Chapter 18.06
RM – MULTIPLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
Sections:
18.06.040 Screening and landscaping.
18.06.050 Performance standards.
18.06.070 Site area and site area per dwelling unit.
18.06.080 Frontage, width and depth of site.
18.06.100 Height of structures.
18.06.110 Distances between structures.
18.06.130 Off-street parking and loading facilities.
18.06.150 General provisions and exceptions.
18.06.010 Purposes.
In addition to the objectives prescribed in DMC 18.01.010, the RM multiple-family districts are included in this title to achieve the following purposes:
A. To implement the land use and housing elements of the Dixon General Plan.
B. To reserve appropriately located areas for family living in a variety of types of dwellings, at a reasonable range of population densities consistent with sound standards of public health and safety.
C. To preserve as many of the desirable characteristics of one (1) family residential districts as possible while permitting higher population densities.
D. To ensure adequate light, air, privacy and open space for each dwelling unit.
E. To provide space for community facilities needed to complement urban residential areas and for institutions which require a residential environment.
F. To minimize traffic congestion and to avoid the overloading of utilities by preventing the construction of buildings of excessive size in relation to the land around them.
G. To provide necessary space for off-street parking of automobiles and, where appropriate, for off-street loading of trucks.
H. To protect residential properties from the hazards, noise and congestion created by commercial and industrial traffic.
I. To protect residential properties from noise, illumination, unsightliness, odors, dust, dirt, smoke, vibration, heat, glare and other objectionable influences.
J. To protect residential properties from fire, explosion, noxious fumes and other hazards. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.020 Permitted uses.
The following uses shall be permitted:
A. RM1.
1. One (1) family dwelling.
2. Two (2) family dwellings or duplexes.
B. RM2.
1. One (1) family dwelling.
2. Two (2) family dwellings or duplexes.
C. RM3.
1. Three (3) family dwellings or triplexes.
2. Four (4) family dwellings or fourplexes.
3. Multiple-family dwellings (five (5) or more units).
D. RM4.
1. Multiple-family dwellings (five (5) or more units).
E. Raising fruit and nut trees, vegetables and horticultural specialties.
F. Home occupations conducted in accord with the regulations prescribed in Chapter 18.30 DMC.
G. Accessory structures located on the same site as a permitted use including private garages and carports, one (1) guest house or accessory living quarters without a kitchen, storehouses, garden structures, greenhouses, recreation rooms, windmills and hobby shops.
H. Swimming pools used solely by persons residing on the site and their guests, providing the following:
1. No swimming pool shall be located in a required front or side yard or less than five (5) feet from a property line.
2. No accessory mechanical equipment and related structures shall be located in a required front or side yard or less than three (3) feet from a property line.
I. Accessory and temporary uses, subject to the provisions of Chapter 18.22 DMC.
J. Those facilities which State law requires to be allowed in this zone to the extent provided by State law and subject to any constraints of said State law.
K. Churches, parsonages, parish houses, monasteries, convents and other religious institutions.
L. Transitional and supportive housing.
M. Accessory dwelling units, subject to Chapter 18.20B DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1); Ord. 15-002 § 8; Ord. 19-008 § 3.]
18.06.030 Conditional uses.
The following uses shall be permitted upon the granting of a use permit, as provided in Chapter 18.25 DMC:
A. RM2.
1. Three (3) family dwellings or triplexes.
2. Four (4) family dwellings or fourplexes.
3. Multiple-family dwellings (five (5) or more units).
B. Public, private and parochial elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools and colleges; nonprofit schools and colleges, not including art, craft, music or dancing schools or business, professional or trade schools and colleges.
C. Public playgrounds, parks, community centers, libraries, museums, art galleries, police and fire stations and other public buildings, structures and facilities, not including post offices.
D. Public and private charitable institutions; hospitals, sanitariums and nursing homes, not including hospitals, sanitariums or nursing homes for mental or drug addict or liquor addict cases.
E. Golf courses.
F. Lodging houses serving no more than fifteen (15) persons.
G. Public utility and public service pumping stations, power stations, drainage ways and structures, storage tanks and communications equipment buildings found by the City Planning Commission to be necessary for the public health, safety or welfare.
H. Accessory structures located on the same site as a conditional use.
I. Parking lots improved as prescribed in DMC 18.27.080 on a site having a side property line which for a distance of not less than fifty (50) feet adjoins a C or M district, or is separated only by an alley; provided, that the parking lot shall not extend more than one hundred fifty (150) feet from the boundary of the C or M district.
J. Professional and administrative offices shall be permitted as follows:
1. On a site having a side property line which for a distance of not less than fifty (50) feet adjoins a C or M district or is separated only by an alley; provided, that the site shall not extend more than one hundred fifty (150) feet from the boundary of the C or M district.
2. On a site having not less than one-half of its frontage directly across a street from a C or M district.
K. The following uses are specifically excluded, except as home occupations conducted in accord with the regulations prescribed in Chapter 18.30 DMC: any establishment producing or selling a product which is stored on the site, other than architects’ or engineers’ plans or works of art; beauty parlors; pharmacies; optical dispensing establishments; dental and medical laboratories except laboratories incidental to a dental or medical practice conducted on the site. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 §§ 2(1), (7); Ord. 15-002 § 9.]
18.06.040 Screening and landscaping.
All uses shall provide screening and landscaping as required in Chapter 18.33 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.050 Performance standards.
All existing and proposed uses shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 18.28 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.060 Required yards.
A. The minimum front yard shall be twenty (20) feet subject to the following exceptions:
1. On a site situated between sites improved with buildings the minimum front yard shall be the average depth of the front yards on the improved sites adjoining the side lines of the site.
2. Where a site is situated between one (1) or two (2) unimproved sites and where the sites comprising forty percent (40%) of the frontage on a block are improved with buildings, the minimum front yard shall be the average of the existing front yard depths on the block.
3. In computing average front yard depths thirty (30) feet shall be used in lieu of any front yard depth greater than thirty (30) feet.
4. The required front yard may be reduced by five (5) feet when all required off-street parking spaces are located on the rear half of the site or are entered parallel to the front property line of the site; provided, that the front yard shall not be less than ten (10) feet.
B. The minimum side yard shall be as follows:
|
District |
Minimum Side Yard Required |
Minimum Side Yard Required for Building over Forty (40) Feet in Length or over One (1) Story in Height |
|---|---|---|
|
RM1 |
5 feet |
7 feet |
|
RM2 |
6 feet |
8 feet |
|
RM3 |
8 feet |
10 feet |
|
RM4 |
10 feet |
15 feet |
1. On the street side of a corner lot zoned RM1 or RM2, the side yard shall not be less than twenty percent (20%) of the average width of the site or twenty (20) feet, whichever is the lesser requirement; provided, that a side yard less than ten (10) feet shall not be permitted.
2. On the street side of a corner lot zoned RM3 or RM4, the side yard shall not be less than twenty percent (20%) of the average width of the site or twenty (20) feet, whichever is the lesser requirement; provided, that a side yard less than fifteen (15) feet shall not be permitted.
C. The minimum rear yard shall be twenty-five (25) feet, subject to the following exceptions:
1. The rear yard may be reduced to not less than fifteen (15) feet; provided, that one (1) side yard is twenty (20) feet or more.
2. One (1) foot shall be added to the required rear yard for each two (2) feet of height or fraction thereof by which a portion of a structure within thirty (30) feet of the rear property line exceeds fourteen (14) feet in height.
3. Accessory structures not exceeding ten (10) feet in height may be located no closer than three (3) feet from the side or rear property lines. Accessory structures up to fourteen (14) feet in height must be located a minimum of five (5) feet from the rear or side property lines; provided, that not more than twenty percent (20%) of the area of the required rear yard shall be covered by structures enclosed on more than one (1) side. An additional ten percent (10%) of the area may be covered by structures open on three (3) sides or more. On a reversed corner lot an accessory structure shall be located not closer to the rear property line than the required side yard on the adjoining key lot and not closer to the property line on the side yard adjoining the street than the required front yard on the adjoining key lot.
4. Where an alley abuts a property’s rear lot line, accessory structures which provide covered parking for automobiles may be located within five (5) feet of the rear lot line if access to the covered parking is from the alley. Covered parking accessed from an alley may cover thirty percent (30%) of the area of the required rear yard or four hundred (400) square feet, whichever is less.
5. Where the rear property line of the site of a professional or administrative office adjoins a dwelling in an R district or a vacant site in an R district, the rear yard shall be not less than thirty-eight (38) feet and shall be increased as required in subsection (C)(2) of this section. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1); Ord. 15-002 § 10; Ord. 17-013 § 1.]
18.06.070 Site area and site area per dwelling unit.
A. The minimum site area shall be as follows:
|
District |
Permitted or Conditional Uses |
|---|---|
|
RM1 |
8,000 square feet |
|
RM2 |
7,500 square feet |
|
RM3 |
25,000 square feet |
|
RM4 |
40,000 square feet |
B. The minimum site area per dwelling unit shall be as follows:
|
District |
Two Units |
Three Units |
Four or More Units |
|---|---|---|---|
|
RM1 |
4,000 sq. ft. |
— |
— |
|
RM2 |
3,750 sq. ft. |
3,000 sq. ft. |
3,000 sq. ft. |
|
RM3 |
— |
2,000 sq. ft. |
2,000 sq. ft. |
|
RM4 |
— |
— |
1,500 sq. ft. |
C. Each site shall have a depth of not less than one hundred (100) feet; provided, that a site fronting or rearing on a railroad right-of-way, freeway or major street shall have a depth of not less than one hundred thirty (130) feet. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.080 Frontage, width and depth of site.
A. Each site shall have not less than forty (40) feet of frontage on a public street.
B. The minimum site width shall be as follows:
|
District |
Permitted or Conditional Use (interior lot) |
Permitted or Conditional Use (corner lot) |
|---|---|---|
|
RM1 |
60 feet |
70 feet |
|
RM2 |
65 feet |
75 feet |
|
RM3 |
75 feet |
100 feet |
|
RM4 |
100 feet |
150 feet |
C. Each RM1 and RM2 site shall have a depth of not less than one hundred (100) feet; provided, that a site fronting or backing on a railroad right-of-way, freeway or principal arterial shall have a depth of not less than one hundred thirty (130) feet.
D. Each RM3 and RM4 site shall have a depth of not less than one hundred fifty (150) feet; provided, that a site fronting or backing on a railroad right-of-way, freeway or principal arterial shall have a depth of not less than two hundred (200) feet. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 §§ 2(1), (6).]
18.06.090 Coverage.
The maximum site area covered by the main structure shall be forty percent (40%) for a permitted or conditional use. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.100 Height of structures.
No structure shall exceed thirty-eight (38) feet in height. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.110 Distances between structures.
A. The minimum distance between a structure used for human habitation and an accessory structure shall be ten (10) feet. This distance shall be measured from the foundation or wall of each structure. The minimum distance between structures shall be increased one (1) foot for each two (2) feet of height, or fraction thereof, by which a portion of a structure within thirty (30) feet of another structure exceeds fourteen (14) feet in height.
B. Special Yards Required for Dwelling Groups.
1. In case the buildings of the group are so located on the site that the rear of the buildings which face the street is itself faced by the front of a building to the rear (i.e., in a front-to-back series) no such building shall be closer than twenty (20) feet to any other such buildings and the side providing access shall not be less than eight (8) feet.
2. In case the buildings of the group are so located that the rear thereof abuts upon one (1) side yard and the front thereof abuts the other side yard (i.e., in a single-row side-to-side series), the side yard providing access shall have a width of not less than twelve (12) feet.
3. In case the buildings of a group are so located on the lot that the rears thereof abut upon each side yard and the fronts thereof face a court (i.e., in a double-row side-to-side series) the court shall have a width of not less than twenty (20) feet.
4. In no case shall any separate buildings of the group be closer to any other buildings of the group than a distance of ten (10) feet. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 §§ 2(1), (8).]
18.06.120 Signs.
No sign or display of any character shall be permitted except as prescribed in Chapter 18.24 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.130 Off-street parking and loading facilities.
Off-street parking facilities and off-street loading facilities shall be provided as prescribed in Chapter 18.27 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.140 Design review.
All permitted and conditional uses shall be subject to design review as prescribed in Chapter 18.23 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]
18.06.150 General provisions and exceptions.
All uses shall be subject to the general provisions and exceptions prescribed in Chapter 18.20 DMC. [Ord. 13-008 § 2; Ord. 13-009 § 2(1).]