The R-T, Residential Transition Districts are designed to afford a transition of use in existing housing areas by permitting conversion of existing structures between adjacent residential and commercial, office, thoroughfares or other uses which would affect residential character. The R-T District permits the continuation of single-family development; however, it is primarily intended to accommodate office and commercial uses through the adaptive reuse and conversion of residential structures. This district also recognizes the existence of older residential areas of the city where larger houses have been or can be converted from single-family and two-family residences to low-intensity commercial and office uses in order to extend the economic life of these structures and allow the owners to justify the expenditures for repairs and modernization.

In a residential office district, no building or land shall be used and no building shall be erected except for one or more of the following specified uses unless otherwise provided in this Ordinance.

1.

All principal uses in the one-family residential districts, permitted and as regulated under section 5.2. The standards of the Schedule of Regulations applicable to the R-1, One-Family Residential District, shall apply as minimum standards when one-family detached dwellings are erected.

2.

Accessory buildings and uses customarily incident to any of the above permitted uses.

The following special conditions uses shall be permitted, subject to the conditions hereinafter required for each use, subject to any and all reasonable conditions which may be imposed in accordance with section 4c.(2) of the City-Village Zoning Act, as may be amended, and further subject to the review and approval by the planning commission and city commission as specified in section 13.3, "Review and Approval of Conditional Uses," and section 13.1, "Review and Approval of Site Plan," of this Ordinance.

1.

All special condition uses for the one-family residential districts, permitted and as regulated under section 5.3.

2.

The following office and commercial uses if conducted entirely with an existing structure:

a.

Office-type business related to executive, administrative, or professional occupations including, but not limited to, offices of a lawyer, accountant, insurance/real estate agent, architect, engineer, and similar occupations.

b.

Clinics, except veterinary clinics having outdoor runs.

c.

Medical, dental, and optical laboratories that provide testing services or provide medical or dental devices such as artificial limbs, teeth, eye glasses, etc.

d.

Local municipal administration buildings, museums, and libraries.

e.

Banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, and similar uses, not offering drive-through facilities.

f.

Business service establishments such as typing services, photocopying services, quick printing establishments, office supply stores, and similar establishments.

g.

Other uses similar to the above uses.

h.

Any retail business whose principal activity is the sale of merchandise in an enclosed building, such as, but not limited to, groceries, dairy products, baked goods or other foods, drugs, dry goods, clothing and notions or hardware.

i.

Personal service establishments which perform services on the premises, such as, but not limited to, repair shops (watches, radio, television, shoe, computer, bicycle, etc.), tailor shops, beauty parlors or barber shops, and photographic studios.

j.

Standard or carry out restaurants, but without drive through facilities.

k.

Mortuary establishments, with the following conditions:

(1)

Adequate assembly area shall be provided off-street for vehicles to be used in the funeral procession.

(2)

Assembly area shall be in addition to required off-street parking areas.

(3)

A caretakers residence may be provided within the main building of the mortuary establishment.

l.

Clubs and fraternal organizations, with the following conditions:

(1)

Such uses shall front upon and have direct access to a major thoroughfare.

(2)

Only commercial uses ancillary to the club function shall be permitted.

(3)

All parking shall be provided in the side or rear yard.

m.

Accessory structures and uses customarily incident to the above permitted uses.

3.

Three- or four-family dwellings.

(Ord. of 8-5-24(1); Ord. No. 228, Art. II, 8-5-24)

All uses within the R-T District shall be subject to the following conditions:

1.

No interior display shall be visible from the exterior of the building.

2.

The outdoor storage of goods and materials shall be prohibited.

3.

The warehousing or indoor storage of goods or materials, beyond that normally incidental to the above uses, shall be prohibited.

4.

The residential character of the R-T District shall be maintained. Uses shall be within existing structures or within new structures designed to reflect the appearance, scale, and density of neighboring residential properties.

See article 17, Schedule of Regulations, limiting the height and size of buildings, the minimum size of lot permitted by land use, the maximum density permitted and providing minimum yard setback requirements.