The purpose of this article is to establish residential districts designed to promote and protect public health, safety, comfort, convenience, and other aspects of the general welfare. These general goals include, among others, the following specific purposes:

A.

To provide sufficient space in appropriate locations for residential development to meet the housing needs of the city's present and expected future population, with allowance for a choice of sites and building types;

B.

To protect residential areas, as far as reasonable, from heavy traffic and through traffic;

C.

To protect residential areas from congestion, by regulating the density of population and the bulk of buildings in relation to the land around them and to one another, and by providing for off-street parking spaces;

D.

To require the provision of open space and a maximum conservation of beach, lake front, river front, and protection of ravines and watercourses in residential areas;

E.

To provide for access of light and air to windows and for privacy by controls over the spacing and height of buildings and other Structures;

F.

To provide appropriate space for those public and private educational, recreational, health, and similar facilities, which serve the needs of nearby residents, which generally perform their own activities more effectively in a residential environment, and which do not create objectionable influences;

G.

To promote the most desirable use of land and direction of building development in accord with an adopted comprehensive plan, and to promote stability of residential development.

6.2.1.

Intent. To establish and preserve single-family neighborhoods free from other uses except those which are both compatible with and convenient to the residents of such districts, and to maintain the character and integrity of existing residential areas predominantly comprised of single-family dwellings.

6.2.2.

Authorized Uses. In an R1 Single-Family Residence District, no building or land shall be used and no building shall be erected or relocated, except for one or more of the use classes allowed by right, by right with conditions or by special use permit as listed on Table 4-2, Section 4.6.4. Use classes and examples are defined on Table 4-1, Section 4.6.3.

6.2.3.

Accessory Buildings, Structures and Uses, Parking and Signs.

A.

Accessory uses listed in Table 4-3, Section 4.6.5 are permitted with any additional requirements as listed on the table, or in Article III.

B.

Signs; see Chapter 25—Code of Ordinances of the City of St. Joseph, Michigan.

C.

Vehicle parking; see Article XVIII.

6.2.4.

Special Uses and Conditional Uses. The special uses specified in Table 4-2, Section 4.6.4, shall be allowed provided they meet the specified standards imposed for a particular use and subject further to the standards and procedures of Article XI, Special Use and Conditional Use Regulations.

6.2.5.

Planned Unit Developments. Any uses permitted in Single-Family Residence Districts may be allowed by planned unit development, provided they meet the standards and procedures of Article XIII, Planned Unit Development Regulations.

6.2.6.

Dimensional Requirements. All lots of record shall conform to the minimum dimensions for lot area, lot width, front, rear and side yards, maximum lot coverage, minimum floor area and maximum height of buildings specified in the schedule of district regulations in Article V of this ordinance, except as otherwise stated in the above text of this district or as modified by Article III, General Provisions, Article XI, Special Use and Conditional Use Regulations or Article XIII, Planned Unit Development Regulations, or as varied by the zoning board of appeals pursuant to Article XV of this ordinance.

6.3.1.

Intent. It is the intent of this district to provide for a diverse residential environment by allowing medium density residential development. This district shall establish and preserve quiet neighborhoods of single and two-family homes free from other uses except those which are both compatible with and convenient to the residents of such a district.

6.3.2.

Authorized Uses. In an R2 Two-Family Residence District, no building or land shall be used and no building shall be erected or relocated, except for one or more of the uses allowed by right, by right with conditions or by special use permit as listed on Table 4-2, Section 4.6.4.

6.3.3.

Accessory Buildings, Structures and Uses, Parking and Signs.

A.

Accessory uses listed in Table 4-3, Section 4.6.5 are permitted with any additional requirements as listed on the table, or in Article III.

B.

Signs; see Chapter 25—Code of Ordinances of the City of St. Joseph, Michigan.

C.

Vehicle parking; see Article XVIII.

6.3.4.

Special Uses and Conditional Uses. The special uses specified in Table 4-2, Section 4.6.4, shall be allowed provided they meet the specified standards imposed for a particular use and subject further to the standards and procedures of Article XI, Special Use and Conditional Use Regulations.

6.3.5.

Planned Unit Developments. Any uses permitted in Two-Family Residence Districts may be allowed by planned unit development, provided they meet the standards and procedures of Article XIII, Planned Unit Development Regulations.

6.3.6.

Dimensional Requirements. All lots of record shall conform to the minimum dimensions for lot area, lot width, front, rear and side yards, maximum lot coverage, minimum floor area and maximum height of buildings specified in the schedule of district regulations in Article V of this ordinance, except as otherwise stated in the above text of this district or as modified by Article III, General Provisions, Article XI, Special Use and Conditional Use Regulations or Article XIII, Planned Unit Development Regulations, or as varied by the zoning board of appeals pursuant to Article XV of this ordinance.

6.4.1.

Intent. To provide sites for multiple-family dwelling structures and related densities of dwellings which generally serve the residential needs of persons desiring an apartment-type of accommodation with central services as opposed to the residential patterns found in single and two-family residential districts. The multiple-family district is further provided to serve as a zone of transition between nonresidential districts and lower density residential districts. This district is further intended to permit boarding and lodging houses under specified maximum capacities. Manufactured housing parks are also permitted (See Table 4.2). Short-term rentals shall be allowed for multiple-family structures within the R-3 district in accordance with Chapter 8 of the General Code of Ordinances.

6.4.2.

Authorized Uses. In an R3 Multiple-Family Residence District, no building or land shall be used and no building shall be erected or relocated, except for one or more of the uses allowed by right, by right with conditions or by special use permit as listed on Table 4-2, Section 4.6.4.

6.4.3.

Accessory Buildings, Structures and Uses, Parking and Signs.

A.

Accessory uses listed in Table 4-3, Section 4.6.5 are permitted with any additional requirements as listed on the table, or in Article III.

B.

Signs; see Chapter 25—Code of Ordinances of the City of St. Joseph, Michigan.

C.

Vehicle parking; see Article XVIII.

6.4.4.

Special Uses and Conditional Uses. The special uses specified in Table 4-2, Section 4.6.4, shall be allowed provided they meet the specified standards imposed for a particular use and subject further to the standards and procedures of Article XI, Special Use and Conditional Use Regulations.

6.4.5.

Planned Unit Developments. Any uses permitted in Multiple-Family Residence Districts may be allowed by planned unit development, provided they meet the standards and procedures of Article XIII, Planned Unit Development Regulations.

6.4.6.

Dimensional Requirements. All lots of record shall conform to the minimum dimensions for lot area, lot width, front, rear and side yards, maximum lot coverage, minimum floor area and maximum height of buildings specified in the schedule of district regulations in Article V of this ordinance, except as otherwise stated in the above text of this district or as modified by Article III, General Provisions, Article XI, Special Use and Conditional Use Regulations or Article XIII, Planned Unit Development Regulations, or as varied by the zoning board of appeals pursuant to Article XV of this ordinance.