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City of Rochester, NY
Monroe County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323]
The R-1 Low-Density Residential District is intended to maintain residential areas at relatively low densities. The R-1 District is a distinct urban area that is characterized predominantly by owner-occupied, single-family detached and attached homes but often contains a diverse mix of other preexisting higher-density residential uses. Each R-1 neighborhood is unique in character, composition and scale. The district requirements are intended to preserve and promote neighborhoods characterized by unobstructed front yards and pedestrian-scale streetscapes and to protect against undesirable uses and residential conversions.
The following uses are permitted in the R-1 District:
A. 
Single-family detached dwellings.
B. 
Single-family attached dwellings.
C. 
Family and group family day-care homes.
D. 
Adult family day-care homes.
E. 
Places of worship, except in structures originally designed solely for residential purposes.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
F. 
Convents and rectories.
G. 
Home occupations subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-139.
[Added 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
H. 
[1]Office, when in an existing structure built for a nonresidential use, operating between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
[Added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363; amended 2-18-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-39]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection H, concerning specialty retail sales and service, added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363, as amended, was repealed 8-9-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-263, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection I as Subsection H.
The following uses are allowed as special permit uses in the R-1 District:
A. 
Ancillary parking lots , subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-131.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183]
B. 
Bed-and-breakfast establishments, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-132.
C. 
Day-care centers, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-135.
D. 
[1]Public and semipublic uses, including but not limited to schools, library, police stations and fire stations.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection D, Parks and recreational areas, was repealed 7-19-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-247, which ordinance also provided for the relettering of former Subsections E through G as Subsections D through F, respectively.
E. 
Public utilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-144.
F. 
Residential care facilities, subject to the additional requirements for specified uses in § 120-146.[2]
[2]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection G, concerning full-line food store and low-impact retail sales and service, added 9-19-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-363, as amended, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 8-9-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-263.
Conversion of any residential structure to any nonresidential use or to increase the number of residential units in the R-1 District is prohibited except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
The following lot, area and yard requirements shall apply to the R-1 District:
A. 
Lot frontage requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot frontage, detached: average frontage of lots on the block on which the property is located.
(b) 
Minimum lot frontage, attached, two units: 30 feet per unit.
(c) 
Minimum lot frontage, attached, three or more units: N/A.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot frontage: N/A.
B. 
Lot area requirements.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot area, detached: 5,000 square feet.
(b) 
Minimum lot area, attached, two units: 3,000 square feet per unit.
(c) 
Minimum lot area, attached, three units or more: N/A.
(d) 
[1]Maximum lot coverage: 50%.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(1)(d), providing maximum building coverage, was repealed 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection B(1)(e) as Subsection B(1)(d).
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum lot area: N/A.
(b) 
[2]Maximum lot coverage: 50%.
[2]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B(2)(b), providing maximum building coverage, was repealed 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299, which ordinance also redesignated former Subsection B(2)(c) as Subsection B(2)(b).
C. 
Yard requirements.
[Amended 7-19-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-247[3]]
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Front yards.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 7-27-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-240]
[1] 
Minimum front yard setback, principal uses and structures: where applicable, the average front yard depth of buildings on the two lots adjoining a property; or the average front yard depth of buildings on the block frontage on which the property is located; or 20 feet.
[2] 
Maximum front yard setback, principal uses and structures: where applicable, the average front yard depth of buildings of the two lots adjoining a property; or the average front yard depth of buildings on the block frontage.
[3] 
Minimum front yard setback, attached garages and carports: front yard of the principal use or structure plus 10 feet.
[Amended 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323]
(b) 
Side yards.
[1] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached principal use or structure: five feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet.
[2] 
Minimum side yard setback, attached principal use or structure: zero, except when adjacent to a detached structure, in which case the setback shall be five feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet.
[3] 
Attached accessory structures: five feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet.
[4] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(c) 
Rear yard.
[1] 
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure: 20 feet or the average rear yard setback on the block on which the property is located, but in no case less than 10 feet.
[2] 
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: N/A.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Minimum front yard setback, principal use or structure: average front yard depth of building(s) on the block on which the property is located or 20 feet, whichever is more, but in no case more than five feet larger than the average of the front yard depth of buildings on the two adjoining lots.
(b) 
Side yards.
[1] 
Minimum side yard setback, principal use or structure: 10 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 25 feet.
[2] 
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: 10 feet.
(c) 
Rear yard.
[1] 
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure: 20 feet.
[2] 
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure: 10 feet.
[3]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance provided an effective date of 9-1-2011.
D. 
Corner lots. Both yards abutting streets shall be considered front yards and shall follow the regulations of this article; all side and rear yards shall follow the regulations of this article.
The following requirements shall apply to buildings constructed in the R-1 District:
A. 
Building heights.
(1) 
Residential uses.
(a) 
Maximum building height, principal use or structure: 2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet.
(b) 
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure: 15 feet.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses.
(a) 
Maximum building height, principal use or structure: 2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet.
(b) 
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure: 15 feet.
[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
The following summarizes the requirements for the R-1 District.
Summary Chart of R-1 Regulations
Requirement
Residential
Nonresidential
Single-Family Detached
Single-Family Attached
(2 Units)
Single-Family Attached
(3 or More Units)
Minimum lot frontage
Average frontage of lots on block
30 feet per unit
N/A
N/A
Minimum lot area
5,000 square feet
3,000 square feet per unit
N/A
N/A
Maximum lot coverage
50%
50%
Front Yard
Minimum front yard setback, principal use or structure
The average front yard depth of buildings on the 2 lots adjoining a property; or the average front yard depth of the buildings on the block frontage on which the property is located; or 20 feet
Average front yard depth of building(s) on the block on which the property is located or 20 feet, whichever is more, but in no case more than 5 feet larger than the average of the front yard depth of buildings on the 2 adjoining lots
Maximum front yard setback, principal use or structure
The average front yard depth of buildings of the 2 lots adjoining a property, or the average front yard depth of buildings on the block frontage
N/A
Minimum front yard setback, attached garages and carports
Front yard of the principal use or structure plus 10 feet
N/A
Side Yard
Minimum side yard setback, detached principal use or structure
5 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet
10 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 25 feet
Minimum side yard setback, attached principal use or structure
0, except when adjacent to a detached structure, in which case the setback shall be 5 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet
10 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 25 feet
Attached accessory structures
5 feet minimum with a combined width of both side yards of 15 feet
N/A
Minimum side yard setback, detached accessory use or structure
N/A
10 feet
Rear Yard
Minimum rear yard setback, principal use or structure
20 feet or the average rear yard setback on the block on which the property is located, but in no case less than 10 feet
20 feet
Minimum rear yard setback, detached accessory use or structure
N/A
10 feet
Bulk
Maximum building height, principal use or structure
2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet
2 1/2 stories not to exceed 35 feet
Maximum building height, detached accessory use or structure
15 feet
15 feet
Personal wireless telecommunication facilities in the R-1 District shall be regulated as outlined in § 120-143, Personal wireless telecommunication facilities.
The applicable City-Wide Design Guidelines and Standards (Article XIX) and Requirements Applying to All Districts (Article XX) in this chapter shall apply to all uses in the R-1 District.