§ 16.10.010.4. Zoning district regulations.

No building, structure or land shall be used, nor shall any use be established unless it complies with the requirements of this chapter.

A.

Permitted principal uses.

The purpose of listing the permitted principal uses contained within the Matrix: Use Permissions and Parking Requirements is to identify all principal uses that are allowable on a property within each zoning district.

B.

Permitted accessory uses.

Accessory uses are those uses which are customarily subordinate to, integrated with, and clearly incidental to a principal use on the same property. The Matrix: Use Permissions and Parking Requirements identifies certain accessory uses that are allowable within certain zoning districts.

C.

Permissible special exception uses.

The purpose of listing the special exception uses contained within the Matrix: Use Permissions and Parking Requirements is to identify those uses and structures which may be permissible after review and approval by the Development Review Commission (DRC) within each zoning district. The special exception uses which are listed are considered to be uses which may be appropriate in the zoning district and require individual review as to their particular characteristics, impacts, and location to determine if they require special conditions to their establishment in order to protect the health, safety and general welfare.

D.

Development standards.

The development standards contained within this chapter have been established in order to ensure adequate levels of light, air and density of development, to maintain and enhance locally recognized values of community appearance and to promote the safe and efficient circulation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The standards are in furtherance of the goals and objectives of the plan and are found to be necessary for the preservation of the community, health, safety and general welfare.

E.

Site requirements.

The required area and dimensions of all building sites is sufficient to accommodate the anticipated density of development, open spaces, setbacks and parking spaces.

F.

Density.

The density of development has been established for each zoning district in accordance with the plan in order to promote the orderly, efficient and most appropriate growth within the City, consistent with the planned capability of services and infrastructures.

G.

Lot size.

Where minimum or maximum lot sizes or dimensions are required within the development standards, they have been established in order to promote the type and scale of development envisioned in the plan and the Vision 2020 Plan.

H.

Impervious surface coverage.

Maximum impervious surface coverage requirements contained within certain zoning districts have been established to provide minimum open spaces for light, air and ventilation and to reserve adequate area for open spaces and absorption of water by the ground and aquifer.

I.

Height.

Height standards are reflective of intensity and scale of development. In order to maintain a sound plan and compatibility with surrounding uses, the height of buildings shall be regulated and intensities directed to the most appropriate location. Factors taken into consideration in the establishment of height criteria are light, air and ventilation and intensity of development.

J.

Setbacks.

The purpose of setbacks is to ensure that an effective separation is provided between properties, structures and uses to foster compatibility, identity, privacy, light, air and ventilation.

K.

Building and site design standards.

The City's rich and unique architectural legacy has contributed significantly to the City's image, economic growth and quality of life. While the City's architectural legacy was previously enriched by the development of raw land, development in recent years has been replaced by redevelopment including, but not limited to, additions to existing buildings, demolition and replacement of existing buildings, and new construction on vacant lots within developed neighborhoods.

The City's building and site design standards expect new construction to respect and reinforce the neighborhood context created by existing development. While modern buildings will most likely be larger and have different needs than buildings constructed in the past, all new construction should blend with the established development pattern and not challenge it. For these reasons, many of the design standards seek to ensure that proposed buildings are properly located on the site, provide consistent connectivity for pedestrians and vehicles, and provide the typical features appropriate to the existing context. Contextual site layout will be the number one priority of the building and site design review process.

The City desires to allow the property owner and the design professional to choose the architectural style that is appropriate for the project. For these reasons, the design standards do not prescribe the use of certain architectural styles or specific architectural details. However, it is expected that once an architectural style is selected, it will be utilized correctly with the proper choice of materials, detailing, and proportioning. It is further expected that the chosen architectural style will have the features and attributes of a site layout that blends the new construction with the existing neighborhood context.

In order to assist the community with the transition from development to redevelopment, this chapter establishes building and site design standards to assist the property owner and design professional in choosing materials, proportions, location and other organizational arrangements. The design standards are not intended to restrict imagination, innovation or variety, but rather to assist in focusing design principles. The design standards will permit creative solutions that strengthen the overall contextual setting with a highly diverse architectural legacy of good design and unique urban context.

(Code 1992, § 16.10.010.4; Ord. No. 876-G, §§ 34, 35, 2-21-2008)