HomeMy WebLinkAboutA7 Sec. 29.401. LOT CONFIGURATION, BUILDING COVERAGE, FLOOR AREA RATIOS,
AND HEIGHT EXCEPTIONS.
(1) Lot Configuration.
(c) Flag Lots. Flag lots may be created only if they are in accordance with the following
requirements:
(i) Only one flag lot, consisting of a"front lot" and a"rear lot," may be created from
a lot of record.
(ii) The "Rear lot" shall include an"access strip" no less than 35 feet wide for its entire
length, providing access to and from a public street.
(iii) For flag lots that are proposed to be created in residential zones, both the "front lot"
and the "rear lot"that are created after the effective date of this ordinance shall have an area that
is equal to 10,000 square feet or 150%of the lot area for the zone in which the flag lots are
proposed to be created, whichever is greater. In all other zoning districts both the"front lot" and
the "rear lot" shall conform to all minimum lot area and other dimensional standards applicable
to the zone in which the lots are located provided, however, that the "access strip" serving the
rear lot shall not be included in computing the minimum lot area for the"front" and"rear" lot.
(iv) The front property line of the rear lot is deemed coincident with the rear property
line of the front lot.
(v) The front setback of the"rear lot" and the rear setback of the "front lot" for flag lots
created in residential zones shall be 11/2 times the distance of the setbacks that are established for
all other lots in the same residential zoning district.
"The following requirements states all the following must be met so no conjunction is
needed.
Sec. 29.402. SETBACKS.
(2) Extensions into Required Building Setbacks.
(a) Principal Buildings.
(ii) Full projections allowed. In addition to the minor projections listed in the
previous section, the following features are allowed to full-project into reauired setbacks:
a. Canopies, marquees, awnings and similar features in commercial and industrial
zones;
b. Stairways and wheelchair ramps and associated handrails that lead directly to a
building entrance;
c. Driveways, patios, sidewalks, and similar at-grade surfaces;
d. Uncovered decks no higher than 24 inches above finished grade;
o. Flagpoles and lamp op Les;
p. Signs (as otherwise allowed by code
(iii) Porches. A porch may project into the required front yard not more than . . ..
"Following are allowed with no joining conjunction between listings implies any of the listed
items are allowed and does not required all the items.
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Sec. 29.406. OFF-STREET PARKING.
(3) Computation of Parking Spaces. For purposes of computing the minimum required
parking spaces pursuant to Section 29.406(2), the following rules apply:
(a) When computing parking spaces based on floor area, areas used for parking are not
counted.
(b) When parking is required on the basis of square footage, gross square shall be used to
calculate parking unless otherwise stated.
(c) Where calculations yield a fractional result, fractions of 0.5 or greater shall be rounded to
the higher whole number.
**The following rules qpply requires all the following so no conjunction is needed.
(7) Locating Parking Spaces in Front Yard.
(c) Under no circumstances shall vehicular parking be permitted in the front yard of any
residential building in any "RL", "RM", "RH", "UCRM", "FS-RL", or "FS-RM" zones, except
upon a driveway that leads to the side or rear yard or to an attached garage; and, one parking
space is permitted in the front yard in the case where there is an existing, one car attached garage
and there is insufficient room between the side of the attached garage and the side property line.
Such space shall meet the following requirements:
i) The parking space shall not exceed nine (9) feet in width;
ii) The parking space shall be contiguous to and parallel to the existing driveway, and,
iii) The parking space shall be located between the existing driveway and the side
property line.
**The shall meet following requirements means all need to be met so no conjunction is
needed, but "and"is included anyway,
(9) Parking Space and Vehicle Aisle Dimensions.
(c) If the degree of angle of parking provided is not listed in Figure 29.406(9), the aisle width
required shall be the next largest angle of parking shown in Figure 29.406(9). In circumstances
where a strict application would result in unnecessary practical difficulties, the Zoning Board of
Adjustment may, after notice and hearing, authorize such specific, limited exceptions to the
above table of dimensions as it shall find warranted and consistent with:
(i) protecting landscaping features; and
(ii) adequate space for maneuvering of trucks, vans and full-sized passenger vehicles.
**Limited exceptions shall be consistent with could be either "and"or an "or"with the
conjunction "and"used showing both requirements were needed for an exception.
(10) Driveways. Driveways to all parking facilities shall be designed to promote safety and
access
management while providing convenient access to adjoining properties. Driveway width and
design characteristics shall be as specified in the Design Manual of the Statewide Urban Design
and Specifications (SUDAS) as adopted by the City of Ames. Driveway width shall be the
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specified minimum unless the City Traffic Engineer approves a wider driveway width (not
to exceed SUDAS maximum) based upon either of the following criteria:
a. The extra driveway width is necessary to accommodate design dimension characteristics of
vehicles that use the site; or
b. The extra driveway width is necessary to resolve concerns over safe approach and volume
of traffic entering and exiting the site.
"Shall be unless either of the exemptions are met so no conjunction is needed but is
included with an "or"to complete "either or"phrase
Sec. 29.408. OTHER GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
(4) Mechanical Units.
(a) Screening Required. For all uses, except for single-family and two-family dwellings, all
mechanical units located on the ground shall be screened from ground level view from abutting
streets by a sight obscuring fence and/or shrubs that achieve a minimum opacity of
approximately 75%. Such fence and/or shrubs shall be at least six inches higher than the height
of the mechanical equipment. All mechanical equipment mounted on roofs, or on the walls of
buildings, shall be screened from the ground level view from both abutting streets and of any
abutting residentially zoned lot with materials that are the same color as the principal siding or
trim materials of the exterior of the building. Required screening shall be completely opaque, and
shall ensure that at least 75% of the height of the mechanical unit is screened or otherwise
unseen.
(b) Screening Exemptions. Screening of mechanical units is not required in the following
instances:
(i) Wall-mounted meters and associated panels on a non-street facing side or rear facade,
provided they are located beyond the centerline of any facade visible from an abutting street;
Sup#2015-1 Chapter 29, Article 4-21 Rev. 01-01-15
(ii) Units mounted on roof surfaces that are at least 3 feet lower than the ground level
of the abutting street or propeM. (Screening is nonetheless required from other non-exempt
vantage points):
(iii) Units visible more than 300 feet beyond the side lot lines that intersect with the
street on which the subject site abuts. (Screening is nonetheless required from other non-exempt
vantage points):
(Ord. No. 3610, 4-10-01;Ord. No. 3665, 5-28-02; Ord. No. 3997, 07-14-09; Ord. 4048, 10-26-10)
"Not required in following instances states any of the following instances is ok separately
and does not requires all the instances to be present thus no conjunction is needed
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Sec. 29.408. OTHER GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
(2) Fences.
(c) Location and Height.
(iii) Height in Setbacks Abutting Rights-of-way. The maximum height of fences in any
setback abutting a street right-of-way is four(4) feet, except that up to six (6) feet of fence is
allowed in any side or rear setback if.
(a) The lot does not abut the front yard of any other residential property along the
same side of the street;
(b) The fence is at least five (5) feet from the property line abutting a street
right-of-way. Within this five (5) foot area, landscaping is required consisting of one landscape
tree for every 50 lineal feet and two high or three low shrubs for every ten lineal feet of area to be
planted.
*X 1) No conjunction between sentence (a) and (b).
2) No language stating all the following are required or the following must be met.
3) Makes sense with an "or" between (a) and (b) with the grammar as shown in prior
examples.
4) If want both (a) and (b) to apply, makes more sense this way:
Example 1: combine (a) and (b)
except that up to six (6) feet of fence is allowed in any side or rear setback if the lot does not abut
the front yard of any other residential property along the same side of the street and the fence is at
least five (5) feet from the property line abutting a street right-of-way. Within this five (5) foot
area, landscaping is required consisting of one landscape tree for every 50 lineal feet and two
high or three low shrubs for every ten lineal feet of area to be planted.
Example 2: add words saying all requirements must be met or add an"and"
except that up to six (6) feet of fence is allowed in any side or rear setback with the following
requirements:
(a) The lot does not abut the front yard of any other residential property along the
same side of the street;
(b) The fence is at least five (5) feet from the property line abutting a street
right-of-way. Within this five (5) foot area, landscaping is required consisting of one landscape
tree for every 50 lineal feet and two high or three low shrubs for every ten lineal feet of area to be
planted.
5) The subsection is a flipped "if-then" statement having "if' being satisfied by either
(a) or(b).
The maximum height of fences in any setback abutting a street right-of-way is four(4) feet
unless an exception applies:
(a). If the lot does not abut the front yard of any other residential property along the same side
of the street, then the maximum height of fences in any setback abutting a street right-of-way is
up to six (6) feet of fence.
(b). If the fence is at least five (5) feet from the property line abutting a street right-of-way
with landscaping consisting of one landscape tree for every 50 lineal feet and two high or three
low shrubs for every ten lineal feet of area to be planted, then the maximum height of fences in
any setback abutting a street right-of-way is up to six (6) feet of fence.
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