§ 94-85. Special exception standards for historic residential districts.

(a)

Special exception standards. City staff or the historic preservation board may grant special exceptions to some base dimensional standards as described in text below and summarized in Table III-3.

(b)

Wall height exception. The historic preservation board may grant a limited exception to the maximum wall height at the side setback for additions to contributing historic structures according to the table of special exception standards in subsection 94-85(a). Any proposed exception must meet the intent of the design guidelines and both of the following criteria:

(1)

Shall not extend more than 25 feet along the horizontal dimension of the wall; and

(2)

Details or changes in materials are provided to ensure visual articulation of the wall.

(c)

Side setback exception. The historic preservation board may grant a limited exception to the minimum side setback on one side of the property for additions to contributing historic structures according to the table of special exception standards in subsection 94-85(a). An exception shall not be granted where any portion of the resulting building, including encroachments such as roof eaves, would be located closer than two feet to an adjacent property line. Any proposed exception must meet the intent of the design guidelines and at least one of the following criteria:

(1)

Results from an extension of an existing wall that does not meet the minimum side setback standard as in the case of a constrained kitchen; or

(2)

Allows for preservation of one or more specimen trees as provided in article XIV, section 94-448.

(d)

Lot coverage exception for one-story structures. City staff may grant a limited exception to the maximum lot coverage standard for all new construction and additions according to the table of special exception standards in subsection 94-85(a) where all structures on a property are one story. Any proposed exception must meet the intent of the design guidelines and both of the following criteria:

(1)

All structures on the property are one story in height; and

(2)

No structure on the property exceeds 16 feet in overall height.

(e)

Lot coverage and floor area exceptions for detached rear accessory structures. City staff may grant limited exceptions to the maximum lot coverage and floor area ratio standards for all new construction and additions according to the Table III-2. To qualify for the special exception, detached rear accessory structures must total at least 300 square feet (or 250 square feet on lots less than 5,000 square feet) and must be located to meet both of the following criteria:

(1)

Set back at least ten feet behind the front facade of the principal structure; and

(2)

Separated, at any point on the building, a minimum of 15 feet from the principal structure.

(f)

Lot coverage and floor area ratio exceptions through special exception review. The historic preservation board may grant limited exceptions to the maximum lot coverage or floor area ratio standards for all new construction and additions according to the table of special exception standards in subsection 94-85(a). A special exception may be granted for either the lot coverage or floor area ratio standard, but not both. This does not apply to one-story structures where lot coverage and floor area ratio are the same. Any proposed lot coverage or floor area ratio exception must meet the intent of the design guidelines, incorporate design elements that reduce visual massing and meet one or more of the following criteria:

(1)

Provides for an increased lot coverage or floor area ratio that would be allowed in a smaller lot size category in the same zoning district (note that the subject property shall be within 250 square feet of the upper size limit for the lower lot size category that permits the increased lot coverage or floor area ratio);

(2)

Allows for an addition to an existing one-story contributing historic principal structure;

(3)

Allows for the establishment of a one-story bedroom and/or bathroom addition to a contributing historic principal structure where no bedroom or bathroom currently exists on the first floor;

(4)

Allows for preservation of one or more specimen trees as provided in article XIV, section 94-448 or the creation and approval of a landscape plan by the city's planning director or designee that demonstrates an increase in plant material typically found on a residential lot that serves to mitigate the impact of the additional square footage; or

(5)

Results in a structure utilizing green building standards or green building provisions adopted by the city commission.

For new construction or additions to non-contributing principal structures, any proposed floor area ratio exception must also provide an increase of two feet to the minimum side setback on both sides of the property. Floor area ratio exceptions for additions to contributing historic principal structures do not require an increased side setback.

(g)

Alternative minimum floor area for very small or constrained Lots. City staff may grant an exception to the floor area ratio standard where it would restrict the maximum buildable floor area to less than 1,700 square feet on a lot. In such cases a maximum floor area standard of 1,700 square feet may instead be used. Note that other dimensional standards such as minimum setbacks and maximum overall height standards may still restrict the maximum buildable floor area to less than 1,700 square feet.

(h)

Alternative garage location standards. The historic preservation board may grant a limited exception to the garage location standard for additions to contributing historic structures according to the table of special exception standards in subsection 98-85(a). Any proposed exception must meet one of the following criteria:

(1)

Four or more properties on the same block face do not meet the base garage door location standard; or

(2)

Allows for preservation of one or more specimen trees as provided in article xiv, section 94-448.

Table III-3: Alternative Dimensional Standards

		All Historic Residential Districts
		Special Exception by Lot Area			Availability		Review and Approval
		Up to 4,999 sq. ft.	5,000 to 7,499 sq. ft.	7,500 sq. ft. and over.	Addition to Contributing Historic Structure	All Other New Const./Additions	Staff	HPB
Height (max. exception over base standard)
	Wall height at setback [see Sec. 94-85(b)]	2'	2'	2'	Yes	No		X
Setbacks (max. exception from base standard)
	Side (one side only) [see Sec. 94-85(c)]	2'	2'	2'	Yes	No		X
Lot Coverage (max. exception over base %)
	For all one-story structures [see Sec. 94-85(d)]	5%	5%	4%	Yes	Yes	X
	For detached rear accessory structure [see Sec. 94-85(e)]	5%	4%	3%	Yes	Yes	X
	Through special exception review [see Sec. 94-85(f)]	3%	3%	2%	Yes	Yes		X
	Max. total exception * [see Sec. 94-85(g)]	13%	12%	9%
Floor Area Ratio (max. exception over base ratio)
	For detached rear accessory structure [see Sec. 94-85(e)]	.05	.04	.03	Yes	Yes	X
	Through special exception review [see Sec. 94-85(f)]	.05	.04	.03	Yes	Yes		X
	Max. total exception for additions to contributing [see Sec. 94-85(g)]*	.10	.08	.06
	Max. total exception for new const. and additions to noncontributing structures* [see Sec. 94-85(g)]	.05	.04	.03
Garage Location (max. exception from base standard)
	Distance behind principal facade for front facing garage doors [see Sec. 94-85(i)]	5'	5'	5'	Yes	No		X

 

* No waiver and/or variance is available above maximums listed above.

(Ord. No. 4265-10, § 6(Exh. 1), 5-17-2010)