Chapter 9.46
YARD PROVISIONS
Sections:
9.46.010 Specialized front yard requirements.
9.46.020 Specialized side yard requirements.
9.46.040 Location of accessory buildings in residential yards.
9.46.050 Location of other structures and projections into yards.
9.46.060 Special setback or building lines.
9.46.070 Property adjoining a street or highway.
9.46.110 Modification of yard requirements.
9.46.010 Specialized front yard requirements.
A. Partially Developed Blocks. Where some lots or parcels of land in a block are improved or partially improved with buildings, each lot or parcel of land in said block shall have a front yard depth of not less than the average depth of the front yards of land adjoining on either side. A vacant lot or parcel of land, or a lot or parcel of land having more than the front yard depth required in the zone, shall be considered for this purpose as having a front yard of the required depth.
B. Key Lots. The depth of the required front yard on key lots or parcels of land shall not be less than the average depth of the required front yard of the adjoining interior lot or parcel of land and the required side yard of the adjoining reversed corner lot or parcel of land.
C. Pavement versus Landscape. Paved areas, including walkways and hardscape, within the front yard of a residential use shall not exceed 50 percent of the total front yard. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.020 Specialized side yard requirements.
A. Width. Each interior lot or parcel of land with a lot width of 50 feet or less in zones having required side yards shall have side yards as required by the zone, but in no event shall the width of such required side yards be less than three feet.
B. Corner or Reversed Corner Lots.
1. Corner or reversed corner lots or parcels of land shall have side yards as required by the zone.
2. If the area of a corner or reversed corner lot or parcel of land is larger than the required area indicated for the zone in which the lot or parcel of land is located, then the length of the required side yard setback line on the street or highway side of the property shall be determined from the table in subsection (B)(3) of this section, and the remainder of the property on the side bounded by the street or highway shall have a required yard depth equal to the depth required for the adjacent front yard.
|
3. Required Area (square feet) |
Length of Side Yard Line (feet) |
|
Under 6,000 |
125 |
|
6,000 – 7,999 |
130 |
|
8,000 – 8,999 |
135 |
|
9,000 – 9,999 |
140 |
|
10,000 – 12,499 |
150 |
|
12,500 – 14,999 |
175 |
|
15,000 and over |
200 |
(Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.030 Specialized rear yard requirements.
Repealed by Ord. 933. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.040 Location of accessory buildings in residential yards.
A. Location of Accessory Buildings with Regard to Interior Side and Rear Lot Lines.
1. Accessory structures shall be prohibited in the front yard and shall not be visible from the street.
2. When located in the rear yard on a corner lot, accessory structures must be fully enclosed and match the design of the primary structure, including the roof pitch.
3. Accessory structures greater than 120 square feet in area and more than six feet in height may be located within a required rear yard or interior side yard, but not less than five feet, provided such buildings are located:
a. Seventy-five feet, or more, from the front property line when the lot depth exceeds 100 feet; and
b. All combined structures do not cover more than 45 percent of the required rear yard area.
4. Accessory structures less than 120 square feet in area and less than six feet in height may be located up to the rear property line regardless of the distance from the front property line as long as all combined structures do not cover more than 45 percent of the required rear yard area.
B. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a detached accessory building having an opening more than six feet wide facing an existing or proposed alley shall be located not less than 20 feet from the center line of said alley. If the accessory structure is a garage or carport, all vehicles shall be maintained within the footprint of the structure to avoid overlap onto the alley. Otherwise, the opening must face the interior of the lot and meet the minimum turning radius requirements of the Bell Gardens Municipal Code.
C. Whenever a utility pole is situated on any property line, a distance of four feet shall be maintained between the accessory building and the side property line, providing access to said utility pole. (Ord. 813 § 4, 2009; Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.050 Location of other structures and projections into yards.
A. In addition to accessory buildings permitted by BGMC 9.46.040, Location of accessory buildings in residential yards, the following structures may be erected or projected into any required yard of any zone:
1. Fences and walls as provided in Chapter 9.32 BGMC.
2. Signs as provided in Chapter 9.40 BGMC.
3. Landscape elements including trees, shrubs, and other plants.
B. The following projections may extend into a required front or rear yard a distance not to exceed six feet, provided such projections do not approach within two and one-half feet of any front, side or rear property line:
1. Cornices, eaves, belt courses, sills, buttresses or other similar architectural features.
2. Fireplace structures and bays, not wider than eight feet measured in the general direction of the wall of which it is a part, provided said fireplace or bay does not project more than three feet into any required front or rear yard setback.
3. Open and unclosed fire escapes, balconies, stairways and door stoops.
4. Awnings.
5. Planting boxes or masonry planters, not to exceed a height of 42 inches.
C. The following improvements shall not be permitted in the front yard of any property:
1. Pools and spas;
2. Pre-manufactured canopies/carports and storage sheds;
3. Mechanical equipment; and
4. Any other improvement determined by the community development director to be detrimental to the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
(Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.060 Special setback or building lines.
A special setback or building line may be established in any zone on the frontage of any lot or parcel of land pursuant to the procedures of Chapter 9.56 BGMC, Amendments. Such a special setback or building line shall supersede that required by the zone classification of the lot or parcel of land upon which it is placed. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.070 Property adjoining a street or highway.
In all zones, building lines are hereby established parallel to the center line of every major and secondary highway, parkway and street equal to the setback, if any, otherwise required by this title or any other ordinance, plus:
A. Fifty feet from the center line of every major highway.
B. Forty feet from the center line of every secondary highway.
C. One-half the planned ultimate width of all streets pursuant to the standards of Division 6 of this title, Subdivision Regulations, unless, in the opinion of the commission, topographic features, subdivision plans, or other conditions create an unnecessary hardship or unreasonable regulation and the commission deems a lesser width adequate. The commission shall designate the distance from the center line in any case where said ultimate width is not specified. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.080 Corner cut-offs.
A. In all zones, on the intersections of any streets or highways with streets or highways on which BGMC 9.46.070, Property adjoining a street or highway, imposes any setback or building line, a person shall not use any building or structure, except as permitted within a setback by BGMC 9.46.050, Location of other structures and projections into yards, within those triangles formed by the intersection of the setback lines established by BGMC 9.46.070 on such streets or highways for a distance of 17 feet from such intersection on each of such lines and a line connecting the ends of such lines. If there is no setback line on one of such streets or highways, the property line shall be substituted.
B. Corner cut-offs as required in BGMC 9.26.030, Dedication standards, shall be provided as specified in Division 6 of this title, Subdivision Regulations. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.090 Underwidth streets.
A building or structure shall not be erected or maintained on a lot or parcel of land which abuts a street or highway having only a portion of its required width dedicated and where either no part of, or less than half of, such dedication would normally revert to said lot or parcel of land if the street or highway were vacated, unless the yards provided and maintained in connection with such building or structure have sufficient width or depth in that portion of the lot or parcel of land needed to complete the street or highway width, plus whatever width or depth of yards is required on the lot or parcel of land by this title. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.100 Use of yards.
A. Storage in Yards. No storage shall be permitted in any required front or side yards adjacent to a street or highway.
B. Motor Vehicles. No motor vehicles shall be repaired, dismantled or stored in any required front yard or in any side yard adjacent to a street or highway. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).
9.46.110 Modification of yard requirements.
The commission may, without notice or hearing, grant a modification of yard requirement regulations where topographic features, subdivision plans, or other conditions create an unnecessary hardship or unreasonable situation making it impractical to require compliance with the yard requirements. All modified lots or parcels of land shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 9.58 BGMC, Site Plan Review. (Ord. 806 § 1, 2007).