(a) Distance Measurements. Unless otherwise expressly stated, distances specified in this code are to be measured as the length of an imaginary straight line joining those points.
(b) Lot-Area Measurements.
(1) The area of a lot includes the total horizontal surface area within the lot's boundaries.
(2) No lot, yard, court, parking or other space shall be reduced in area or dimensions so as to make said area or dimensions less than the minimum required by this code; and, if already less than the minimum required by this code, said area or dimensions shall not be further reduced. Exceptions to this standard shall only be granted if a reduction is approved as part of a planned development, cluster residential development, variance approval, or administrative waiver approval.
(3) When one or more buildings, or parts thereof, are constructed or enlarged so as to cross one or more lot lines in the same ownership, all such lots shall be replatted into one lot provided all other zoning and subdivision regulations are met.
(c) Lot Width Measurements. Lot width is the horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at right angles to the lot depth at the front yard building setback line.
(d) Setbacks, Yards, and Lot Type Requirements.
(1) Measurements.
A. Setbacks refer to the unobstructed, unoccupied open area between the foundation or base of a structure and the property line (lot line) of the lot on which the structure is located. Setbacks shall not contain any structure except when in conformance with this code. See Figure 1115-A.
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B. A setback shall not be reduced in any manner to less than the required dimensions for the district in which it is located, and a setback of less than the required dimensions shall not be further reduced in any manner unless otherwise noted in this code.
(2) Yards Required for Buildings. A yard or other open space required for any structure shall be located on the same lot as the structure and shall not include any yard or open space areas from an adjacent lot.
(3) Front Yard Exception. For residential zoning districts, where more than 50 percent of lots of a residential block, where the block length does not exceed 2,000 feet, are occupied by buildings of the type and use permitted in the district, the minimum front setback depth for a new principal building shall be the average depth, plus or minus five feet, of the front setbacks of existing dwellings located within 100 feet on either side of a given lot, provided however, the depth of the front setback resulting there from shall not be less than one-half of the distance set forth in Table 1115-1 or Table 1115-2 based on the applicable zoning district.
(4) Projections into Required Yards. Every part of a required yard shall be open to the sky and unobstructed except:
A. As otherwise provided in this section;
B. For accessory and temporary uses as allowed in Chapter 1113: Accessory and Temporary Use Regulations;
F. For the ordinary projections of architectural features including, but not limited to, eaves, gutters, downspouts, chimneys, flues, skylights, sills, belt courses, cornices and ornamental features, not extending more than 16 inches into the required yard;
G. Window air conditioner units;
I. Unenclosed steps, including fire escapes, may be allowed in the required front, rear, or side yard setbacks, provided, however that steps and/or fire escapes shall be no closer than two feet from the side lot line;
J. Unroofed entrance features, such as a platform, landing, steps, terrace or other features such as an unroofed deck not extending above the first-floor level of a building, may extend six feet into the required front setback and three feet into the required side setback. A roofed entry, porch, deck, steps, landing, patio, fire escape, terrace or similar roofed structure shall not be permitted to project into any required yard and shall comply with all applicable building setback requirements;
K. Fixed and retractable awnings and canopies, not extending more than two feet into a required setback; and
L. Fixed and retractable awnings and canopies may extend over that portion of the sidewalk which is part of the public right-of-way in the C-4 District only, provided no part of the awning or canopy projects into an alley or alley right-of-way or street or interferes with existing light poles (including attached banner supports) and existing trees and is a minimum of two feet from the inside edge of the street curb or edge of street pavement where no curb exists. If a street is widened and the sidewalk in the public right-of-way is reduced in depth from the curb to the front property line of a lot, all fixed and retractable awnings and canopies, which are closer than two feet from the inside edge of the new street curb or pavement edge shall be removed or be reduced in size to be in compliance with the minimum two-foot curb/pavement edge setback regulation.
(5) Interior Lots.
A. The required minimum front yard setback shall be measured from the street right-of-way or, where a right-of-way is not identified, the front lot line. See Figure 1115-B.
B. The lot line located directly behind the rear of the structure, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, shall be the rear lot line and the rear yard setback shall be applied. See Figure 1115-B.
C. All other lot lines shall be considered the side lot line and the side yard setback shall be applied. See Figure 1115-B.
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(6) Corner Lots. Lots that have street frontage on two intersecting streets shall be considered a corner lot, subject to the following:
A. The required minimum front yard setback shall be provided from each street right-of-way or, where a right-of-way is not identified, the lot line adjacent to the street. See Figure 1115-C. An alley shall not be considered a street for the purposes of determining a corner lot.
B. The lot line that runs parallel with the lot line along the narrowest street frontage shall be the rear lot line and the minimum rear yard setback shall be applied from such lot line. See Figure 1115-C
C. All other lot lines shall be a side lot line and the minimum side yard setback shall be applied from such lot lines. See Figure 1115-C.
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(7) Double Frontage (Through) Lots. Double frontage lots shall be discouraged and shall only be approved if necessitated by unique topographic features or other special physical conditions as deemed necessary by the Planning Commission. Double frontage lots shall be subject to the following regulations:
A. Where a lot is considered a double (through lot) lot, the required minimum front yard setback shall be provided on all lot lines that abut a street. See Figure 1115-D.
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B. The remaining lot lines not abutting a public road right-of-way shall be considered as side yards and shall have the required minimum side yard setback provided for each side lot line. See Figure 1115- D.
C. For the purposes of allowing accessory uses, including fences, which are allowed in a rear yard, the yard that is located to the rear of the principal building shall be considered the rear yard and the setbacks of Section 1113.01 shall apply to all accessory uses or structures.
D. Where alleys exist in the City, any lots that have frontage along the alley shall be not be considered a double frontage (through) lot and shall either be regulated as an interior lot or corner lot depending on the location of the subject lot within the block.
(8) Flag (Panhandle) Lots. Panhandle lots (flag) lots shall be discouraged and shall only be approved if necessitated by unique topographic features or other special physical conditions as deemed necessary by the Planning Commission. Panhandle (flag) lots shall be subject to the following regulations:
A. Panhandle (flag) lots shall not be used to avoid the construction of a street.
B. The area of the "panhandle" portion of the lot connecting the lot to the public street shall not be included in the area of the lot for the purposes of determining compliance with the required minimum lot area for the district in which the lot is located.
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D. The panhandle shall have a minimum width of 20 feet along the entire width of the panhandle.
E. No structures, except for fences and walls allowed by this code, shall be permitted in the panhandle portion of the lot.
F. The minimum front yard setback requirement shall be measured from the lot line that creates the rear lot line of the adjacent lot as illustrated in Figure 1115-F.
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(9) Cul-de-Sac or Curved-Street Lot.
A. For a cul-de-sac lot or a lot abutting a curved street, the front-yard setback shall follow the curve of the front property line (lot line). See Figure 1115-G.
B. On a cul-de-sac roadway, knuckle, or eyebrow, the required street frontage shall be required and measured at the street right-of-way on the curve of the cul-de-sac, knuckle, or eyebrow.
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(10) Other Lot Configurations. Where there is an instance of a lot configuration not addressed in the previous sections (e.g., interior, corner, panhandle, etc.), or where there is an atypical building orientation on any lot, the Zoning Administrator shall have the authority to make a determination regarding where front, rear, and side yard setbacks are required.
(e) Height Measurement and Exceptions.
(1) Where specified in stories, building height shall be measured in number of stories above the finished grade for any elevation fronting on a public street including attics, half-stories, mezzanines, and at-grade structured parking. This excludes features that are less than one-half story or completely below grade, such as basements, cellars, crawl spaces, sub-basements, and underground parking structures.
(2) Where specified in feet, the building height shall be measured from average elevation of the finished grade to the highest point on the roof, regardless of roof type.
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(3) Where specified, fencing and wall height shall be measured in accordance with Section 1113.01(e)(8).
(4) The height of all other structures shall be measured from the lowest grade adjacent to the structure to the highest point of the structure.
(5) Exceptions to Height Limits. Height limitations stipulated in this code shall not apply to:
A. Barns, silos or other agricultural buildings or structures on farms (not located in an improved platted subdivision) provided they are setback from all lot lines a distance equal to the structure's height;
B. Church spires, belfries, cupolas and domes, monuments, chimneys, smokestacks, towers, solar collector panels, flag poles, water tanks, radio or television antennae, monuments and other permitted mechanical appurtenances located upon or constructed as an integral part of the principal building;
C. Governmentally-owned freestanding water tanks, towers, radio or television antennae and flag poles;
D. Special industrial structures such as a cooling tower, grain elevator and other similar structure where the industrial process requires a greater height may be erected above the maximum height allowed in the applicable district, provided that:
i. Any such structure shall not occupy more than 15 percent of the lot area;
ii. The structure shall be set back a distance equal to its height from any adjacent lot line; and
iii. The Fire Department shall be required to approve the increased height based on firefighting capacity.
(Ord. 2018-009. Passed 5-7-18; Ord. 2019-17. Passed 10-7-19.)