Porterville Municipal Code § 103.11 Determining Lot Frontage

The purpose of this article is to explain how various measurements referred to in this chapter are to be calculated. (Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

For all calculations, the applicant shall be responsible for supplying drawings illustrating the measurements that apply to a project. These drawings shall be drawn to scale and of sufficient detail to allow easy verification upon inspection by the zoning administrator. (Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

Whenever this chapter requires consideration of distances, parking spaces, dwelling units or other aspects of development or the physical environment expressed in numerical quantities, and the result of a calculation contains a fraction of a whole number, the results will be rounded as follows:

A. General Rounding: Fractions of one-half (0.5) or greater shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number and fractions of less than one-half (0.5) shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number, except as otherwise provided.

B. Exception For State Affordable Housing Density Bonus: For projects eligible for bonus density pursuant to Government Code section 65915 or any successor statute, and article 302, "Affordable Housing Density Bonus And Other Incentives", of this chapter, any fractional number of permitted bonus density units shall be rounded up to the next whole number. (Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

A. Measurements Are Shortest Distance: When measuring a required distance, such as the minimum distance between a structure and a lot line, the measurement is made at the closest or shortest distance between the two (2) objects.

B. Distances Are Measured Horizontally: When determining distances for setbacks and structure dimensions, all distances are measured along a horizontal plane from the appropriate line, edge of building, structure, storage area, parking area, or other object. These distances are not measured by following the topography or slope of the land.

C. Measurements Involving A Structure: Measurements involving a structure are made to the outside edge of the foundation for the closest support wall of the structure. Structures or portions of structures that are entirely underground are not included in measuring required distances.

D. Measurement Of Vehicle Stacking Or Travel Areas: Measurement of a minimum travel distance for vehicles, such as garage entrance setbacks and stacking lane distances, are measured down the center of the vehicle travel area. For example, curving driveways and travel lanes are measured along the center arc of the driveway or traffic lane.

E. Measuring Radius: When a specified land use is required to be located a minimum distance from another land use, the minimum distance is measured in a straight line from all points along the lot line of the subject project.

FIGURE 103.04: MEASURING DISTANCES

[Figure]

(Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

A. Measuring Building Height: Building height is measured from the average level of the highest and lowest point of that portion of the lot covered by the building to the highest point of the roof ridge, or parapet wall.

B. Measuring Height Of Other Structures: The height of other structures such as fences is the vertical distance from the ground level immediately under the structure to the top of the structure. Special measurement provisions are also provided below.

1. Measuring The Height Of Fences On Retaining Walls: The height of a fence that is on top of a retaining wall is measured from the ground level on the highest side of the fence and wall.

2. Measuring The Height Of Decks: Deck height is determined by measuring from the ground to the top of the floor of the deck.

FIGURE 103.05: MEASURING HEIGHT

[Figure]

(Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

A. Lot Width: "Lot width" is the horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at right angles to the lot depth at a point midway between the front and rear lot lines.

B. Lot Depth: Lot depth is measured along an imaginary straight line drawn from the midpoint of the front property line of the lot to the midpoint of the rear property line or to the most distant point on any other lot line where there is no rear lot line.

FIGURE 103.06: MEASURING LOT WIDTH AND DEPTH

[Figure]

(Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

The average slope of a parcel is calculated using the following formula:

S = 100(I)(L)/A, where:

A. S = Average slope (in percent).

B. I = Contour interval (in feet).

C. L = Total length of all contour lines on the parcel (in feet).

D. A = Area of subject parcel (in square feet). (Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

"Floor area" is the horizontal area (usually expressed in square feet) of all floors included within a building or buildings, according to the following rules:

A. Included In Floor Area: Floor area is deemed to include:

• 1. The floor of atrium and lobby areas;
• 2. Storage and equipment spaces that are roofed and enclosed on all sides;
• 3. Enclosed and roofed halls, stairways, and elevator shafts;
• 4. Enclosed and roofed porches and balconies;
• 5. Portions of basements and attics that meet building code height requirements for habitable space; and

6. The actual floor space of mezzanines, interior balconies, lofts, closets and all habitable rooms.

B. Excluded From Floor Area: Floor area does not include:

1. Garages, carports or other areas used for parking and loading, or vehicular access to parking and loading spaces;

2. Unenclosed exterior balconies, decks, porches and stairs;

3. Substandard height portions of attics and basements not used as habitable space (per building code). (Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

"Floor area ratio (FAR)" is the ratio of the floor area of all principal and accessory buildings on a lot to the lot area. To calculate FAR, floor area is divided by lot area, and typically expressed as a decimal. For example, if the floor area of all buildings on a lot totals twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, and the lot area is ten thousand (10,000) square feet, the FAR is expressed as 2.0.

FIGURE 103.09: DETERMINING FLOOR AREA RATIO

[Figure]

(Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

"Lot coverage" is the ratio of the total footprint area of all structures on a lot to the net lot area, typically expressed as a percentage. The footprints of all principal and accessory structures, including garages, carports, covered patios, and roofed porches, shall be summed in order to calculate lot coverage. The following structures shall be excluded from the calculation:

A. Unenclosed and unroofed decks, uncovered patio slab, porches, landings, balconies and stairways less than six feet (6') in height;

B. Eaves and roof overhangs projecting up to two and one-half feet (21/2') from a wall;

C. Trellises and similar structures that do not have solid roofs;

D. Swimming pools and hot tubs that are not enclosed in roofed structures or decks; and

E. One small, nonhabitable accessory structure under one hundred twenty (120) square feet. Structures above quantity of one shall be included in lot coverage.

FIGURE 103.10: DETERMINING LOT COVERAGE

[Figure]

(Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

A. Corner lot: The front of a lot is the narrowest dimension of the lot with street frontage.

B. Through lot (double frontage lot): The front yard borders the street primarily used as frontage by neighboring lots. (Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

A setback line defining a required yard is parallel to and at the specified distance from the corresponding front, side, or rear property line. The following special regulations for determining yards apply when a lot abuts a proposed street or alley:

A. Yards Abutting Planned Street Expansions: If a property abuts an existing or proposed street for which the existing right of way is narrower than the right of way ultimately required for the street, the required setback shall be established from the future right of way rather than the property line.

B. Yards On Alleys:

1. If a side lot line abuts an alley, the yard shall be considered an interior side yard rather than a corner side yard.

2. In computing the minimum yard for any lot where such yard abuts an alley, no part of the width of the alley may be considered as part of the required yard.

FIGURE 103.12: DETERMINING SETBACKS

[Figure]

(Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)

The height of signs is measured in the same method as the height of other structures (see subsection 103.05B, "Measuring Height Of Other Structures", of this article). Calculation of sign area is described in article 305, "Signs", of this chapter. (Ord. 1801, 12-3-2013)