Yard exceptions
The space in a required front, side or rear yard shall be open and unobstructed with the following exceptions:
A. An unenclosed porch may extend up to ten (10) feet into a side or rear yard.
B. Ordinary projections of window sills, cornices and other ornamental features may extend up to one (1) foot into a yard.
C. Landscape features such as trees, fences, shrubs and terraces may be placed in any yard area.
D. In BL, BG and M districts an outdoor telephone booth may be located in a front yard area, provided it is adjacent to a permitted curb parking area or an offstreet parking facility, and one (1) permitted sign may be located in the front yard so long as it complies with the requirements of article VII (sign regulations).
E. In RR and RS districts where property is used for single-family residential purposes, permitted detached structures, other than dwelling houses, may be located in the rear yard so long as they are at least fifteen (15) feet from the rear lot line and fifteen (15) feet from the side lot line and provided that such structures shall be limited to a maximum height or [of] 30 feet and a maximum floor space of eight hundred seventy-five (875) square feet.
F. Barns for keeping livestock and/or farm machinery and other agricultural uses in RR districts may have a maximum floor space of three thousand (3,000) square feet and a greater area may be permitted by the zoning board of review as a special use permit.
G. In BL, BG, and M zones (and for uses permitted in those zones which are located in RR and RS zones) propane tanks shall be placed in accordance with applicable federal, state and town fire safety regulations.
Section 3. Substandard lots of record.
Except for lots on recorded plats which have received final approval from the plan commission pursuant to the ordinance and rules and regulations governing and restricting the platting and other subdivision of land, no lot area shall be reduced below the dimensional requirements prescribed for the district in which the lot is located. No yard or open space provided around any building for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this ordinance shall again be used as a yard or open space for any other building.
Where no adjacent land is in the same ownership so as to form at least a lot of the minimum lot size and dimensions for the district which was of record on the effective date of this ordinance [December 30, 1965] may be used for a permitted use, or use permitted by special use permit if a special use permit is granted, provided that such lot shall have minimum width of one hundred (100) feet. All yard dimensions of such lot shall conform to the provisions of the district, except that the side yard depth may be reduced to ten (10) feet for any lot less than twelve thousand five hundred (12,500) square feet in area.
In residence districts where a lot has a width of less than one hundred fifty (150) feet, the minimum side yard depth is fifteen (15) feet for a single-family residence and ten (10) feet for other permitted uses.
(Ord. of 1-8-04)