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Waukesha City Zoning Code

22.32 RM-3

Multi-Family Residential District

  1. PURPOSE. To provide for multi-family residential development at densities not exceeding 21.8 dwelling units per net acre for efficiency apartments; 17.4 dwelling units per net acre for one-bedroom apartments, and 14.5 dwelling units per net acre for two-bedroom apartments, and 12.4 dwelling units per net acre for three bedroom or larger apartments; 9.7 dwelling units per net acre for two-family units; and 5.5 dwelling units per net acre for single-family dwellings.
  2. PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES.
    1. Single-family dwellings.
    2. Two-family dwellings.
    3. Multi-family dwellings.
    4. Community living arrangements which have a capacity for fifteen (15) or fewer persons, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 62.23(7)(i) of the Wisconsin Statutes.
    5. Foster family homes.
    6. Family day care homes.
    7. Essential services.
  3. PERMITTED ACCESSORY USES.
    1. Detached garages and carports.
    2. Gardening, tool, and storage sheds.
    3. Home occupations and professional home offices.
    4. Roof-mounted solar collectors provided that a registered engineer or registered architect shall certify that the structure is adequate to support the load.
    5. Earth station dish antennas located on the roof of the principal or accessory structure or in the rear yard. Where the earth station dish is roof-mounted, a registered engineer or registered architect shall certify that the structure is adequate to support the load.
  4. CONDITIONAL USES.
    1. Bed and breakfast establishments as regulated in Section 22.24(4)(a).
    2. Churches and other places of worship and Sunday school buildings.
    3. Meeting places of a noncommercial nature provided that no structure shall be erected closer than twenty-five (25) feet to any lot line.
    4. Community living arrangements which have a capacity of sixteen (16) or more persons.
    5. Home Industries.
    6. Housing for the elderly provided that the density of such housing shall not exceed twenty-two (22) units per acre and shall meet the minimum per unit building area specified below.
    7. Nursing homes provided that all principal structures are not closer than fifty (50) feet to a lot line, unless approved by the Plan Commission.
    8. Rooming houses.
    9. Schools and colleges for academic instruction.
    10. (Am. #51-05) Utility substations, municipal wells, pumping stations, and towers.
    11. Wireless communications facilities as set forth and under conditions authorized in Section 22.21.
  5. LOT AREA AND WIDTH.
    1. Lots shall be a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) square feet in area, and no dwelling unit shall have a lot area of less than the following:
      1. Single-family dwellings - eight thousand (8,000) square feet per dwelling unit.
      2. Two-family dwellings - four thousand five hundred (4,500) square feet per dwelling unit.
      3. Efficiency apartments - two thousand (2,000) square feet per dwelling unit.
      4. One-bedroom apartments - two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet per dwelling unit.
      5. Two-bedroom apartments - three thousand (3,000) square feet per dwelling unit.
      6. Three-bedroom or larger apartments - three thousand five hundred (3,500) square feet per dwelling unit.
    2. No lot shall be less than seventy (70) feet in width. Corner lots shall be not less than eighty (80) feet in width.
  6. BUILDING HEIGHT AND AREA.
    1. (Am. #11-16) No principal building or part of a principal building shall exceed forty (40) feet in height. Accessory buildings shall be less than twenty (20) feet tall and shall not exceed the height of the principal structure.
    2. The total minimum floor area of a principal single-family building shall be one thousand (1,000) square feet.
    3. The total minimum floor area of a principal two-family building shall be one thousand eight hundred (1,800) square feet per structure and nine hundred (900) square feet per dwelling unit.
    4. The total minimum floor area of a multi-family building shall be as follows:
      1. Efficiency dwelling unit - three hundred (300) square feet per dwelling unit.
      2. One-bedroom dwelling unit - four hundred fifty (450) square feet per dwelling unit.
      3. Two-bedroom or larger dwelling unit - six hundred (600) square feet per dwelling unit.
      4. Three-bedroom or larger -- add one hundred (100) square feet of total floor area for each additional bedroom.
  7. SETBACK AND YARDS.
    1. There shall be a minimum street yard setback of twenty-five (25) feet from any street right-of-way.
    2. There shall be a side yard on each side of all buildings of not less than ten (10) feet in width.
    3. There shall be a rear yard of not less than forty-five (45) feet.
    4. There shall be a minimum shoreyard setback of seventy-five (75) feet from the ordinary highwater mark of a navigable body of water.
  8. EROSION CONTROL. The uses and structures in the RM-3 District are subject to Chapter 32 of the City of Waukesha Municipal Code, Chapter 21 of the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, and any other applicable State laws and administrative rules.
  9. PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE PLAN COMMISSION. (Am. #38-02) To encourage a multi-family residential environment that is compatible with the residential character of the City, building permits for permitted uses in the RM-3 District, except single-family and two-family dwellings, shall not be issued nor shall any substantial changes be made to any site improvements without review and approval of the Plan Commission in accordance with Section 22.15. Plan Commission review shall include consideration of such factors as open space utilization, ingress, egress, parking, landscaping, building plans and the general layout in relationship to the surrounding area.
  10. PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS. (Cr. #38-02) The restrictions on lot area, lot width, building height, setbacks, and yards may be reduced or increased if the property is part of a Planned Unit Development Overlay District in accordance with Section 22.52.

(Rep. & recr. #66-01) (Repealed and replaced #2020-14)