(A) Side yard reduction. For residential lots adjoining an alley, the least width of a required side yard may be measured to the centerline of that alley, provided that no building shall be erected closer than five feet to the nearest alley right-of-way line.
(B) Rear yard reduction. When a lot of record in any residential district has a depth of less than 115 feet prior to the effective date of this chapter, the rear yard may be reduced to 20 feet. When there is a public alley at the rear of a lot upon which the lot abuts for its full width, measurements of the depth of the rear yard may be made to the centerline of the alley.
(C) Permitted yard encroachments.
(1) Paved terraces, patios, and uncovered porches shall not be subject to yard requirements, provided:
(a) The paved area is unroofed and without the walls, parapets, or other forms of solid, continuous enclosure that so link the paved area to the principal building that an enclosed area is formed which appears functionally a part of the principal building.
(b) The highest finished elevation of the paved area is not over three feet above the average surrounding finished ground grade.
(c) No portion of any paved area is closer than five feet from any lot line. The paved areas may have an open railing or fence not over three feet high and may have noncontinuous windbreaks or visual screen fences or walls not over six feet high and not enclosing more than one-half the perimeter of the paved area.
(2) Unenclosed porches, roofed or unroofed, may project into a required side or rear yard area a distance not to exceed eight feet, provided:
(a) The porch is unenclosed, no higher than one story, and is erected on piers.
(b) The porch shall not be closer than eight feet at any point to any side or rear lot line.
(c) No building shall have more than one porch in any one yard.
(3) Enclosed porches, either one-story, two-story, or an unenclosed porch having solid foundations and capable of being enclosed shall be considered an integral part of the building and shall, therefore, be subject to all yard and area dimensional requirements established for principal buildings.
(4) Special structural elements, such as cornices, sills, beltcourses, chimneys, gutters, eaves, pilasters and similar structural features may project into any yard up to a maximum of two and one-half feet.
(5) Fire escapes, outside stairways, and balconies, if of open construction, may project into the yard area up to a maximum of five feet.
(Ord. 230, passed 12-9-2014; Ord., passed 8-10-2021)