Rock Hall City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IX
Supplementary Height, Area, and Bulk Regulations
§ 225-9-1 Purpose.
The regulations set forth in this article qualify or supplement the district regulations appearing elsewhere in this chapter.
§ 225-9-2 Mixed uses.
Where more than 25% of the total floor area of any structure in a commercial district other than the C-3 District is used for dwelling purposes, in a structure which may also contain nonresidential uses, the minimum height, area and bulk requirements for residential development applicable in the district in which such structure is located shall apply, subject to the side yard modification for mixed uses contained elsewhere in this article. Where 25% or less of the total floor area of such structure is used for dwelling purposes, the structure shall be subject to the height, area and bulk requirements applicable to nonresidential structures in the district.
§ 225-9-3 Height modifications.
A.
Except within an area defined as an airport approach zone by the Federal Aviation Agency, the height limitations of this chapter shall not apply to:
§ 225-9-4 Lot area.
A.
If the owner of a lot in any district does not own a parcel or tract of land immediately adjacent to such lot and if such lot was of record prior to the application of any zoning regulations and restrictions to the premises and if such lot does not conform to the requirements of such regulations and restrictions as to width of lots and lot area, the provisions of such lot area and lot width regulations and restrictions shall not prevent the owner of such lot from erecting a single-family dwelling or making other improvements on the lot, provided that such improvements conform in all other respects to applicable zoning regulations and restrictions.
§ 225-9-5 Lot averaging.
Where single-family detached dwellings have a minimum lot area requirement of 10,500 square feet, individual lot area may be reduced to 9,000 square feet so long as the overall average lot size in the subdivision is 10,500 square feet.
For example, |
10 lots at 9,000 square feet each |
10 lots at 12,000 square feet each |
--------------------------------------------------- |
20 lots at 210,000 square feet = 10,500 square foot average lot size |
§ 225-9-6 General yard and open space regulations.
A.
Whenever a lot abuts upon a public alley, 1/2 of the alley width may be considered as a portion of the required yard.
B.
Where these regulations refer to side streets, the Administrator shall be guided by the pattern of development in the vicinity of the lot in question in determining which of two streets, if any, is the side street. If the Administrator decides that both streets are main streets, the front yard setback shall apply to both streets.
C.
Every part of a required yard shall be open to the sky, except as authorized by this chapter, and excepting ordinary projections of sills, belt courses, window air conditioning units, chimneys, cornices and ornamental features which may project to a distance not to exceed 24 inches into a required yard.
D.
E.
In the event that a lot is to be occupied by a group of two or more related structures to be used for residential purposes, there may be more than one main structure on the lot when such structures are arranged around a court, provided that said court, between structures that are parallel or within 45° of being parallel, shall have a minimum width of 30 feet for one-story structures, 40 feet for two-story structures and 50 feet for structures of three stories or more, and in no case may such structures be closer to each other than 20 feet.
F.
Where a court is more than 50% surrounded by a structure, the minimum width of the court shall be at least 30 feet for one-story structures, 40 feet for two-story structures and 50 feet for three-story structures.
§ 225-9-7 Front yards.
A.
Where an official right-of-way line has been established for an existing street or for the future widening or opening of a street upon which a lot abuts, the depth of a front or side yard shall be measured from such official line to the nearest line of the structure.
B.
On through lots, the required front yard shall be provided on each street.
C.
There shall be a front yard of at least 15 feet on the side street of a corner lot in any district.
D.
Open, unenclosed porches, platforms or paved terraces, not covered by a roof or canopy and which do not extend above the level of the first floor of the structure, may extend or project into the front or side yard not more than six feet.
E.
Where 25% or more of the street frontage, or where 25% or more of the street frontage within 400 feet of the property in question, is improved with structures that have a front yard (with a variation of six feet or less) that is greater or less than the required front yard in the district, no structure shall project beyond the average front yard so established; provided, however, that a depth of front yard of more than 50% in excess of the depth of the required front yard in the district in which the lot is located shall not be required. Where 40% or more of the street frontage is improved with structures that have no front yard, no front yard shall be required for the remainder of the street frontage.
§ 225-9-8 Side yards.
A.
Where a structure in a commercial district other than the C-3 District is subject to the height, area and bulk requirements applicable to residential development under § 225-9-2 of this article, the side yard requirements for residential development shall be applied only to the lowest floor and all floors above it which contain more than 25% of its area used for dwelling purposes. All floors shall be subject to side yards required by these regulations for commercial structures adjacent to residential districts.
B.
For the purpose of the side yard regulations, a group of business or industrial structures separated by common or party walls shall be considered as one structure occupying one lot.
C.
The minimum width of side yards for schools, libraries, churches, community houses and other public and semipublic structures in residential districts shall be 25 feet, except where a side yard is adjacent to a business or industrial district, in which case the width of that yard shall be as required for the district in which the structure is located.
§ 225-9-9 Rear yards.
Open or lattice-enclosed fire escapes, outside stairways and balconies opening upon fire towers and the ordinary projections of chimneys and flues may project into the required rear yard for a distance of not more than five feet, but only where the same are so placed as not to obstruct light and ventilation.
§ 225-9-10 Visibility at intersections.
No sign, fence wall, hedge, planting or other obstruction to vision, extending to a height in excess of three feet above the established street grade, shall be erected, planted or maintained within the area of a corner lot that is included between the lines of the intersecting streets and a straight line connecting them at points 20 feet distant from the intersection of the street lines.