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           ARTICLE XVI - OSC OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

PREAMBLE

The OSC Open Space Conservation Districts are intended to provide for permanent open spaces
in the community, and the protection of sand dunes and other natural features, and are designed
to provide undeveloped recreational areas and to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the
citizens of Muskegon and adjacent areas by limiting development in locations where police and
fire protection, protection against flooding by high water table or storm water, and dangers from
excessive erosion are not possible without excessive costs to the City.

SECTION 1600:  PRINCIPAL USES PERMITTED

In the OSC Open Space Conservation District, no building or land shall be used and no building
shall be erected, structurally altered, or occupied except for one (1) or more of the following
specified uses, unless otherwise provided in this Ordinance.

1.     Fishing docks and piers.

2.     Hiking, bicycling, jogging, or ski trails.

3.     Wildlife preserves or refuge structures.

4.     Watershed or erosion protection facilities.

5.     Uses similar to the above Principal Uses Permitted.

SECTION 1601:  SPECIAL LAND USES PERMITTED

The following uses, and their accessory buildings and accessory uses, shall be permitted under
the purview of Section 2332 after review and approval of the use (and a site plan, if required) by
the Planning Commission, after Public Hearing, subject to the applicable conditions, and any
other reasonable conditions imposed by the Planning Commission:

1.     Public and private utilities and services.

2.     Accessory buildings and accessory uses customarily incidental to the above Special Land
       Uses Permitted.

3.     Uses similar to the above Special Land Uses Permitted.

4.     Parking areas for Principal Uses.



SECTION 1602:  PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS [amended 10/98]

Planned developments may be allowed by the Planning Commission under the procedural
guidelines of Section 2101.  The intent of Planned Unit Developments in the open space
conservation districts to allow mixed land uses permitted in the OSC zone, which are compatible
to each other.

SECTION 1603:  AREA AND BULK REQUIREMENTS [amended 4/00]

1.     Minimum lot size:  21,780 sq. feet.

2.     Maximum lot coverage:
                  Buildings:  20 %
                  Pavement:  15 %

3.     Lot width:  100 feet (shall be measured at road frontage unless a cul-de-sac, then
       measured from setback).

4.     Width to depth ratios:  The depth of any lot(s) or parcel(s) shall not be more than three
       (3) times longer its width.

5.     Height limit:  2 stories or 35 feet.

       Height measurement:  In the case of a principal building, the vertical distance measured
       from the average finished grade to the highest point of the roof surface where the
       building line abuts the front yard, except as follows: to the deck line of mansard roofs,
       and the average height between eaves and the ridge of gable, hip, and gambrel roofs (see
       Figure 2-2).  If the ground is not entirely level, the grade shall be determined by
       averaging the elevation of the ground for each face of the building (see Figure 2-3).

6.     Front Setbacks:
                  Minimum:
                         Expressway, Arterial Street or Major Street:  30 feet
                         Collector Street:  20 feet
                         Minor Street:  10 feet

7.     Rear setback:  10 feet

8.     Setback from the ordinary high water mark or wetland:  75 feet (principal structures
       only).

9.     Side setbacks:
                  1-story:  6 feet and 10 feet
                  2-story:  8 feet and 12 feet



        Note, setback measurement:  All required setbacks shall be measured from the right-of-
        way line to the nearest point of the determined drip line of buildings. [amended 10/02]

10.     Zero lot line option:  New principal buildings may be erected on the rear lot line and/or
        one side lot line provided: [amended 10/02]

        a.     The building has an approved fire rating for zero-lot line development under the
               building code.

        b.     The building has adequate fire access preserved pursuant to fire code
               requirements.

        c.     The zero lot line side is not adjacent to a street.

        d.     A maintenance access easement is granted by the adjacent property owner and
               recorded with the County Register of Deeds and provided to the zoning
               administrator with the site plan or plot plan.

        e.     It is not adjacent to wetlands, or waterfront.

11.     All required side and rear setbacks shall be landscaped, greenbelt buffers, unless zero-lot-
        line is employed for a structure or fire access.  At least fifty percent of all required front
        setbacks shall be landscaped and adjacent to the road right-of-way.  An average
        minimum greenbelt of 10 feet shall be maintained along each street frontage. [amended
        12/01, amended 10/02]