monuments and ornamental towers, may be erected to any height not in conflict with other city ordinances or federal regulations. Communication towers are exempt only to the extent authorized through conditional use approval.
(Ord. 2017-05-635, passed 5-2-17; Am. Ord. 2017-12-669, passed 12-5-17; Am. Ord. 2019-03-836, passed 3-5-19; Am. Ord. 2021-03-924, passed 3-2-21; Am. Ord. 2021-05-946, passed 5-4-21; Am. Ord. 2023-06-1053, passed 6-20-23)