Utica caps building height by story count and total feet per zoning district in the Form-Based Dimensional Tables. Chimneys, steeples, towers, and mechanical appurtenances may exceed the limit, but no tower except a church or public-building spire may exceed it by more than 25%.
Section 2-29-582 states no building or structure may have more stories or a greater height in feet than its zoning district permits. Building height is measured from established grade to the highest roof point (flat roofs), the deck line (mansard), or the average height between eaves and ridge (gable/hip/gambrel). Permitted exceptions include chimneys, cooling towers, elevators, bulkheads, steeples, tanks, and communications towers, but no tower other than a church spire or public-building tower may exceed the district height limit by more than 25%, and such projections may not be habitable or carry advertising. Specific per-district height caps appear in the dimensional tables (Sec. 2-29-156).
Exceeding the district height limit without a variance is a zoning violation; the Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and Codes Enforcement enforces compliance.
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