1.   Minimum Yard Requirements. The following minimum yards measured in feet, shall be provided within the districts indicated:

 

Whenever a lot abuts upon a public alley, one-half of the alley width may be considered as a portion of the required rear yard, for the purpose of side yard regulations, a two-family dwelling or multiple dwelling shall be considered as one building occupying one lot.

2.   Additional Requirements. The following additional yard requirements must also be observed:

   A.   On lots fronting on two nonintersecting streets, a front yard must be provided on both streets.

   B.   On corner lots there must be a front yard on both streets. On corner lots that are lots of record the buildable width cannot be reduced to less than 28 feet, except that there shall be a yard along the side street side of such a lot of at least 5-feet.

   C.   Where a frontage is divided among districts with different front yard requirements, the deepest front yard required shall apply to the entire frontage.

   D.   In the business and industrial districts there may be more than one building on a lot provided that the required yards be maintained around the group of buildings.

   E.   There may be two or more related multi-family buildings on a lot; provided that:

      (1)   The required yards be maintained around the group of buildings; and

      (2)   Buildings that are parallel or that are within 45 degrees of being parallel be separated by a horizontal distance that is at least equal to the height of the highest building.

   F.   Those parts of existing buildings that violate yard regulations may be repaired and remodeled, but not reconstructed or structurally altered.

   G.   Required front yard shall be devoted entirely to landscaped area except for guest parking and the necessary paving of driveways and sidewalks to reach parking or loading areas in the side or rear yard.

   H.   Where an official line has been established for the future widening or opening of a street or major thoroughfare upon which a lot abuts, then the depth of a front or side yard shall be measured from such official line to the nearest line of the building.

3.   Exceptions to Yard Requirements. The following exceptions may be made to the yard requirements:

   A.   Where, on the effective date of this chapter, 30 percent or more of a block front was occupied by two or more buildings, then the front yard is established in the following manner:

      (1)   Where the building farthermost from the street provides a front yard not more than 10 feet deeper than the building closest to the street, then the front yard for the frontage is and remains an average of the then existing front yards.

      (2)   Where this Subsection 1 above is not the case and a lot is within one 100 feet of a building on each side, then the front yard is a line drawn from the closest front corners of these two adjacent buildings.

      (3)   Where neither Subsections 1 nor 2 above is the case, and the lot is within 100 feet of an existing building on one side only, then the front yard is the same as that of the existing adjacent building.

   B.   Sills, belt courses, window air-conditioning units, chimneys, cornices, and ornamental features may project into a required yard a distance not to exceed 24 inches.

   C.   Filling station pumps and pump islands may occupy required yards, provided, however, that they are not less than 15 feet from all lot lines.

   D.   Open fire escapes, fireproof outside stairways and balconies opening upon fire towers, and the ordinary projections of chimneys and flues into a rear yard for a distance of not more than 3 ½ feet when so placed as to not obstruct light and ventilation may be permitted by the Building Official.

   E.   No side yards are required where dwellings are erected above commercial and industrial structures except such side yard as may be required for a commercial or industrial building on the side of a lot adjoining a residential district.

   F.   Accessory buildings may be located in a rear yard but may not occupy more than 30 percent of a rear yard.

   G.   Any accessory building closer than 10 feet to a main building shall be considered as part of the main building and shall comply with all setback requirements except front yard setback shall not be less than the existing main building.

   H.   An accessory building more than 10 feet from a main building may be erected within 2-feet of a side or rear lot line, as long as no other restriction exists and front yard setbacks shall not be less than the existing main buildings.

   I.   Where a garage is entered from an alley, it must be kept 10 feet from the alley line.

   J.   Wood decks may encroach within the side and rear yards, but in no case shall the side yard be less than 5 feet and the rear yard be less than 15 feet. Side yard decks shall have railings no greater than 3 feet. Rear yards shall have railings no greater than 6 feet. Ornamental features are permissible.