§ 17.20.040
Conformance to district regulations required
- A. Subdivision of Land.
- 1. Minor and major subdivisions of land, as defined by the city of Cranston Subdivision Regulations, as amended, shall not be approved unless all buildable lots are in conformity with the minimum lot area and minimum lot width and frontage as per Section 17.20.120, Schedule of intensity regulations.
- 2. Administrative subdivisions of land, as defined by the city of Cranston Subdivision Regulations, as amended, shall not be approved unless all buildable lots are in conformity with the minimum lot area and minimum lot width and frontage as per Section 17.20.120, Schedule of intensity regulations, unless the proposal results in the reduction of existing nonconformities and/or does not create or intensify any nonconformity.
- B. Development Proposals.
- 1. Primary structures shall be permitted on substandard lots of record unless said lot is merged to form a conforming lot per Section 17.88.010 (Substandard lots of records and lot mergers), and provided that the lot has sufficient accommodations for vehicular access including that required for emergency vehicles as determined by the fire chief or his/her designee. Such proposals shall not require conformance with minimum lot area, lot width, lot depth, or lot frontage of the zoning district the lot is located in. Instead, the following applies:
- a.
- i. If there is a zoning district in which the subject lot conforms to the minimum lot size requirements listed in Section 17.20.120, the lot shall comply with the building setback, lot frontage, and lot width requirements for said zoning district.
- ii. If the subject lot is not conforming as to lot area in any zoning district, the setback, frontage, and/or lot width requirements for a structure subject to this section and Section 17.88.010 shall be reduced by the same proportion as the lot area of the substandard lot is to the minimum lot requirement of the zoning district in which the lot is located.
- b. Maximum lot building coverage for lots that are nonconforming in area shall be increased by the inverse proportion that the area of such substandard lot meets the minimum area requirements in the district in which the lot is located.
- a.
- 2. All proposals exceeding such reduced requirement shall proceed with a modification request under Section 17.20.130, or a dimensional variance request under Section 17.92.010, whichever is applicable.
- 3. Accessory structures may be permitted on substandard lots of record, in accordance with Chapter 17.60, Accessory Uses, and shall not require conformance with minimum lot area and lot width and frontage.
- 4. Additions, expansions or renovations to existing structures on substandard lots of record that do not result in a required increase of minimum lot area per Sections 17.20.090, Specific requirements and 17.20.120, Schedule of intensity regulations may be permitted and shall not require conformance with minimum lot area and lot width and frontage. Additions, expansions or renovations which result in a required increase in the minimum lot area per Section 17.20.090, Specific requirements and Section 17.20.120, Schedule of intensity regulations shall require conformance with minimum lot area and lot width and frontage.
- 1. Primary structures shall be permitted on substandard lots of record unless said lot is merged to form a conforming lot per Section 17.88.010 (Substandard lots of records and lot mergers), and provided that the lot has sufficient accommodations for vehicular access including that required for emergency vehicles as determined by the fire chief or his/her designee. Such proposals shall not require conformance with minimum lot area, lot width, lot depth, or lot frontage of the zoning district the lot is located in. Instead, the following applies:
- C. Changes of Use.
- 1. Changes of use which result in a required increase in minimum lot area per Sections 17.20.090, Specific requirements and 17.20.120, Schedule of intensity regulations shall require conformance with minimum lot area and lot width and frontage.
- 2. Changes of use which do not result in a required increase in minimum lot area per Sections 17.20.090, Specific requirements and 17.20.120, Schedule of intensity regulations shall not require conformance with minimum lot area and lot width and frontage.
No exemption in this section shall be meant to provide relief from any other section of the zoning code.
(Prior code § 30-9; Ord. 2021-9, § 1, 5/24/2021; Ord. 2023-27, § 1, 12/19/2023; Ord. 2026-2, 1/20/2026)