12-17-2025 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Little Canada – Accessory Structure Ordinance Updates Planning Commission Meeting – October 23, 2025 21 Attachment B provides the updated Section 914.130, which establishes clear Conditional Use Permit (CUP) standards for detached accessory buildings. The previous ordinance allowed CUPs for oversized or non-standard accessory buildings but lacked specific criteria to guide review and decision-making. The revised section introduces objective findings related to scale, design compatibility, materials, and placement, ensuring that requests exceeding standard size or material limits are reviewed consistently and transparently. These standards align with the broader zoning modernization effort by improving predictability for applicants and providing the Planning Commission and City Council with clearer guidance when evaluating future CUP requests. 914.130 Detached Accessory Buildings – Conditional Use Provisions A. Purpose The purpose of this section is to establish standards for reviewing accessory buildings and structures that exceed the dimensional or material limitations established by district and general development standards, ensuring such buildings remain compatible with surrounding properties and neighborhood character. B. Conditional Use Permits for Accessory Buildings and Structures The City may approve accessory buildings or structures that exceed the maximum size, height, cumulative floor area, or number permitted by district standards, or that are constructed of exterior materials otherwise prohibited, through a Conditional Use Permit. In addition to the general conditions for Conditional Use Permits in Chapter 917, the f ollowing standards shall apply: 1. The accessory building or structure shall meet or exceed all minimum setbacks required for the zoning district and shall not cause the lot to exceed impervious surface or yard coverage limits. 2. Screening shall be provided where required by the City Council to mitigate visual impacts and shall consist of fencing, landscaping, or a combination thereof. 3. Any request to use otherwise prohibited materials shall demonstrate a functional relationship between the material and the proposed use of the building or structure, and all such materials shall be finished and durable . 4. The scale, orientation, and placement of the accessory building or structure shall be compatible with the principal building and surrounding properties . 5. A Conditional Use Permit granted under this section shall apply only to the specific accessory building or structure approved and shall not authorize the general use of otherwise prohibited materials or dimensional exceedances for any other buildings on th e lot. 6. In evaluating requests to exceed the maximum size or number of accessory buildings, the City shall consider the presence and extent of any attached accessory buildings or structures on the lot. A Conditional Use Permit shall not be approved if the combined scale or appearance of attached and detached accessory components would diminish the visual prominence of the principal building, conflict with applicable design standards, or be incompatible with the established character of the surrounding area. Commented [BH20]: The numbering here - 914.130 - will correct an existing numbering error in the 914 chapter. The section being amended in our current code is technically 914.120. Commented [BH21]: Currently titled “garages, residential” Commented [BH22]: The main purpose of 914 is to provide specific requirements for specific uses, particularly those that require CUPs. Staff is utilizing this section to create clear review criteria for CUPs as the Planning Commission wanted to provide residents flexibility to ask for more on larger lots.