It is the city's desire to promote building longevity and architectural creativity by requiring a certain percentage of masonry construction on building exterior walls. The masonry guidelines set forth in this chapter are intended to provide a minimum standard for the exterior construction of certain buildings.
(A) Calculating masonry percentage. Where this chapter specifies a minimum percentage of masonry construction, that percentage shall be calculated by considering the entire surface area of the specified wall(s) less any and all glazing, windows, and doors. The percentage shall be calculated from the remaining surface area after subtracting the area of any and all glazing, windows, and doors.
(B) Structures inherent to specific zoning designations. The percentage of masonry required on a structure shall be governed by the masonry requirements for the zoning designation that the structure is specifically inherent to, i.e., the masonry requirements for a single-family residential home built in a non-residential zoning designation shall be governed by the requirements for the residential zoning designation, not the non-residential designation.
(C) Placement of required masonry. Upon determination of the minimum required amount of masonry construction, the designer may at the designer's discretion design the structure such that any of the exterior walls are constructed with a percentage of masonry, provided the sum of the masonry on all of the exterior walls is equal to the total required percentage of masonry as calculated.
(D) Exemptions. The following structures are exempt from the masonry requirements of this chapter:
(1) Accessory structures 200 square feet or less; or accessory structures not visible from a public right-of-way;
(2) Any building that is situated 350 feet or more from the public right-of-way(s) that border the parcel;
(3) Temporary portable classrooms installed on public school grounds;
(4) Manufactured homes; modular homes; and recreational vehicles.
(E) Variances.
(1) Exceptions to this section requirements may be considered by the City Council, as applicable, based only on the following:
(a) Architectural design and creativity;
(b) Compatibility with surrounding developed properties;
(c) Other extenuating circumstances.
(2) In granting any variance, the City Council shall determine that a literal enforcement of the regulations will create an unnecessary hardship or practical difficulty on the applicant; that the situation causing the unnecessary hardship or practical difficulty is unique to the affected property and is not self-imposed; that the variance will not injure and will be wholly compatible with the use and permitted development of adjacent properties; and that the granting of the variance will be in harmony with the spirit and purpose of the ordinance.
(F) Nonconforming buildings.
(1) Where a lawful building exists at the effective date of the adoption or amendment of this section and said building could not be built under the terms of this section, it may continue so long as it remains lawful, subject to the following provisions:
(a) Such a building may not be enlarged by more than 25% of its existing foundation footprint unless the entire building is brought into conformity with the masonry requirements of this chapter.
(b) The exterior walls of such a building may not be modified, altered, or enlarged in a way which increases its nonconformity unless the modification, alteration, or enlargement is in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
(2) Should a nonconforming building be destroyed by any means to an extent of more than 50% of its replacement cost at the time of destruction, it may be rebuilt to the same footprint exempt from the masonry requirements provided a building permit for the reconstruction is secured within 90 days of the destruction of the original structure.
(Ord. 15-0818B, passed 8-18-2015)