Any lot of record at the time of the adoption of this ordinance which does not meet the lot width and/or lot area requirements herein provided may be used as a building site for a single-family residence; provided, however, that the yards and other requirements of the district are complied with as closely as possible in the opinion of the board of zoning appeals.

If two or more adjoining and vacant lots with continuous frontage are in a single ownership at any time after the adoption of this ordinance and such lots individually are less than the lot width requirements for the district in which they are located, such groups of lots shall together be considered as a single lot or shall be grouped into several lots of minimum permitted size and the resulting lot or lots shall be subject to the dimensional requirements of the ordinance.

The setback requirements of this ordinance for dwellings shall not apply to any lot where the average setback on developed lots which are located wholly or in part within 100 feet on each side of such lot 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 lots may be less than the required setback, but not less than the average of the existing setbacks on developed lots.

Group housing developments may be permitted in R-2 Residential Districts and I-N Institutional Districts provided that all of the following conditions are met:

(a)

Such housing developments shall consist of two or more buildings; and

(b)

Said buildings shall be constructed on a plot or ground of not less than two acres in area, and in one ownership; and

(c)

Said parcel shall not be subdivided into the customary streets and lots; and

(d)

The arrangement of buildings is such that access of firefighting equipment to the building is maintained, as certified in writing by the fire chief of the city; and

(e)

The minimum lot area per family and the height requirements set forth for the district shall be observed.

The height limitations of this ordinance shall not apply to church spires, belfries, cupolas, and domes not intended for human occupancy; monuments, water towers, observation towers, transmission towers, chimneys, [and]aerials.