HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9088INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9088
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council July 21, 2009
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SUBJECT: Single Family Design Standards Policy
The purpose of this report is to document the City Council's recent policy decision regarding the
application of single family design standards to new housing construction.
In May 2006, the 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, consistent with vesting rules for other
elements of the Zoning Ordinance. 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, consistent with vesting.
Given concerns about the quality of new housing construction during the economic downturn, 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 is now requiring that all applications for new
single family construction received on or after July 16, 2009, comply with the design standards.
Staff has notified the development community.
Should you have any questions, please contact Dana Burghdoff, Planning and Development
Deputy Director, at 817 -392 -8018.
Dale A. Fiss e , P. E.
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS