Longmeadow City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
Height and Area Regulations
§ 315-28 Building height.
A.
No building shall be erected or altered so as to exceed 2 1/2 stories above the lowest floor level not entirely below ground level or 35 feet above ground level, whichever is less, measured at any point on the building.
B.
No detached garage or other accessory building shall be erected or altered so as to exceed a height of one story above the grade of the lot at the front of building.
§ 315-29 Height exceptions.
A.
The provisions of this article shall not restrict the height of a chimney, church spire, tower or belfry, a flagpole, or television antenna.
B.
The provisions of this article shall not apply to prevent the erection, in the Business Zone, above the height limit of a parapet wall or cornice without windows for ornamental purposes, extending above said height limit not over five feet.
C.
In the case of structures erected under Article IV, § 315-17B, C, D and F(2) and (6), the Zoning Board of Appeals may, in its discretion in appropriate cases and subject to appropriate conditions and safeguards, grant special permits for exceptions not heretofore provided in this section.
§ 315-30 Lot sizes and frontage.
[Amended 9-25-1990 STM by Art. 1, approved 1-9-1991; 11-30-2004 STM by Art. 19, approved 8-11-2005; 5-9-2023 ATM by Art. 32, approved 10-2-2023]
No dwelling shall be erected or maintained except on a lot, the frontage and areas of which shall be as hereinafter set forth, and only one dwelling and private garage shall be erected or maintained on each of such lots in the residence zones. Green infrastructure stormwater management features designed in accordance with the Stormwater Management and Land Disturbance for New Developments and Redevelopments Bylaw (Chapter 295, Article V of the Code of the Town of Longmeadow), such as bioretention areas, rain gardens, filter strips, swales, and constructed wetlands, may be allowed within required setback areas for front, rear, and side yards based on site-specific conditions such as soils, depth to groundwater table and slope.
A.
In the Residence A-2 Zone, no dwelling shall be erected or maintained on a lot having a frontage of less than 150 feet or having an area of less than 30,000 square feet. In order to ensure general uniformity of lot shapes, no lot may, at its narrowest point, measure less than 50 feet in width or breadth. If the portion of the lot failing to meet this requirement is deemed an unnecessary appendage, this requirement may be waived by the Planning Board.
B.
In the Residence A-1 and the Agricultural Zones, no dwelling shall be erected or maintained on a lot having a frontage of less than 125 feet for an interior lot and 140 feet for a corner lot or having an area of less than 18,750 square feet. In order to ensure general uniformity of lot shapes, no lot may, at its narrowest point, measure less than 50 feet in width or breadth. If the portion of the lot failing to meet this requirement is deemed an unnecessary appendage, this requirement may be waived by the Planning Board.
C.
A lot or parcel of land having an area or a frontage of lesser amounts than required by the foregoing subsection may be considered as coming within the area and frontage requirements of this section, provided such lot or parcel of land was shown on a plan or described in a deed duly recorded or registered at the time of the adoption of this bylaw and did not at the time of such adoption adjoin other land of the same owner available for use in connection with such lot or parcel.
D.
In the Elderly Residential Zone and the Elderly Congregate Residential Zone, no dwelling units or accessory buildings shall be erected, used or maintained on a lot having a frontage of less than 100 feet and a minimum of two accesses to public way or ways.
E.
In the Residential Condominium Reuse Zone, dwelling units or accessory buildings shall be erected, used or maintained on a parcel of land having a frontage of at least 200 feet and access to a public way. No Residential Condominium Reuse Zone shall be located on any parcel of land containing less than 120,000 square feet.
§ 315-31 Front yards and structure setbacks.
[Amended 9-25-1990 STM by Art. 1, approved 1-9-1991; 5-7-2013 ATM by Art. 26, approved 7-26-2013]
Front yard and structure setback requirements for the various zones shall be set forth in this section.
A.
Street setback.
(1)
In the Residence A-2, the Residence A-1, and Agricultural Zones, no structure, and no addition thereto, extension or part thereof, except the minimum number of steps required for entrance into the main dwelling, together with cover and enclosure therefor, shall be erected, constructed, or placed nearer than 40 feet to the line of the street or way upon which the lot abuts.
(2)
In the Business Zone and Professional Zone, the street setback dimension as defined in Subsection A(1) hereof shall be that of the most restrictive abutting zone.
(3)
In the Elderly Residential Zone and the Elderly Congregate Residential Zone, no structure and no addition thereto, extension or a part thereof, except interior access roads and walkways therefor, shall be erected, constructed or placed nearer than 40 feet to the line of the street or way upon which the lot abuts.
(4)
In the Residential Condominium Reuse Zone, no structure and no addition thereto, extension or a part thereof, except interior access roads, steps, roof overhangs, decorative fencing, parking areas and walkways therefor, shall be erected, constructed or placed nearer than the corresponding parts of the primary existing structures from the line of the street or way upon which the lot abuts.
B.
Secondary setback.
(1)
In the Residence A-2, the Residence A-1, and the Agricultural Zones, no structure and no addition thereto, extension or part thereof, except the main dwelling, together with any additions thereto, extensions, or parts thereof, and a garage and a fence may be constructed, erected, or placed between the front lot line and the secondary setback line.
(2)
In the Business Zone, the Professional Zone, the Elderly Residential Zone, the Elderly Congregate Residential Zone and the Residential Condominium Reuse Zone, no secondary setback is specified.
§ 315-32 Side yards.
[Amended 9-25-1990 STM by Art. 1, approved 1-9-1991; 5-7-2013 ATM by Art. 26, approved 7-26-2013]
Side yard requirements for the various zones shall be as set forth in this section, provided that, in the case of corner and through lots, the street setback requirement shall control in case of a conflict.
A.
Residence A-2, Residence A-1, and Agricultural Zones.
(1)
Within the area between the street and secondary setback lines, no structure, and no addition thereto, or extension or part thereof, except a fence shall be constructed, erected, or placed nearer than 15 feet to a side lot line.
(2)
Within the area between the secondary setback line and the rear lot line, no pool, as set forth under Article IV, § 315-17A(7)(f), shall be constructed or placed nearer than 15 feet to a side lot line, or nearer than 10 feet to the dwelling, and no other accessory structure, except a fence, and no addition thereto, or extension or part thereof shall be constructed, erected, or placed nearer than five feet to a side lot line.
B.
Business Zone and Professional Zone. Within the Business Zone and Professional Zone, no structure, except a fence, and no addition thereto or extension or part thereof may be constructed, erected or placed nearer to a side lot line than the abutting zone within the area between the street and secondary setback lines.
C.
Within the Elderly Residential Zone and the Elderly Congregate Residential Zone, no structure except a fence, and no addition thereto or extension or part thereof may be constructed, erected or placed nearer to a side lot line than 40 feet.
D.
Within the Residential Condominium Reuse Zone, no structure except a fence, roof overhang, step, parking area, accessway or walkway, and no additions thereto or part thereof may be constructed, erected or placed nearer to a side lot line than five feet, nor shall be within 40 feet of any off site existing residential building.
§ 315-33 Rear yards.
[Amended 9-25-1990 STM by Art. 1, approved 1-9-1991; 5-7-2013 ATM by Art. 26, approved 7-26-2013]
Rear yard requirements for the various zones shall be as set forth in this section, provided that, in the case of corner and through lots, the street setback requirement shall control in case of conflict.
A.
In the Residence A-2, the Residence A-1, and the Agricultural Zones, no pool as set forth under Article IV, § 315-17A(7)(f), shall be constructed or placed nearer than 15 feet to a rear lot line, and no other accessory structure, except a fence, or addition thereto, or extension or part thereof, shall be constructed, erected, or placed nearer than five feet to a rear lot line.
B.
In the Business Zone and Professional Zone, no structure except a fence, or addition thereto or extension thereof shall be constructed, erected or placed nearer than 15 feet to a rear lot line.
C.
In the Residence and Agricultural Zones, the secondary setback line must be at least 30 feet removed from the rear lot line.
D.
In the Elderly Residential Zone and the Elderly Congregate Residential Zone, no structure except a fence, accessways or walkways and no addition thereto or extension or a part thereof may be constructed or placed nearer than 40 feet to a rear lot line.
E.
In the Residential Condominium Reuse Zone, no structure except a fence, roof overhang, step, parking area, accessways or walkways and no addition thereto or extension or a part thereof may be constructed or placed nearer than five feet to a rear lot line, nor shall be within 40 feet of any off-site existing residential building.
§ 315-34 Appurtenant open space.
No front yard, side yard, or rear yard or other open space required for a building by this bylaw, during the existence of such building, may be occupied or counted as a yard or open space for any other building.
§ 315-35 Projections.
Nothing in this bylaw shall prevent the projection of steps, eaves, chimney, and cornices not exceeding 18 inches in width, or of window sills or belt courses into any required yard or open space.
§ 315-36 Reduction of lot area.
[Amended 10-25-2022 STM by Art. 25, approved 3-29-2023]
Within the Town of Longmeadow, no lot or parcel of land on which a structure is erected or maintained shall be subdivided so that the lot area is reduced below the minimum requirements of this article, except in the case of a land taking by eminent domain.
§ 315-37 Vision clearances.
On corner lots in the residence zones, Professional Zone, Agricultural Zone, Business Zone, Elderly Residential Zone, Elderly Congregate Residential Zone, and Residential Condominium Reuse Zone, no building, fence or other structure shall be erected and no tree, shrub, or other planting shall be planted or allowed to exist which prevents an unobstructed view through the space between three feet and eight feet above the ground within the area formed by the intersecting street lines forming the corner of the intersecting streets and a line joining points on such lines 25 feet distant from the point of intersection of said street lines. When the junction of the street lines of the two intersecting streets forms a curve, the clearance area shall be determined by the Building Commissioner as nearly as may be in accordance with the foregoing and having regard for the safety of the public, and the foregoing provisions shall apply to the area thus determined. The Building Commissioner shall file with the Planning Board a plan showing the area so determined by him. The provisions of this section shall be superior to and control any inconsistent provisions of this Zoning Bylaw.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. I, Change to give uniformity, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 4-25-2006 ATM by Art. 42, approved 8-31-2006.
§ 315-38 Submission of plans.
[Amended 10-25-2022 STM by Art. 25, approved 3-29-2023]
Definitive plans for all structures, and for all additions thereto, and extensions and parts thereof, together with a plot plan showing the new building or structure in its relation to the lot lines and to all prior existing buildings and structures, shall be submitted to the Building Commissioner for investigation as to compliance with the provisions of this bylaw and other pertinent bylaws and regulations, and shall bear his endorsement of approval prior to construction, erection, placement, addition to or extension of such structure.
