Grass Valley Town Core (TC) District Setback and Build-to Standards
In the City of Grass Valley TC: Town Core district, new structures are generally required to be built directly to the property line with a 0-foot front and side street build-to requirement. While interior side setbacks are also 0 feet, rear setbacks for the TC: Town Core district are established at 10 feet when adjacent to non-residential uses and 15 feet when adjacent to residential zones. Additionally, specific setbacks apply to on-site parking, which must be located at least 20 feet from the front property line.
TC: Town Core Building Placement and Setbacks
The City of Grass Valley utilizes a "Build-to Line" (BTL) for the TC: Town Core district rather than a traditional minimum front setback. A build-to line specifies the required location of a new structure in relation to the street frontages to assist in shaping the public space and enhancing the pedestrian experience [Section 17.30.030.A.1].
For the TC: Town Core district, building placement must comply with the following standards:
| Feature | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Front Build-to Line | 0' |
| Side Street (Corner Lot) Build-to Line | 0' |
| Interior Side Setback | 0' |
| Rear Setback (Adjacent to Residential) | 15' |
| Rear Setback (Adjacent to any other use) | 10' |
Building form standards in the City of Grass Valley also require that 80% of the primary street facade and 30% of the side street facade on corner lots be built to the BTL. Furthermore, any building over 75 feet in length must be broken down into a series of smaller building masses [Section 17.21.040].
Parking Location and Setbacks
Off-street parking in the TC: Town Core district of Grass Valley is restricted to specific areas of a parcel to maintain the pedestrian-oriented character of the historic downtown area. Parking must be set back from property lines as follows:
| Parking Location | Distance from Property Line |
|---|---|
| Front Setback | 20' |
| Side Setback | 0' |
| Side Street Setback | 5' |
| Rear Setback | 5' |
On corner lots within the City of Grass Valley's Town Core, the primary parking drive must not be located on the primary street [Section 17.21.040].
Allowed Encroachments
The City of Grass Valley permits certain architectural features to extend beyond the required build-to lines or into required setbacks in the TC: Town Core district. These include:
- Canopies and Awnings: May encroach over the BTL on street sides up to 12 feet (Front) or 8 feet (Side Street). Canopies must maintain a 9-foot minimum vertical clearance and stay 1 foot back from curb lines [Section 17.21.040].
- Balconies: May encroach over the BTL on street sides (up to 12 feet front/8 feet side street) and into the rear setback (up to 4 feet). Note that only balconies are allowed as rear encroachments in the TC: Town Core district [Section 17.21.040].
- General Encroachments: Cornices, eaves, and roof overhangs may generally project 24 inches into a required front/street side setback and 5 feet into a rear setback, provided they are no closer than 36 inches to any property line [Section 17.30.030.F, Table 3-1].
Sections Cited
- Section 17.21.040 - Town Core (TC) Standards
- Section 17.30.030 - Build-to-line and setback requirements and exceptions