Seminole Heights Overlay District

Prior posts on the subject
http://seminoleheights.blogspot.com/2005/06/historic-districts-and-overlay.html
http://seminoleheights.blogspot.com/2005/06/property-owner-vs-arc-vs-construction.html


Sec. 27-464. Seminole Heights Residential Overlay District Development Design Standards.

(a) Area description and boundaries. The Seminole Heights Residential Overlay District is comprised of residential properties within the Seminole Heights neighborhoods. A Historic District has been established within the central core of the area, and this overlay is separate and distinct both in purpose and geographic location from the historic district.
The established boundaries of the district are as follows:

Begin at the intersection of the centerline of North 15th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; thence Westerly along said centerline of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, to the centerline of the Hillsborough River; thence meandering Northerly along said centerline of Hillsborough River to the centerline of the Northerly projection of the Easterly boundary of Lot 7, Block A, Riverbend Manor a subdivision of record as recorded in Plat Book 17 Page 1 of the public records of Hillsborough County, Florida; thence Southerly along said Northern Projection and Easterly boundary of Lot 7, to the centerline of Park Circle; thence Westerly along said centerline of Park Circle to the centerline of Mentone Street; thence Southerly along said centerline of Mentone Street to the centerline of Crawford Circle; thence Northwesterly along said centerline of Crawford Circle to the centerline of 15th Street; thence Southerly along said centerline of 15th Street to the centerline of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and the point of beginning.

(b) Purpose and intent. The purpose and intent of the Seminole Heights Residential Overlay is to ensure that infill residential development and additions thereto are compatible in building and structural orientation, height, lot dimensional requirements and other site spatial relationships to the precedent within the established neighborhood. Nonresidential properties are not subject to the provisions of the overlay district.

(c) Compliance. Every application for new residential dwellings and accessory structures, and for additions thereto of five (5) percent or more, shall comply with all applicable overlay district and underlying zoning district standards or those standards outlined in their city council approved site plans. In cases of conflict, the more restrictive standard(s) shall apply. These are the minimum requirements that must be met in order to obtain approval. Alternative concepts to those standards may be considered by the zoning coordinator if consistent with the above mentioned purpose and intent. If denied, any applicant may appeal the denial of an alternative design concept to the variance review board subject to the requirements of section 17.5-78. The variance review board shall make final determination as to whether the proposal is consistent with the development standards of this section and with the above stated purpose and intent.

(d) Review procedures. Final compliance with all site and building design standards will be determined during the site plan review process.

(e) General building standards.

(1) Orientation: The building fronts of all new residential structures shall be oriented towards the front yards of the zoning lot. Front yards shall be determined as defined in section 27-100.

a. Consideration may be given by the zoning administrator for an alternate orientation when building front orientation is requested to follow the precedent pattern of development on the subject and immediately adjacent blocks and the alternate orientation shall be in character with that pattern.

b. Newly created zoning lots shall have their front, rear, side and corner yard orientations follow the precedent pattern of development on the subject and immediately adjacent blocks. Any newly created zoning lot which demonstrates an alternative lot orientation to that which is original and precedent shall be reviewed as a Special Use 1 and meet the additional criteria identified in section 27-272.

(2) Setbacks: Front yard setbacks shall be determined by block averaging. The underlying zoning district shall define all other setback requirements. Variances may be given by the zoning administrator when the precedent pattern of development on the subject and immediately adjacent blocks is less than the current setback requirement.

(3) Carports: One-story, unenclosed carports constructed as part of the principal structure ("portecochere") may be placed within three feet of the side yard property line.

(4) Attached garages: The structural edge of the vehicular entrance to the garage, carport, or other vehicular storage area, when oriented to the front yard, shall be constructed no closer to the street than the front wall of the principal structure.

(5) Fencing: The erection of chain link fencing within the front yards of residentially zoned lots is prohibited.

(6) Alley access: If an existing lot is adjacent to an open and used public alley, vehicular access to the site may be provided from the alley as the primary access point.

(7) Roof pitch: Minimum roof pitch for new principal structures shall be a minimum of 6:12 (ratio of rise to run). Flat roofs with parapet walls shall be permitted on new principal structures. Roof pitches for additions which increase the gross square footage of the principal structure shall match the pitch of the existing roof. Open porches and dormers are excluded from this requirement.

(8) Floor height: The finished floor height of all new principal structures shall be a minimum of eighteen (18) inches above the finish grade at the front building face and must meet all applicable stormwater requirements.

(9) Parking: No driveway shall be constructed from the road to the front yard face of the principal structure unless providing vehicular access to an attached garage or carport in accordance with the other sections of this ordinance.

(10) Accessory structure: Except as set forth in subsection (a) below, the maximum height of an accessory structure shall be twenty-two (22) feet six (6) inches. Except as set forth in subsection (b) below, the requirements of the underlying zoning district shall govern the distance separation requirements from the principal structure to detached garages and other accessory structures, as well as the setback requirements.

a. The zoning administrator may approve a higher height limit if it can be shown that higher accessory structures are a precedent characteristic of the subject block and of the immediately adjacent blocks within the district.

b. The zoning administrator may reduce the distance separation requirement between accessory structures and principal structures, and setback requirements, when it is demonstrated that such a reduction is the precedent characteristic of the subject block and of the immediately adjacent blocks within the district. In no case may the distance be less than that required in public safety, building safety or fire safety codes.

(11) Ribbon driveways: Single car "ribbon driveways" may be constructed at a minimum overall width of nine (9) feet with six (6) feet wide apron flares on the right-of-way. For properties located along local roads which have a posted speed limit of twenty-five (25) miles per hour or less, the driveway may be constructed with an overall width of seven (7) feet with three (3) feet wide apron flares.

(Ord. No. 2001-192, § 1, 8-30-01; Ord. No. 2002-17, § 1, 1-3-02)

These ordinances can also be found at www.municode.com.