17.25.010 Area and height requirements.
Except as provided hereinafter under IGCC 17.35.040, the area and height regulations shall be as follows:
(1) Lot Area.
(a) Every lot used for residential dwelling purposes shall have a minimum area of:
(i) Six thousand square feet for a single-family dwelling.
(ii) Three thousand square feet per family for a two-family dwelling.
(iii) One thousand five hundred square feet per family for a multiple-family dwelling unit.
(b) Except as provided otherwise, no minimum lot area is required for a lot used for commercial or industrial uses and the lot area per family shall not apply to roomers or boarders or to fraternity and sorority houses.
(2) Minimum Zoned Lot Area. Every zoned lot used for residential purposes shall have no transverse or longitudinal size less than 50 feet whether measured from the front lot line to the rear lot line or from a side lot line to the corresponding side lot line. Nor shall it have an area totaling less than 6,000 square feet. The exception to this section’s requirement is for zoned lots recorded before the code adoption of August 6, 1979.
(3) Front Yards.
(a) The front yard setback shall be 25 feet in all districts, unless otherwise provided.
(b) The front yard requirement for nonresidential buildings in the “S” suburban district shall be 40 feet.
(c) No front yard is required for commercial or industrial buildings in the “GC” general commercial and “GI” general industrial districts.
(d) Where 50 percent or more of a block’s frontage is improved with buildings, or where a lot abuts two improved lots with buildings on the same frontage, the front yard requirement may be the lesser of the following if not detrimental to the neighborhood: 25 feet, the historical setback of buildings in the neighborhood location (if there is evidence of the actual locations of past buildings on the same frontage) or the least existing front setback of any current building of the same frontage.
(4) Side Yard.
(a) The side yard requirements for residential dwellings shall be seven feet for a single-story building and eight feet for a building of two or more stories, unless otherwise provided.
(b) No side yard is required for commercial and industrial buildings in the “GC” general commercial and “GI” general industrial districts except when it abuts a lot used for residential purposes in which case a side yard of eight feet shall be required.
(c) The side yard requirements for commercial and industrial buildings in “HC” highway commercial and “IP” industrial park districts shall be 10 feet.
(d) The side yard requirements for nonresidential buildings in the “S” suburban district shall be 50 feet.
(5) Rear Yards.
(a) The rear yard requirements for residential dwellings shall be 35 feet.
(b) No rear yard is required for commercial and industrial buildings in the “GC” general commercial and “GI” general industrial districts unless there is no dedicated alley on the rear lot line, in which case a rear yard of 25 feet shall be provided.
(c) The rear yard for commercial and industrial buildings in the “HC” highway commercial and “IP” industrial park districts shall be 20 feet.
(d) The rear yard for nonresidential buildings in the “S” suburban district shall be 50 feet.
(6) Building Height. No building shall exceed a height of two and one-half stories or 35 feet unless otherwise provided.
(7) A special use permit may be requested to reduce building setback requirements. The board of adjustment may adjust front, side and rear yard requirements if the owner or lawful occupant of a property demonstrates that the general special use permit standards have been met and the following specific approval criteria have been satisfied:
(a) There is a practical difficulty in complying with setback requirements.
(b) Any potential negative effects resulting from the setback exception are mitigated to the extent practical.
(c) The subject building will be located no closer than three feet to a property line, unless the property line abuts a public right-of-way or permanent open space. [Ord. 593, 2020; Ord. 572 §§ 1, 2, 2019; Code 1975 § 6-5.0501.]