Oberlin City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1330
“I” Institutional District
1330.01 PURPOSE, REGULATIONS ESTABLISHED.
The regulations set forth in this chapter, or set forth elsewhere in this Zoning Ordinance, when referred to in this chapter, are the district regulations in the "I" Institutional District.
An Institutional District and regulations are established in order to achieve, among others the following purposes:
(a) To provide civic, educational, religious, and welfare facilities in locations for the general safety, convenience, comfort, and welfare, and
(b) To protect these public and semipublic facilities and institutions from the encroachment of other uses and to protect adjoining residential uses from possible injurious effects, and
(c) To provide an environment for the proper functioning of institutional and public facilities in relation to a well-considered community plan.
(Ord. 19-21 AC CMS. Passed 7-1-19.)
1330.02 PERMITTED USES.
Buildings and land shall be used, and buildings shall be designed, erected, altered, moved or maintained only for the following uses and in conformity with the standards set forth herein:
(a) A building or premises shall be used only for the following purposes:
(1) Colleges, universities and theological schools, including their buildings owned or leased for administrative and faculty offices, classrooms, laboratories, chapels, auditoriums, performing arts or concert halls, lecture halls, libraries, student and faculty centers including dining, drinking or eating and snack facilities, dormitories and other living quarters including student apartments, book stores, museums, recreational facilities, playgrounds, athletic fields, outdoor performance and concert venues, other forms of open space, ice arenas, stadia or other spectator seating facilities, gymnasia and swimming pools, laundry and heating/cooling plants or facilities and other uses required to fulfill an institution's mission with the exception of the conditional uses listed in Section 1330.03. Colleges or trade schools operated for profit are not permitted.
(2) Hospitals and clinics, including dormitories for hospital staff.
(3) Public school or private school having a curriculum the same as ordinarily given in a public elementary school or public high school and having no rooms regularly used for housing or sleeping purposes.
(4) Religious facilities such as churches, temples, and other places of worship; parochial schools; rectories or convents; and related uses.
(5) Other institutions providing social, cultural, educational, and health services to member agencies, organizations and individuals or to the general public. Examples include: libraries, museums, schools and educational services and community services providers not elsewhere classified.
(6) Recreational facilities, playgrounds, athletic fields, ice arenas, stadia, gymnasia, swimming pools, etc., or by a college, university or school.
(7) Parking garages and surface parking areas associated with a permitted use.
(8) Festivals, fairs celebration events and farmers markets operated by a not-for- profit organization subject to any special event permits required by the City.
(b) Similar Uses. Any other use not listed above and determined as a "similar use" by recommendation of the Planning Commission and approved by City Council.
(Ord. 19-21 AC CMS. Passed 7-1-19.)
1330.03 CONDITIONAL USES.
(a) The following uses shall be reviewed and approved or denied as conditional uses:
(Ord. 21-69AC CMS. Passed 12-6-21.)
1330.04 HEIGHT REGULATIONS.
(a) No principal building and no components such as penthouses, water tanks, antennae or other mechanical appurtenances located on or constituted as an integral part of such building shall exceed eight (8) stories or 120 feet in height.
(b) Open parking structures shall be limited to five (5) levels or sixty (60) feet in height. Stair towers, penthouses or limited architectural features shall not exceed ten (10) feet above the parking structure.
(Ord. 19-21 AC CMS. Passed 7-1-19.)
1330.05 AREA REGULATIONS.
(a) Area Regulations. The area of parcel of land for a permitted use shall not be less than required to provide a site for the main and accessory buildings, parking and other accessory uses, yards and open space to accommodate the facility and to maintain the character of the neighborhood in accordance with the following general criteria:
(1) Buildings shall not cover more than fifty percent (50%) of the total land area. Stadia or other open seating structures or facilities, as well as parking structures, shall not be included in calculating land area covered.
(2) Surface parking areas, parking structures, driveways and walkways shall not exceed twenty-five -percent (25%) of the total land area.
(3) Remaining area shall be landscaped, and not more than fifty percent (50%) of that remaining area shall be used for outside recreational purposes.
(b) Yard Regulations.
(1) Front Yards. There shall be a front yard of not less than thirty (30) feet from the front lot line or less than sixty (60) feet from the centerline of the street; except on the streets where uniform front yards have hitherto been maintained by buildings erected on one-half or more of the frontage of the block, in such cases the uniform front yard shall be continued. On comer lots, the required front yard shall be provided on each street. Accessory buildings shall not be placed nearer the street line than the building of primary use.
(2) Side and Rear Yards. Where two (2) or more contiguous lots under one ownership abut, a side yard setback from the "common" or "internal" side lot line(s) shall not be required provided that the owner submits documentation confirming that the lots will not be conveyed individually in the future.
There shall be side and rear yards provided as described below:
Setback (feet) | Setback Adjoining Residential District (feet) | |
College buildings, offices, classrooms, dorms, student occupied apartments, libraries, hospitals or clinics, public/private/parochial schools, churches, temples government buildings | 30 | 50 |
Laundry, heat/cooling plants | 50 | 100 |
Stadia, arenas, pools | 100 | 150 |
Recreational areas | 40 | 80 |
Open parking areas | 20 | 25 |
Open parking structures or garages | 25 | 50 |
Other Uses | As determined by the Planning Commission | |
(Ord. 19-21 AC CMS. Passed 7-1-19.)
1330.06 ACCESSORY BUILDINGS.
Accessory buildings shall be located no closer to the street line and side or rear lot lines than the building of primary use.
(Ord. 19-21 AC CMS. Passed 7-1-19.)