Lawrence City Zoning Code
ARTICLE III
Accessory Buildings, Uses and Garages
§ 212-24 Regulations for accessory buildings and uses.
[Amended 9-13-2004 by L.L. No. 7-2004; 11-10-2016 by L.L. No. 2-2016; 4-9-2025 by L.L. No. 6-2025]
The following additional provisions shall apply to accessory buildings and uses:
A.
The accessory building or use must be located on the same lot as the principal building or use to which it is accessory or on a lot immediately adjoining it. If it is located on a lot immediately adjoining the lot on which the principal building or use is located and the lots are severed, the accessory use shall cease.
B.
The accessory use shall not be carried on by any person other than the occupant of the principal building or, in case of vacant property, by the owner or lessee of the lot.
C.
The area occupied by accessory buildings shall be included in computing the maximum portion of the lot area which may be built upon in any given district. The area occupied by accessory buildings shall not exceed 8.5% of the area of the lot.
D.
Except as otherwise indicated in this chapter, the following shall be the minimum distances, by district, between any accessory structure or garage and the side and rear property lines of the lot on which the accessory structure or garage is situated:
District | Minimum Distance (feet) |
|---|---|
Residence AA | 15 |
Residence A | 10 |
Residence BB | 8 |
Residence B | 8 |
Residence C-1 | 4 |
Residence C-2 | 4 |
Residence D | 4 |
Residence E | 4 |
Residence FF | 4 |
Residence F | 4 |
E.
No accessory building shall be permitted in the Business K District.
F.
Accessory buildings located within a required setback shall not contain habitable space.
G.
Within the area bound by the south side of Rock Hall Road, the east side of Nassau Expressway (878) and the north side of Rock Hall Road service road, an accessory structure or garage located in a front yard abutting any of the aforementioned streets, shall be considered as if it were a rear yard.
§ 212-24.1 Professional offices.
[Amended 6-8-1994 by L.L. No. 1-1994; 1-14-2010 by L.L. No. 1-2010]
Where a lot or premises in a residence district is permitted to be used in part as the office of a professional person, the following additional regulations and conditions shall apply:
A.
Such use is limited to the office of not more than one practitioner of medicine, osteopathy, physiotherapy, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, psychology or chiropractic duly licensed under the Education Law of the State of New York, and the building in which such office is located shall be the primary residence of such practitioner and the immediate family of such practitioner.
B.
Not more than one assistant or associate licensed practitioner and not more than one nurse or assistant or associate worker may be employed in such office.
C.
No display of advertising and no sign shall be permitted except the name of the professional person or persons and letters or abbreviations indicating the nature of his profession. No such sign shall be illuminated except by reflector buttons. No such signs shall exceed two feet in length or six inches in height.
D.
Such office must be located in and as part of the principal dwelling of the practitioner and the immediate family of such practitioner and may not be housed in a separate building.
E.
In no case may the practice of a profession be permitted as a principal use.
§ 212-25 Private garages.
A private garage is permitted only as an accessory use and is subject to the following conditions:
A.
No private garage shall be permitted within a side yard or within a rear yard, except under the following conditions:
(1)
When used as accessory to a dwelling for one family only or for not more than two families, a private garage may be constructed in a side yard or a rear yard, provided that no part thereof is nearer than 15 feet, in a Residence AA District; 10 feet, in a Residence A District; eight feet, in a Residence BB or B District; or four feet, in any other residence district, to the nearest property line.
[Amended 6-14-2000 by L.L. No. 4-2000]
(2)
In a business district, such garage shall accommodate not more than five motor vehicles, and no part of the building shall be nearer than four feet to the side or rear property line; provided, however, that, in the case of a corner lot, a garage may not be nearer to the street line of the street on which the lot has the greater frontage than the front building line established for that street.
(3)
When used as accessory to a building other than a dwelling for not over one family or for not over two families, such garage shall be permitted if authorized as a special exception by the Board of Appeals under such conditions as it may impose.
(4)
In the case of a corner lot, a garage may not be nearer to the street line of the street on which the lot has the greater frontage than the front building line established for that street.