Dimensional standards
Extracted standards
36 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Accessory dwelling units
ADU's shall be located in the rear yard only.
- Maximum ADUs per lot1 count
No more than one (1) ADU shall be allowed per lot.
- ADUAccessory dwelling unit (ADU)A second, smaller home on a lot that already has one — a garage flat, basement flat or backyard cottage. side setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
ADU's must meet the minimum side yard setback as the main structure.
- ADUAccessory dwelling unit (ADU)A second, smaller home on a lot that already has one — a garage flat, basement flat or backyard cottage. size range300 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
ADU's are limited to a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 900 square feet of living space and shall be smaller in area than the main structure.
Other
- AccessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. structure on corner lot
On a corner lot, any accessory structure in the rear yard shall be set back as far away from the adjacent street as the principal structure, and no closer to the corner side street than the principal dwelling on the adjacent lot to the rear.
- AccessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. structure in front or side yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates.
Accessory structures located in a front or side yard shall be set back as far from the front and side lines as the principal structure must be.
- Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. of accessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. structures18 ft
Accessory structures may not exceed 18 feet in height.
- Maximum accessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. structure area in rear yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates.30 pct
Accessory structures located in any part of a rear yard may not exceed 30 percent of the area of the required rear yard.
- AccessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. structure setbacksSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
Accessory structures in rear yard shall be set back at least 3 ft from rear/side lot lines and 6 ft from alley; if more than 12 ft in height, set back at least 10 ft from rear lot line, alley, or side lot line.
- AccessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. building square footage limit
The square footage of an accessory building shall not exceed the square footage of the primary structure.
- Side yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. for attached dwellings
In the case of attached dwelling units, the entire structure shall be considered as a single building with respect to side yard requirements.
- Projection of bay windows and balconies5 ft
Bay windows and balconies occupying not more than one-third of the wall length may extend not more than five feet into a front, rear, or street side yard.
- Corner lot side yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates.
On a corner lot, both yards fronting the street shall equal the required minimum frontage, width and front yard setback for that zone. The Zoning Administrator may waive this in developed neighborhoods.
- Projection of cornices, canopies, eaves, chimneys36 in
Cornices, canopies, eaves, chimneys or other architectural features may extend not more than 36 inches into a front, rear or street side yard.
- Front yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. in developed areas15 ft
Where existing buildings occupy at least 50% of lots in a block and average front yard is less than required, the average may be used, but not less than 15 ft or setback line on recorded plat.
- Structures exempt from heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first. limits
Height limitations do not apply to barns, silos, farm structures; elevators, derricks, towers, industrial equipment (if at least 50 ft from property line); church spires, belfries, cupolas, domes, monuments, water towers, windmills, chimneys, smokestacks, flagpoles, radio towers, masts, aerials; parapet walls extending not more than 4 ft above limiting height.
- Projection of fire escapes4.5 ft
Fire escapes may extend not more than four feet, six inches (4.5 feet) into a front, rear, or street side yard.
- Guest house exterior appearance
The design of a guest house shall maintain and enhance the character and exterior appearance of the primary dwelling.
- Guest house maximum bedrooms2 count
No more than two (2) bedrooms are permitted in a guest house.
- Guest house maximum floor area30 pct
The maximum floor area of a guest house shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the floor area of the primary dwelling, excluding garages, breezeways, patios, decks, etc.
- Maximum guest houses per lot1 count
There shall be no more than one (1) guest house permitted per residential lot or parcel.
- Guest house kitchen prohibition
A guest house shall not contain kitchen facilities.
- Guest house occupancy limit
No such quarters shall be occupied by the same guest or guests for more than three consecutive or non-consecutive months in any twelve-month period. No such quarters shall be rented, leased, or otherwise made available for compensation.
- Guest house owner occupancy
The owner of the lot or parcel must occupy the primary dwelling. A guest house shall not be permitted prior to construction and occupancy of the primary dwelling.
- Narrow lot side yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. reduction5 ft
On a narrow lot of record at the time of enactment, side yards may be reduced in proportion to lot width, but no required side yard may be reduced to less than five feet.
- NonconformingNonconformingLawful when built, but not compliant with the rules now in force; usually allowed to continue but not to expand. lot for single-familySingle-family dwellingOne dwelling unit on its own lot, usually detached from its neighbours.
Any lot lawfully of record may be used for a single-family dwelling even if it does not meet lot area or frontage requirements, provided all other regulations are satisfied.
- Minimum outer court width for B or M districts40 ft
For non-dwelling structures in B or M districts, two-thirds of the sum of the heights of building wings opposite one another or a minimum of 40 feet.
- Maximum outer court depth1.5 ratio
In all cases, the maximum depth shall be one and one-half times the width.
- Minimum outer court width for R districts50 ft
For dwelling and other buildings in R districts, the least width shall be the sum of the heights of building wings opposite one another or a minimum of 50 feet.
- Accessory usesAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. to residential principal uses
Hobbies or recreational activities of a noncommercial nature; renting out one or two rooms within a single-family residence to not more than two persons not part of the family; yard sales or garage sales not more than three days during any ninety-day period.
- ProhibitedProhibitedNot allowed in the district at all, short of rezoning or a variance. uses in all residential districts
Recreational vehicle as residence; motor vehicle as structure for business; inoperable watercraft unless enclosed/screened; commercial vehicle parking overnight; construction machinery parking overnight unless incidental.
- SetbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. measurement from right-of-way
Setback measured from ROW line if determinable; if ROW less than 50 ft or undetermined, measure from point 25 ft from center of street.
- Rear yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. reduction for shallow lots15 ft
On a lot less than 100 feet deep, of official record at the time of enactment, the rear yard may be reduced to 40 percent of the lot depth, but to no less than 15 feet in any case.
- Projection into side yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates.3 ft
Architectural features may project into a side yard along an interior side lot line, up to one-fifth of the required side yard width, but no more than three feet in any case.
- Projection of terraces, decks, steps, uncovered porches, landings6 ft
Terraces, decks, steps uncovered porches and landings, not more than three feet above the finished grade, may extend not more than six feet into a front, rear or street side yard.
- Front yardYardThe open space left between a building and its lot line — the space a setback creates. on through lots
On any lot that runs through a block from street to street, a front yard as otherwise required in the zone shall be provided along each street lot line, except lots backing to alleys.
From the ordinance
In addition to requirements for lot sizes, yards and the height of structures outlined in the articles concerning each district for specific uses and types of uses, there are established specific requirements for modifications to these requirements.