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Bristol City Zoning Code

DIVISION 4

DENSITY AND YARD REQUIREMENTS

Sec. 50-41.- Residential districts.

The following chart lists the yard requirements for residential districts. These requirements pertain to principal structures. Accessory structures are addressed in section 50-134:

Residential
Districts 		Minimum
Lot
Size/Density 		Minimum Setback Distances (in feet)
for principal structures 		Lot Width Lot Coverage Height
See section
50-43(c) for
exceptions
Front Yard Rear Yard Side Yard
R-1A Single-Family Residential 15,000 s.f. (0.34 ac) 35' dwelling 50' other 35' dwelling 50' other 15' dwelling 30' other 100' 30% Shall not exceed 3 stories or 35' unless each side yard is increased by 5 feet (or fraction thereof) for every five feet of height over 3 stories.
R-1 Single-Family Residential 12,000 s.f. (0.275 ac) 35' dwelling 50' other 35' dwelling 50' other 10' for 1 to 2 story 15' for 3 story 75' 30% Same as R-1A
R-2 Single- and Two-Family 7,500 s.f. (0.17 ac) 3,750 s.f. per unit 30' dwelling 35' other 30' dwelling 35' other For dwelling, 8' with total of 20' for both; 25' for other structure. More if over 2 stories. (See Height). 50' 30% Shall not exceed two stories unless each side yard is increased by 5 feet (or fraction thereof) for every five feet of height over two stories.
R-3 Moderate Density Residential 5,000 s.f. (0.11 ac) 2,000 s.f. per unit 25' dwelling 35' other 25' dwelling 35' other 6' for 1 to 2 story with total both 30% of lot width or 20' whichever is smaller. 10' for 3 story bldg. and 40% of lot width or 30 feet (whichever is greater) for both widths combined 50' 40% Same as R-1A.
R-4 High Density Residential 10,000 s.f. (0.23 ac) 1,500 s.f. per unit. 20' plus 1' more for each 2 ft. of building height above 25' 30' 15% of width of lot on each side plus 1' more for every 2 ' of building height above 25' 100' Depends on height of building. See section 50-44 None
GCR Golf Course Residential 15,000 s.f. (0.34 ac) 35' dwelling 50' other 25' dwelling 50' other 10' for 1 to 2 story 25' for 3 story 80' 30% Shall not exceed 3 stories or 35' unless each side yard is increased by 5 feet (or fraction thereof) for every five feet of height over 3 stories.
R-MH Manuf. Home Park 3 acres See section 50-119 for details on manufactured home lots
Townhouses 2,000 s.f. per unit See section 50-118 for details on townhouse standards

 

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

Sec. 50-42. - Non-residential districts.

The following chart lists the yard requirements for non-residential districts. These requirements pertain to principal structures. Accessory structures are addressed in section 50-134:

Non-
Residential
Districts 		Minimum
Lot Size 		Minimum Setback Distances (in feet)
for principal structures 		Lot Width Lot Coverage Height
See section 50-43(c)
for exceptions
Front Yard Rear Yard Side Yard
Office-Institutional (O-I) None 25' 20' 10' each side None 40% Cannot exceed 2 stories (except public hospitals) unless each side yard is increased over the minimum by 5' for every 5' of height over 2 stories
Neighborhood Business (B-1) None 25' 20' 10' if adjoining residential district None None Must comply with height limit of most restrictive adjoining residential district
Central Business District (B-2) None None None None None None Buildings cannot exceed 100 feet in height unless by special permission of the building official
General Business (B-3) None 10' 20' 10' if adjoining residential district None None Buildings cannot exceed 100 feet in height unless by special permission of the building official
Light Industrial (M-1) None 10' 20' 10' None None Buildings cannot exceed ten stories or 100 feet in height unless by special permission of the building official
General Industrial (M-2) None 10' 25' 10' None None Buildings cannot exceed 100 feet in height unless by special permission of the building official
Agricultural (A) Farms 5 ac. Other uses 1 ac. 50' (Note: If roadway is less than 50' width, the setback is 100' from the center line). 50' 25' 150' None No building can exceed 2 stories or 35' unless each side yard is increased over the minimum by 1' for every 1' of height over 35'. Nonresidential buildings may be up to 60' provided that all required front, rear, and side yards are increased 1' for each foot over 35'.

 

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

Sec. 50-43. - Exceptions to yard requirements.

(a)

Front yard setback. The setback requirements of this article for principal buildings shall not apply to any lot where the average setback on developed lots located wholly or in part within 200 feet on each side of such lot for residential zones and within 50 feet in non-residential zones, and within the same block and zoning district and fronting on the same street as such lot, is less than the minimum required setback. In such cases, the setback on such lot may be less than the required setback but not less than the average of the existing setbacks on the developed lots.

(b)

Side yard on corner lots.

(1)

In residential districts, the minimum width of the side yard along an intersecting street shall be 50 percent greater than the minimum side yard requirements of the district in which the lot is located. Accessory buildings shall also comply with this setback from the intersecting street. In the R-2 and R-3 districts where the side yard could be less than ten feet, the minimum side yard on a corner lot shall be 15 feet.

(2)

In non-residential districts, the required front setback distance shall be maintained on any street frontage on a corner lot unless the front setback exception allowed in subsection (a) applies.

(c)

Exceptions on height limits. The height limitations of this article shall not apply to church spires, belfries, cupolas, and domes not for human occupancy, monuments, water towers, observation towers, transmission towers, windmills, chimneys, smokestacks, derrick conveyors, flagpoles, radio and television towers, masts, or aerials, except as provided in division 12, Wireless Communications Facilities.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)

Sec. 50-44. - Lot coverage in R-4 district.

The lot coverage permitted in the R-4 zoning district shall not exceed the following:

(1)

Three stories or less: 40 percent; three to ten stories: 30 percent; and over ten stories: 20 percent.

(2)

For each multifamily dwelling unit, a minimum of 200 square feet of usable open space shall be provided on the site, suitable for recreation, gardens, or lounging. Such space must be at least 75 percent open to the sky, free of automotive traffic, parking and undue hazard, and readily accessible by all those residents in the development.

(Ord. No. 20-4, 11-24-20)