Table of Contents

Hazard Mitigation

The city’s zoning code includes regulations to mitigate flood and geological hazards. 

The Flood Hazard District exceeds the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s minimum requirements (§28-3-2). It includes all areas in the 500-year floodplain and requires all new and rehabilitated structures to be elevated two feet above base flood elevation. 

The zoning code also requires undisturbed buffers around all bluffs (§28-4-4).

Home Occupations

The city’s zoning code distinguishes between high- and low-intensity home occupations.

It permits low-intensity minor home occupations by right, subject to use specific standards (§28.2.4.k). It allows high-intensity major home occupations in certain zoning districts with a discretionary use permit, subject to use-specific standards (§28.2.4.k).

Low-intensity “minor” home occupations must comply with employee, occupancy, location and space, signage, sales and display, dwelling modification, traffic generation, parking, nuisance, and specific use prohibition standards (§28.5.30.b).

High-intensity “major” home occupations must comply with employee, occupancy, location and space, parking, on-site sales, nuisance, sign, and specific use prohibition standards (§28.5.30.c).

Food Systems | Urban Livestock

The city amended its zoning code in 2011 to allow for the keeping of up to 5 female chickens on lots less than 1 acre in size (§28-5-50). Provisions prohibit sales of products or related commercial activity, and address henhouse and fenced area requirements.

The city also amended its zoning code in 2012 to address beekeeping, allowing it as an accessory use to single-family detached dwelling or principal nonresidential use on parcels at least a quarter-acre in size in designated districts (§28-5-44). The ordinance addresses allowed densities, location, flyway barriers, screening, hive type, identification, and water.

The code's allowable accessory uses table notes which zoning districts permit accessory use chicken and beekeeping (§28-2-4).