Lot Requirements

Overview

If a lot is large enough, there may be options to subdivide the lot and develop on one or more of the lots according to standards of the zoning district that the lot is located in.

The division of one or more lots which creates no more than four lots is permitted by a Lot Split; five or more lots requires a new plat of the property (see Platting of Property).

General requirements for new lots are found in Sec. 69.508 of the Zoning Code and are summarized below.

Example Lot Split Options

Lot Types

(See Sec. 60.213)

• Flag lot: A lot with street access provided to the bulk of the lot by means of a corridor of lesser width.
• Reverse flag lot: A lot with alley access provided to the bulk of the lot by means of a corridor of lesser width.
• Back lot: A lot abutting an alley that does not also abut a street.
• Corner lot: A lot where the interior angle of 2 adjacent sides at the intersection of 2 streets is less than 135 degrees. A lot abutting upon a curved street or streets shall be considered a corner lot for the purposes of this code if the arc is of less radius than 150 feet and the tangents to the curve, at the 2 points where the lot lines meet the curve or the straight street line, extended, form an interior angle of less than 135 degrees.
• Reversed frontage corner lot: A corner lot, the rear lot line of which abuts a side lot line of an abutting lot.
• Interior lot: Any lot other than a corner lot.
• Through lot: Any lot having frontage on 2 more or less parallel streets as distinguished from a corner lot (see example image below). Parallel streets run in the same direction, have about the same distance continuously between them, and do not intersect. Per Sec. 69.508(c), through lots must be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arteries or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation.

Lot Lines Definitions

(See Sec. 60.213)

• Front lot line:  
  • For an interior lot, the line separating said lot from the street.
  • For a corner lot, the line separating said lot from either street.
    • The property owner can select which property line is the front, provided that building design standards (Sec 63.110) and zoning district setback requirements and other standards (Sec. 66.231) are met.
  • For a through lot, the line separating said lot from both streets.
  • For a back lot, there is no front lot line.
     
• Rear lot line: The lot line opposite the front lot line.
  • In the case of a lot pointed at the rear, the rear lot line shall be an imaginary line parallel to the front lot line, not less than 10 feet long, lying farthest from the front lot line and wholly within the lot.
  • For a back lot and a through lot, there are no rear lot lines.
     
• Side lot line: Any lot line other than the front lot line or rear lot line.  
  • Side street lot line: A side lot line separating a lot from the street.
  • Interior side lot line: A side lot line separating a lot from another lot or lots.
  • For a back lot, all lot lines are side lot lines.

Frontage Requirements

(See Sec. 69.508(a)-(b))

• Street frontage: All lots designated for residential use must adjoin a street except for back lots and developments that have individually described lots for each dwelling structure and a common lot for open space, yards and off-street parking, in which case the common lot must adjoin a street.
  • The latter is most common with townhouse developments where each unit’s owner also owns the land underneath their unit, but there is lot owned in common and maintained via a homeowner association.
• Alley frontage: All interior (non-corner) lots designated for residential use must adjoin an alley when available.

Lot Arrangement

(See Sec. 69.508(d))

• The lot arrangement shall be such that there will be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other conditions, in securing building permits and in providing driveway access to buildings on such lots from an approved street.

Lots on Slopes

(See Sec. 69.508(e))

• Newly created lots must allow for a minimum setback for development of 40 feet from the top of bluff lines as defined by the comprehensive plan.
• Lot arrangement shall avoid, wherever possible, the placement of structures on 18% slope or steeper, or the necessity to alter such slopes for purposes of construction.

Solar Access

(See Sec. 69.508(f))

• In subdivisions of 10 acres or larger, lots must be platted in a north-south orientation to maximize solar access.

Lot Access Requirements

(See Sec. 69.508(g))

• Street access: The number of curb cuts must be minimized, and sometimes the City may require a combined access drive for multiple lots.
• Alley access: Lots shall generally have vehicular access from an abutting alley when available, with minor exceptions.

Lot Dimensions

(See Sec. 69.508(h))

• Lot dimensions shall comply with the minimum standards of the zoning code.
• Some land uses and zoning districts have a minimum lot size or lot width requirement. See Chapter 65 for land use definitions and development standards and Chapter 66 for dimensional standards for each zoning district and zoning district summary pages: RL Large Lot Residential, H1 Residential, H2 Residential.
• Where lots are more than double the minimum required area for the zoning district, the city council may require that such lots be arranged so as to allow further subdivision and the opening of future streets where they would be necessary to serve such potential lots, all in compliance with the zoning code and these regulations.

Lot Widths

Lot width definition

(See Sec. 60.213)

• The horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at the required front setback line.
  • Per Sec. 60.207, the front setback line is a line parallel to the front lot line which establishes the minimum front yard depth of a zoning lot. The location of such front setback line is be determined by the required depth of the front yard as prescribed in the zoning district’s dimensional standards (Chapter 66, RL Large Lot Residential, H1 Residential, H2 Residential).
• For flag lots or pie-shaped lots, the lot width is the horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at the proposed front building line.
• Regardless of lot shape, the minimum lot width must be met for the entire length of the principal building.
• For back lots, the lot width applies to both lot dimensions and must be met for the entire length and width of the principal buildings.

Minimum lot widths

• Lots must conform to the minimum lot width of the zoning district.
• Some zoning districts, including RL, H1, H2 residential districts and VP vehicular parking district, and some land uses in T1-T3 traditional neighborhood districts and F1-F3 ford districts have a minimum lot width requirement.
• See Chapter 66 for dimensional standards for each zoning district.

Minimum widths of narrow corridors for flag lots

(See Sec. 69.508(i))

• Flag lots:  
  • Minimum width of the narrow corridor that provides street access: 20’. As part of subdivision review, the minimum width may be increased or reduced further based on easement requirements related to emergency access, utilities, steep slopes or other site conditions as approved by the City.
• Reverse flag lot width:
  • Minimum width of the narrow corridor that provides alley access: 12’.

Easement Requirements

(See Sec. 69.508(j))

• For back lots: an easement that is a minimum of 20 feet wide across a single adjoining lot must be provided for pedestrian, water, sanitary sewer, and gas line connections to the nearest public street and for house numbers that can be clearly seen and read from the public street.
  • As part of subdivision review, the minimum width may be increased or reduced further based on City and other applicable regulatory requirements related to emergency access, utilities, steep slopes or other site conditions and constraints.
  • An easement reflecting all utilities, reciprocal pedestrian and vehicular access for pedestrians and any vehicles, and shared maintenance responsibilities must address regulatory requirements and be the responsibility of developer to record prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy or building permit.
     
• For flag lots: an easement across the narrow corridor that provides street access may be required for shared vehicular access with the adjoining lot. If shared vehicular access is used, an easement reflecting reciprocal vehicular access and shared maintenance responsibilities is the responsibility of developer to record prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy or building permit.

Side Lot Lines

(See Sec. 69.508(k))

• Side lot lines generally must be at right angles to or radial to street lines.

Split Zoning

(See Sec. 69.508(l))

• Lots must not be created which result in split zoning classifications. Per Sec. 69.200, Split zoning is a single lot or parcel containing two (2) or more different zoning classifications.