This district is intended to provide for low-density residential areas of the City now developed primarily with single- family dwellings and areas where similar residential development is likely to occur.

   1.   Permitted Uses. A building or premises shall be used only for the following purposes:

      A.   Single-family dwellings.

      B.   Railroad right-of-way and trackage.

      C.   Utility substation.

      D.   Farming, truck gardening.

      E.   Plant nursery.

      F.   Golf course, except miniature golf courses and driving ranges operated for commercial purpose.

      G.   Country clubs.

      H.   Off-street parking lots in conjunction with a permitted use.

      I.   Places of worship and accessory buildings.

      J.   Museums, libraries, parks, playgrounds, community centers.

      K.   Public and private schools and colleges for academic instruction. Included within said use are all the customary or proper incidental uses attendant thereto. These incidental uses include (but are not limited to) the operation of food services, restaurants, clubs, alcoholic bars, dormitories, physical plant services, convention services.

      L.   Cemetery by special use or extension of existing cemetery.

      M.   Public buildings and utilities operated by the City.

      N.   Private swimming pools provided that they comply with the following:

         (1)   All swimming pools capable of holding twenty-four inches, in depth, or more of water, shall require a building permit. The permit fee shall be established by resolution. Plans and specifications concerning the swimming pool shall be submitted to the Department of Building and Planning and such pool shall be designed and constructed in accordance with generally accepted standards and practices for swimming pools.

         (2)   Every person in possession of land upon which the pool is situated shall, at all times, maintain a fence that completely surrounds such pool. A fence not less than five (5) feet in height with no openings therein, other than doors or gates, and at least four (4) feet from the edge of the pool shall be installed prior to filling the pool with water. Pools must be located in side or rear yards. No pool will be allowed in a front yard.

         (3)   All doors or gates opening through such fence enclosure shall be equipped with self-closing and self-latching devices designed to keep, and capable of keeping, such door or gate securely closed and latched at all times when not in actual use. Such self-latching device shall be located not less than four (4) feet above the underlying ground surface or otherwise made inaccessible from the outside to small children.

See also Sections 165.21 and 165.22 for special uses.

   2.   Accessory Uses. The following accessory uses are permitted:

      A.   Accessory buildings, provided such buildings including garages shall be erected and maintained only as accessories to the dwelling situated on the same lot or grounds and shall not involve the conduct of a business or manufacturing or be used as storage buildings of construction equipment.

      B.   Temporary buildings for uses incidental to construction work, which buildings shall be removed upon the completion or abandonment of the construction work.

      C.   Home occupations.

      D.   The taking of boarders or the leasing of rooms by a resident family, provided that the total number of boarders and roomers does not exceed two.

      E.   Temporary use of a dwelling structure within a new subdivision for use as a job office and real estate office for the subject subdivision, which use shall terminate upon completion or abandonment of the project.

   3.   Interior Living Space. The minimum ground floor area shall be not less than 700 square feet in one and one and a half story dwellings, and shall be the area included within the outside lines of the exterior walls of the main structure at the ground floor level, not including garages, breezeways, or enclosed or unclosed porches. The minimum square feet of ground floor area of a two- or three-story dwelling shall be 550 square feet.

   4.   Bulk Regulations. The following minimum requirements shall be observed:

      A.   Lot Area: single-family dwellings - 9,000 square feet. Exception: if the lot is located within the boundaries of the 2013 Central Grinnell Urban Revitalization area then the lot area can be decreased by 10 percent from the minimum requirements, all other bulk regulations shall be met.

      B.   Lot Width: single-family dwellings, at street line –35 feet; single- family dwellings, at building line – 80 feet. Except the lot width at the building line may be reduced by 25% for a lot where the extensions of the side lot lines intersect with an interior angle of 20 degrees or more and the lot does have a width of 80 feet at some point between the minimum front yard line and the minimum rear yard line established by the zoning ordinance.

      C.   Front Yard: 25 feet.

      D.   Side Yard: 8 feet for one story; 10 feet for two stories; 12 feet for three stories.

      E.   Rear Yard: 35 feet.

      F.   Maximum Height: three stories or 35 feet.

      G.   Minimum Building Width: Any building containing dwelling units must be a minimum of 24 feet in building width.