Jackson zoning code amendments

Definitions added or revised

Combination sign -- definition added

Fire-resistant wall -- definition added

Home occupation -- now allows small amount of stock in trade to be kept

Front lot line -- no longer restricts front lot line on a corner lot to narrowest side

Uncovered -- definition added

Unenclosed -- definition added

Zoning changes

R-3 general residential becomes R-4 general residential.

R-4 one- and two-family residential becomes R-3 one- and two-family residential.

Zoning map is amended to reflect above district naming changes.

Public right of ways for streets and alleys no longer are zoned.

In R-1 and R-2 zones, parks, playgrounds, community buildings, museums, libraries, art galleries and similar uses, municipal facilities, police and fire stations, public and private schools, and churches are restricted to a minimum lot size of two acres and a minimum street frontage of 150 feet.

Hospitals are removed from all residential districts.

Detached private garages are no longer restricted to a 60-foot setback from the front lot line and 10 feet from any other street.

Child care and other day-care facilities (not including home occupation child care of fewer than five children) no longer are allowed in residential districts.

Front yard depths are changed from 30 feet to between 30 feet and 40 feet or up to 10 feet back from a building line established by subdivision plat that is in excess of 30 feet in all R and O districts.

Back yards no longer required to be a minimum of 20 percent of lot depth if that percentage is greater than 25 feet.

Professional offices and clinics are removed from the R-3 one- and two-family district*.

Bed and breakfast dwellings are added to the R-3 one- and two-family district* with a special-use permit.

C-2 general commercial uses are removed from the R-4 general residential district*.

Signs and billboards

Attached signs in all O, C, and I districts are enlarged from 30 and 32 square feet to 50 square feet with an option for a special-use permit for larger signs.

Signs painted on the building face now are defined as attached signs and must meet the size limitations unless a special-use permit is issued for a larger sign.

Detached freestanding ground sign sizes in a C-1 local commercial and C-3 central business district are reduced from 100 square feet to 60 square feet.

Detached freestanding ground sign sizes in a C-2 general commercial district are increased from 60 square feet to 100 square feet.

Combination signs for multiple businesses are now allowed up to 200 square feet with a provision for a special-use permit for larger combination signs.

Individual businesses on a combination sign are limited to 100-square-foot maximum sign face area each. Only one combination sign is allowed per lot.

A maximum of two detached freestanding ground signs are allowed per lot in O, C and I districts.

Moving letters or graphics on a stationary sign are now allowed. Flashing lights or letters are still prohibited.

Letterboards, message boards, price boards, etc. up to 32 square feet are allowed as accessory signs on the supports of permanent detached freestanding ground signs.

Portable advertising signs are limited to a six-month temporary sign permit and are only allowed when a detached freestanding ground sign does not already exist. A temporary sign permit for a specific address may only be granted once unless the business changes names or owners. Existing portable advertising signs also will be issued a six-month temporary sign permit.

Portable advertising signs must be located at least 10 feet from pavement edge or curb line of streets and must meet applicable building code electrical requirements.

Advertising banners, placards and posters are limited to two per lot at one time.

Temporary signs advertising Christmas trees, fireworks, etc. are exempt from the sign regulations but are limited to 30 days prior to the event and 10 days after the event.

Time and temperature signs no longer are required to be owned and regulated by the city and required to provide public announcements.

Temporary off-premise subdivision directional signs no longer are allowed.

Temporary on-premise subdivision sign size is increased from 32 square feet to 50 square feet.

Permanent on-premise subdivision sign size is increased from 40 square feet to 50 square feet and limited to two signs within the development.

Billboard spacing on property adjoining I-55 is increased from 500 feet per side to 1,400 feet per side. No other streets are allowed to have billboards (unless pre-existing nonconforming uses).

Special-use permits

The following uses no longer require special-use permits:

Public or private schools in R districts

Florist, gift and card shops, and greenhouses in a C-1 local commercial district

Automobile service and gasoline filling stations in a C-1 local commercial district

Cemeteries and mausoleums in all C districts.

Hospitals in C districts.

Riding stables in C districts

Child care or day-care centers in C districts

Wholesale or distributing establishments, warehouses, or wholesale markets

Self-service storage facilities

Nonresidential uses in the I districts that are allowed in the C districts.

Farming and agricultural uses in the I-2 heavy industrial district

Veterinary hospitals or animal stables in an I-2 heavy industrial district

Public works buildings, public utility service yards or electrical stations in an I-3 planned industrial district

Bed-and-breakfast dwellings in an R-4 general residential district

Single-family, two-family, and multi-family dwellings in a C-1 local commercial district

Greenhouses, plant shelters or nurseries in a residential district This use is no longer allowed in these districts except as accessory to a residential use.

Riding stables, including hobby stables, in a residential or commercial district.

Removal of gravel, topsoil or similar natural materials.

Buildings in excess of height and story requirements specified in each district. These cases will be handled as variance requests.

Automobile service and filling stations in a C-2 general commercial district are restricted to 50 feet from any residential district as measured to the property line.

The following uses in a C-2 general commercial district no longer are limited to 10 employees or fewer:

Dyeing and cleaning establishments or laundries

Painting, plumbing or tinsmithing shops

Tire sales and service, including vulcanizing

Upholstering shops not involving furniture factoring

Additional driveways now may be permitted without leading to an accessory building or structure.

Off-street parking spaces in I districts no longer are allowed to be less than 10 feet from the street right of way.

Nonresidential uses allowed in the C districts are now also allowed in the I districts.

Maximum width of driveways is changed from 30 feet and 36 feet to a standardized 36 feet, with size limitation still determined by garage/carport capacity.

Employee, customer, owner or tenant parking is not permitted on public streets in I-3 planned industrial park districts

Minimum lot sizes and frontages for attached single-family dwellings is added to the table of height and area requirements.

Fences no longer are allowed to project beyond the street side face of a house on a corner lot.

Terraces, uncovered porches, platforms or ornamental features that do not extend more than 3 feet above the floor level of the ground story no longer are allowed to project into a required side yard up to 2 feet from the property line.

Open, unenclosed porch, deck, balcony or paved terrace may now project up to 10 feet into a rear yard set back.

Maximum front yard fence height in R districts is changed from 3 feet to 4 feet.

No front yard fences in R districts over 4 feet in height may project beyond the front face of the house or beyond the front and the side facing the street on corner lots.

Hedges in the 30-foot sight distance triangle on corner lots and in front yards are no longer restricted to 4 foot maximum height. This situation still can be addressed as a public nuisance if it presents a traffic hazard.

Fences in C and I zones must have the finished side facing any abutting residential property or public street.

Satellite dishes of no more than 24 inches diameter now may be located in side yards as well as rear yards.

Portable or movable storage buildings, sheds, playhouses, residential greenhouses and plant shelters within 10 feet of the main building no longer have to meet the setback requirements of the main building.

Retaining walls may not be constructed over any street right of way or public easement and may not constitute a traffic hazard.

An additional parking space parallel to an existing driveway is allowed to be placed in the front yard provided it is only on the outer side of the driveway and not encroaching into the side yard facing a street.

Single-family and two-family dwelling parking areas are required to be paved or improved with crushed rock 4 inches thick. Required striping of parking spaces is clarified to refer only to commercial and industrial uses.

Storm-water drainage and erosion control is required to comply with the requirements of the land subdivision regulations.

Attached single-family dwelling parking requirements are set at one space per dwelling.

Two-family dwelling parking requirements are changed to one space per dwelling unit.

Parking space requirements for nonspecified retail or personal service establishments is changed from one space per 200 square feet of floor area to one space per 150 square feet of floor area.

Commercial radio or television tower or broadcasting station now must meet a number of special conditions and still must obtain a special-use permit.

The $25 publication fee for rezoning applications is removed. The $200 application fee still applies.

* References to R-3 and R-4 districts are shown as the names are proposed, not as they are currently in effect, unless otherwise noted

SOURCE: City of Jackson