City Changes Ordinance to Accommodate Campers, Boats and Fire Code
PIERRE, S.D. –The maximum allowable height for accessory buildings, such as garages, will soon be 16 feet. That’s one foot higher than the maximum height previously set in city ordinance.
The City Commission approved the change to Section 12-2-111 of City Ordinance at its regularly scheduled commission meeting on Tuesday, June 14.
City Engineer John Childs says that the ordinance change is in response to the needs of Pierre residents.
“Pierre is a river community,” said Childs. “Many of the people who live here have boats and campers. Large recreation vehicles won’t always fit in a building with a 15 foot height restriction. This change provides for adequate overhead door clearance.”
The ordinance revision also included a change relative to accessory buildings and lot setback provisions. The change now measures the structure setback from the roof overhang. Previously, the ordinance measured the setback from the structure and didn’t take the overhang into account. This change aligns city ordinance with current fire code and should positively impact both safety and insurance rates.
Both ordinance changes will be applied to new building permits.
The City Planning Commission recommended both ordinance changes at its May 23, 2016, meeting and brought the recommended changes to the City Commission for its First Reading on Tuesday, May 31, 2016.
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