Alliance City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1120
District Regulations
1120.01 ZONING DISTRICTS.
For the purpose of this Ordinance, the City is hereby divided into districts and overlays to be known as the following:
Symbol Name R-1 Single Family Residential District R-2 Multiple Family Residential District B-1 Downtown Commercial District B-2 Thoroughfare Commercial District B-3 Mixed Commercial District B-4 Office Service District I-1 Light Industrial I-2 Heavy Industrial OS Open Space PRD Planned Residential Development Overlay PUD Planned Unit Development Overlay |
1120.02 ZONING MAP.
The City is hereby divided into districts, with the district areas and boundaries as shown on the Official Zoning Map, along with all proper notations, references and explanatory matter. The Official Zoning Map shall be adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this Ordinance. This Map shall be identified by the signature of the Clerk of Council, and bearing the seal of the City under the following words: “This is to certify that this is the Official Zoning Map adopted by the City of Alliance Council on March 19th, 2007.” If in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, changes are made in district boundaries or other matter portrayed on the Official Zoning Map, such changes shall be entered on the Map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the Council. No changes of any nature shall be made on the Official Zoning Map, except in conformity with the amendment procedures set forth in this Ordinance or in conformity with the procedures set forth in the Revised Code for adoption of a new Official Zoning Map. The Official Zoning Map shall be kept in the office of the Clerk of Council, and shall be the final authority as to the current zoning status of land and water areas and structures in the City.
1120.03 R-1, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
The purpose of the R-1, Single Family Residential District is to provide a range of choices of single family living environments, encouraging the development and maintenance of suitable neighborhoods for families and children, prohibiting uses of land that would adversely impact residential neighborhoods, and discouraging uses that would generate traffic on local streets in excess of normal traffic generated by the neighborhood. The intent of the district is to provide for an environment of predominantly single-family dwellings, along with other associated uses and facilities that serve the residents in the district, including but not limited to educational, cultural, and religious institutions, parks and playgrounds, and municipal facilities.
The R-1 District also recognizes those portions of the Mount Union College (College) campus that are located in the R-1 District and provides the opportunity for the College to continue to operate and grow within the context of this Ordinance in consideration of surrounding residential neighborhoods.
1120.04 R-2, MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
The purpose of the R-2, Multiple Family Residential District is to promote a harmonious mixture of housing options and related educational, cultural, and religious land uses in a primarily residential environment. Various types and sizes of medium and high density residential units shall be provided at planned locations in the community to meet the needs of the different age and family groups. This district shall generally be located along major streets and shall be served by public water and sewerage systems and other appropriate urban facilities and services. Uses in this district shall be subject to appropriate design, density, and development standards (including, but not limited to density, bulk, setback and separation, adequate light and air, privacy and recreation areas) that are intended to prevent congestion on public streets, reduce hazards to life and property, and provide adequate recreation areas and basic amenities. There is no intent to promote by these regulations a district of lower quality or desirability than any other residential district, although a higher density of population and a greater variety of dwelling types are permitted herein.
1120.05 B-1, DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
The purpose of the B-1, Downtown Commercial District is to promote the following objectives in the downtown area of the City of Alliance: (1) to encourage a mix of commercial, office, limited light industrial, and mixed residential uses, developed in a manner consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan; (2) to permit multi-story buildings and structures with reduced setbacks from the street that preserve and promote ground-floor retail uses with office and residential uses above along with shared accessory parking both on-street and to the rear of the buildings and structures; (3) to enhance pedestrian activity; and (4) to create harmonious transitions between nonresidential and the residential areas.
1120.06 B-2, THOROUGHFARE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
The purpose of the B-2, Thoroughfare Commercial District is to accommodate a mix of primarily auto-oriented commercial uses serving both short and long term needs in convenient locations, with some accessory office and other uses where appropriate and developed in a manner consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. This district encourages development and redevelopment design layouts that preserve and enhance existing natural feature amenities, over developments that disturb, remove, and/or mitigate these areas.
1120.07 B-3, MIXED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
The purpose of the B-3, Mixed Commercial District is to promote the following objectives: (1) to encourage a mix of commercial, office, institutional, and mixed residential uses, developed in a manner consistent with the recommendations identified for the Institutional Service Future Land Use Area in the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan; (2) to permit multi-story buildings and structures with reduced setbacks from the street that preserve and promote ground-floor retail uses with office and residential uses above along with shared accessory parking both on-street and to the rear of the buildings and structures, as well as in multi-level parking structures; (3) to enhance pedestrian activity; and (4) to create harmonious transitions between all uses in this district and surrounding residential areas.
1120.08 B-4, OFFICE SERVICE DISTRICT.
The purpose of the B-4, Office Service District is to provide limited areas within the City along specific major thoroughfares and at certain major intersections to promote the following objectives: (1) to encourage a mix of office, service, and residential uses; (2) to acknowledge areas where such uses may already exist; (3) to enhance pedestrian activity; and (4) to create harmonious transitions between all uses in this district and surrounding residential areas.
1120.09 I-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
The purpose of the I-1, Light Industrial District is to accommodate industrial, wholesale, warehouse, and storage activities, and industrial operations whose external physical effects are restricted to eliminate potentially negative impacts on the surrounding districts. This district is structured to permit the manufacturing, compounding, procession, packaging, assembly, and/or treatment of finished or semi-finished products from previously prepared material, subject to performance standards identified in this Ordinance. The processing of raw material for shipment in bulk form, for use in an industrial operation at another location is not permitted.
1120.10 I-2 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
The purpose of the I-2, Heavy Industrial District is to accommodate industrial, wholesale, warehouse, and storage activities, and industrial operations whose external physical effects are less restricted and require greater separation from surrounding districts to eliminate potentially negative impacts. This district is structured to permit the manufacturing, compounding, procession, packaging, assembly, and/or treatment of raw material for shipment in bulk form, for use in an industrial operation at another location, subject to performance standards identified in this Ordinance.
1120.11 OS, OPEN SPACE DISTRICT.
The purpose of the OS, Open Space District is to protect and preserve open space land as a limited and valuable resource; to permit and facilitate the reasonable use of open space land, while simultaneously preserving and protecting the inherent characteristics of the open space to ensure the continued availability for scenic, recreational, conservation, and educational purposes; for the containment of urban sprawl and the structuring of urban development; and for the retention of land in its natural or near-natural state; and to implement the open space element of the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
1120.12 PRD, PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY.
The purpose of the PRD, Planned Residential Development Overlay is to permit the use of flexible land use and design regulations that encourage innovative site design, allow for a mixture of residential dwelling types, and encourage the preservation of the community’s natural features and open spaces. PRDs are subject to design standards and requirements outlined in this Ordinance.
1120.13 PUD, PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY.
The purpose of the PUD, Planned Unit Development Overlay is to provide a degree of flexibility in regard to the use, area, height, bulk, and placement regulations for developments which qualify as planned developments. These may include, but are not limited to, residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed use developments. Certain large developments may be of such size and configuration as to justify a controlled degree of flexibility, and to permit a mix of land uses that may not normally be permitted in the zoning district, but would, under specific circumstances, increase convenience, be compatible with the overall character of the district, and not be injurious to adjoining properties. This designation shall not be allowed where it is sought primarily to avoid the imposition of standards and requirements of the underlying zoning classification(s) or other City requirements rather than to achieve the purposes stated above. PUDs are subject to design standards and regulations outlined in this Ordinance.
1120.14 PERMITTED USES AND CONDITIONAL USES.
In all districts, no structure or land shall be used or occupied, except in conformance with this Ordinance. Conditional uses may be permitted in accordance with this Ordinance, subject to a public hearing and approval by the Commission in accordance with the procedures and conditions defined in this Ordinance.
Where there is a pre-existing nonconforming use which has been discontinued for a period of one year or more, and it is unreasonable to believe that the existing structure will be used for its currently zoned purpose within a reasonable length of time, thereby creating an extreme hardship to the property owner, the Commission may consider the proposed use of the structure under a conditional use application as an exception to the Land Use Tables in Section 1122.03.
(Ord. 45-09. Passed 9-8-09.)
1120.15 PROHIBITED USES.
Uses that are not specifically listed as a permitted or conditional use permitted by this Ordinance in a zoning district, or otherwise determined to be similar to a listed and permitted use in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, shall be prohibited in the district.
1120.16 DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS.
All permitted and conditional uses shall comply with any applicable requirements of this Ordinance and all other applicable City requirements. No structure shall be erected, reconstructed, altered or enlarged, nor shall permits or certificates of occupancy be issued, except in conformance with this Ordinance and all other applicable City requirements.
1120.17 DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
The boundaries of zoning districts, as shown on the map accompanying and made a part of this Ordinance, unless otherwise shown, are lot or tract lines or the center lines of streets, roads or alleys, or the extension thereof, railroad right-of-way lines and the corporate limits of the City.
1120.18 STREET, ALLEY AND RAILROAD RIGHTS-OF-WAY.
All streets, alleys, and railroad rights-of-way, if not otherwise specifically designated, shall be deemed to be in the same zone as the property immediately abutting upon such streets, alleys, or railroad rights-of-way. Where the centerline of a street or alley serves as a district boundary, the zoning of such street or alley, unless otherwise specifically designated, shall be deemed to be the same as that of the abutting property up to such centerline.