Chapter 18.170
EXCEPTIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS
Sections:
18.170.020 Height limit exceptions.
18.170.030 Front yard adjustments and exceptions.
18.170.040 Side yard adjustments and exceptions.
18.170.050 Rear yard adjustments and exceptions.
18.170.060 Building/architectural projections into required yards.
18.170.010 Purpose.
The requirements and regulations specified in this title shall be subject to the exceptions set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 16-2015 § 39, 6-2-15.)
18.170.020 Height limit exceptions.
(a) Height limitations set forth elsewhere in this title shall not apply to:
(1) Barns, silos, or other farm buildings or structures on farms, provided these are not less than 50 feet from every lot line; religious facility spires, belfries, cupolas and domes, monuments, water towers, fire and hose towers, observation towers, distribution and transmission lines, towers and poles, chimneys, smokestacks, flagpoles, radio towers, masts, and aerials; and parapet walls extending not more than four feet above the limiting height of the buildings.
(2) Places of public assembly in religious facilities, schools, and other permitted public and semipublic buildings; provided, that these are located on the first floor of such buildings; and provided further, that for each one foot by which the height of such building exceeds the maximum height otherwise permitted in the district, its side and rear yards shall be increased in width or depth by an additional foot over the side and rear yards required for the highest building otherwise permitted in the district.
(3) Bulkheads, elevators, penthouses, and water tanks, provided no linear dimensions of any such structure exceeds 50 percent of the corresponding street lot line frontage; or towers and monuments, fire towers, hose towers, cooling towers, grain elevators, gas holders, or other structures, where the manufacturing process requires a greater height; provided, however, that all such structures above the heights otherwise permitted in the district shall not occupy more than 25 percent of the area of the lot and shall be not less than 25 feet from every lot line not being a street lot line.
(b) Increases to other general height limitations found within this title may be considered in accordance with Chapter 18.250 (modifications and interpretations). (Ord. 16-2015 § 39, 6-2-15.)
18.170.030 Front yard adjustments and exceptions.
(a) Adjustment Required by Recorded Subdivision Map. Front yard building setback line shown on a final recorded subdivision map approved after May 8, 1957, shall prevail over other setback standards shown in this title.
(b) The following exceptions may be applied to the front yard standards established elsewhere in this title:
(1) Front Yard Averaging. In any R district, where the average depth of at least two existing front yards on lots within 100 feet of the lot in question and within the same block front is less or greater than the least front yard depth prescribed elsewhere in this title, the required depth of the front yard on such lot may be reduced from the base R district yard requirement. In such case, the front yard shall not be less than the average depth of the existing front yards, or the average depth of existing front yards on the two lots immediately adjoining, or, in the case of a corner lot, the depth of the front yard on the lot immediately adjoining; provided, however, that the depth of a front yard on any lot shall be at least 10 feet.
(2) Steep Front Yards. In any R district where the natural grade of a lot within the required front yard has an average slope, normal to the front lot line at every point along such line, of such a degree or percent of slope that it is not practicable to provide a driveway with a grade of 12 percent or less to a private garage conforming to the requirements of this title, such garage may be located within such front yard, but not in any case closer than six feet to the street line. (Ord. 16-2015 § 39, 6-2-15.)
18.170.040 Side yard adjustments and exceptions.
(a) The following adjustments may apply to side yard standards:
(1) Adjustment Required by Recorded Subdivision Map for Corner Lots. The exterior side yard building setback line shown on a final recorded subdivision map approved after May 8, 1957, shall prevail over other setback standards shown in this title.
(2) Additions. Within an attached housing development1 an addition may not encroach into required side yard or patio area of individual units or common areas.
(b) The following exceptions may be applied to the side yard standards established elsewhere in this title:
(1) Single-Story Additions. Single-story building additions to single-family or two-family principal structures in residential districts may encroach into otherwise required side yards to within the same distances to the side lot lines as legally exist for the principal structure, but in no case shall the minimum side yard setback be less than five feet. This exception shall not apply to substantially reconstructed homes1.
(2) Second-Story Additions. Second-story building additions above the existing footprint of single-family or two-family principal structures in residential districts may encroach into otherwise required side yards to within the same distances to the side lot lines as legally exist for the principal structure, but in no case shall the minimum side yard setback be less than five feet and only when a two-story home with the same condition exists on the immediately adjacent lot. This exception, however, shall not apply to substantially reconstructed homes1. (Ord. 16-2015 § 39, 6-2-15; Ord. 17-2017 § 4, 11-7-17.)
18.170.050 Rear yard adjustments and exceptions.
(a) The following adjustments may apply to rear yard standards:
(1) Except as provided for architectural projections in Section 18.170.060, no structure or addition projecting into the required rear yard shall exceed one story in height.
(2) Additions to attached housing developments1 may not encroach into required rear yard or patio areas of individual units or common areas.
(b) The following exceptions may be applied to the rear yard standards established elsewhere in this title:
(1) Single-story elements of single-family and two-family principal structures in residential districts may encroach into otherwise required rear yards to within 10 feet of the rear lot line; provided, that there remains an open space area in the required rear yard equal to 70 percent of the required rear yard area obtained by multiplying the otherwise required rear yard depth by the lot width (less any required street side yard). (Ord. 16-2015 § 39, 6-2-15; Ord. 02-2020 § 19, 1-14-20.)
18.170.060 Building/architectural projections into required yards.
Certain architectural features may project into required yards or courts1 as long as there is five feet of separation between the architectural feature and the property line or when the architectural feature is designed to comply with the building and fire code requirements, and as follows:
(a) Into any required front yard, rear yard, court or required side street side yard:
(1) Cornices, canopies, eaves, or other similar architectural features may project a distance not exceeding two feet, six inches.
(2) Porches, stairways and landings, when they serve as a required means of egress from any structure, may project a distance not to exceed four feet, six inches.
(3) An uncovered stair and necessary landings, when neither extends above the entrance floor of the building, except for a railing not exceeding three feet, six inches in height, may project a distance not to exceed six feet.
(4) Bay windows1, balconies and chimneys may project a distance not exceeding three feet; provided, that such features do not occupy in the aggregate more than one-third of the length of the building wall on which they are located.
(b) Into any required interior side yard, the architectural features described above may project, provided:
(1) The projection complies with the limitations in the preceding subsection;
(2) The projection does not extend beyond a point one-third the distance to the property line; and
(3) The projection is not located closer than three feet to the property line. (Ord. 16-2015 § 39, 6-2-15.)
[Notes Applicable to Chapter 18.170]
1 This term is defined in Chapter 18.25.