§ 158.060. General Use Zoning District (GU).

(A)

Purpose. The general use zoning district (GU) is intended to apply to those areas of the City which are presently undeveloped and where the future use is either uncertain, or which the arrangement or boundaries of future uses cannot be clearly defined, and for which any other zoning would be premature or unreasonable. The general use (GU) district also allows certain land extensive uses by special exception which may be transitional or which may be allowed permanently if deemed appropriate.

(B)

Permitted Principal Uses and Structures. The following principal uses and structures are permitted:

(1)

Crop raising; poultry, livestock or cattle production; dairy farming; fruit growing; flower and shrub growing; plant nursery (wholesale only); bee keeping; fish hatchery; and forestry; and including accessory uses or structures and a dwelling occupied only by the owner or tenant and family; the raising of hogs, pigs and goats and the operation of feed lots are expressly prohibited;

(2)

Park or playground, or other public recreation; including the retail sales of alcohol beverages for on premises consumption in accordance with Chapter 110;

(3)

Publicly owned or operated building or use;

(4)

Single-family dwelling;

(5)

Camping area (public or non-profit); and

(6)

Stable and horse-riding academy.

(C)

Special Exception Uses. The following uses may be permitted only following review and specific approval thereof by the City Council:

(1)

Airport or landing field;

(2)

Cemetery, including mausoleum, following site approval by the St. Lucie County Health Department;

(3)

Golf course (not including miniature golf course);

(4)

Mining or excavation;

(5)

Retail plant nursery and related sales;

(6)

Public utility facility, including water pumping plant, reservoir, electrical transmission lines and substations;

(7)

Retail sales of agricultural products;

(8)

On site incineration by a forced draft air curtain incinerator; in accordance with Florida Statutes; minimum area required, ten (10) acres;

(9)

Golf driving range;

(10)

Disposal and recycling facility for construction and demolition debris, provided that all open storage areas shall be completely enclosed by an opaque fence or a wall having a minimum height of six (6) feet with no material placed so as to exceed the height of the fence or wall minimum area required, ten (10) acres;

(11)

Wireless communication antennas and towers, as set forth in section 158.213;

(12)

Billboards, on sites with OSC and OSR land use as set forth in Chapter 155;

(13)

Solar generation station subject to the requirements of section 158.230; and

(14)

Secondary metals recycler in accordance with Chapter 117.

(D)

Accessory Uses. As set forth within section 158.217.

(E)

Minimum Parcel Requirements.

(1)

Single-family dwelling—Ten (10) acres and a minimum width of three hundred thirty (330) feet.

(2)

All other permitted or special exception uses—Twenty thousand (20,000) square feet and a lot width of one hundred (100) feet.

(F)

Maximum Building Coverage.

(1)

Single-family dwelling—Ten (10) percent.

(2)

All other permitted or special exception uses—Thirty (30) percent, provided that the combined area coverage of all impervious surfaces shall not exceed eighty (80) percent.

(G)

Maximum Building Height. Thirty-five (35) feet, provided that airport control towers, broadcasting towers, and transmission stations shall be exempt from this requirement.

(H)

Minimum Living Area. One thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet of living area, and one thousand four hundred (1,400) square feet of ground area.

(I)

Yard Requirements and Landscaping.

(1)

Single-Family Dwellings.

a.

Front Yard. Each lot shall have a front yard with a building setback line of fifty (50) feet.

b.

Side Yards. Each lot shall have two (2) side yards, each of which shall have a building setback line of thirty (30) feet.

c.

Rear Yard. Each lot shall have a rear yard with a building setback line of fifty (50) feet.

d.

Landscaping Requirements. Landscaping and buffering requirements are subject to Chapter 154.

(2)

All Other Permitted or Special Exception Uses.

a.

Front Yard. Each lot shall have a front yard with a building setback line of twenty-five (25) feet.

b.

Side Yard. Each lot shall maintain two (2) side yards with a building setback line of ten (10) feet. A building setback line of twenty-five (25) feet shall be maintained adjacent to any residential zoning district or to a public street right-of-way.

c.

Rear Yard. Each lot shall have a rear yard with a building setback line of twenty-five (25) feet.

d.

Buffering. A six-foot high completely opaque masonry wall or wooden fence shall be provided along the entire length of any side or rear property line abutting property zoned residential. All mechanical equipment shall be screened from property zoned residential. Said screening shall be designed as both a visual barrier and a noise barrier. Buffering shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 154.

(J)

Off-Street Parking and Service Requirements. As set forth in section 158.221.

(K)

Site Plan Review. All special exception uses and all permitted uses so designated shall be subject to the provisions of sections 158.235 through 158.245.

(Ord. No. 98-84, § 1, 3-22-99; Am. Ord. 02-130, § 1(Exh. A), 2-10-03; Am. Ord. 11-14, § 1, 3-14-11; Am. Ord. 11-79, § 1(Exh. A), 11-14-11; Ord. No. 15-85, § 1, 12-7-15)