Desert Foothills Technical Guide
Original Draft Version, January 2000
This is the original draft of the Desert Foothills Technical Guide that is being developed by the City of Scottsdale and property owners to facilitate compliance with the Foothills Overlay zoning district. To review suggested changes refer to the revised version. [Read More]
Sec. 6.1000. Foothills Overlay (F-0) Zone.
Sec. 6.1001. Purpose.
The Foothills Overlay (F-0) zoning district provides a means to recognize and further preserve the rural desert character in the low density unsubdivided and undeveloped lands (at the time of the adoption of this ordinance) to which the F-0 overlay district has been applied by defining additional standards that help to define the area's unique character.
Sec. 6.1002. Applicability.
The Foothills Overlay (F-0) district may be overlaid upon the following zoning districts: Rl -43, Rl -70, Rl -1 30, Rl -1 90 and COS, HC and OS and may be combined with the ESL and HP overlay districts.
Sec. 6.1003. Use regulations.
A. Permitted uses. Any use permitted in the underlying zoning district.
B. Uses permitted by conditional use permit. Any use permitted by conditional use permit in the underlying zoning district.
Sec. 6.1004. Property Development Standards.
The property development standards, of the underlying district shall apply except as modified below.
A. Building Height.
1. Buildings in general., No building shall exceed twenty-four (24) feet in height, except as otherwise provided in this section.
2. Institutional buildings: Public, semipublic or public service buildings, institutions, or schools, when permitted in a district, may be erected to a height not exceeding forty (40) feet, if the building is setback from each property line at least twenty-five (25) feet for each one (1) foot of additional building height above twenty-four (24) feet, provided that the building meets all yards and setbacks provided herein and within the underlying district.
3. Exceptions to height restrictions: Chimneys, cooling towers, and necessary mechanical appurtenances, including the required screen for such appurtenances, may be erected to a height not exceeding twenty-eight (28) feet. The maximum roof coverage of mechanical appurtenances and their required screening shall be twenty-five (25) percent. Stage towers or scenery lifts may be erected to a height not exceeding fifty (50) feet, provided that they are setback twenty five (25) horizontal feet for each one (1) foot in height over twenty-four (24) feet. Water tanks or reservoirs may be erected to a height not exceeding twenty (20) feet, provided that the building meets all yards and setbacks provided herein and within the underlying district.
B. Walls, Fences and Hedges:
1. Walls, fences, or hedges no taller than three (3) feet in height are allowed on the property line and anywhere within the parcel.
2. Walls, fences or hedges taller than three (3) feet in height may not be placed within a required front yard.
3. The maximum portion of a parcel that may be enclosed by walls, fences and hedges taller than three (3) feet in height but not taller than six (6) feet in height shall be as follows-
Parcel size: maximum enclosure area by walls and building (including the area of any accessory building).
Parcel Size: Permitted Percent of Enclosure (net lot area): 32,000 to 69,999 sq. ft. 60% of net lot area 70,000 to 189,999 sq. ft. 60% of net lot area for the first 70,000 sq. ft. of. lot area then 45% of net lot area for any additional lot area 1 90,000 sq. ft. or more 60% of net lot area for the first
70,000 square feet of net lot area,
45% of the net lot area for the next
120,000 sq. ft. of net lot area, and
30% of the net lot area for any remaining lot area.
4. Exception:
a. No wall, fence or hedge may be placed in a location that separates a natural area open space (NAOS) from an adjacent street right-of-way or road/access easement or an adjacent natural area open space (NAOS).
b. Walls, fences or hedges up to eight (8) feet tall may be placed along designated scenic corridors provided that the wall is at least one hundred (100) feet from the property line along the scenic corridor and no more than two hundred (200) feet from the property line along the scenic corridor.
5. A corral fence not exceeding six (6) feet in height shall be permitted on the property line or within any yardl- except that no corral fence may be placed within ten (1 0) feet of a street right-of-way nor within (5) feet of a dedicated public trail easement or pathway easement. Areas enclosed by a corral fence are not subject to the provisions of section 6.1004.B.3.
C. Accessory Buildings:
1. The minimum setback for accessory buildings from the rear or side property line shall be:
Lot Size: Setback.-
32,000-69,000 square feet - 5 feet
70,000-189,999 square feet- 1 0 feet
190,000 square feet or more- 1 5 feet
2. The minimum distance between an accessory building and main residence or guest house on an adjacent lot shall be:
Lot Size: Minimum Distance:
32,000-69,000 square feet - 40 feet
70,000-189,999 square feet - 60 feet
190,000 square feet or more - 60 feet
3. The minimum distance between an accessory building located within the required rear yard or within twenty (20) feet of a side property line in the Rl -43 district or within thirty (30) feet of a side property line in the Rl -70, Rl -1 30 or Rl -1 90 districts and any other building on the same parcel shall be:
Lot Size: Minimum Distance:
32,000-69,000 square feet - 10 feet
70,000-189,999 square feet - 15 feet
190,000 square feet or more - 20 feet
4. The minimum distance between an accessory building located within the portion of the property excluding the required front, required side or required rear yards and any other building or between more than one main building on the same parcel shall be:
Lot Size: Minimum Distance:
32,000-69,000 square feet - 5 feet
70,000-189,999 square feet - 10 feet
190,000 square feet or more - 10 feet
5. No accessory building may be placed closer to the front property line than the main building - if the main building is within the following distance of the property line,
Lot Size: Distance from main building to front property line:
32,000-69,000 square feet - 60 feet
70,000-189,999 square feet - 80 feet
190,000 square feet or more - 100 feet
6. Accessory buildings that are allowed to be placed in front of the main building shall not be placed within the required front or required side yards. The total maximum coverage of accessory buildings within the area contained within the lot in front of the main building and excluding the required front and within twenty (20) feet of a side property line in the Rl -43 district or within thirty (30) feet of a side property line in the Rl -70, Rl -1 30 or Rl -1 90 districts shall be thirty (30%) percent of this area.
7. The maximum size of an accessory building placed all or partially within the required rear yards or within twenty (20) feet of a side property line in the Rl-43 district or within thirty (30) feet of a side property line in the Rl -70, Rl -1 30 or Rl -1 90 districts shall be:
Lot Size: Maximum Size:
32,000-69,000 square feet - 2,000 square feet
70,000-189,999 square feet - 4,000 square feet
190,000 square feet or more - 6,000 square feet
8. Large Building Setbacks: The minimum setback for any building of 8,000 square feet (under roof) or more shall be:
Setback by Building Size and Lot Size:
Building Size 32,000-69,000sq. ft. 70,000-189,999sq. ft. 190,000sq. ft8,000-11,999sq. ft. 50 feet 70 feet 75 feet
12,000-15,999sq. ft. 60 feet 75 feet 75 feet
16,000sq. ft. or more 90 fell+ 90 feet 90 feet
E. Outdoor Lighting:
1 . All exterior lighting below 3 feet in height shall be fully shielded. All exterior lighting above 3 feet in height shall consist of horizontal full-cutoff fixtures and directed downward.
2. All exterior lights including mounted and on poles shall not exceed a height of sixteen (1 6) feet.
3. Exemption: Lights that are connected to a delay switch that do not stay on more than 15 minutes for security purposes shall not be required to be shielded or contain horizontal cutoffs.
F. Sensitive Building Design and Integration:
1. Reflective building materials are prohibited.
2. No paint colors shall be used which have a light reflective value (LRV) greater than forty (40) percent.
3. Exterior paint and material colors shall not exceed a value of six (6) as indicated in the Munsell Book of Color on file in the Planning Systems Department.
4. Plant materials that are not indigenous to the area shall be limited to
enclosed yards and shall not exceed twenty (20) feet in height. A list of indigenous plants is available form the Planning Systems Department. Outdoor community recreation facilities shall be allowed turf as specified in section 7.854 (E) (2) (e).5. Turf shall be limited to enclosed areas not visible off-site from lower elevation. Outdoor recreation facilities, including parks and golf courses, shall be
exempt from this standard.
