§ 17.04.085. Building height determination for new residential construction.

A.

Purpose. The purpose of this policy is to provide a uniform development pattern within neighborhoods and to promote the public safety and welfare of the future residents of the development or of the community. This policy shall only apply to residentially zoned areas within the city of Juneau. All other zoning districts, including commercial and industrial are usually too complex for any attempt to provide a uniform policy covering all instances of proposed development.

B.

Applicability. This policy shall be applicable to all new residential house construction within the city of Juneau after adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter.

C.

Enforcement. This policy shall be enforced by the building inspector thru the direction of the plan commission. It is understood that under certain circumstances it may be required to vary from this policy in order to match the existing topography or ground contour. In these cases a variance to the policy may be issued. Any variance to this policy can be requested by a developer, home builder, and/or lot owner and made by the plan commission, with the plan commission taking formal action and the same being recorded in the minutes of the plan commission. If clarification of this policy is needed, it can be obtained by submitting a written request to the plan commission. The plan commission will attempt to act upon the written request at the next regularly scheduled meeting and make permanent record of such clarification by recording the same in the minutes of the meeting.

D.

General Restrictions. The general restrictions stated in this chapter shall apply to all residential zoning districts. It is recognized in this title that the first floor elevation of any proposed house may be somewhat variable based upon the individual floor plan, but in no case shall it be more than twenty-four (24) inches above the attached garage floor elevation without prior written approval of the building inspector. This applies to an attached structure only. When front lot line is mentioned in this title it shall also mean the street right-of-way line.

E.

The R-1 Zoning District. The garage floor elevation shown in this chapter is based upon the current front yard setback of this zoning district as thirty (30) feet from the front lot line. Therefor, the "normal" situation is to have the front of the garage at approximately thirty (30) plus feet from the front lot line. If this distance is proposed to be more than fifty (50) feet back from the front lot line, then these guidelines do not apply, and more specific information should be obtained from the building inspector and/or city engineer.

Minimum Elevation = centerline elevation plus twelve (12) inches

(attached garage floor)

Maximum Elevation = centerline elevation plus forty (40) inches

(attached garage floor)

Notes:

1.

The minimum elevation equals an approximate driveway slope of two percent from the future sidewalk to the garage at thirty (30) foot setback and 1.25 percent at fifty (50) foot setback.

2.

The maximum elevation equals an approximate driveway slope of ten percent from the future sidewalk to the garage at thirty (30) foot setback and six percent at fifty (50) foot setback.

3.

In the case where there is either no garage or it is not attached to the house, the elevation shown in this section shall then and only then, be construed to mean the first floor elevation of the house.

4.

The driveway shall be installed to approximately match the elevation of the future sidewalk (plus or minus two inches). This shall be accomplished by constructing it so that the elevation of the driveway at the front lot line is equal to the centerline elevation plus four and one-half inches.

F.

The R-1a and R-2 Zoning Districts. The garage floor elevation shown in this chapter is based upon the current front yard setback of this zoning district as twenty (20) feet from the front lot line. Therefore, the "normal" situation is to have the front of the garage at approximately twenty (20) plus feet from the front lot line. If this distance is proposed to be more than forty (40) feet back from the front lot line, then these guidelines do not apply, and more specific information should be obtained from the building inspector and/or city engineer.

Minimum Elevation = centerline elevation plus ten and one-half inches

(attached garage floor)

Maximum Elevation = centerline elevation plus twenty-eight and one-half (28½) inches

(attached garage floor)

Notes:

1.

The minimum elevation equals an approximate driveway slope of two and one-half percent from the future sidewalk to the garage at twenty (20) foot setback and one and one-quarter percent at forty (40) foot setback.

2.

The maximum elevation equals an approximate driveway slope of ten percent from the future sidewalk to the garage at twenty (20) foot setback and five percent at forty (40) foot setback.

3.

In the case where there is either no garage or it is not attached to the house, the elevation shown in this section shall then and only then, be construed to mean the first floor elevation of the house.

4.

The driveway shall be installed to approximately match the elevation of the future sidewalk (plus or minus two inches). This shall be accomplished by constructing it so that the elevation of the driveway at the front lot line is equal to the centerline elevation plus four and one-half inches.

G.

The R-3 Zoning District. The garage floor elevation shown in this chapter is based upon the current front yard setback of this zoning district as twenty-five (25) feet from the front lot line. Therefor, the "normal" situation is to have the front of the garage at approximately twenty-five (25) plus feet from the front lot line. If this distance is proposed to be more than forty-five (45) feet back from the front lot line, then these guidelines do not apply, and more specific information should be obtained from the building inspector and/or city engineer.

Centerline elevation plus twelve (12) inches

(attached garage floor)

Centerline elevation plus thirty-four (34) inches

(attached garage floor)

Notes:

1.

The minimum elevation equals an approximate driveway slope of two and one-half percent from the future sidewalk to the garage at twenty-five (25) foot setback and 1.4 percent at forty-five (45) foot setback.

2.

The maximum elevation equals an approximate driveway slope of 9.9 percent from the future sidewalk to the garage at twenty-five (25) foot setback and five and one-half percent at forty-five (45) foot setback.

3.

In the case where there is either no garage or it is not attached to the residential unit, the elevation shown in this section shall then, and only then, be construed to mean the first floor elevation of the unit.

4.

The driveway shall be installed to approximately match the elevation of the future sidewalk (plus or minus two inches). This shall be accomplished by constructing it so that the elevation of the driveway at the front lot line is equal to the centerline elevation plus four and one-half inches.

(Ord. 83-2003)

(Ord. No. 170-2009, § 5, 10-22-09; Ord. No. 183-2009, § 5, 4-13-2010)