Chapter 21.78 — YARD REQUIREMENTS AND EXCEPTIONS

21.78.010 Purpose ¶

This chapter establishes standards for setback measurement, required yard areas, and permitted encroachments. These provisions, in conjunction with other applicable provisions of this title, are intended to ensure open areas around primary structures; maintain clear visibility for traffic safety and pedestrian access; buffer incompatible land uses; and establish natural and visual light and air space for privacy, landscaping, and recreation. (Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

21.78.020 Required yard areas by zoning district . ¶

The required yard area (front, interior side, street side, and/or rear) of a lot is the horizontal area between the property line and the minimum setback distance required for the specific zoning district in question. Except as otherwise specified in this title, required yard areas shall be kept free of buildings and structures. (Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

21.78.030 Setback measurements . ¶

(a) General. Except as otherwise specified in this section, all setback distances shall be measured at right angles from the designated property line, and the setback line shall be drawn parallel to the designated property line at the required setback distance.

(b) Front Yard Setbacks. The front yard setback is a line parallel to the front property line abutting the street, at a minimum distance measured at right angles from the front property line, except as follows:

(1) Corner Lots. The front yard setback shall be measured from the street right-of-way toward which the primary entrance of the main building is directed. Upon approval of a Zoning Clearance Application pursuant to Chapter 21.96, an alternate street right-of-way may be utilized to measure the front yard setback. Approval of the application shall be subject to the following conditions:

(A) The application shall be executed by the property owner(s) of record.

(B) The application submittal shall include three copies of a fully dimensioned and detailed site plan.

(C) The approval to use an alternate street right-of-way to measure the front yard setback shall not create a non-con forming condition. When legal non-conforming conditions exist, the approval to use an alternate street rightof-way may be approved if it is determined that it will reduce the more intensive legal nonconformity. Figure 21.78.030

Front Yard Setbacks

(2) Flag lots. Regardless of the orientation of the main building, the measurement shall be taken from a parallel line established where the access strip meets the buildable area of the parcel closest to the public street or right-ofway.

(3) A building on a lot between two lots on which existing buildings extend into the required front yard may have a front yard setback that is not less in depth than the average of that provided on the adjacent lots.

(c) Rear Yard Setbacks. The rear yard setback is a line parallel to the rear property line, at a minimum distance measured at right angles from the rear property line, which extends between the side yards, except as follows (see

Figure 21.78.030.C):

(1) The rear yard setback on the street side of a double frontage lot is a line parallel to the rear property line abutting the street. However, if an access easement or street right-of-way line extends into or through a rear yard, the minimum rear yard setback distance shall be measured at right angles from the access easement or right-of-way line. (2) Where the side lot lines converge to a point with two or three lines, the rear yard setback shall be measured from an imaginary line drawn parallel to the front property line from a distance of five feet from the point at which the lines converge.

(3) In the event five or more lines bound a lot, only the two interior lines that intersect a street shall be deemed side lot lines. All other interior lines shall be deemed rear lot lines, with setback measurement representing the converging boundaries of parallel lines drawn from each of the rear lot lines. Figure 21.78.030.C

Rear Yard Setbacks

(Ord. 710 , § 11, 2019; Ord . 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).

21.78.040 Allowed encroachments and projections into required yards . ¶

Table 21.78.040 identifies structures and architectural features attached to the main building that may project into required yards.

Table 21.78.040

Permitted Projections and Encroachments of Attached Structures into Required Yard Areas

Table 21.78.040 identifies structures and architectural features attached to the main building that may project into required yards.
Table 21.78.040 Permitted Projections and Encroachments of Attached Structures into Required Yard Areas
Architectural Feature	Permitted Encroachment Distance into Required Yard
	Front Yard	Side Yard	Rear Yard
Fireplaces, bay windows, porches, pergolas, awnings, trellis and decks and patios higher than 30 inches above grade		2 ft.1
Canopies, cornices, eaves, canopies, and roof overhangs		2 ft.1
Uncovered porches or stairways, fire escapes or landing places higher than 30 inches above grade	6 ft.1	Up to 3 ft. from property line	6 ft.1

Notes:

The combined length of all such features shall not account for more than 25 percent of the length of the wall surface on which the features are located.

(Ord. 612 Exhibit A (part), 2008).