Compensating recess

A portion of a zoning lot which, at the building height selected for determining compliance with the provisions of Section 81-26 (Height and Setback Regulations--Daylight Compensation), lies in the free zone (Zone A on the encroachment grid), is not covered by any portion of a building and qualifies as compensating for encroachments beyond the free zone under the provisions of Section 81-264 (Encroachments and compensating recesses). (See illustration of Compensating Recess and Encroachment)

COMPENSATING RECESS AND ENCROACHMENT

(81-261.1)

Encroachment

A projection beyond the setback line, the free zone or the half-setback line by any portion of a building that exceeds the maximum height permitted at the street line. (See illustration of Compensating Recess and Encroachment)

Encroachment grid

A plan drawing of the zoning lot at any given height above curb level selected to determine compliance with the provisions of Section 81-26 and showing, for that height, street lines, setback lines, half-setback lines, Zone A (the free zone), Zone B and Zone C (encroachment zones) and, where applicable, the ten-foot setback line. The encroachment grid serves as a device for measuring areas of encroachment beyond the free zone and areas of compensating recess within the free zone. (See illustration of Encroachment Grid)

ENCROACHMENT GRID

(81-261.2)

Free zone

That portion of a zoning lot, at any given height, which may be covered by a building without coverage constituting an encroachment that requires daylight compensation.

In addition to the area that lies behind a setback line or setback lines, the free zone shall include areas between the setback line and either the half-setback line or the ten-foot setback line, whichever is further from the street line, and which qualify as free zone areas under the middle one-third rule. The free zone is referred to as Zone A on the encroachment grid.

FREE ZONE

(81-261.3)

Half-setback line

A line drawn parallel to a street line and halfway between the street line and the setback line. (See illustration of Setback Line and Half-Setback Line)

Middle one-third rule

The rule under which, for the middle one-third of the front lot line length, the free zone includes area between the setback line and either the half-setback line or the ten-foot setback line, whichever is further from the street line. However, on a corner lot the free zone does not extend beyond the setback line along an intersecting street. (See illustrations of Middle One-Third Rule)

MIDDLE ONE-THIRD RULE

(81-261.4)

Setback line

A line drawn in plan parallel to a street line and showing for a given building height the minimum depth to which a building is required to be set back from the street line by the applicable depth to height chart in Section 81-263 (Standard setback requirements). Required setbacks, established by the chart, increase with the building's height. (See illustration of Setback Line and Half-Setback Line)

SETBACK LINE AND HALF-SETBACK LINE

(81-261.5)

Street frontage zone

A portion of a zoning lot which lies within an area bounded by a continuous front lot line and either the center line of the block or a line 100 feet distant from and parallel to that front lot line, whichever is closer to that front lot line. There shall be a street frontage zone for each zoning lot street frontage. (See illustration of Street Frontage Zones)

STREET FRONTAGE ZONES

(81-261.6)

Ten-foot setback line

A line which is parallel to the street line at a depth of 10 feet and represents the minimum distance any portion of a building exceeding the maximum height at the street line is required to be set back from the street line. A greater setback distance may be required by a setback line or a half-setback line depending upon the building height for which such setback line or half-setback line is established.

TEN-FOOT SETBACK LINE ON AN ENCROACHMENT GRID

(81-261.7)

Zone A, Zone B, Zone C

"Zone A," "Zone B" and "Zone C" are zones on an encroachment grid defined as follows:

(a)        Zone A is the free zone.

(b)        Zone B, an encroachment zone, is the zone, exclusive of any area in Zone A and any area closer to the street line than the ten-foot setback line, which lies between the setback line and either the half-setback line or the ten-foot setback line, whichever is further from the street line.

(c)        Zone C, an encroachment zone and penalty zone, is the zone, exclusive of any area closer to the street line than the ten-foot setback line, which lies between the half-setback line and the ten-foot setback line.