HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9093INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9093
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council August 4, 2009
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SUBJECT: Single Family Design Standards Policy
The purpose of this report is to document the City Council's recent modification to its July 14
policy decision regarding the application of single family design standards to new housing
construction.
In May
00• City Council adopted a Zoning Ordinance text amendment creating design
standards addressing monotony, masonry, and garage setback requirements for new single
family houses (Ordinance 16925-05-2006). While the design standards are not subject to state
vesting law (TLGC Chapter 245), the City applied the standards only to building permits for
property platted after the effective date of the amendment. In April 2007, the City Council
amended the standards to include infill housing and tree planting requirements for infill housing
(Ordinance 17513-04-2007). At that time, City staff confirmed for the development community
that active subdivisions platted prior to May 2006 would continue to be exempt from the
standards.
Given concerns about the quality of new housing construction, and given the three years that
have elapsed since the creation of the design standards, the City Council recently determined
that the standards should be applied to all new single family building permits, regardless of the
property plat date. Staff began requiring that all applications for new single family construction
received on or after July 16, 2009, comply with the design standards.
At its July 21 and 28 regular meetings, the City Council received comments from builders
requesting additional time to comply with the standards, particularly the garage setback
requirement. The City Council determined that staff should suspend enforcement of the garage
setback standard for permit applications received before September 1, 2009. Staff will gather
additional information from builders regarding the effect of this standard on housing plans and
regarding the use of similar standards in other cities. Staff will brief the City Council on its
findings on or before September 1, 2009.
Should you have any questions, please contact Dana Burghdoff, Planning and Developmeni
Deputy Director, at 817-392-8018.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAG- ER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
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ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAG- ER FORT WORTH, TEXAS