Garfield Heights City Zoning Code
TITLE ONE
Introduction to the Planning and Zoning Code
1131.01 TITLE.
This ordinance shall be known as the Planning and Zoning Code for the City of Garfield Heights, Ohio. (Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1131.02 EFFECTIVE DATE.
This ordinance shall have an effective date of February 16, 2026.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1132.01 PURPOSE AND INTENT.
The zoning regulations and districts as herein contained have been established in order to promote, in accordance with present and future needs, the health, safety, order, prosperity, and general welfare of the citizens of the city, to protect against destruction of or encroachment upon historic resources, and to facilitate the provision of adequate public utilities, public services and other public facilities, by regulating and limiting or determining the height and bulk of buildings and structures, the area of yards and other open spaces, and the type and density of use.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1133.01 APPLICABILITY.
This Planning and Zoning Code shall apply to all incorporated territory of Garfield Heights, Ohio; however, those structures and uses of land operated by or under the ownership of the State of Ohio, or a governmental subdivision of the State of Ohio, shall not be subject to the regulations of this Planning and Zoning Code.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1134.01 SAVINGS PROVISION/SEVERABILITY.
Should any section or provision of this Planning and Zoning Code be declared by the courts to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the Planning and Zoning Code as a whole, or any part thereof other than the part so declared to be unconstitutional or invalid.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1135.01 DEFINITIONS.
Whenever a defined word appears in this Planning and Zoning Code, its meaning is as defined in this Planning and Zoning Code. Words not defined in this Planning and Zoning Code are interpreted in accord with their dictionary meaning and customary usage.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1135.02 REFERENCES.
All references to other regulations or manuals shall refer to the most current version and citation for those regulations or manuals, unless expressly indicated otherwise. When the referenced regulations or documents have been repealed and not replaced by other regulations or manuals, such reference or requirement for compliance is no longer in effect.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1135.03 ILLUSTRATIONS, DIAGRAMS, FLOW CHARTS.
Illustrations, diagrams, and flowcharts are included in this Planning and Zoning Code to illustrate the intent and requirements of the text. In the case of a conflict between the text and any illustration, diagram, or flowchart, the text shall control.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1135.04 INTERPRETATION.
The language of this Planning and Zoning Code shall be interpreted as follows:
(A) The word “person” includes a firm, association, organization, partnership, trust, limited liability company, corporation, or other legal entity, as well as an individual.
(B) The present tense includes the future tense; the singular number includes the plural; and the plural number includes the singular in each case if the context so requires.
(C) The word “shall” is mandatory; the word “may” is permissive.
(D) The words “used” or “occupied” include the words “intended,” “designed,” “constructed,” “altered,” or “arranged” to be used or occupied.
(E) The word “lot” includes the words “plot,” “tract,” or “parcel.”
(F) The terms “standards,” “regulations,” and “requirements” are used to mandate a specific course of action or built outcome.
(G) Section headings are provided for ease of use and organization and shall not be interpreted as regulatory.
(H) Where a regulation involves two or more items, conditions, provisions, or events which are connected by a conjunction—”and,” “or,” or “either...or“—the conjunction shall be interpreted as follows:
(I) “And” indicates that all the connected items, conditions, provisions, or events shall apply.
(J) “Or” indicates that the connected items, conditions, provisions, or events may apply singularly or in any combination.
(K) “Either...or” indicates that all the connected items, conditions, provisions, or events shall apply singularly but not in combination.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1135.05 CONFLICT.
In the case of any conflict or inconsistency between two or more provisions of this Planning and Zoning Code or any other City ordinance, law, rule, or regulation, the provision which imposes the greater, higher, or more restrictive requirement or standard of performance shall control.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1136.01 DETERMINING BUILDING HEIGHT AND HEIGHT EXCEPTIONS.
Height shall be interpreted as the vertical distance from the average established curb grade or established grade in front of the lot, or from the average finished grade at the front building line, if higher, to the top of the roof or the uppermost portion of the structure.
Figure 1136-01: Measuring structure height on flat ground plan and sloped ground plane.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1136.02 EXCEPTIONS TO HEIGHT MAXIMUMS.
Elevator shafts and similar structural elements which are not intended as places of occupancy or storage; water and fire towers, cooling towers, ornamental towers, or spires; cupulas; smokestacks or chimneys; conveyors; bell towers or steeples; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment and similar building mechanicals; and communication and radio transmission devices may extend above the structure height limit established by the district standards if they conform to the following requirements:
(A) For those structures that are mounted on a building’s roof, no more than one-third (1/3 )of the roof area may be used for such fixtures.
(B) For those fixtures affixed to the principal structure’s roof and providing at least the minimum setbacks established by the district in which it is located, no height-excepted fixture shall exceed the height limit of the district in which it is located by more than fifteen (15) vertical feet, except by a variance approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals. For information on variances, please refer to Title Seven “Administration and Procedures.”
(C) For solar panels and wind turbines, such structures shall conform to height maximums as described in Chapter 1153: “Renewable Energy Systems Regulations.”
(D) Note that, for accessory structures that are within the minimum setback area (for example, a child’s playhouse, which is an accessory structure, within five (5) feet of the side lot line, where that district requires a side setback of at least ten (10) feet), no accessory structure shall exceed the maximum height described by Section 1151.08 “Height Maximums for Accessory Structures.”
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1136.03 DETERMINING LOT LINES AND BUILDING SETBACKS.
(A) Lot Line. A lot line is a line dividing one lot from another lot or from a street or any public place.
(B) Front Lot Line. A front lot line is a lot line dividing a lot from a public or private street and is the line from which the required front setback is measured. If a lot has more than one lot line that abuts a street right-of-way, such as is the case with a corner lot or a double-frontage lot, the lot may have more than one front lot line.
(C) Side Lot Line. A side lot line is any lot line not considered a front lot line or a rear lot line.
(D) Rear Lot Line. The rear lot line is the lot line which is most opposite the front lot line. Each lot shall have one rear lot line. In the case of a corner lot with more than one front lot line, the rear lot line is the lot line which is most opposite the shortest front lot line. In the case of an irregular or triangular-shaped lot, the rear lot line is a line ten (10) feet in length within the lot situated parallel to and at the maximum distance from the front lot line.
Figure 1136-02: Graphic showing lot lines for an interior lot and corner lot.
(E) Front Setback. A front setback is the shortest horizontal distance between a structure and the edge of the right-of-way. For a corner lot or a double-frontage lot, the front setback shall be measured from a structure and any of the front lot lines.
(F) Side Setback. A side setback is the shortest horizontal distance between a structure and a side lot line of the lot.
(G) Rear Setback. A rear setback is the shortest horizontal distance between a structure and a rear lot line of the lot.
(H) Exceptions to Setbacks. Certain accessory structures are permitted to encroach into setback areas; these situations are described in Section 1151.07 “Required Setbacks for Accessory Structures.”
Figure 1136-03: Graphic showing lot lines and setbacks.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1136.04 DEFINING LOT WIDTH.
The lot width is the length of a lot’s shortest front lot line.
Figure 1136-04: Graphic showing lot width and lot depth measurements.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1136.05 DEFINING LOT AREA.
The lot area is the area of a horizontal plane bounded by vertical planes extending from the lot lines of a single lot, and not including any area within the right-of-way.
Figure 1136-05: Graphic showing lot area (all area in blue added to area in yellow)
and lot coverage (all area in yellow only).
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)
1136.06 DEFINING BUILDING FOOTPRINT.
Building footprint is the area of an individual building (as viewed from a plan view, where topography of the land is irrelevant). When measuring building footprint, the area only considers the extent of the exterior of building walls but shall not take into consideration roof overhangs, eaves, awnings, or canopies. It shall, however, include those areas of the building with walls that represent a larger areas than the area of the footprint of the foundation, such as cantilevered sections of the building. Building footprint shall also include areas of the building with half-walls, such as porches.
Figure 1136-06: Graphic showing building footprint (all area in pink) as the measure of the area underneath the building, typically equal to the area of the ground floor.
(Ord. 87-2025. Passed 1-12-26.)