Columbus City Zoning Code
Division 1
Generally
§ 14.02.001 Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning. The term “lot” includes the word “plot,” and the term “used for” includes the meaning “designed for” or “intended for.”
One which:
Is subordinate to and serves a principal building or principal use;
Is subordinate in area, extent or purpose to the principal building or principal use served;
Contributes to the comfort, convenience and necessity of occupants of the principal building or principal use served;
Is located on the same building lot as the principal building or principal use served;
Includes customary home occupations such as the office of a dressmaker, musician or artist provided that such uses are located in the dwelling used by such a person as his private residence, and provided that no person not a member of the family residing on the premises is employed, and no window display or sign is used to advertise the occupation unless attached flatwise to the house and does not exceed two square feet in surface area.
A public or private thoroughfare which affords only a secondary means of access to abutting property.
A room or suite of rooms in a multiple dwelling, or in a building in which more than one living unit is established above or on the same floor as nonresidential uses, which room or suite is intended, or designed for use as a residence by one family and which includes culinary accommodations.
A building or portion used or designed as a residence for three or more families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking in the building, including apartments and apartment hotels.
A side of a block facing upon a street, within which lots face the abutting street.
The board of adjustment.
A building, other than a hotel, where for compensation and by prearrangement for definite periods, meals or lodging and meals are provided for three or more persons but not exceeding 20 persons.
To erect, convert, enlarge, reconstruct or alter a building or structure.
The width of the building site left to be built upon after the required side yards are provided.
Any structure built for the support, shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or movable property of any kind.
The vertical distance from the grade (elevation of the curb, sidewalk or average elevation of the ground around the structure) to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof, or to the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the mean height level between eaves and ridge for gable, hip or gambrel roofs.
A line parallel or approximately parallel to the street line and beyond which buildings may not be erected.
A tract of land which, at the time of filing for a building permit, is intended by its owner or developer as a tract to be used, developed or built upon as a unit, under single ownership or control. It shall front upon a dedicated street or approved place.
An unenclosed structure, consisting of a roof of metal or wood construction supported by poles, beams or posts of either wood or metal with the sides and ends open and unobstructed and used for the purpose of protecting a motor vehicle from the effects of the weather.
A zoning district which is a part of the city wherein the regulations of this article are uniform.
Any building or portion which is designed for or used for residential purposes.
A building designed for or occupied exclusively by three or more families.
A building designed for or occupied exclusively by one family.
A building designed for or occupied exclusively by two families.
One or more rooms, which are arranged, designed, used or intended to be used for occupancy by a single family or a group of persons living together as a family or by a single person. Bathrooms and kitchen facilities, permanently installed, are provided for each dwelling unit.
All the property on one side of a street between two intersecting streets (crossing or terminating), measured along the line of the street, or if the street is dead-ended, then all of the property abutting on one side between an intersecting street and the dead end of the street.
A building in which lodging or boarding and lodging are provided and offered to the public for compensation and in which ingress and egress to and from all rooms is made through an inside lobby or office supervised by a person in charge at all hours. As such, it is open to the public in contradistinction to a boardinghouse, a lodginghouse or an apartment.
A structure, constructed on or after June 15, 1976, according to the rules of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or more in width and 40 body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical systems. The term does not include recreational vehicles.
A space within the main building or on the same lot with the main building, providing for the standing, loading or unloading of trucks, and having a minimum dimension of 12 by 35 feet and a vertical clearance of at least 14 feet.
A parcel of land occupied or intended for occupancy by a use permitted in this article, including one main building together with its accessory buildings, the open spaces and parking spaces required by this article, and having its principal frontage upon a street or upon an officially approved place.
The area of a horizontal plane intercepted by the vertical projections of the front, side and rear lot lines of a building lot.
A building lot situated at the intersection of two streets, the interior angle of such intersection not to exceed 135 degrees.
The mean horizontal distance between the front lot line and the rear lot line of a building lot measured within the lot boundary.
A building lot other than a corner lot.
That boundary of a building lot which is the line of an existing or dedicated street. Upon corner lots, either street line may be selected as the front lot line provided a front and rear yard are established adjacent and opposite, respectively to the front lot line.
That boundary of a building lot which is most distant from and is, or is most nearly, parallel to the front lot line.
Any boundary of a building lot which is not a front lot line or a rear lot line.
An area of land designated as a lot on a plat of a subdivision recorded pursuant to statutes of the state with the county clerk or an area of land held in single ownership described by metes and bounds upon a deed recorded or registered with the county clerk.
A building lot where both the front and rear lot lines adjoin street lines. On a through lot, both street lines shall be deemed front lot lines.
Any plot of ground upon which two or more manufactured homes or travel trailers, occupied for long-term to permanent dwelling or sleeping purposes, are located, regardless of whether or not a charge is made for accommodation also includes a mobile home park.
A HUD-code manufactured home or a mobile home, and collectively means and refers to both.
A structure that was constructed before June 15, 1976, transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or more in width or 40 body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical systems.
Any use within a district that is not specifically permitted by the use regulations of the district in which it is located.
A use, building or yard, existing legally on April 26, 1999, which does not, by reason of design or use, conform with the regulations of the district in which it is situated.
Any cause or source of annoyance or harm to person or property in a particular locality which constitutes an invasion or disturbance of another’s rights.
The storage of any equipment, machinery, commodities, raw or semifinished materials and building materials which is visible from any point on the building lot line when viewed from ground level to six feet above ground level.
An area of not less than 180 square feet (measuring approximately nine feet by 20 feet) not on a public street or alley, surfaced with an all-weather surface, enclosed or unenclosed. A public street shall not be classified as off-street parking in computing the parking requirements for any use, nor shall head-in parking adjacent to a public street and dependent upon such street for maneuvering space.
An open, unoccupied space other than a street or alley permanently reserved as the principal means of access to abutting property.
A legal description of a piece of land with dimensions indicated on a subdivision plat.
A recreational motorized vehicle that is built on a single chassis and is designed primarily for use as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use and is designed to travel under its own power without the need for any additional outside source to push, pull or tow the recreational vehicle. The recreational vehicle is designed to have fixed wheels and axles connected to the frame of the recreational vehicle.
Concealment from view of the undercarriage on all sides of a manufactured home. Skirting must be accomplished with metal, vinyl, or other material approved by the city building inspector.
That portion of a building, other than a cellar, included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above it or, if there is no floor above it, then the space between the floor and the ceiling next above it.
A space under a sloping roof which has the line of intersection of roof decking and wall face not more than three feet above the top floor level, and which space not more than 60 percent of the floor area is finished off for use. A half story may be used for occupancy only in conjunction with and by the occupants of the floor immediately below.
A public or private thoroughfare which affords the principal means of access to abutting property.
A dividing line between a lot, tract or parcel of land and a contiguous street.
Any change in the supporting members of a structure, such as bearing walls, columns, beams or girders.
Anything constructed or erected, which requires location on the ground, or attached to something having a location on the ground, including but not limited to buildings of all types, advertising signs, billboards, and poster panels, but exclusive of customary fences or boundary or retaining walls.
Anchors at each end of a manufactured home tied to an earth auger four feet in length with a half-inch rod and six-inch blade which is in the earth to a depth of 3-1/2 feet or its equivalent. The connection of the manufactured home and/or travel trailer from its frame to the earth anchors shall be made with one-fourth-inch aircraft cable, secured with two U-bolts at each end, or its equivalent.
A structure, having no foundation other than a permanent chassis with wheels, which is 12 body feet or less in width, and is less than 40 body feet in length, and is designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation. The term includes folding hardtop campers transported behind a motor vehicle, truck-mounted campers attached to and transported behind a motor vehicle or pickup, campers, converted buses, tent trailers, tents or similar devices used for temporary portable housing, or similar types of temporary dwellings intended for short-term occupancy, travel and/or recreation. For the purpose of definitions only, the term shall include recreational vehicle.
An area designed, arranged or used for the parking or storing of two or more auto travel trailers which are occupied or intended for occupancy as temporary living quarters by individuals or families.
The purpose or activity for which the land, or buildings on the land, is designed, arranged or intended or for which it is occupied or maintained.
An open space on the same building lot with a building, unoccupied and unobstructed by any portion of a structure from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided. A yard extends along a lot line and at right angles to such lot line to a depth or width specified in the yard regulations of the zoning district in which such building is located.
A yard extending along the front lot line between the side lot lines, the depth of which is measured from the front lot line and the dimension of which is in accordance with the front yard requirement for the district in which it is located.
A yard extending along the rear lot line between the side lot lines, the depth of which is measured from the rear lot line and the dimension of which is in accordance with the rear yard requirements for the district in which it is located.
A yard extending along the side lot line between the front and rear yards, the width of which is measured from the side lot line and the dimension of which is in accordance with the side yard requirements for the district in which it is located.
The map or maps incorporated by reference into this article as a part of this article.
(Ordinance 96-09, sec. 2, adopted 5/14/09)
§ 14.02.002 Interpretation, purpose and conflict.
The interpretation and application of the provisions of this article shall be construed as the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public safety, health, convenience, comfort, prosperity or general welfare. It is not intended by this article to interfere with or abrogate or annul any easement, covenants or other agreements between parties; however, where this article imposes a greater restriction upon the use of buildings or premises or upon height of buildings or requires larger open spaces than are imposed or required by other local ordinances, rules, regulations or by easements, covenants or agreements, the provisions of this article shall govern. This article is not intended to abrogate or annul any permit issued before the effective date of this article.
(Ordinance 96-09, sec. 2, adopted 5/14/09)
§ 14.02.003 Preserving rights in pending litigation and under existing ordinances.
By the passage of this article, no presently illegal use shall be deemed to have been legalized unless specifically such use falls within a use district where the actual use is a conforming use. Otherwise, such uses shall remain nonconforming uses where recognized, or an illegal use, as the case may be. It is further the intent and declared purpose of this article that no offense committed and no liability, penalty or forfeiture, either civil or criminal, shall be discharged or affected by the adoption of this article; but prosecutions and suits for such offenses, liabilities, penalties or forfeitures may be instituted or causes presently pending be proceeded with in all respects as if this article had not been passed.
(Ordinance 96-09, sec. 2, adopted 5/14/09)
§ 14.02.004 Violation and penalties.
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article or who shall fail to comply with this article or with any of the requirements of this article, or who shall erect or alter any building, or who shall commence to erect or alter any building in violation of any detailed statement or plan submitted or approved under this article, shall for each and every violation or noncompliance be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in section 1.01.009. The owner of that building or premises or part where anything in violation of this article shall be placed or shall exist, and any architect, building contractor, agent or corporation employed in connection with the building or premises who may have assisted in the commission of any such violation shall each be guilty of a separate offense and upon conviction shall be subject to the penalties provided in this section.
(Ordinance 96-09, sec. 2, adopted 5/14/09)