Open Parking Garage on a Zero Lot line

[KHARRIGAN]

Due to zoning restrictions, we've been asked to push a parking garage directly up to a property line. The property line is shared with an abandoned railroad that will never be used. We would like the parking deck to remain open, both for light and air and natural ventilation. Is there an exception which would allow openings, on a property line for a parking deck?

 

[Paul Sweet]

You might have to get an easement on the abandoned railroad property to not build anything within whatever distance it takes to consider the garage as "open".

 

[Yikes]

The old UBC Handbook from 1995 had a discussion in Chapter 5 about what constitutes an "open space" for purposes of allowable building area increases based on having yards. Note that yards were based on available open space, whereas opening protection is based solely on distance to property line. But the common concept is, can the space be maintained as open to prevent the spread of fire?

See yellow highlight below, where railroad rights-of way are discussed.

 

[steveray]

Publicly owned railroad?