81-264 - Encroachments and compensating recesses LAST AMENDED 2/2/2011 In addition to complying with the setback requirements of Section 81-263 (Standard setback requirements), a #building# shall not at any height encroach beyond a #half-setback line# or a #ten-foot setback line#, except as provided below. For each #street frontage zone# and for all #street frontage zones#, taken together on a single #encroachment grid#, a #building# shall not, at any level, have an aggregate area of #encroachment# beyond the #setback line#, other than in any #free zones#, greater than the aggregate area of #compensating recess# at such level. Except as provided below, an area of #compensating recess# in one #street frontage zone# shall not be used to compensate for #encroachment# in another #street frontage zone#. However, a #building# with a #street frontage zone# which lies along a north-south #wide street# and does not meet the above requirements because of excessive #encroachment# will be in compliance with the #street frontage zone# requirements of this Section if compensation is provided for such excessive #encroachment# by an overlapping #street frontage zone#. The requirement that the aggregate area of #compensating recess# at least equal the aggregate area of #encroachment#, as set forth in this Section, shall also apply to any #building# which encroaches beyond a #half-setback line# and which is therefore subject to the provisions of Section 81-265 (Encroachment limitations by length and height rules). (See illustration of Encroachments and Compensating Recesses) (a) Rules for measuring #encroachments# and recesses Areas of #encroachment# and #compensating recess# shall be measured in plan on one or more #encroachment grids# showing for the #zoning lot#, at a given height level, the #street lines#, the #setback lines#, the #half-setback lines#, the #ten-foot setback lines#, #Zone A#, #Zone B# and #Zone C# and the #street frontage zones#. ENCROACHMENTS AND COMPENSATING RECESSES (81-264a) The scale of the #encroachment grid# shall be not more than 20 feet to the inch. All #buildings#, existing and proposed, shall be located accurately on the grid in plan at the height level selected to demonstrate compliance. For each #street frontage zone#, the areas of the #building’s# #encroachment# in #Zone B# and #Zone C# and the #compensating recess# areas not covered by any #building# in #Zone A# shall be measured on the #encroachment grid#. (b) Limits of #encroachment# Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this Section for existing #buildings# below specified heights, #encroachment# is limited as follows: (1) For each #street frontage zone#, at every height above the maximum front wall height at the #street line#, the area within #Zone A# that is not covered by a #building# and qualifies as #compensating recess# area shall, in the aggregate, equal or exceed the aggregate area in #Zone B# and #Zone C# that is encroached upon by a #building# at such height. (2) No part of a #building# shall encroach into #Zone C# unless it complies with the provisions of Section 81-265. (3) On #corner lots#, the projection of a #building# beyond the #setback line# or #half-setback line# on the narrower #street# shall not count as an #encroachment# except at heights above the maximum height permitted at the #street line# by the #corner lot# provisions in paragraph (b) of Section 81-262 (Maximum height of front wall at the street line). (c) Limitations on #compensating recess# #Compensating recess# areas are subject to the following limitations: (1) Any required #compensating recess# area shall extend without diminution of dimensions downward at least to the lowest level at which any #encroachment# into #Zone B# or #Zone C# occurs and upward to the sky. (See illustration of Extension Downward of Compensating Recess Area) EXTENSION DOWNWARD OF COMPENSATING RECESS AREA (81-264c1) (2) #Compensating recess# area shall be visible when viewed from at least one adjacent #street# along a line that intersects the #front lot line# of the #zoning lot# at right angles. (See illustration of Visibility of Compensating Recess Area) VISIBILITY OF COMPENSATING RECESS AREA (81-264c2) (3) The minimum length of a #compensating recess#, measured parallel to the #street line#, and behind the #setback line#, is 30 feet, except for any uncovered portion of an area that qualifies as #Zone A# under the #middle one-third rule# or an uncovered area located behind two intersecting #setback lines#. An uncovered area between the #setback line# and #half- setback line# that qualifies as #Zone A# under the #middle one-third rule# is not subject to the minimum length requirement. (See illustration of Minimum Length of Compensating Recess) MINIMUM LENGTH OF COMPENSATING RECESS (81-264c3) (4) #Compensating recess# area shall be within 100 feet of a #front lot line#. (d) Existing #buildings# on the #zoning lot# Where a #zoning lot# contains an existing #building# which exceeds a height limit, an #enlargement# or #development# on such #zoning lot# shall comply with the following provisions: (1) For each #street frontage zone#, if the existing #building# is not more than 120 feet in height at any point and encroaches into #Zone B# or #Zone C# or beyond the #ten-foot setback line# along the frontage of a #street# 60 feet wide, or if the existing #building# is not more than 150 feet in height at any point and encroaches into #Zone B# or #Zone C# or beyond the #ten-foot setback line# along the frontage of a #street# 75 or more feet in width, the new #building# or #enlargement# is not required to compensate for such #encroachment# by the provision of #compensating recess# areas. #Encroachment# by such an existing #building# into #Zone C# or beyond the #ten-foot setback line# will not subject the new #building# or #enlargement# to the provisions of Section 81-265 unless the new #building# or #enlargement# also encroaches into #Zone C#. (2) For each #street frontage zone#, space above such existing #building# and within #Zone A# on the #encroachment grid# may count as #compensating recess# area for the new #building# or #enlargement# provided that such space is at or below the lowest level of any compensable #encroachment# by the new #building# or #enlargement#, that it is located within the same #street frontage zone# as that compensable #encroachment#, and that it qualifies in all respects under the provisions of paragraph (c) of this Section (Limitations on #compensating recess#). (3) For each #street frontage zone#, if an existing #building# more than 120 feet in height at any point encroaches into #Zone B# or #Zone C# or beyond the #ten-foot setback line# along the frontage of a #street# 60 feet wide, or if an existing #building# more than 150 feet in height at any point encroaches into #Zone B# or #Zone C# or beyond the #ten-foot setback line# along the frontage of a #street# 75 or more feet in width, the #encroachment# of such #building# into #Zone B# or #Zone C# or beyond the #ten-foot setback line# at any height shall be subject to the requirements for #compensating recess# areas set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this Section, as if it were a new #building#. Where such an existing #building# encroaches into #Zone C# or beyond the #ten-foot setback line#, the provisions of paragraph (f)(2) in Section 81-265 shall apply in addition to the provisions of this Section. (See illustration of Existing Buildings on the Zoning Lot) EXISTING BUILDINGS ON THE ZONING LOT (81-264d3)