73-171 - Ground floor offices in the flood zone

LAST AMENDED
6/6/2024


In all #Residence Districts# in the #flood zone#, for #buildings# containing #residential uses#, the Board of Standards and
Appeals may permit offices listed under Use Group VII, provided that the conditions of paragraph (a) of this Section, and the
findings of paragraph (b) of this Section are met:

(a)    Conditions

       All applications shall be subject to the following conditions:

       (1)    the #building# complies with #flood-resistant construction standards#;

       (2)    the office #use# is located on the lowest #story# above grade within the #building#;

       (3)    access to such office #use# is from a separate entrance than that serving the #residential# portion of the
              #building#;

       (4)    the #floor area# associated with such office #use# shall be considered as #community facility# #use# for the
              purposes of determining compliance with the applicable district #floor area ratio# regulations, and amount of
              #floor area# attributed to such office #use# shall not exceed 10,000 square feet;

       (5)    the office #use# complies with the #accessory# off-street parking regulations for ambulatory diagnostic or
              treatment health care facilities listed under Use Group III(B), in accordance with Article II, Chapter 5 (Accessory
              Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations); and

       (6)    such office #use# complies with #accessory# #signs# regulations for #buildings# containing #residences#, as set
              forth in Section 22-32 (Permitted Non-Illuminated Accessory Signs).

(b)    Findings

       In order to grant the special permit, the Board shall find that:

       (1)    such office #use# will generate a minimum of vehicular traffic to and through local #streets# and will not create
              traffic congestion;

       (2)    such office #use# will not produce objectionable effects; and

       (3)    such office #use# will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood in which the #building# is located.

The Board may prescribe appropriate conditions and safeguards to minimize adverse effects on the character of the surrounding
area.