Article 07-702-RL Residential Low Density District
SECTION 702 RL RESIDENTIAL LOW DENSITY DISTRICT
702.01 INTENT: This district is intended primarily to provide living areas within the City where
development is limited to low density concentrations of one-family dwellings where regulations are
designed to accomplish the following: To promote and encourage a suitable environment for family
life; to provide space for community facilities needed to complement urban residential areas and for
institutions which require a residential environment; to minimize traffic congestion and to avoid the
overloading of a utilities and public facilities designed to service only one-family residential uses in
accord with standards of the comprehensive plan.
702.02 PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES AND STRUCTURES: The following shall be permitted
as uses by right:
(1) Single-family dwellings.
(2) Row crop agricultural production (planting, fertilizing, harvesting) or alfalfa / feed grass
production on undeveloped lots not in a platted subdivision or on subdivision lots which have been
regularly used for such production prior to January 1, 2011. No subdivision lot or developed parcel
in this zoning district shall be switched to this Use from a different use. Parcels three (3) acres or
larger may continue with this Use and other Permitted or Excepted Uses with a minimum separation
of fifty (50) feet from any other Use.
702.03 PERMITTED ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES: The following accessory uses
and structures shall be permitted:
(1) Accessory uses and structures normally appurtenant to the permitted uses and structures and to
uses and structures permitted as exceptions.
702.04 EXCEPTIONS: After the provisions of this Ordinance relating to exceptions have been
fulfilled, the City Council may permit the following conditional uses as exceptions in the RL
Residential Low Density District in accordance with ARTICLE 14 of this Ordinance:
(1) Home occupations and home professional offices, except barber and beauty shops;
(2) Public and quasi-public uses of an education, recreational, or religious type including public and
parochial elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools and colleges; nursery schools,
private nonprofit schools and colleges; churches, parsonages, and other religious institutions;
(3) Public and private charitable institutions;
(4) Public uses of an administrative, public service or cultural type including city, county, state or
federal administrative centers and courts, libraries, museums, art galleries, police and fire stations
and other public buildings, structures, and facilities;
(5) Cemeteries, with or without columbarium;
City of Blair Zoning Regulations Article 7, Section 702, page 1
(6) Electrical distribution substations, gas regulator stations, communications equipment buildings,
public service pumping stations, and/or elevated pressure tanks;
(7) Signs subject to SECTION 1114 of this Ordinance.
(8) Family day care home, not operated within a private dwelling, group day care home, or day care
center.
702.05 CONDITIONS FOR GRANTING EXCEPTIONS: The requirements of ARTICLE 14 of
this Ordinance shall apply as minimum requirements for granting exceptions in the RL Residential
Low Density District.
702.06 PROHIBITED USES AND STRUCTURES: All other uses and structures which are not
specifically permitted or not permissible as exceptions shall be prohibited from the RL Residential
Low Density District.
702.07 MINIMUM LOT REQUIREMENTS:
(1) The minimum lot area for single family dwellings shall be twelve-thousand (12,000) square feet;
(2) Each lot shall have not less than fifty (50) feet of frontage when a lot fronts on a cul-de-sac or
loop street.
(3) The minimum width of each lot shall be eighty (80) feet;
(4) Each lot shall have a depth of not less than one-hundred (100) feet.
(5) Driveways shall have a maximum grade of ten (10) percent. Driveways and curb cuts shall be
located not less than three (3) feet from the side lot line. Curb cuts for straight curbs and the flare for
rolled curbs shall be three (3) feet wider than the driveway pavement on each side.
702.08 MINIMUM YARD REQUIREMENTS:
(1) Front yard: There shall be a minimum front yard of not less than a depth of one hundred
(100) feet from the center line of a Federal Aid Primary or Federal Aid Secondary designated street
or highway or thirty-five (35) feet from the property line, whichever is greater. On all other streets
or highways there shall be a minimum front yard of not less than a depth of twenty-five (25) feet.
(2) Rear yard: The minimum rear yard of a principal structure shall be twenty-five (25) feet.
(3) Side yards: The minimum side yards of a principal structure shall be nine (9) feet.
a. On the street side of a corner lot, side yards shall not be less than twenty-five (25) feet.
For lots platted prior to July 1, 1994, side yards shall not be less than twelve and one-half
(12.5) feet.
b. A side yard providing access to more than one dwelling unit shall not be less than ten
(10) feet.
City of Blair Zoning Regulations Article 7, Section 702, page 2
c. Attached garages or attached carports fronting on the side yard of a corner lot platted
prior to July 1, 1994, shall be set back a minimum of twenty (20) feet from the sidewalk,
or twenty (20) feet from the property line if no sidewalk exists, on a straight driveway
approach, or fifteen (15) feet from the property line where the garage opening is
perpendicular to the property line requiring a curved driveway approach.
d. The side yard requirements as set forth herein shall not apply to the common fire walls
and the line thereof extended to the front and rear property lines of attached single family
dwellings or town houses.
(4) YARD REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCESSORY BUILDINGS:
(A) Side yard:
a. An accessory building may be located in the side yard as close as five (5) feet to
the property providing it is located between the rear building line of the principle
building and the rear property line.
b. Garages may be located in the side yard adjacent to the primary structure, provided
the design and construction of the garage shall be similar in style and color to the
primary structure. The side-yard setback shall be nine (9) feet.
c. No building shall be located within any easement or right-of-way
d. Accessory buildings or attached carports fronting on the side yard of a corner lot
shall be set back a minimum of twenty (20) feet from the sidewalk, or twenty (20)
feet from the property line if no sidewalk exists, on a straight driveway approach, or
fifteen (15) feet from the property line where the garage opening is perpendicular to
the property line requiring a curved driveway approach.
(B) Front Yard – Lots of less than forty-five thousand (45,000) square feet shall have no
accessory buildings located between the front building line of the principle building and the
front property line. Lots of forty-five thousand (45,000) square feet or greater may have
accessory buildings located between the front building line of the principle building and the
front property line only upon the approval of a conditional use permit, provided said
accessory buildings meet front yard setback requirements. The conditional use permit may
include but not be limited to requirements for additional set back, landscaping, screening,
etc. The conditional use shall last through the legal existence of the primary use.
(C) Rear Yard - Unless specifically permitted, no accessory building shall be located closer
than five (5) feet from the rear property and no accessory building shall be located within
any easement or right-of-way along the rear property line. If the accessory building requires
vehicular access perpendicular to an alley, a minimum fifteen (15) feet access driveway is
required between said accessory building and the alley.
702.085 ADDITIONAL SETBACK REQUIREMENTS – CREEKS/WATER COURSES: In
addition to any other minimum yard requirements, no structure shall be installed or constructed in
violation of Section 1110.5 of this Zoning Ordinance.
702.09 MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE: The maximum lot coverage shall not exceed forty (40)
percent of the total lot area.
City of Blair Zoning Regulations Article 7, Section 702, page 3
702.10 MAXIMUM HEIGHT: The height of all structures shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet for
the main structure. The size limitations for accessory structures shall be subject to the provisions of
SECTION 1103 and SECTION 1105 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of the City of Blair,
Nebraska.
702.11 SIGN REGULATIONS: All signs shall be in conformance with the regulations provided
herein and with the provisions of SECTION 1114 of this Ordinance.
702.12 OFF-STREET PARKING: Off-street parking shall be hard surfaced in conformance with
the provisions of Section 204 of this Ordinance.
702.125 DRIVEWAYS: Driveways shall be paved as per section 303.01(51.5).
702.13 UTILITY AND LOT AREA FOR RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES PER SECTION 1107
(1) It shall be unlawful to occupy a residential structure or any building for living purposes that
does not have an approved waste disposal system.
(2) No waste absorption field (septic tank, cess pools, etc.) shall be constructed any closer than
twenty-five (25) feet from any adjacent property line.
(3) There shall be no waste absorption field located closer than fifty (50) feet from any other
residential structure.
(4) There shall be no waste absorption field located closer than fifty (100) feet from a water well
provided; however, where geology and subsurface conditions and topography would indicate
that seepage could reach the well supply, a greater distance shall be required.
(5) An individual residential waste absorption field shall contain a minimum of ten-thousand
(10,000) square feet, exclusive of the area required by structure. The entire tract shall contain
not less than twenty-thousand (20,000) square feet. If tract is less than two (2) acres, public
water must be available.
(END OF SECTION)
City of Blair Zoning Regulations Article 7, Section 702, page 4