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Corpus Christi City Zoning Code

§ 4.2

Measurements

The regulations set forth in this Section qualify or supplement the zoning district regulations appearing elsewhere in this Article.

4.2.1. Open Space

  • Open space area shall be measured as the area within the property lines of the open space, excluding any street, easement for street purposes, street right-of-way and all lands seaward of the state-owned water boundary.
  • The minimum open space required in a development under common ownership or unified control, or within a subdivision, shall be property under public or common private ownership. Such open space may be held privately.
  • Required open space in residential zoning districts shall be measured exclusive of any individual lots.
  • All open space shall be unoccupied or predominately unoccupied by buildings or other impervious surfaces. A maximum of 5% of the area of any required open space may be occupied by buildings or such surfaces.

    • 4.2.2. Lot Area

  • Lot area shall be measured as the area contained within the property lines of a lot, excluding any street, easement for street purposes, street right-of-way and all lands seaward of the state-owned water boundary.
  • There shall be one single-family dwelling per lot or as otherwise stated in this Code.
  • Individual lots in new developments or a replat with more than five lots may deviate up to 10% from the minimum lot area, provided that the average lot area in the project shall equal or exceed the minimum lot area for the zoning district. In no case shall the maximum density for the zoning district be exceeded due to such reduced lot size.
  • A lot may consist of one or more portions of adjacent lots under single ownership so long as the lot area per dwelling unit, lot width, yard and lot coverage requirements, and other requirements of this Article are maintained. This requirement shall not be construed to prevent the purchase or condemnation of narrow strips of land for public utilities or street right-of-way purposes.
  • Except for townhouses described in Subsection 4.4.4, no building shall be permitted to be placed upon a lot line.

    (Ordinance 032357, 02/23/2021)

    • 4.2.3. Lot Width

    Lot width shall be the distance between the side lot lines measured at the required setback line, parallel or concentric to the front property line. If the proposed setback is greater than the required setback, the measurement is taken at the required setback.

    4.2.4. Site Area and Width

  • Site area for a single-family attached house shall include the combined area and width of the two lots upon which the attached dwelling units are situated.
  • Site area for a townhouse development shall include the combined area and widths of all the lots in the development.

    • 4.2.6. Building Separation

    Building separation shall be no less than the minimum allowable distance between two buildings.

    4.2.7. Building Coverage

    1. Building coverage is the maximum area of the lot that is permitted to be covered by buildings, including both principal and accessory structures. Building coverage does not include paved areas such as driveways, uncovered porches or patios, decks, swimming pools or pool cages, or roof overhangs of less than 3 feet.
    2. Where a lot is used for nonresidential or mixed use purpose, more than one principal structure may be located on the lot, but only when such structures conform to the building coverage requirements for the zoning district in which the lot is located.

    4.2.8. Modification of Height Regulations

  • Height shall be determined by the vertical distance above finished grade to the highest point between the plate line and the ridge of a gable or hip roof.
    • 4.2.8.A Modification of Height Regulations
    1. Unless otherwise express stated, the height regulations in this Unified Development Code shall not apply to belfries, chimneys, conveyors, cooling towers, elevator bulkheads, fire towers, flag poles, monuments, ornamental towers and spires, smoke stacks, spires, stage towers or scenery lofts, tanks, and water towers;
    2. No multifamily or nonresidential structure shall be located nearer any property line adjacent to a single-family use or two-family use than a horizontal distance of twice the vertical height of the structure as illustrated below. The height shall be measured from the existing ground level to the plate.

    (Ordinance 029376, 02/21/12)

    4.2.8.C Modification of Height Regulations (Set-back requirements)
    1. Unless otherwise stated in this Unified Development Code, the horizontal distance ratio of 1:2 shall not apply to any of the following:
      1. Utility structures such as elevated water storage tanks, and electrical transmission lines;
      2. Architectural elements such as flagpoles, belfries, cupolas, spires, domes, monuments, chimneys, bulkheads, elevators or chimney flues; or any similar structure extending above the roof of any building where such structure does not occupy more than 33% of the area of the roof; or
      3. Residential radio/television receiving antennas.
      4. Shall not apply to the first 12 feet in height of the building.

    (Ordinance 029376, 02/21/12)

    1. Buildings in the multifamily zoning district may exceed the maximum height of 60 feet, provided that 40% of the site is devoted to non-vehicular open space.

    4.2.9. Visibility Obstructions

  • On any corner lot, a visibility triangle shall be established. The visibility triangle shall be formed by extending lines from the intersection of two streets to points 20 feet from the corner of the intersecting streets and then connecting the two points to form a triangle.
  • No construction or visibility obstruction shall be permitted to interfere with the visibility triangle between the heights of 30 inches and 7 feet as measured from the crowns of the adjacent streets.
  • No visibility obstructions shall be permitted in the area where a private driveway intersects with a street boundary line and the pavement line of the driveway, with the hypotenuse (or third side of the triangle) connecting the street pavement line and the pavement line of the driveway at distances from their intersection equal to 20 feet along the driveway and 30 feet along the street pavement line.

    •  (Ordinance 032357, 02/23/2021)

    4.2.9.B Visibility Triangle/Obstructions

    4.2.10 Adjacent Lots

  • A street yard on the side of a corner lot abutting the street shall be a minimum of not less than (10) feet back of the street right-of-way when such a lot is back to back to with another corner lot.
  • For corner lots abutting a lot, where there is not a back to back, the street yard shall in no case be less than the average of the two adjoining street yards.
  • If a corner lot is abutting a parcel that is (i) unplatted, (ii) not identified on a preliminary plat (iii) zoned Farm Rural or is outside city limits, then the corner lot street yard on the same street as the abutting parcel shall be a minimum street yard ten (10) feet. 

    • (Ordinance 031877, 09/24/2019; Ordinance 032357, 02/23/2021)

    4.2.11 Water Oriented Subdivisions

  • Front Yards:

    For lots within a water oriented subdivision due to the openness created by the various waterways within the subdivision the front yard may be reduced to not less than 10 feet, provided this reduced front building line is indicated on the face of the recorded plat of the subdivision. Private garages, which open onto the street, detached or attached to the main building shall maintain a yard of 20 feet from such garage entrance to the street right-of-way. A water oriented subdivision is a subdivision along any bay, gulf, cove, canal, lagoon, or pass and shall be a marina type development which shall include canals, channels and waterways adjacent to at least 20 percent of the lots within the subdivision.

  • Side Yards:

    For multiple-family structures and accessory structures located within a water oriented subdivision, due to the openness created by the permanent waterways abutting the lots, the required side yard may be modified to deviate from the requirements of the Unified Development Code.

    • (Ordinance 029376, 02/21/12)

    4

    4.2.5.A In General

    1. Every part of every required yard shall be open and unobstructed to the sky except as authorized in this Unified Development Code.
    1. All required yards shall be measured from the edge of the right-of-way and/or property or abutting lot line.

    4.2.5.B Types of Yards

    1. Required yard types shall be as follows:
      1. Street;
      2. Street (corner);
      3. Side; and
      4. Rear Street (corner)
    2. Corner lots shall be considered to have one street yard setback and one street corner yard setback.
    3. Through lots shall be considered to have two street yards where the property abuts the street.
    4. Private garages and carports detached or attached to the main building, which are entered from the street, shall maintain a minimum setback of 20 feet in front of the garage or carport from such street.

      (Ordinance 030939, 8/30/2016)

    4.2.5.C Measurement of Yards

  • Depth of a required street yard shall be measured at right angles to a straight line joining the foremost points of the side lot lines or radially on the curved section of the lot.
  • Width of a required side yard shall be measured in such a manner that the yard established is a strip of the minimum width required by zoning district regulations with its inner edge parallel to the side lot line. Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street lines.
  • Depth of a required rear yard shall be measured in such a manner that the yard established is a strip of the minimum width required by zoning district regulations with its inner edge parallel with the rear lot line.

    • 4.2.5.D Features Allowed Within Required Yards

    The following features may be located within a required yard subject to visibility triangle and Section 4.2.9:

    1. Landscape features and irrigation;
    2. Open, unobstructed, unenclosed porches, decks or patios that do not extend above the level of the first floor of the building and that do not extend or project into the front or side yard more than 6 feet;
    3. Sidewalks;
    4. Fences and walls;
    5. Minor utilities as described in Subsection 5.1.3.I;
    6. Mechanical equipment such as air conditioning units, pool pumps and similar equipment, shall be set back a minimum of 3 feet from a street or, side or rear yard;
    7. Sills, belt courses, cornices, buttresses, chimneys, flues, eaves and other architectural features that do not extend more than 24 inches into any required yard must comply with the International Residential Code.

      (Ordinance 032357, 02/23/2021)

    4.2.5.E Single and Two-family Residential Parking

  • The parking of vehicles shall be prohibited in any required street yard except on a paved surface.
  • The cumulative area of any impermeable surface area located in the required street yard, shall not exceed 50% of the area of the required street yard.
  • Residential driveways shall be made of an all-weather dust-proof surface, such as asphalt, concrete or brick.
  • Exceptions: Lots of 5 acres or greater with a minimum driveway apron depth of 50 feet from the edge of street made of an all-weather dust-proof surface are exempt from residential driveway requirements.

    • (Ordinance 032357, 02/23/2021)

    4.2.5.F Setback Averaging

    Where the street frontage within 200 feet on either side of a lot within a block is improved with buildings which have a front yard that is less than the required front yard in the district, the required front yard may be reduced, but no building shall project beyond the average front yard of the two adjacent buildings on either side of the lot in question. Where the lot is on a corner within a block that is improved with buildings within 200 feet which have a front yard that is less than the required front yard in the district, the required front yard may be reduced, but no building shall project beyond the front yard of the adjacent building.