Sparta Township City Zoning Code
§ 18-4.3
Principal and Accessory Building or Structure.
[Ord. No. 636 A 403; Ord. No. 649; Ord. No. 665; Ord. No. 691 § III; Ord. No. 720 §§ V, VI; Ord. No. 841 XII-XVI; Ord. No. 02-20 § 6; Ord. No. 04-05 § 14; Ord. No. 05-03 § 6; Ord. No. 07-08 §§ 4, 9]
No lot in the Township may contain more than one principal structure except as provided herein by Subsection 18-4.8d. No accessory structure may be built on any lot on which there is no principal building or structure. Unless otherwise regulated in this chapter, accessory structures shall meet the following conditions:
a.
Accessory Structures in Residential Zones.
1.
Except for accessory structures in connection with agricultural uses, accessory structures shall not exceed 16 feet and 1 1/2 stories in height.
2.
Accessory structures shall not be permitted in the front yard. Accessory structures located in a side yard, other than decks, shall meet the side yard requirements of the principal building and shall not be connected to or mounted on the principal building unless otherwise permitted in the zone. Where decks are permitted as an accessory structure, the following minimum side yard setbacks are required:
R-1 zone | 20 feet |
R-2 zone | 10 feet |
R-3 zone | 10 feet |
RR zone | 20 feet |
3.
Accessory structures, other than decks, erected in the rear yard shall be set back from a side or rear property line in accordance with the following schedule:
R-1 zone | 15 feet |
R-2 zone | 10 feet |
R-3 zone | 10 feet |
RR zone | 15 feet |
RC-1 zone | 15 feet |
RC-2 zone | 15 feet |
Where decks are permitted as an accessory structure, the following minimum rear yard setbacks may be provided: |
R-1 zone | 65 feet |
R-2 zone | 40 feet |
R-3 zone | 25 feet or 35 feet if lot abuts a lake |
RR zone | 65 feet |
The construction of a deck as an accessory structure shall not modify the existing yard setback for the principal structure. Decks which encroach within the minimum yard setback requirements of the zone may not be converted to become part of the principal structure. |
4.
Accessory structures such as boathouses or docks may be placed along the waterfront of a lot having such frontage, regardless of rear yard requirements.
5.
Except for accessory structures used in connection with agricultural uses, the total ground floor area of all accessory structures on a lot shall not exceed the ground floor area of the principal building.
6.
No accessory structure shall be used as a dwelling.
7.
With the exception of farm uses, there shall be no more than three accessory structures per lot. Excepting farms, the combined ground floor area of all accessory structures, exclusive of a sole inground pool and a two car detached garage, shall not exceed 1/2 of the ground floor area of the principal building. With the exception of accessory structures on farms, in no event shall the ground floor area of any accessory building exceed the ground floor area of the principal structure.
8.
Satellite receiving dish antennas greater than three feet in diameter shall be considered accessory structures and shall conform to the yard requirements for the zone wherein they are located.
9.
Pool houses shall be permitted as an accessory structure and shall adhere to the following standards.
(a)
The lot must have a principal structure.
(b)
Minimum lot size shall be five acres.
(c)
The pool house is only permitted in the side and rear yards.
(d)
The pool house shall adhere to the setback standards of the zone for the principal structure.
(e)
The pool house shall have direct access to the pool decking.
(f)
The architecture shall be compatible with the principal structure.
(g)
The structure may not be used for sleeping quarters.
(h)
The height of the structure shall not exceed 16 feet and 1 1/2 stories.
(i)
The maximum size shall not exceed 600 square feet.
10.
Residential Lots with Double Frontage on Parallel Streets. Accessory structures and uses shall be permitted within the building setback area of the front yard of the rear portion of the house. The rear portion of the house is considered the facade opposite the front door and shall be consistent with the neighborhood character.
b.
Accessory Structures in All Other Districts. For the purposes of this chapter, accessory structures in all other districts shall meet the height and yard requirements for principal buildings. No such accessory building shall be located closer to another building or property line than the height of the shorter building.
c.
Prohibited Accessory Structures in all Zones.
1.
Any accessory structures not associated with the function of the principal use or structure.
2.
Tent structures, do not include temporary party or display tents as permitted under the chapter.
3.
External Furnaces and Boilers. External furnaces and boilers are prohibited in all zones and no accessory structure shall be permitted to house or enclose a furnace or boiler for the purposes of heating the principal structure in any zone district.