Port Vue City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
Area and Bulk Regulations
§ 310-13 General classifications.
[Amended 11-12-1971 by Ord. No. 280]
A.
In order to regulate and determine the areas of yards, courts and other open spaces in connection with buildings or structures hereafter erected, reconstructed or altered, the Borough is divided into "Area Districts," as follows:
B.
Except as otherwise provided herein, no building shall hereafter be erected and no existing building be enlarged or rebuilt, nor shall any open space surrounding any building be encroached upon in any manner except in conformity with the regulations hereby established for the district in which such building is located. No yard, court or other open space provided about any building for the purpose of complying with the provisions of these regulations shall again be considered as a yard, court or other open space for another building.
§ 310-14 First Area District.
In this district, the minimum dimensions of yards and other open spaces and the area of lot required per family housed thereon shall be as follows:
A.
On all streets or portions thereof within said First Area District, there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 25 feet.
B.
Side yard. There shall be a side yard of not less than five feet in width on one side and 10 feet on the other side of any building or structure permitted in this Area District.
C.
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard the depth of which, exclusive of any portion of the depth to be used for accessory buildings, shall be not less than 15% of the depth of the lot, but need not exceed 25 feet. Any household pet, if housed outside of and separate from the main structure, shall be kept in a proper structure in a rear yard only and said structure or dog house shall be located in said rear yard in an area which shall be the greatest common distance from all abutting property lines.
D.
Lot area. The minimum lot area requirements shall be 6,000 square feet with frontage not less than 60 feet.
§ 310-15 Second Area District.
In this district, the minimum dimensions of yards and other open spaces and the area of lot required per family housed thereon shall be as follows:
A.
On all streets or portions thereof within said Second Area District, there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 15 feet.
B.
Side yard. There shall be a side yard of not less than five feet in width on one side and five feet on the other side of any building or structure permitted in this Area District; provided, however, that this side yard restriction shall be subject to change as hereinafter provided in supplementary regulations.
C.
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard the depth of which, exclusive of any portion of the depth to be used for accessory buildings, shall not be less than 10% of the depth of the lot, but need not exceed 20 feet. Any household pet, if housed outside of and separate from the main structure, shall be kept in a proper structure in a rear yard only and said structure or dog house shall be located in said rear yard in an area which shall be the greatest common distance from all abutting property lines.
D.
Lot area. The minimum lot area requirements shall be 5,500 square feet for one-family dwelling; 6,500 square feet for duplex dwelling. For all multiple dwellings or apartments providing residences for more than two families, a minimum of 500 square feet for each apartment, suite or separate residential unit shall be required in addition to the above requirements; in any case, frontage shall not be less than 50 feet.
§ 310-16 Third Area District.
[Amended 11-9-1993 by Ord. No. 446]
In this district, the minimum dimension of yards and other open spaces and the area of lot required per family housed thereon shall be as follows:
A.
Front yard: none required.
B.
Side yard and court. Except as otherwise mentioned herein, the requirements for side yards and courts shall be as follows:
(1)
A building not used in whole or in part as a dwelling shall not require a side yard.
(2)
A one-family dwelling, duplex or double house shall require a side yard that shall not be less than three feet in width; provided that any portion of a dwelling beyond the depth of two rooms shall be placed not less than seven feet from the side lot line and, provided further, that when such space and a side yard are both provided, they shall be upon the same side of the dwelling.
(3)
A multiple dwelling and/or apartment building not exceeding two rooms in depth shall not require a side yard, but if a side yard is provided, it shall not be less than three feet in width.
(4)
A multiple dwelling and/or apartment building which exceeds two rooms in depth shall have at least one side yard not less than five feet in width, provided such side yard shall be increased two feet in width for each additional story above the second story of the building.
(5)
In case of occupancy, any portion of a building used as a dwelling shall be provided with open spaces equivalent in location and dimensions to the side yards as prescribed in preceding Subsection B(2), (3) and (4) for similar occupancy.
(a)
Rear yard. A building not used in whole or in part as a dwelling shall not require a rear yard, but for all buildings used as dwellings, there shall be a rear yard, the depth of which, exclusive of any portion of the depth to be used for accessory buildings, shall not be less than 15% of the depth of the lot but need not exceed 15 feet. In case of mixed occupancy, any portion of a building used as a dwelling shall be provided with a rear yard as prescribed in the preceding subsection.
(b)
Lot area per family. The minimum requirements as to lot area per family housed thereon shall be as follows: one-family dwelling, not less than 1,500 square feet; multiple dwelling and/or apartment building not exceeding three stories in height, not less than 2,000 square feet; provided, however, that the required lot area per family may be reduced up to 10% for a corner lot.
§ 310-17 Area exceptions.
[Amended 9-12-1989 by Ord. No. 401]
The following exceptions to the provisions of the "Area" sections of the district regulations shall be permitted by the Zoning Officer in the districts indicated:
A.
Detached minor garage or minor parking area located within a rear yard — in any district. On an interior non-through lot, a detached enclosed minor garage or a minor parking area may be located in the rear corner thereof, not closer than three feet to the rear and side lot lines and shall not occupy more than 1/3 of the area of the required rear yard. On an interior through lot, such garage or parking area may be located in the rear corner thereof not closer than three feet to the side lot line and not closer than five feet to the rear lot line.
B.
Detached unenclosed minor garage and/or minor parking area — in any district. When the entire side of a detached unenclosed minor garage (sometimes called "carport") and/or minor parking area abuts a side lot line, such garage and/or minor parking area may extend to within three feet of said side lot line.
C.
Projection into yards. In any district except where otherwise noted hereunder:
(1)
Cornices, eaves, belt courses, sills, canopies or other similar architectural features—not including bay windows or vertical projections—may extend or project into a required side yard not more than three inches for each one foot of width of such side yard and may extend or project into a required front or rear yard not more than 30 inches. Chimneys also may project into a required front or rear yard not more than 30 inches. Chimneys also may project into a required side yard not more than one foot, provided the width of such side yard is not reduced to less than four feet.
(2)
Open fire escapes may extend or project into any side or rear yard not more than four feet from the building. No open fire escapes shall be permitted in front yards.
(3)
Open balconies not covered by a roof or canopy which extend above the level of the first floor of the building may be erected:
(4)
Open structures such as porches, platforms, or landing places which do not extend above the first floor of any building may be erected: in required front or rear yards, provided such structures are not more than eight feet in depth and not nearer an abutting lot line than the required width of side yard; and in required side yards abutting streets when the buildable area of the lot is not closer to the street than the buildable area of abutting zoning lots on such street, provided that such structures are not more than eight feet in depth. The space underneath the projecting porch or platform may serve as part of an interior minor garage, provided no portion of the garage extends above the adjoining ground level or farther into the yard than the open porch or platform and no garage doors open outward.
(5)
The following fences, landscape features, and guard railings may be permitted, provided such structures or features are not located so as to preclude complete access, at all times, about a main building; gates or other suitable openings at least 2 1/2 feet in width shall be deemed adequate for such access:
(a)
Open ornamental fences, hedges, landscape architectural features or guard railings around depressed ramps, in any yard, if maintained at a height of not more than four feet above the ground level adjacent thereto.
(b)
Railings not more than 3 1/2 feet in height constructed on any balcony, stairway, porch, or landing platform.
(c)
Landscape features such as trees, shrubs, or flowers, in any yard, provided they do not constitute a hedge effect contrary to the provisions.
(d)
Fences or latticework screens or walls not more than six feet in height, or hedges or thick growths of shrubs maintained so as not to exceed said height in any required side or rear yard, provided they do not extend closer to a street than the buildable area of the lot.
(e)
In Industrial Districts, screening walls and fences may be located in any required side or rear yard except on corner lots or through lots where the yards abut streets. Such walls or fences shall not exceed 10 feet.