Quincy City Zoning Code
SECTION 4
0 Dimensional Regulations
4.1 Table of Dimensional Requirements.
4.1.1.
Conformance. No building or structure shall be built nor shall any existing building or structure be enlarged which does not conform to the Table of Dimensional Requirements, except as may be otherwise provided.
District | Max. Floor Area Ratio | Min. Lot Area (sq. ft.) | Min. Lot Area Per D.U. (sq. ft.) | Min. Yard (ft.) | Min. Lot Front-age and Lot Width (ft.) | Green Area Open Space Per D.U. (sq. ft.) | Max. Num-ber Stories | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front | Side | Rear | |||||||
Res. A | None | 7,650 | 7,650 | 251 | 13 | 20 | 85 | None | 2.5 |
Res .B | |||||||||
1 to 3 units | 0.4 | 6,750 | 3,000 | 25 | 13 | 25 | 75 | 700 | 3 |
4 to 5 units | 0.4 | 6,750 | 4,000 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 75 | 700 | 3 |
6 to 16 units | 0.5 | 6,750 | 4,500 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 75 | 1,000 | 3 |
17 units and up | 0.5 | 6,750 | 4,500 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 75 | 1,000 | 3 |
Res. C | 1 | 14,000 | 2,000 | 1/2 the height of the building but in no case less than 25 | 100 | 400 | 6 | ||
Bus. A2 | 0.75 | 5,000 | None | 15 | 15 | 15 | 40 | None | 3 |
Bus. B2 | 1.5 | 5,000 | None | 153 | 15 | 20 | 60 | None | 4 |
Bus. C2 | 3.5 | 5,000 | None | None | None | 20 | 60 | None | 6 |
Ind. A | 1 | None | None | 253 | 253 | 253 | 50 | None | 4 |
Ind. B | 2 | None | None | 253 | 253 | 253 | 50 | None | 8 |
4.1.2.
Notes to table. The Table of Dimensional Requirements does not contain any requirements for the Open Space, Planned Unit Development, Planned Unit Development 1, and Downtown Districts. See Section 8.0 for these requirements.
1.
In Residence A Districts buildings shall be set back so as to conform to the average alignment of dwellings already erected on the same side of the street within 300 feet on each side of the lot, except that no building shall be set back less than 25 feet and no building shall be set back more than 55 feet.
2.
Multifamily residence and mixed use of a building are permitted within a Business A and B District with the issuance of a special permit in accordance with the standards and procedures of Section 9.4 by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Residential buildings and uses within Business A Districts obtaining special permit, as provided herein, shall conform to all requirements of Residential B Districts. Residential buildings and uses within Business B Districts obtaining special permits, as provided herein, shall conform to all the requirements of Residence C Districts. Multifamily residences and mixed use of a building are permitted within a Business C District with approved site plan from the Planning Board in accordance with Section 9.5, provided that residential buildings and uses within a Business C District have a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 3.5, minimum lot size of 42,000 square feet, minimum lot area per dwelling unit of 500 square feet, minimum front, rear and side yards of 1/4 the height of the building, minimum lot frontage and lot width of 100 feet and minimum open space per dwelling unit of 100 square feet. The site plans of a building containing 12 units or more must be reviewed by the Planning Board.
[Amended 6-1-2020 by Order No. 2020-012]
3.
Applies only to buildings hereafter constructed.
4.
Notwithstanding the number of allowable stories, no residential building shall be more than 60 feet above the existing average grade; buildings with commercial uses shall not be more than 80 feet above existing average grade. In no case shall any building exceed six stories. Any commercial building with residential housing will be subject to the six-story above-grade limitation. These amendments shall not apply to any buildings for which a permit to construct a foundation was issued prior to January 1, 1987.
[Amended 6-1-2020 by Order No. 2020-012]
5.
In a Residential A and B District, no residential building, notwithstanding the number of allowable stories, shall exceed 35 feet in height, measured from the highest point of the structure to the average existing finished grade at the footprint of the building, notwithstanding the definition of "height."
[Amended 6-1-2020 by Order No. 2020-012]
4.2 General requirements.
4.2.2.
Lot or yard areas. The lot or yard areas required for any new building or use may not include any part of a lot that is required by any other building or use to comply with any requirements of this chapter.
4.2.3.
Dwelling unit equivalents. For residential uses permitted in residence and business districts which are not divided into dwelling units, each 100 square feet of gross floor area of the building shall be considered equivalent to one dwelling unit for the purposes of computing minimum lot area and requirements.
4.2.4.
Building bulk. For any building or group on a lot, the ratio of gross floor area to lot area shall not exceed the maximum specified in the Table of Dimensional Requirements.
4.2.5.
Lot size, area and width. Where minimum lot requirements are established in the Table of Dimensional Requirements, no building or use shall be erected or established on any lot of lesser size.
4.2.6.
Minimum frontage and width. Where a minimum lot frontage and lot width is specified in the Table of Dimensional Requirements, no principal structure shall be erected on any part of a lot which has a width less than is specified in said table.
4.2.7.
Open space. Every lot in a Residence B and C District shall include usable open space having not less than the minimum area for each residence district as specified in the Table of Dimensional Requirements.
1.
Minimum dimension for eligible open space. Open space shall be deemed eligible for calculating the open space requirement as specified above only if each dimension is at least five feet.
2.
Patios and balconies. The minimum requirement for open space per each dwelling unit in a Residence C District having a patio or exterior balcony may be reduced by 50% of the total area of such balcony, but in no case more than 50 square feet.
4.2.8.
Fences and hedges. Fences shall not be higher than six feet. Fences and hedges shall not be higher than three feet within 10 feet of the front lot line.
4.3 Yards.
4.3.2.
Minimum requirements. Where a minimum front, side and rear yard is specified in the Table of Dimensional Requirements, an open area of at least the specified dimensions shall be provided between the front, side and rear lot lines and the nearest point of any building or structure except as may be permitted hereafter. Every part of the required yard shall be open to the sky and unobstructed except for the ordinary projection of the belt courses, sills, skylights and ornamental features projecting from the building not more than 12 inches, and of cornices and gutters projecting from the building not more than 24 inches. Awnings, arbors, and fences shall not be considered obstructions when located within a required yard.
4.3.3.
Appurtenances projecting into yards. Projecting eaves, chimneys, bay window, balconies, open fire escapes and like projections which do not project more than three feet, and unenclosed steps, unroofed porches and the like which do not project more than six feet beyond the line of the foundation wall and which are not over four feet above the average level of the adjoining ground, may extend into the minimum yard otherwise required for the district in which the structure is built.
4.3.4.
Certain structures. Swimming pools shall not be considered structures for the purpose of compliance with minimum yard requirements and shall otherwise be regulated by the State Building Code. Laundry drying equipment shall not be allowed within any required yard or in front of the principal structure. Pool-appurtenant landings, decks, machinery and accessories must meet yard requirements.
[Amended 6-1-2020 by Order No. 2020-012]
4.3.5.
Front yard requirements for lots abutting more than one street. On lots abutting streets on more than one side, the front yard requirements of each of the abutting streets shall apply regardless of designated front lot lines. The remaining sides shall be subject to side yard requirements.
4.3.6.
Exceptions to yard regulations.
1.
Residence A District. In a Residence A District, for lots less than 75 feet in width at the time of the enactment of this chapter, the sum of the width of both side yards for a single-family dwelling may be reduced by one foot for each five feet that the lot is less than 75 feet in width. In no case shall any side yard be less than 10 feet.
2.
Residence B District. In a Residence B District, for a multifamily dwelling of between four units and 16 units, no side yard shall be less than 15 feet. For a multifamily dwelling in excess of 16 units, each side yard shall be not less than 20 feet.
3.
Wall. Where a wall of a building is not parallel with its corresponding lot line, the average width or depth of any yard or setback shall not be less than the dimension specified in the Table of Dimensional Requirements for the required width or depth, provided that said yard or setback shall not be less at any point than 3/4 the required width or depth.
4.4 Special requirements.
4.4.2.
Exceptions to height requirements. The provisions of this chapter governing the height of buildings and structures in all districts shall not apply to chimneys, water towers, air-conditioning equipment, elevator bulkheads, skylights, ventilators and other necessary features appurtenant to buildings which are usually carried above roofs and are not used for human occupancy, provided that these features are located or screened so as to be not visible from any point on grade within 500 feet of a lot line of a building so equipped; nor to domes, towers, or spires above buildings if such features are not used for human occupancy; nor to wireless or broadcasting towers and other like unenclosed structures; nor to accessory parking facilities completely located under ground level.
4.4.3.
Certain districts abutting residence districts. In a business or industrial district which abuts a residence district at a street lot line, the front yard of the residence district shall apply to any building constructed within a distance of 100 feet from the residence district boundary line along said street lot line except where such building is separated by a street from the residence district.