City of Holland - General Requirements

Accessory Structures Allowed In Required Setbacks

A. Placement. The placement of these accessory structures is deemed to be consistent with the intent and purpose of maintaining open yards in all zone districts. Therefore, they shall not be required to meet the setbacks for accessory structures, except as required in this section. These items shall not count towards the number of accessory structures in Sec. 39-9.05: Accessory structures requiring setbacks.

B. Uncovered porches, stairs, patios, and decks.

1. Height: maximum three feet in height.
2. Setbacks: shall be required to meet 50% of the minimum setback requirement for the zone district when located in the front, secondary street, side, or rear yards, but shall be set back a minimum of two feet from all property lines.
3. Exempt. If at grade, the structure shall be exempt from this section and all setback requirements.

C. Permanent equipment.

1. Types allowed: HVAC (heating ventilation, air-conditioning), emergency generators, and other similar equipment.
2. Setbacks. Equipment shall be set back a minimum of two feet from the side and rear property lines and a minimum of five feet from a secondary street property line; shall not be permitted in front yards.

D. Architectural features.

1. Types: bay windows, chimneys, awnings, and other similar features.
2. Wall face allowance: 25% maximum of each wall face.
3. Projection from wall: three feet maximum.
4. Setback: shall be set back a minimum of three feet from all property lines.

E. Eaves. May project three feet from the wall face and shall be setback at least two feet from all property lines.
F. Uncovered barrier-free access ramps. Shall be setback a minimum of three feet from all property lines.

G. Swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas

1. Setback: shall be set back a minimum of 3 feet from the rear and side property lines; shall not be permitted in front or secondary street yards.
2. Additional requirements. Swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas shall meet the requirements of Chapter 14: Housing of the Code of Ordinances and the Michigan Building Code.

H. Fences: Section 39-9.08.

I. Miscellaneous structures.

1. Types allowable in any yard: arbors, trellises, landscaping, yard ornaments, statues, flagpoles, laundry drying lines or devices, pole-mounted lights, signs as permitted by Article 39-8, fences per Sec. 39-9.08: Fences, barbecues, picnic tables, playground equipment, rain barrels, refuse storage facilities in accordance with Chapter 27: Refuse and Garbage of the Code of Ordinances, mailboxes in accordance with federal law, and other similar structures.
2. Type allowable only in rear yard: outdoor game courts.
3. Setbacks: none required.

J. Encroachments into the right-of-way shall maintain a clearance of eight feet from grade and shall obtain a revocable license agreement (RLA) or an air easement from City Council prior to obtaining a permit.

K. Elevated bridges. Located between nonresidential buildings, under common ownership, used for HVAC equipment or other similiar equipment and pedestrian access shall be allowed with zero setback.

L. Gazebos, pergolas and picnic shelters.

1. Types allowed: This section shall be used for freestanding structures used and intended for recreation, outdoor dining and other similar uses. Structures used for parking or storage shall be regulated by Sec. 39-9.05: Accessory structures requiring setbacks.
2. Construction: Structures with a solid roof and open on all sides, no walls.
3. Size: Residential uses (10 - four units), 200 square feet or less; All other uses, 120 square feet or less.
4. A permit is required, but these structures shall not count toward the maximum number of structures allowed on the property.
5. Setback: Shall be setback a minimum of three feet from other structures, rear and side property lines. Shall not be permitted in the front or secondary street yards.

Accessory Structures Requiring Setbacks

A. Definition. An "accessory structure" is a subordinate structure on the same property as a principal structure, such as a shed or garage.
B. Permits are required for all accessory structures (Section 39-12.04).
C. Accessory structures for residential dwellings with one to four units.

1. Maximum number of accessory structures per property.

Acres	Maximum Number of Accessory Structures
2 or less	2
Greater than 2	4

2. Height. Accessory structures shall be a maximum of 16 feet in height, as measured to the mean (middle) height between the peak and the eave. See § 39-1.07D. Exception: Properties in an historic district may have additional height, up to 20 feet, to meet the architectural style of the home with a certificate of appropriateness (CoA).
3. Pitched roof required. All accessory structures shall be constructed with a pitched roof that has a minimum slope of three inches of rise for every 12 inches of horizontal dimension (3:12 slope).
4. Use of attic space. Any upper story or attic space in an accessory structure shall not be usable for any purpose other than light storage. The bottom chord of the trusses or the ceiling joists shall be designed for a live load not to exceed 20 pounds per square foot. This section shall not apply if the upper story is approved as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). See Section 39-9.07.
5. Setbacks.

a.  Front yard: shall have the same minimum setback as required for principal structures.
b.  Side and rear yards: shall be located a minimum of three feet from all side and rear property lines.
c.  Secondary street frontage yard: shall have the same minimum setback as required for principal structures.
d.  Other structures: shall be located a minimum of three feet from any other structure on the property (principal or accessory).
e.  The vehicle entrance to detached garage shall have a minimum sixteen-foot setback from the front and secondary street property lines.

6. In the CNR Zone District, the maximum footprint of any accessory structure shall be 576 square feet.

D. Accessory structures for all uses other than residential dwellings with one to four units.

1. There shall be no maximum number of accessory structures.
2. Height. Accessory structures shall be a maximum of 20 feet in height, as measured to the mean height between the peak and the eave. See Section § 39-1.07D.
3. Setbacks.

a. Front yard. Accessory structures shall not be located in the required front yard setback.
b. Side and rear yards: shall be located a minimum of 10 feet from all side and rear property lines.
c. Secondary street frontage yard: shall have a minimum setback from the secondary street frontage of 16 feet.
d. Between structures: shall be located a minimum of 10 feet from any principal or other accessory structure on the property.
e. Accessory structures 120 square feet or less in area and 12 feet or less in height shall have a minimum setback requirement of three feet from all lot lines.

Bicycle Parking

Applicability.

1. Bicycle parking shall be provided for the following developments requiring an administrative or Planning Commission site plan review:

a. New structure.
b. Structure addition resulting in an increase in residential units of 20% or more.
c. Structure addition resulting in an increase in nonresidential gross floor area of 20% or more.

2. Exempt: multifamily developments where each attached dwelling unit is designated a private garage, carport, or accessible and secure storage space that is a minimum of 80 square feet in area.

Bicycle parking facility types. The Bicycle Parking Space Table in § 39-9.03D.1 (and Article 39-2: Zone Districts) specifies the number of public spaces required for short-term parking and the number or percentage of covered spaces required for long-term employee and/or resident parking. This subsection provides the definitions, standards, design requirements, and examples of each. For more information, see § 39-9.03C

For additional information on Bicycle Parking including parking space standards, waivers from requirements, and existing facilities, please reference Sec. 39-9.03: Bicycle parking.

Building Clear Vision Corner
In order to ensure an unobstructed view of oncoming pedestrian, bicycle or vehicle traffic.

See Sec. 39-9.15: Building clear vision corner, below:

Regardless of the Zone District, buildings with a zero to three-foot setback from a corner property line shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the approving authority that the design will enable a clear view of approaching vehicle traffic in the street and pedestrian/bicycle traffic on the sidewalk. This shall apply to all new buildings and additions, and may be done in conjunction with the requirements of Sec. 39-3.17: Corner treatments.

Building Envelope Overview Table
For detailed information on Building Envelope information see Sec. 39-3.13: Building envelope overview table and Sec. 39-3.14: Building envelope standards.

Building Frontage Types Overview

For detailed information on Frontage types see Sec. 39-3.09: Frontage type overview; Permitted frontage types see Sec. 39-3.10: Permitted frontage types; Frontage type limited circumstances see Sec. 39-3.11: Frontage type limited circumstances and Frontage type standards see Sec. 39-3.12: Frontage type standards.

Building Materials and Environmental Quality

A. Building materials.

1. Specify building materials on the required elevation plan. Color renderings may be required by the approving authority.
2. Design. All building materials shall be high-quality and shall complement adjacent existing buildings.

B. Noise. All developments shall be designed and constructed to reasonably protect residents or occupants of adjacent properties from the emission and transmission of noise. Protection of residents living on-site from noise shall occur through submittal of a STraCAT Summary Report as specified below.

1. A Sound Transmission Classification Assessment Tool (STraCAT) Summary is required for residential uses with five or more attached dwelling units to ensure building materials will sufficiently suppress external traffic noise. The applicant shall input the building material specifications as required by the tool and input the ambient noise level decibels as specified below. The approving authority may require a different decibel requirement and shall specify the decibel level for a planned unit development (PUD).
2. Ambient noise levels. Ambient noise levels shall be inputted into the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) STraCAT tool based on the location of the property. These decibel levels are provided in the Community and Neighborhood Services Department's most recent Ambient Noise Level Policy.
3. Construction noises. The demolition, erection, alteration, or repair of any structure, and the excavation of streets shall follow the Noise Ordinance in Chapter 19: Nuisances of the City's Code of Ordinances.

C. Dust and air pollution. Dust and other types of air pollution that can be borne by the wind from the use shall be controlled through appropriate landscaping, sheltering, paving, wetting, collecting, or other means, and these means shall be identified on the site plan.
D. Protect residents and adjacent properties. The design and construction of developments shall also reasonably protect residents or occupants of adjacent properties from smoke, dirt, litter, odors, vibration, overcrowding of people, sanitation, glare, and heat off-site, and other similar considerations.
E. Hazardous materials.

1. Storage. The applicant shall state any hazardous materials that will be stored on-site. Fire Department approval of the storage method is required.
2. Hazardous materials and waste. The use, storage, handling, transport, discharge, and disposal of hazardous materials shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
3. Chemical list. Developments where chemicals will be present shall provide a list of chemicals with their application.
4. Odors. No use may emit odors of an intensity and character as to be detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare.

Building Types Overview

For detailed information on building types (see Sec. 39-3.05: Building types overview); Permitted building types (see Sec. 39-3.06: Permitted building types); Building type limited locations (see Sec. 39-3.07: Building type limited locations) and Building type standards (see Sec. 39-3.08: Building type standards).

Corner treatments

Regardless of building or frontage type, all building corners at street intersections shall include corner architectural features designed to provide a welcoming gateway to the block. Buildings at intersections shall also have an entrance facing the corner. Acceptable corner architectural features include the following. The Planning Commission may approve alternate architectural features upon determining that they meet the intent of this section.

A. Peaked or decorative roof.
B. Additional glass.
C. Clock tower or similar feature.
D. Support column for upper floors.
E. Vertical facade differentiation so that the corner stands out.

Driveway Requirements

General requirements.

1. A driveway or parking space shall be made accessible to a public street, or to a private street if approved by the approving authority.
2. Driveway approaches shall only be installed in conjunction with approved curb cuts and driveway approach regulations as specified in § 39-10.05C and § 39-10.05D.
3. Driveway width measurements shall be made at the right-of-way line.
4. Driveway flares. An additional flare of three feet for residentially used properties and an additional flare of five feet for nonresidentially used properties are allowed in additional to the maximum width at the right-of-way line.
5. Permit required. A right-of-way permit shall be obtained from the Transportation Services Department prior to connecting a driveway to any public street, alley or public place.

For more information on residential driveways, please reference § 39-10.05C
For more information on Commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and multifamily development driveways, please reference § 39-10.05D

Dumpsters and Waste Disposal Receptacles

A. Required. Dumpsters or another means of waste disposal, approved by the approving authority, is required for any development requiring a site plan review.
B. Enclosure. Refuse shall be enclosed within a high-quality, durable enclosure, using similar materials as used for the principal building. A permanent, six-foot minimum enclosure shall be on three sides of the dumpster. The fourth side of the enclosure shall be equipped with a gate the same height as the enclosure.
C. Screening. Dumpsters shall be screened by landscaping from view of adjoining properties and public streets.
D. Site location.

1. From structures: 10 feet minimum from a structure unless a closer distance is approved by the Fire Marshal.
2. Side or rear yard required setbacks. Dumpsters shall be permitted in the required side or rear yard setbacks. Dumpsters need not comply with the setback requirements for accessory structures in Sec. 39-9.05: Accessory structures requiring setbacks. They shall not be permitted in the required front or secondary street setbacks.
3. Dumpsters shall not encroach into a required parking area and shall be clearly accessible to servicing vehicles.

E. Concrete pad. Dumpsters shall be located on a concrete pad extending a minimum of 10 feet in front of the dumpster enclosure.
F. Additional. Any internal refuse shall be wheeled out to the curb for pickup, and all waste disposal shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 27: Refuse and Garbage of the City of Holland Code of Ordinances.

Exterior Lighting

A. A photometric lighting map and manufacturer lighting details are required if any exterior lighting is proposed.
B. Maximum light levels and temperature.

1. Five-tenths footcandle on any property line abutting a residential use with one to four dwelling units.
2. Fifteen footcandles anywhere on a site.
3. Four thousand degrees Kelvin on a CCT Scale.

C. Nonresidential properties. Exterior lighting shall be reduced to only the level needed for security during nonbusiness hours.
D. Light pole height: 20 feet maximum height if located within 200 feet of a residential use in the LDR, CNR, MDR, TNR, HDR, or MHR Zone Districts. Light fixtures in the Airport Overlay District shall comply with Section 39-2.20. For all other light fixtures, the maximum height shall be the maximum building height allowable in the zone district.
E. Shielded. All exterior lighting shall be shielded to reduce glare and to deflect light away from all adjacent properties.
F. Downward facing. All outdoor lighting, unless otherwise specified, shall be downward facing to reduce glare and shall be arranged to direct and deflect light away from adjacent uses.
G. Decorative post-top lighting. A maximum of 18% of light may trespass above the ninety-degree angle.
H. Safety. All streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and common areas or facilities shall be sufficiently illuminated to ensure the security of property and the safety of persons using such areas.
I. Ground lighting is allowed, provided that it does not produce glare on adjacent properties.
J. Signs. Exterior illumination of signs shall be directed downward not to interfere with the vision of persons on adjacent properties and streets. (See Article 39-8.)
K. Maintained. Light fixtures shall be maintained not to constitute a hazard or nuisance.
L. Protect. The design and construction of developments shall reasonably protect residents and occupants of adjacent properties from light glare.

Fair Housing Accommodation Policy

Intent. It is the policy of the City of Holland, pursuant to the Federal Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act (hereafter "fair housing laws"), to provide individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodation in rules, practices, and procedures to ensure equal access to housing and to facilitate the development of housing for individuals with disabilities. The intent of this section is to provide a procedure for individuals with disabilities and developers of housing for individuals with disabilities to seek relief from the application of zoning regulations, policies, practices, and procedures that will further the City's compliance with fair housing laws and provide greater opportunities for the development of critically needed housing for individuals with disabilities.

Notice of Fair Housing Assistance Policy.

1. Notice of the availability of reasonable accommodation shall be prominently displayed at public information counters in the Community and Neighborhood Services Department, advising the public of the availability of the procedure for eligible individuals. Forms for requesting reasonable accommodation shall be available to the public in the Community and Neighborhood Services Department.
2. The notice shall indicate that the Community and Neighborhood Services Department will provide an applicant with assistance in filing a request for reasonable accommodation or an appeal from a decision on such request so that the process is accessible.

Fences

General standards. These standards shall apply to fences as an accessory structure in all zone districts.

1. Permit. A permit from the Zoning Administrator is required prior to construction or installation of any fence. See Sections 39-12.02 and 39-12.04.
2. Gates. Gates shall not swing over public sidewalks.
3. Drainage easement restriction. Only chain-link fences are permitted within a drainage easement.
4. Thirty feet from a property line. A fence may be installed at the maximum height allowed in the zone district, if located at least 30 feet from the front or secondary street property line.
5. Floodway. Fences shall not be permitted within a floodway.
6. Pools. Fences that serve as an enclosure for a swimming pool shall meet the permit requirements and standards of the State of Michigan Building Code and the height and setback requirements of Sec. 39-9.05: Accessory structures requiring setbacks.
7. Measuring fence height. The fence body determines the fence height, and is measured from the grade below the fence, to the top of the fence body. Posts may be up to six inches above the fence body. There will be an additional tolerance of up to three inches due to grade changes along the fence.
8. Exempt. Freestanding fence sections less than 16 feet in length are considered landscaping and not a fence. These features shall not require a permit but shall meet all required setbacks.

For more information including specific standards, setbacks and height maximums, and fence types, materials and maintenance, please reference Sec. 39-9.08: Fences.

Fire Access

A. International Fire Code. See Chapter 11: Fire Protection of the Code of Ordinances for additional regulations.

B. Emergency services. The design and construction of developments shall reasonably protect the ease and routine of emergency services into and out of the site. The Fire Marshal may require site design elements to ensure this requirement is met.

C. Fire apparatus access roads are required on every site and shall meet the following requirements:

1. Shall be 26 feet wide minimum, exclusive of shoulders (IFC Appendix D.105.2).
2. Shall have a thirteen-foot six-inch minimum overhead clearance, or a fourteen-foot minimum overhead clearance if access is provided by a public road;
3. Shall extend to within 150 feet of all portions of the exterior of the building. The distance may be increased if the Fire Marshal finds that:

a. The building is equipped throughout with an automatic inside sprinkler system.
b. The building has fewer than two Group R3 or Group U occupancies.
c. Topography or grades do not permit it.

4. If the access road is longer than 150 feet, a turnaround area shall be provided and approved by the Fire Marshal. Turning radius and approach angles are specified in the International Fire Code and are subject to Fire Department apparatus specifications.
5. Gates for access roads shall be a minimum 20 feet in width, shall slide or swing, and shall meet all requirements of IFC Appendix D.103.5.
6. Construction materials for access roads shall be all-weather concrete or asphalt and designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire equipment.
7. Shall be signed as "Fire Access Road."
8. Aerial fire apparatus access roads are required when the vertical distance between the grade plane and the highest roof surface exceeds 30 feet. (IFC Appendix D.105).

a. One of the required access roads shall be located between 15 to 30 feet from the building.
b. Positioned parallel to one entire side of the building.
c. Overhead utilities shall not be located over the aerial access road or between the aerial access road and the building.

9. If two fire apparatus access roads are required, they shall be placed a distance apart equal to or greater than one-half the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the lot to be served, measured in a straight line between accesses (Appendix D.104.3). See § 39-5.06D.

D. Fire Apparatus Access Roads Table (IFC Appendix D.104 and D.106). See § 39-5.06D

E. Site plan and construction shall include:

1. Fire access road locations and construction materials.
2. Security gates and fire flow requirement locations.
3. Lock box locations on any structure that has fire service features, such as alarms, suppression systems, elevators, or anything else deemed essential for immediate access.
4. Signage depicting fire service features on doors to rooms with Fire Department connections, riser standpipes, or other fire service features.
5. Commodity classification of items to be stored, if applicable, to determine sufficiency of proposed suppression system.
6. Hydrant placement shall comply with these requirements:

a. Minimum 400 feet from all portions of a nonsprinklered building, as measured by an unobstructed hose route around the building.
b. Minimum 600 feet from all portions of a sprinklered building, as measured by an unobstructed hose route around the building.

F. New address numbers shall meet the following requirements:

1. Legible and visible from the street.
2. Arabic numbers.
3. Four inches high with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inch.
4. Contrasted with their background.
5.Located by the street and on the building for buildings more than 90 feet from the street and buildings not visible from the street.
6. See Chapter 32: Streets and Sidewalks of the Code of Ordinances for additional regulations.

General Street Requirements

Public and private streets.

1. Street design plan shall be submitted with a site plan review proposing a new street that lays out the street realms and feature zones per Sec. 39-10.08: Street design standards.
2. Public streets shall generally be required for all new streets providing access to five or more dwelling units and to any nonresidential use. See Sec. 39-10.07: Street classifications for street design standards and Sec. 39-10.08: Street design standards for specific street design standards.

a. Private street waiver shall only be granted by the Planning Commission when the street provides access within a single lot that will be subdivided into a site condominium, and there will be suitable provisions for the lots to maintain, repair, and replace the streets through a private association, unless otherwise recommended by the City Engineer and the Community and Neighborhood Services Department. Private streets providing access to over four dwelling units shall be built to public street standards. See § 39-10.03B.

3. All streets shall be designed to allow sufficient access for emergency vehicles by providing a minimum width of 20 feet, exclusive of shoulders. Streets shall be a minimum of width of 26 feet, exclusive of shoulders, wherever a fire hydrant is located. Compliance with minimum widths for streets shall be determined by the Fire Marshal.
4. Public street connections. All new streets shall connect to an existing public street or be part of a new street network that connects to an existing public street, unless the only available street connection to the property is a private street.

For more information on street requirements, including public street standards, street and right-of-way elements, City Engineer and Ottawa County Road Commission standards and variances, please reference Sec. 39-10.03: General street requirements.

HBPW Utility Services

All buildings shall be served by public water, sanitary sewer, and electric utilities and may be eligible for communication services. Nondomestic buildings may be required to meet pollution control requirements. These are all managed by the Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW). Developments shall not overburden public facilities or utilities as determined by the City or HBPW. All utilities shall be designed, planned, and installed per the City of Holland and HBPW requirements following the most current Holland Board of Public Works' Terms of Service found at: https://hollandbpq.com/en/customer-service/terms-of-service.

A. Water and wastewater.

1. New taps on existing public water and sewer mains shall be performed to meet HBPW specifications.
2. Documentation of backflow prevention shall be submitted with application, if applicable.
3. Assessments, frontage, trunkage, and meter fees shall be paid prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
4. The property owner shall be responsible for a connection from the building to the public sewer connection and shall meet HBPW and State Plumbing Code requirements.
5. All sanitary sewer system uses shall meet the requirements outlined in the Holland Sewer Use Ordinance, Chapter 29: Sewer Usage and Administration of the City of Holland Code of Ordinances.
6. Private fire service mains that supply hydrants shall be a minimum of six inches in diameter.
7. Utility easements, if required, shall be granted and fully executed prior to service.

B. Pollution control.

1. Nondomestic customer requirements for new construction, additions, or renovations.

a. A monitoring manhole is required for all nondomestic customers. It shall be installed on the owner's property. All wastewater shall pass through the manhole before connecting to the main sewer. Only one connection to the main sewer will be permitted for each building.
b. In the case of additions or renovations to an existing building, all new sewer lines shall tie into existing sewer lines a minimum of 10 feet before the monitoring manhole to ensure proper wastewater sampling.
c. Monitoring manholes shall meet HBPW accessibility requirements, and the monitoring manhole's design requires approval by HBPW prior to installation.
d. Any food service facility shall be required to discharge all wastewater (with the exception of dishwasher and sanitary wastewater) through a minimum 1,000-gallon, three-chamber interceptor to help capture all fats, oil, and grease before wastewater discharges to a sanitary sewer. Interceptor design requires approval by HBPW prior to installation.
e. Any building with the potential to discharge petroleum-based oil to the sanitary sewer system is required to install a minimum 1,000-gallon, three-chamber oil interceptor. Interceptor design requires approval by HBPW prior to installation.
f. Discharge of uncontaminated process water, stormwater, uncontaminated cooling water, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, or subsurface drainage to the sanitary sewer system is prohibited.
g. The applicant shall provide a written request to the HBPW Pollution Control Division to be considered for any waiver to the requirements listed above.

C. Electric.

1. Undergrounding of all electric services to new buildings and redevelopments of existing buildings shall be required unless otherwise waived by the Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW).
2. Utility easements shall be granted and fully executed prior to energization of electrical service.
3. Unobstructed access to equipment. The applicant shall show on the site plan and place equipment in a manner to provide unobstructed access to HBPW.
4. Clear vision. Equipment shall not interfere with vision or traffic circulation.

D. Communication services.

1. Communication services shall include broadband, telecom, and cable.
2. All new communication services shall be installed underground.
3. The applicant shall provide building penetration for all planned communication service conduits.
4. Cabling guidelines and best practices to consider when designing new buildings are located at: https://www.hollandbpw.com/en/cablingguidelines.

5. Utility easements, if required, shall be granted and fully executed prior to service.

Infill Design Review Standards

Applicability. The standards of this section shall apply in the following circumstances:

1. CNR and TNR Zone Districts.

a. Construction of new residential structures.
b. Accessory Structure construction or relocation on residential properties when greater than 256 square feet in area with a horizontal dimension of 16 feet or greater.
c. New nonresidential structures and additions to existing nonresidential structures.
d. Enclosure of a front porch.
e. Adding an additional story to a structure.
f. Substantial changes to increase the height of any story or the overall height of a structure.
g. Reconstruction or substantially altering a structure if 50% or more of the exterior shell is demolished or substantially altered due to fire, storm, or other circumstances.

2. Moving a house: when a dwelling unit is proposed to be moved from any location to a property within the CNR, TNR, LDR, MDR, or HDR Zone Districts.
3. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), in any zone district where they are permitted. See Article 39-2 and Section 39-9.07.
4. Exception. Construction subject to Historic District Commission approval shall not be subject to this section.

Standards.

1. Building setbacks. Building setbacks shall comply with the zone district setback requirements.
2. Height. Building height shall comply with the zone district height requirements.
3. First floor elevation height: shall not be higher than the average height of the first floor elevations of the principal structures on each side of the infill property. The first floor elevation shall be measured as the height above the ground elevation from the center line of the fronting street.
4. Scale. Finished floor elevations, height of exposed basement walls, and front yard grade elevations shall be similar to those of adjacent dwellings.
5. Width and general proportions: shall be consistent with or similar to the character of the neighborhood.
6. Form, massing, and directional emphasis: shall conform to the established horizontal or vertical character of the neighborhood and the neighborhood's established building form and massing characteristics.
7. Facade, materials, and detail: shall be consistent with the neighborhood's discernible patterns of detail, including, but not limited to, door and window trim, corner boards, cornice details, railings, and shutters. Materials, siding width, and relative proportions of doors and windows shall be compatible with neighborhood character. Exposed wood shall be painted or stained in a manner generally compatible with other buildings on the property and with the neighborhood character.
8. Porches: whether enclosed or not, shall be similar in design to existing porches in the neighborhood. Enclosed porches may be allowed when the prevailing character of the neighborhood includes open front porches as long as the design is consistent with those porches that are open.
9. Roof style and pitch: shall be architecturally consistent with the prevailing neighborhood character.
10. Building separation: shall be consistent with the character of the neighborhood.
11. Orientation. Front facades and primary entrances of principal structures shall face a street. Garages and accessory dwelling units shall be oriented consistent with the character of garage orientations in the neighborhood.
12. Alleys. If the property has access to an alley, vehicle access to the property may be limited to the alley.

For more information, see Sec. 39-9.09: Infill design review standards.
For more information on associated procedures, click here.

Landscaping

A. Street trees shall be provided every 30 feet within the right-of-way along all of the site's street frontages and along any new street. Existing street trees shall be clearly indicated on the required separate landscape plan. Trees may be placed further into the site, or ornamental trees may be used if overhead utilities or another obstruction is present, when approved by the approving authority. See Section 39-6.02C.
B. Landscape islands are required in parking lots after every 20 parking spaces and shall include a minimum of one tree and a permitted ground cover. See Section 39-6.02D.
C. Internal parking lot landscaping shall be provided at one square foot per 20 square feet of parking lot surface. See Section 39-6.02D and E.
D. Building perimeter landscaping is required along all walls facing a street or parking lot. See Section 39-6.02F.
E. A landscaping buffer is required to provide a buffer between residential and nonresidential uses. See Section 39-6.02I.

Landscaping and Green Infrastructure: Intent and Examples

The intent of this article is to ensure the long-term environmental sustainability of the City of Holland by applying standards that preserve and enhance the City's tree and landscaping coverage and enable developments to meet low-impact development (LID) goals by incorporating green infrastructure into site design. LID assists the City in reaching its goals to decrease flooding events, erosion, and pollutants entering the waterways, and to protect groundwater and surface water quality by infiltrating, filtering, storing, and detaining stormwater runoff close to its source. These investments yield multiple benefits toward building City resilience.

For more information on the benefits of a focus on Landscaping and Green Infrastructure, please reference Sec. 39-6.01: Intent.
For examples of pervious durable surfaces, please reference Sec. 39-6.06: Pervious durable surfaces.
For additional examples of best management practices, please reference Sec. 39-6.07: Additional examples of structural green infrastructure best management practices (BMPs). and Sec. 39-6.08: Additional best practices..

Site design to achieve LID goals. To ensure LID goals are met, the following standards are required, which shall be further specified in this article and these general requirements:

1. Landscape requirements.
2. Impervious surface maximums for certain zone districts.
3. Green infrastructure requirements.

Landscaping and Green Infrastructure: 1. Landscape Requirements & Maintenance

Applicability. The following developments shall comply with the landscape requirements in this article:

1.  New construction on any property requiring site plan approval.
2.  Building additions on any property requiring site plan approval.
3.  New parking lots or reconfigurations of parking lots, deemed significant enough by the approving authority, and requiring site plan approval.
4.  Street construction or reconstruction.
5.  Residential dwellings with one to four units shall only be subject to the street tree requirements of Section 39-6.02C. The Zoning Administrator and City Engineer may waive this requirement if deemed unnecessary.

Landscape Requirements Table. The linked table summarizes the landscape requirements, which are further specified in Section 39-6.02C through G. An Airport Zone District is exempt from these requirements.See § 39-6.02B for the Landscaping Requirements Table.

Maintenance.
Property owners shall take all reasonable measures to keep all landscaping alive and thriving and shall provide the following:

1. A maintenance plan shall be included in the required written project summary stating which measures will be used to meet this requirement. This plan is separate from the maintenance agreement required by Chapter 29, Stormwater Ordinance.
2. Irrigation of trees and shrubs is required. The approving authority may not require all landscaping to be irrigated, if requested, and if adequate green infrastructure is otherwise provided, as determined by the approving authority.
3. Kept neat. All landscape materials, manufactured materials, and green infrastructure shall be kept in a neat, orderly, and thriving manner, free from debris and refuse.
4. Removal of plant material. All diseased, unhealthy, and dead plant material or green infrastructure shall be removed immediately and replaced. Replacement landscaping shall be installed at or as close as possible to the size of the landscaping at the time of its removal.
5. Minimum height of branches over sidewalk. A branch hanging over a public sidewalk or street shall be a minimum seven feet above grade and shall be maintained by the property owner. This maintenance shall include removal of dead branches or stubs that are or may become a menace to people on the public sidewalk or street.
6. Not permitted on publicly owned trees.

a. Wearing spurs when climbing trees unless done by a designated City of Holland employee or contractor.
b. Wires shall not be attached to any tree.
c. Signs shall not be attached to any tree.

7. Trees shall not be removed from the right-of-way without permission of City of Holland's Parks and Recreation Department.

For complete information on Landscape Requirements for Landscaping and Green Infrastructure, please reference Sec. 39-6.02: Landscape requirements (Sections 39-5.04, 39-5.08).

For more information on Landscaping and Green Infrastructure, please reference Article 39-6: Landscaping and Green Infrastructure.

Landscaping and Green Infrastructure: 2. Impervious surface maximums

A. Maximum impervious surface allowance. Impervious surfaces shall not exceed the maximum percentage for these zone districts. An increase in the impervious surface percentage may be provided upon request if the approving authority deems it necessary.

OS	HDR	CMU	GMU	RMU	I
20%	70%	80%	70%	80%	80%

B. Required open space. All areas not covered by buildings, parking areas, driveways, walkways, pedestrian plazas, other impervious surfaces, or water surfaces shall be planted with living vegetation, including canopy trees, shrubbery, and allowable ground cover types (§ 39-6.02G.2).

For more information on Landscaping and Green Infrastructure, please reference Article 39-6: Landscaping and Green Infrastructure.

Landscaping and Green Infrastructure: 3. Green infrastructure design requirements

Chapter 29: Sewer Usage and Administration and UDO relationship. Most developments shall be required to obtain a stormwater permit from the City Engineer in addition to obtaining site plan approval. Chapter 29: Sewer Usage and Administration, ARTICLE VI: Stormwater in the City's Code of Ordinances provides specific engineering standards to meet the ordinance and obtain a stormwater permit and references the applicant to the City of Holland's Stormwater Standards Manual for additional stormwater designs and details.

This section of UDO requires the applicant to meet the Stormwater Ordinance requirements in specific ways that are critical for site design and achieving low-impact development goals. The two ways these requirements do this are through the use of structural green infrastructure best management practices and by making retention and detention ponds amenities in addition to being used for stormwater storage.

Structural green infrastructure requirement.

1. Structural green infrastructure best management practices (BMPs) shall be used to the maximum extent practicable to comply with the Chapter 29: Sewer Usage and Administration, the adopted Stormwater Standards Manual, and to obtain a required stormwater permit. Credits are provided when using green infrastructure BMPs to meet the Stormwater Ordinance and are determined through stormwater permit calculations.
2. Nonstructural BMPs are encouraged to be used in addition to using the required structural green infrastructure BMPs.
3. Additional best practices include managerial and certain other structural and nonstructural BMPs that are encouraged to be used in addition to the required structural green infrastructure BMPs. These are listed in Sec. 39-6.08: Additional best practices.

For complete information on green infrastructure and stormwater manangement site design requirements, including examples and retention and detention pond amenities, please reference Sec. 39-6.05: Green infrastructure and stormwater management site design requirements.
For more information on Landscaping and Green Infrastructure, please reference Article 39-6: Landscaping and Green Infrastructure.

Lighting

Applicability.

A. The provisions of this section shall apply to all properties requiring site plan approval.

Maximum and minimum light levels.

A. Light levels shall be measured in footcandles, which are equal to one lumen per square foot, as demonstrated in the graphic to the right.
B. Maximum property line footcandles shall be 0.5 footcandle on any property line abutting a residential use with one to four dwelling units.
C. Maximum site footcandles shall be 15 footcandles anywhere on any property.
D. Maximum light temperature for all fixtures shall be a maximum of 4,000° Kelvin on CCT Scale.

Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) Scale

E. A photometric plan of the entire property, including property lines, shall be submitted with site plan applications when outdoor lighting is proposed. The photometric plan shall show light levels at a minimum of ten-foot intervals throughout the site. An example of a photometric plan is pictured below. See Sec. 39-12.09: Application and site plan components required.

General requirements for light fixtures.

A. Downward facing. All outdoor lighting, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be downward facing to reduce glare and shall be arranged to direct and deflect light away from adjacent uses.
B. Decorative post-top lighting. A maximum of 18% of light may trespass above the ninety-degree angle.
C. Location. Light poles shall be located in a manner that will not interfere with pedestrian, bicycle, or vehicle circulation.
D. Height shall be the maximum building height allowed in the zone district unless the freestanding light fixture is within 200 feet of a residential zone district, then the height shall be 20 feet maximum. Light fixtures in the Airport Overlay District shall comply with Sec. 39-2.20: Airport Overlay District..
E. Ornamental lighting is intended to set a mood, create a play of shadows, or highlight a given area or element. It is not permitted for signage, advertising, parking lots, working areas, safety, or security. Ornamental lighting shall be a hidden source but shall not need to be directed downward 90° if it is designed to directly illuminate a building, landscaping, or structure. Ornamental lighting shall not have any movement or simulation of movement or change color. Each ornamental lighting fixture shall be a maximum of 2,000 lumens.
F. Lighting of signs. See Article 39-8: Signage.

For more information on Lighting, including prohibited and exempt lighting, please reference Article 39-7: Lighting.
For information on Waivers related to lighting requirements, see Sec. 39-7.07: Waivers by special land use approval.

Nonconforming Use, Structures and Properties

Intent.

A. It is the intent of this article to allow legally existing uses, structures, and properties that do not meet UDO requirements at the effective date or subsequent amendments to continue until they are discontinued, removed or are no longer used, but not to encourage their survival. These legally nonconforming uses, structures and properties are declared by this article to be incompatible with permitted conditions in the zone district where they are located. Nonconforming uses and structures shall not be enlarged, extended, or used as grounds for adding other structures or uses prohibited elsewhere in the same zone district.

Nonconforming uses.

A. Continuation of use. A legal use existing at the effective date of UDO or subsequent amendments, may be continued despite not conforming with the provisions of UDO, or any subsequent amendments.

B. Discontinuance. If any nonconforming use is discontinued through vacancy, lack of operation, or otherwise for a continuous period of 365 days or more, the use shall not be resumed unless the use conforms to all provisions of UDO, including, but not limited to the regulations of the zone district in which the use is located. (See Article 39-2: Zone Districts.)

C. Burden of proof. If the Zoning Administrator finds that a nonconforming use is discontinued under the provisions of this article, the property owner shall have the burden of proof to substantiate that the use was not abandoned and shall provide documentation thereof.

D. Change to another nonconforming use. The nonconforming use of any structure may be changed to another nonconforming use upon public hearing and findings of fact by the Board of Appeals that the proposed nonconforming use will not be more incompatible, detrimental, or create additional nuisance factors than the previous nonconforming uses. The Board of Appeals shall consider the following for its determination:

1. Evidence that the proposed nonconforming use will not adversely affect or decrease the valuation of neighboring property;
2. Evidence that the proposed nonconforming use will not increase density, congestion or general nuisance to neighboring property;
3. Evidence that the proposed, nonconforming use will not increase the amount of radioactivity, vibration, noise, odor, heat or other adverse factors;
4. Evidence that the proposed nonconforming use will not necessitate an increase in off-street parking that would be detrimental to neighboring property; and
5. Additional factors as determined by the Board of Appeals relating to the health, safety, and welfare of adjacent property, which would be adversely impacted.

E. Accessory structures. Expanding, replacing or adding a detached accessory structure to a property with a nonconforming residential use shall be allowed if the Zoning Administrator determines the following:

1. The accessory structure is a fence, shed, garage or other similar structure that is allowed in the zone district.
2. The accessory structure will meet all of the required setbacks, height and other requirements of UDO.
3. The accessory structure will not have negative impacts as described in § 39-13.02D, § 39-13.02D.1 through § 39-13.02D.4.
4. The accessory structure will not expand the current nonconforming use of the property.

Nonconforming structures.

A. Continuance of structure. Any structure existing at the effective date of UDO or subsequent amendments may remain in place and does not need to be altered despite not conforming with the provisions of UDO or any subsequent amendments.

B. Expansions. Expansions of nonconforming structures, conforming in use, shall only be permitted if the following standards are met:

1. The expansion or modification of the structure shall not result in greater nonconformity with respect to maximum setback or minimum height requirements (for other nonconforming setbacks see also § 39-12.12D.3).
2. The minimum parking requirements for all uses on the property shall be met. See Article 39-2: Zone Districts; and
3. Any expansion of the structure shall conform to all other zone district requirements.

C. Interior renovation. The interior of any nonconforming structure may be renovated.

D. Structures under construction at the effective date of UDO or amendment. Nothing in this article shall require a change in the plans, construction, or designated use of any structure under a building permit issued before the effective date of UDO, or a subsequent amendment to UDO, unless the building permit expires prior to completion of construction.

Nonconforming properties.

A. Existing lots of record can be built on regardless of if the lot meets the lot size and/or lot width requirement for the zone district, as long as all other dimensional standards are met.

Reestablishment of nonconformity.

A. Whenever a nonconforming use, structure, or property has been brought into compliance with UDO, the nonconformity shall not be reestablished.

Repair, maintenance, and restoration. see Sec. 39-13.06: Repair, maintenance, and restoration.

Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements

Permits are required for all new or modified parking area and driveways (Section 39-12.04).

Parking requirements differ for residential uses of one to four units and all other types of uses. In addition, commerical and industrial properties may be required to maintain loading and unloading areas. For more specific information, please reference the following:

Parking for residential dwellings with one to four units. § 39-9.02A

Parking for all uses other than residential dwellings with one to four units. § 39-9.02B
Loading and unloading space requirements for commercial or industrial uses. § 39-9.02C

One-Story Building Height
The front facade of a new one story building shall be a minimum of 16 feet in height measured from the floor to the roof as described in § 39-1.07D. The height may include four feet of parapet that extends the full width of the building. Additions to existing buildings that do not meet this requirement must comply with Sec. 39-13.03: Nonconforming structures.

Parking, Loading and Unloading

A. Off-street parking, loading, and unloading shall meet the following requirements.

1. Parking spaces required. See Article 39-2: Zone Districts.
a. One space required per dwelling unit City-wide, except in F-NDT. See § 39-2.23C.
b. For other uses, the number of spaces required is based on building square footage.
2. Parking lot layout and internal/external landscaping. See § 39-5.04B and § 39-5.04C and Article 39-6: Landscaping and Green Infrastructure.
3. Parking lot and drive aisle design. See Article 39-9: General Standards.

B. Shared parking and cross access of parking lots is encouraged to meet the City's low-impact development goals and to reduce traffic.
C. Parking space and drive aisle size minimums.

1. Parking spaces: eight-foot width and 160 square feet.
2. Drive aisles: twelve-foot width for one-way; twenty-four-foot width for two-way.

D. Durable surfaces. All parking areas, including access lanes, driveways, loading areas, and other vehicle maneuvering areas, shall be a durable surface.
E. Parking lot setbacks.

1. Streets: 10 feet minimum from all street-fronting property lines.
2. Side and rear property lines: 10 feet minimum. Setback may be reduced to five feet minimum if approved by the approving authority and a six-foot-high fence or approved vegetative screening is erected along the property line.
3. Setback not required if adjacent uses are both nonresidential or there are shared driveways or aisles, not exceeding 30 feet in width, connecting two or more uses.

F. Side yard parking in NMU and RMU Zone Districts and the following F subdistricts: NDT, EDT, WDT, RM, and WASH (28th Street to 31st Street). Parking lots located on the side of new principal buildings shall meet the following requirements to provide for a walkable character without large parking lots separating uses:

1. Side parking shall only occur on one side of the building.

2. The side parking lot shall be a maximum width of 33 feet to accommodate a twenty-four-foot-wide, two-way aisle and one row of parking.

G. Pedestrian circulation in parking lots. Parking lots shall accommodate direct and continuous pedestrian circulation, clearly divided from vehicular areas. Pedestrian crosswalks shall be provided and integrated into the pedestrian circulation network providing direct connections from sidewalks to the building entrance. See § 39-5.05C.10.
H. Loading and unloading. Loading spaces shall be made of a clearly defined durable surface, located to the rear or side of a building. Storage of materials shall not occur in the loading/unloading space. Shared loading spaces may be used if each business has unhindered access to the loading area and is within 300 feet of the area.

Principal Dwelling Units

A. A principal dwelling unit includes single detached dwelling units as well as attached dwellings with one or more units. These dwelling units function as the principal use on a site. Characteristics of a single dwelling unit include: one mailbox, entrances to the dwelling enter common living space(s), full and equal access to all portions of the dwelling, no separate independent access to only one part of the dwelling, single utility connection for water/sewer/electric, smoke detectors are interconnected throughout the home on all floors, occupants form a single housekeeping group and there is only one lease for the swelling (if rented).
B. Detached dwelling units.

1. Gross floor area: 500 square feet minimum. This requirement may be waived in a planned unit development by the approving authority.
2. Width: 22 feet minimum width measured horizontally along each building elevation excluding the garage. This requirement may be waived in a planned unit development by the approving authority.
3. Pitched roof required. Sixty percent of the structure of a single detached dwelling unit shall be constructed with a pitched roof that has a minimum slope of three inches of rise for every 12 inches of horizontal dimension (3:12 slope).
4. Foundation. All single detached dwellings shall be constructed on a permanent, continuous foundation.
5. Exempt. Manufactured homes located in a licensed manufactured housing community shall be exempt from this section.

C. Attached dwelling units.

1. Gross floor area: 300 square feet minimum.
2. Storage space required: 200 cubic feet of storage space shall be provided for each unit when there are five or more attached dwelling units located on a single property. The storage space shall have a floor area of at least 18 square feet and may either be within the dwelling unit or in a common space located in the same building as the unit.

D. Conversions of principal dwelling units. A conversion from a single detached dwelling unit to attached dwelling units or from attached dwelling units to a single detached dwelling unit shall be permitted by the Zoning Administrator and as allowed by the Building Code.

1. Zone districts permitted. Conversions are permitted in any zone district where the converted use is permitted.

E. Attached garages. The vehicle entrance to an attached garage shall have a minimum sixteen-foot setback from the front and secondary street property lines.

Sidewalk Requirements

A. Sidewalks shall be installed within the right-of-way along the street frontage of a property whenever a site plan approval is required or when a residential dwelling with one to four units is built and along both sides of a newly constructed street.

1. Exceptions.

a. Sidewalks may be permitted to be installed on private property with a public access easement granted to the City of Holland if right-of-way is not available.
b. Sidewalk waiver. The sidewalk requirements of Section A above shall only be waived by the approving authority and the City Engineer if a written request is provided by the applicant and after the following considerations and findings have been made:

1) The location of the existing sidewalk and its proximity to the sidewalk to be constructed.
2) The existence of grades, open ditches, and topographical features of the lot which would render the sidewalk impractical, constitute an unreasonable hardship, or would be a deterrent to the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right of the applicant.
3) Special circumstances or conditions, including but not limited to lot size, configuration, and proximity of inconsistent uses which would mitigate against the strict construction of sidewalks by the City, private property owners, or developers within reasonable proximity of the residence.
4) The granting of the waiver would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or general welfare and would not create a precedent which would prevent the enforcement of the UDO for similar conditions or situations in the area in which the property is located.
5) A waiver not limited by a specific duration shall be deemed unspecified in length, but shall not be considered a permanent waiver of sidewalk requirements nor revoke in any way the right of the City to order, install, or assess for sidewalks in accordance with other sections of the Code of Ordinances upon a determination that conditions are necessary for the construction of sidewalks in accordance with public need, health, safety, and general welfare.
6) In permitting a waiver, conditions of approval may be imposed that are necessary to meet the intent of this subsection or to preserve the public health, safety, and general welfare.

B. Sidewalks shall be designed as follows:

1. Six feet wide minimum (eight feet wide minimum in the F-CDT Subdistrict).
2. Included on site plans with dimension lines and thickness.
3. Constructed four inches thick for pedestrian areas, six inches thick for driveway crossings and vehicular loading areas. Sidewalks crossing driveways shall be poured separately from the driveway and driveway approach. Reinforcements shall not be included unless required by loading criteria and approved by the City Engineer.
4. Sidewalk cross slope shall not exceed 2%, shall be sloped toward the roadway, and set at an elevation that is above the adjacent curb head.
5. Compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
6. Extended into a parking lot with a marked pedestrian access strip leading to the building entrance.
7. Installed by a concrete/sidewalk contractor.

C. Sidewalk hazards.

1. Snow, ice, dirt, rubbish, obstructions, and other nuisances shall not remain on sidewalks for more than 24 hours.
2. The owner or occupant of the abutting premises shall be responsible to remove these nuisances and shall put salt, sawdust, sand or other abrasive on ice within 12 hours of its formation on the sidewalk.
3. Sidewalk openings. See Sec. 32-10: Sidewalk openings of the Code of Ordinances.

Site condominiums

A.  Definition. A "site condominium" is a condominium created pursuant to the Condominium Act, MCLA 559.101 et seq. whose units are separate parcels of land (sites) on which structures for independent occupation are erected. Units within a site condominium may be intended for residential, commercial, or industrial uses.
B.  Site condominium review considerations. See Sec. 39-11.03: General standards.
C.  Application and review process. See § 39-12.07D.2.

Site Design

A. Intent. The intent of this section is to provide the basic requirements required for site design and site plan approval.
B. Unobstructed property access.
All properties shall have unobstructed access on a public street or a private street meeting the requirements of Sec. 39-10.03: General street requirements, or a driveway shall be constructed to provide public access to the property per the requirements of Sec. 39-10.05: Driveway requirements.
C. Sidewalks along all property street frontages are required per the requirements of Sec. 39-10.04: Sidewalk requirements.
D. Stub streets to property lines may be required by the approving authority for future public street connections between properties. These stub streets shall generally be located every 300 feet. That distance may be minimized or increased by the approving authority.
E. Half-width streets shall be prohibited except where essential to the future development of a property or subdivision. Wherever a half-width street is adjacent to an undeveloped property or to a tract to be subdivided, the other half of the street shall be platted with a private easement within such property or tract.
F. Traffic study requirement. See the following procedure.

Snowmelt
A. Intent. To protect the Integrity of the City of Holland snowmelt system while accommodating development within the areas serviced by the snowmelt system.

B. Development. In order to accommodate the development of property located in areas where the snowmelt system is in place, the following rules shall apply:

1. All development should shall be designed and constructed to avoid cutting of the snowmelt system.
2. Approved access methods may include alleys, conduits, utility stubs, or other methods approved by the City Engineer.
3. Development requests shall consider future development and additional users.
4. The use of easements across private or public property may only be used if approved by the City Engineer.
5. The approving authority may approve any alternative method that is recommended by the City Engineer if both of the following are true:

a. There is a hardship related to the parcel, building, other utilities or elements beyond the owner’s or developer’s control; and
b. The proposed development could not be constructed without the alternative method.

Stormwater Site Plans
Stormwater site plans shall meet all of the storm design requirements. See Section 39-5.03 and Article 39-6.

Street Classifications for Street Design Standards

A. Intent.
Street design standards and intentionally planning and constructing the street realms per the requirements of Sec. 39-10.08: Street design standards, is necessary to ensure best practices are used to preserve, enhance, and establish character in neighborhoods and along corridors. These street design standards are organized by street classifications based on the City of Holland's Act 51 Map and its differentiation between major and local streets. The following define each street classification used in the tables located in § 39-10.08D through § 39-10.08F and provide examples.

B. Residential streets.
Residential streets shall be defined as those where the surrounding properties are predominantly zoned LDR, CNR, MDR, TNR, HDR, or MHR. They are characterized by slow speeds, pedestrians, activity in front yards, and high levels of bicycle usage.

C. Commercial, mixed-use corridor, and industrial streets.
These streets shall be defined as those where the surrounding properties are predominantly zoned CMU, I, A, and, for major streets only, GMU. They are characterized by high traffic volumes, relatively high speeds, truck traffic, multilane configurations, and dedicated turning lanes.

D. Urban streets. Urban streets shall be defined as those where the surrounding properties are predominantly zoned TNR, NMU, RMU, GMU, and F for only local streets. These streets are characterized by slow speeds, on-street parking (where allowed), high pedestrian activity, frequent intersections/crosswalks, and, in some cases, high bicycle usage.

For more information including examples of the street types and representative photos, please reference Sec. 39-10.07: Street classifications for street design standards.

Street Design Standards

Three street realms: shall be regulated by the specific standards of this section organized by the street classifications defined in Section 39-10.07. A street design plan shall be submitted with a site plan application when a new street is proposed. See Section 39-12.02 and Sections 39-12.06 through 39-12.09. There are three street realms located within a street's cross section. Each realm is further made-up of feature zones. See the graphic in Section 39-10.08B3.

1. People realm. The people realm is the portion of the right-of-way used by pedestrians as a sidewalk. The people realm includes the following feature zones: walking zone and furnishing zone, which includes lighting, landscaping, street trees, snow storage, and amenities such as benches, trash cans, public art, or outdoor dining. Crosswalks are also considered part of the people realm.
2. Parking realm. The parking realm is located between the people and travel realms and is primarily for the parking and loading/unloading of vehicles. The parking realm includes the following feature zones: curb zone and on-street parking or paved shoulder zone.
3. Travel realm. The travel realm is the portion of the street where vehicles and nonmotorized vehicles travel, including through lanes and turning lanes. The travel realm shall be enhanced visually and operationally through landscaped medians, pavement markings, and on-street nonmotorized vehicle lanes or pathways in accordance with the City of Holland's nonmotorized transportation plan. The travel realm includes the following feature zones: vehicle travel zone (including bicycle lanes or cycle tracks) and vehicle travel turning zone.

C. Tables in Sections 39-10.08D through F. The following tables provide standards that are specific to the street realms (people, parking, and travel) and the feature zones of each. These tables are further organized by street classifications. When a priority is included, the following shall apply.

1. High priority. This street design element should be present in nearly all situations. For a new street in a private development, all high-priority street design elements shall be included for the street design to be approved.
2. Medium priority. This street design element may be required by the approving authority in certain situations within a given street classification. For a new street in a private development, the approving authority may require a medium-priority street design element be installed.
3. Low priority. This street design element will likely not be required, though it may be encouraged. For a new street in a private development, the approving authority may determine that a proposed low-priority street design element is not necessary.

D. People realm design standards and guideline minimums.

1. Walking zone (sidewalks, nonmotorized pathways, and crosswalks). See table at § 39-10.08D.1.
2. Landscaping/snow storage/amenity zone. The following design standards shall apply to the area between the walking zone and the curb or on-street parking zones. The required five-foot width spacing between the edge of pavement and the sidewalk shall be unpaved and planted with native plantings or grass. Alternative landscape methods may be approved by the City Engineer.

E. Parking realm design standards.

1. On-street parking zone. See table at § 39-10.08E.1.
2. Curb zone standards shall be required by the City Engineer and the approving authority in accordance with the City's transportation plan.

F. Travel realm design standards.

1. Through lane zone. See table at § 39-10.08F.1.

2. Turn lane priorities. See table at § 39-10.08F.2.
3. Median design and priorities. Medians beautify street corridors and contribute to safe and efficient access management, traffic calming, and safety. See table at § 39-10.08F.3.

G. Structural green infrastructure best management practices (BMPs) in street design. The following BMPs shall be used as guidelines and, although not required, are strongly encouraged to further push the needle towards meeting the City of Holland's low-impact development goals by creating a network of what are often referred to as "vital streets."

1. Curb inlets. Constructing inlets into street curbs or sloping the street for noncurbed streets can be used in conjunction with rain gardens, vegetated swales, street-side ditches and other BMPs. The approving authority may permit streets to be built without curb and gutter if it is determined that there is no safety or aesthetic reason to require curbs and if a structural green infrastructure BMP shall be used.
2. Median structural green infrastructure. Streets can be sloped and medians can be designed for stormwater to drain into them. Medians should include a recessed area to serve as a vegetated swale or rain garden and should be planted with native plants that thrive in wet environments and are tolerant towards salts and pollutants.

3. Pervious parking lanes. On-street parking lanes are encouraged to be constructed of pervious pavement. See Sec. 39-6.06: Pervious durable surfaces.

Street Network Requirements by Zone District

A. Intent.
The intent of this section is to ensure the orderly development of the City of Holland's street network by requiring specific standards to be met in determining the location of new street intersections and how many streets can be connected to an existing street. These standards, in addition to the driveway and curb cut standards in Section 39-10.05, are essential to minimize additional traffic congestion.
B. Context sensitive.
These zone district specific standards follow the context sensitive planning approach described in Section 39-1.04A.
C. Street network standards.
These requirements shall be met for all properties that have a minimum of 300 feet in any dimension that propose new streets. All standards shall be rounded to the nearest whole number. See § 39-10.06C for a table of street network standards, associated notes and images.

Traditional condominiums

A.  Definition. A "traditional condominium" is a condominium created pursuant to the Condominium Act, MCLA 559.101 et seq., whose units are defined in the master deed, but are not separate parcels of land (sites). Units within a traditional condominium may be intended for residential, commercial, or industrial uses.
B.  Traditional condominium review considerations. See § 39-12.07D.2.
C.  Application and review process. See § 39-12.07D.2.

Traffic Circulation, Driveways, Streets, and Sidewalks

A. Traffic circulation and driveways. Site design and construction shall reasonably protect residents and occupants of adjacent properties from traffic congestion.

1. Unobstructed access. The site plan shall show either unobstructed frontage on a public street or shall show a public street, private street, or driveway to provide public access to the project site.
2. Traffic study required if the proposed uses will generate more than 100 peak hour trips or more than 750 total daily trips. The traffic study shall be performed by a licensed professional traffic operations engineer (PTOE) and shall provide volume and crash data for the frontage streets and for adjacent streets. The City Engineer may request a full traffic study regardless of trip generation or may waive this requirement. Prior to the preparation of any required traffic study, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) must be developed by the applicant and approved by the City Engineer. The MOU will develop the expectations and requirements of the study to provide clear guidance to the preparer and to streamline the review by the City.
3. Access management via connections of parking lots and/or limitations on curb cuts is preferred and may be required.
4. Alignment of driveways in specific places relative to other driveways or streets is preferred and may be required.
5. Driveway lanes and widths shall be determined based on the anticipated trip data. The City Engineer may require additional or fewer lanes or decreases or increases to the driveway widths.
6. Ingress and egress turns. Turns may be limited or prohibited by the City Engineer if corner clearance, sight distance, driving spacing, or another element is determined to be inadequate.
7. Turning radius drawings are required on a site plan for internal site circulation and driveways. Drawings may be required to show the turning radius at street intersections.

B. Streets.

1. Public streets may be required in site design. The Planning Commission and the City Engineer have the discretion to require the construction and dedication of public streets in accordance with City, state, and federal street standards.
2. Private streets may be permitted if they are constructed to public street standards for any use other than residential with one to four dwelling units.
3. Stub streets may be required at property lines for future street connections.
4. Dead-end streets shall only be permitted when determined by the approving authority that it is necessary due to a topographical or other physical site constraint.
5. Street improvements. On-site and adjacent street improvements, such as deceleration and acceleration lane provisions, center turn lanes, bypass lanes, traffic signals, curb radii requirements, clear vision areas, driveway throat widths, and driveway and street intersection slope requirements, may be required by the City Engineer or approving authority.
6. Corner vision clearance shall be determined as sufficient by the City Engineer. Other corner vision requirements shall be found in Sections § 39-6.02J, § 39-9.08C, and Sec. 39-9.15: Building clear vision corner.

C. Sidewalks.

1. Public sidewalks shall be required in the site design if not existing. The Planning Commission and the City Engineer have the discretion to require the construction and dedication of public sidewalks in accordance with City, state, and federal sidewalk standards.
2. Street frontage. Sidewalks shall be provided in the right-of-way of a site's street frontage or inward onto the site if necessary. A public access easement shall then be granted to the City of Holland when not in the right-of-way.
3. New streets. Sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of any new public or private street. The approving authority may determine that a sidewalk is only necessary on one side of the street.
4. Width. Sidewalks shall be a minimum of six feet wide (eight feet wide in the F-CDT Zone District).
5. Construction. Sidewalks shall be a minimum of four inches thick and shall be poured using Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) standards with a limestone mix concrete.
6. Sidewalks crossing driveways shall be six inches thick and shall be poured separately from the driveway approach.
7. Installation of sidewalks shall be by a concrete/sidewalk contractor.
8. Slope elevation. Sidewalks shall be set at an elevation above the adjacent curb head and sloped to a maximum of 2%.
9. ADA standards shall be complied with for all sidewalks.
10. Pedestrian access. Sidewalks shall extend into parking lots with a marked pedestrian access strip leading to the building entrance, and shall be designated on a site plan. See image below.

D. Nonmotorized paths/bicycle facilities.

1. Public pathways and bicycle facilities may be required in the site design. The Planning Commission and the City Engineer have the discretion to require the construction and dedication of these facilities in accordance with City, state, and federal nonmotorized standards.
2. Two-way, off-street nonmotorized pathways are encouraged alongside the required sidewalk, throughout a site, and to make connections to adjacent sites and may be required as part of the City's nonmotorized transportation plan.
3. Bicycle parking shall be required as indicated in Article 39-2: Zone Districts, Sec. 39-5.09: Bicycle parking (Section 39-9.03), and in Sec. 39-9.03: Bicycle parking.

Vehicle repair at residential properties

A. General standards. These standards shall apply to residential dwellings (one to four units) where the property contains a garage or detached accessory structure that is used for auto repair work as an accessory use.

B. Specific standards. Mechanical work and repair of motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, boats, travel trailers and other similar vehicles is allowed, provided the following criteria are met:

1. Not more than one vehicle shall be under repair at any given time.
2. The vehicle under repair shall be licensed to and registered in the name of the dwelling occupant and shall be solely for the personal use of the dwelling occupant.
3. There shall be no outside storage of vehicle parts, equipment or tools.
4. There shall be no heavy equipment stored at the property.
5. All repair work shall be conducted inside of a fully enclosed garage or legal accessory structure.
6. Repair activities shall not create excessive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, heat, odor or other nuisance to neighboring properties.

C. Vehicle repair is prohibited at properties with more than four residential dwelling units unless otherwise allowed by UDO, Chapter 39.

MapLink™ | General Requirements