15.210 R-7, Central Residence District.

(1) Intent. This district is intended to provide greater flexibility in development standards than the “R-5” District in order to encourage residential redevelopment projects and reuse of small vacant tracts of land in the central high service older area of the City.

(2) Specific Uses Permitted. Land shall be used and buildings shall be erected, altered, enlarged, or used for only one or more of the following uses, subject to the provisions of this section and those of other applicable sections of the Zoning Ordinance:

(a) Single- and two-family dwellings;

(b) Multiple-family dwellings;

(c) Rooming houses;

(d) Public parks, parkways, and other recreation areas;

(e) Community living arrangements for not more than 15 individuals;

(f) Adult day care facilities, and child day care centers for not more than 15 individuals;

(g) Vacant lot residential garden; and

(h) Bed and breakfasts and short-term rentals.

Accessory buildings and uses to the specific uses permitted shall also be permitted.

(3) Conditional Uses Permitted. The following uses are permitted subject to MMC 15.370(27):

(a) Churches and other religious institutions;

(b) Schools – public, private, and parochial;

(c) Fraternal organizations, philanthropic, and eleemosynary institutions;

(d) Private clubs and lodges;

(e) Hospitals other than animal hospitals;

(f) Homes for the elderly, nursing homes, and adult day care facilities, and child day care centers for 16 or more individuals;

(g) Libraries, museums, art galleries, and concert halls;

(h) Governmental buildings;

(i) Community living arrangements for 16 or more individuals;

(j) Residential buildings used in connection with the above conditional uses;

(k) Repealed by Ord. 20-152;

(l) Domestic violence center;

(m) Expanded home occupations;

(n) Any adaptive reuse authorized pursuant to MMC 15.370(29);

(o) Transitional housing;

(p) Continuing care communities, retirement housing, intergenerational housing, and other collaborative housing options developed pursuant to MMC 15.750; and

(q) Farmers’ markets.

(4) Area Regulations.

(a) Front Yard. No principal or accessory building shall be closer than 15 feet to the street line as established on the Official Map. If said street line is not established by the Official Map, said 15 feet shall be measured from the existing street line except as provided in MMC 15.390(14).

(b) Side Yard. For buildings of two stories or less in height, the minimum interior side yard is six feet. The minimum interior side yard width shall be increased by one foot for each story of a building or part thereof above the second story. For accessory buildings located in the rear one-half or located more than 65 feet from the front lot line of any interior lot, the required side yard may be reduced to two feet except where measurement widths are greater. On corner lots the side yard adjacent to the street shall not be less than 15 feet except as provided in MMC 15.390(14).

(c) Rear Yard. There shall be a rear yard not less than 25 feet in depth, except on corner lots the rear yard may be reduced to six feet, providing a minimum setback of 25 feet is maintained in the side yard adjacent to the street. For accessory buildings located in the rear one-half or located more than 65 feet from the front lot line of any interior lot, the required rear yard may be reduced to two feet except where easement widths are greater.

(d) Lot Area. Each lot for a single-family or two-family dwelling shall have the same minimum width and area requirements as in the “R-3” District. The minimum average lot area per dwelling unit in a multiple-family dwelling shall not be less than 600 square feet. The Plan Commission may modify the requirements as to the number of off-street parking spaces required in specific cases where desirable or warranted owing to types of residential units and proximity to other parking, other land uses, and due regard to the protection of adjacent property in the Residential District and the public interest.

(e) Lot Occupancy. The ground area occupied by the principal and accessory buildings shall not exceed 60 percent of the total area of the lot.

(5) Height Regulations. No principal building shall exceed 60 feet in height. No accessory building shall exceed 20 feet in height, subject also to airport height provisions.

(6) Vision Clearance. The vision clearance of this district shall be not less than 15 feet, determined by measuring 15 feet each way from the lot corner at the street intersection on each street lot line, or, in the case of an alley, 10 feet, determined by measuring 10 feet along the alley line.

[Ord. 20-152 § 7, 2020; Ord. 15-559 § 8, 2015; Ord. 13-265 § 8, 2013; Ord. 12-529 §§ 27 – 29, 2012; Ord. 11-430 § 6, 2011; Ord. 08-490 § 10, 2008. Prior code § 15.21]