No structure hereafter constructed or altered in any district shall be located on a lot not meeting the dimensional requirements set forth in this section.

5.1.1 Lot shape. Lots which are so distorted in configuration as to be detrimental to public health, safety, welfare or convenience, even though complying with the dimensional requirements established herein, shall not be allowed. The mean direction of side lot lines shall be as close as possible to perpendicular to the street line or to its tangent at the point of intersection of the side lot line. In no case shall the mean direction of the side lot line form an angle of less than 75° degrees with the street line or the aforesaid tangent.

5.1.2 Frontage. Frontage may be measured either at the street line or at the rear line of the required front yard; however, in no case may the sum of these two lines be less than one and eight-tenths times the required frontage dimension. In the case of corner and through lots one street line only shall be accepted as the front street line for the measurement of frontage. On a corner lot, the depth shall be measured from the same street line that is accepted as the front street line for the measurement of frontage.

5.1.3 Yards. The minimum front yard dimensions required in the schedule are to be measured from the street line where a plan of the street is on file in the city engineer's office, or, in the absence of such a plan, from a line 25 feet from and parallel to the apparent centerline of the traveled way or street. On all corner and through lots the required front yard dimension shall apply from both street lines. The required side yard dimension shall apply from all other lot lines. Where a front yard is required on a corner lot, no structure, fence or planting shall be introduced or maintained in said front yard area in a manner which interferes with traffic visibility across the corner.

5.1.4 Dwellings in nonresidential districts. Dwellings and public and semipublic uses permitted in business or industrial districts shall be subject to the dimensional controls of the residence district situated nearest to the premises.

5.1.5 Exemptions.

1.

Nonconforming lots of record and other lots specifically exempted under M.G.L.A. c. 40A, § 6 are exempted from the provisions of this section, provided such lots have an area of at least 5,000 square feet and a frontage of at least 50 feet.

2.

The yard requirements of this section shall not apply to any necessary retaining wall, nor to any wall or fence less than five feet high, except as required for corner visibility see section 5.1.2 above).

3.

Open porches, steps, stoops, bay windows, balconies, and eaves, cornices and the like may extend up to five feet into any required yard.

4.

Any business or manufacturing structure or use of land lawfully in existence on the effective date of this ordinance in business and industrial districts is exempt from the dimensional controls of this ordinance; however, all alterations and additions to such structures or uses of land shall be in conformity with this ordinance.

5.

The limitation on height of buildings and structures in the schedule shall not apply in any districts to chimneys or ventilation towers, whether freestanding or connected to a principal structure, spires or other ornamental features of buildings, provided such features are in no way used for living purposes and are not expressly prohibited elsewhere in this ordinance.

5.1.6 Division of nonconforming lots. A lot or parcel of land containing two or more dwellings existing at the time of adoption of this ordinance which cannot be divided in conformity with these requirements may, with the approval of the planning board, be divided in a manner complying as closely as possible with these requirements. Division of all other parcels of land shall be in accordance with this section. No more than one dwelling unit shall be built upon any single lot, except as specifically permitted elsewhere in this ordinance.

(Ord. of 2-19-02 [45th amd.], § 5.0; Ord. of 5-20-03 [53rd amd.], § 1; Ord. of 6-17-08 [73rd amd.], § 1)

Except where specifically contradicted in this appendix, all structures shall be located in accordance with the following schedule:

NOTE: Where building lots are located within the Water Resource Protection Overlay District, illustrated on the Zoning Map, special dimensional regulations must be complied with as per section 8.2 in this appendix.

¹ Where building lots are not serviced by municipal water and sewers, the minimum lot dimension shall be one acre unless larger is required elsewhere in the appendix.

² Residential structure only, coverage by agricultural structures is limited only by yard dimensions.

³ Single- and two-family dwellings only, see supplemental regulations.

⁴ See also section 5-3.

⁵ See section 8-8.

⁶ Maximum land coverage shall include all impervious surface areas over 100 square feet.

⁷ Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Code, a principal building may be up to and including 50 feet in height provided the principal building is set back a minimum of 50 feet from any other principal building or from any lot lines other than lot lines within the same complex.

⁸ Fifty percent, 15-acre lots and over. In determining the total acreage of a parcel for purposes of calculating the maximum land coverage to be permitted in IP districts hereunder, the combined acreage of contiguous or adjoining parcels in common ownership shall be considered as the total acreage even if said parcels are divided in whole or in part by a public or private way provided however that each parcel is zoned IP and each contains, individually, at least 15 acres in area.

⁹ See section 7-4.

¹⁰ See section 8-3.

(Ord. of 2-19-02 [45th amd.], § 5.0; Ord. of 11-19-13 [121st amd.], § 1)

5.3.1 General. The city council may grant a special permit for a structure in an RM-20, RM-40, RM-60, RO, IP, BH, or OP district to exceed the height regulation imposed by the schedule of dimensional controls, in accordance with the following standards:

1.

All dimensional requirements, including increased yard dimensions for the additional height, will be strictly adhered to.

2.

The increased height will not be deleterious to use and enjoyment of surrounding properties.

3.

The general character and aesthetic quality of the vicinity will not be detrimentally altered by the increased height.

4.

All yard sizes shall be increased by five feet for each story over the third.

(Ord. of 2-19-02 [45th amd.], § 5.0; Ord. of 10-15-19 [151st amd.], § 1)

5.4.1.A General. Except in the residential districts, more than one principal nonresidential structure may be erected on a lot, pursuant to a special permit issued by the planning board in accordance with section 9-3 herein and the following conditions:

1.

No principal building shall be located in relation to another principal building on the same lot, or on an adjacent lot, so as to cause danger from fire;

2.

All principal buildings on the lot shall be served by access ways suitable for fire, police, and emergency vehicles;

3.

All of the multiple principal buildings on the same lot shall be accessible via pedestrian walkways connected to the required parking for the premises, and to each principal building.

5.4.1.B Accessory Dwelling Units. In the Downtown Residential zone (DR) a second residential structure may be erected on a lot, pursuant to a special permit issued by the city council in accordance with section 9.3 herein and the following conditions:

1.

The second dwelling is an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) as defined in Section 2.0.

2.

If the second dwelling is larger than the original primary dwelling, then, upon completion and occupancy, the larger dwelling shall be deemed to be the primary dwelling, and the smaller dwelling shall be deemed to be the ADU.

3.

The owner of the land on which the ADU is to be created shall occupy one of the dwelling units, either the primary or the secondary.

4.

Any ADU shall be sited in such a way as to provide adequate access for emergency personnel including Holyoke Fire Department approval and sign off.

5.

Approval of an ADU in the DR zone shall conform to the relevant procedures and requirements of Section 8.8. (Downtown Residential District), including without limitation dimensional requirements unless reduced pursuant to Section 8.8.5."

(Ord. of 2-19-02 [45th amd.], § 5.0; Ord. of 4-4-23 [172nd amd.], § 1)

5.5.1 General. A lot or parcel of land defined as a split zone parcel shall meet the following criteria:

1.

The requirements of zoning and use shall be calculated including only the area of the parcel upon which the planned use is allowed under section 4.0.

2.

For the purpose of construction and development of a split-zone parcel, development shall meet the requirements of section 5.2 within the zone permitted under section 4.0, including but not limited to setback requirements from the zone boundary.

(Ord. of 4-2-13 [112th amd.], § 1)