HomeMy WebLinkAbout(0097) ZC-21-166 (3)Date: November 9, 2021 Case Number: ZC-21-166 Council District: ALL
Text Amendment
Case Manager: Sevanne Steiner and Korrie Becht
Owner /Applicant: The City of Fort Worth
Request
Request: An ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Fort Worth, being ordinance
no. 21563, as amended, codified as Appendix "A" of the code of the City of Fort Worth,
by amending section 4.713, "Urban Residential "UR" District of Article 7 "Residential
Districts", of Chapter 4, "District Regulations" to revise in its entirety to revise certain
development standards for the district; providing that this ordinance shall be cumulative;
providing a severability clause; providing a penalty clause; providing for publication in
the official newspaper; and providing an effective date.
Recommendation
Urban Design Commission Recommendation: Approval with Modifications
Staff Recommendation: Approval
Zoning Commission Recommendation: Approval with modifications as proposed by the Urban
Design Commission (UDC) by a vote of 9-0
Table of Contents
1. Project Description and Background
2. UR Text Amendments (Tracked Changes)
3. Recommendation Letter from Urban Design Commission
Project Description and Background
Staff is proposing a Zoning Ordinance text amendment for Urban Residential "UR" zoning classification, as
recommended by the Mixed -Use Zoning Advisory Group (MUZAG). In March 2018, MUZAG was reconvened
to review development standards for UR Urban Residential, MU-1 Low Intensity Mixed -Use, and MU-2 High
Intensity Mixed -Use and to make recommendations for appropriate changes. The City Council approved the first
round of 2018-2019 MUZAG recommendations for UR zoning in August 2018 and for MU-1 and MU-2 zoning
in March 2019.
MUZAG Recommendations:
1) Property Development Standards
• Require 20' rear setbacks for primary structures when adjacent to one- or two-family zoning
districts.
• Remove minimum building height.
2) Off -Street Parking and Loading for Residential Uses
• Allow a parking reduction for Duplex and Manor House building types when within one -quarter
mile of an existing or planned passenger rail station.
3) Buffers, Landscaping, and Pedestrian Lighting
• Remove enhanced landscaping point system and table. Require street trees and pedestrian lights
along all rights -of -way.
Additional Staff Recommendations (Reviewed by the Urban Design Commission):
1) Review Procedures for Development (previously Administrative Review Requirements)
• Allow staff the authority to grant modifications to certain development standards with a
maximum modification up to 10% increase or decrease.
• Require that any variance requests to be heard by the Board of Adjustment shall first be heard by
and a recommendation provided from the Urban Design Commission.
• Require that any zoning proposal requesting a Planned Development "PD" zoning district that
includes waivers from any UR design standard shall first be heard by and a recommendation
provided from the Urban Design Commission. The recommendation shall be provided to the
Zoning Commission and City Council for their final consideration of the PD district request.
• Require a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to be issued for UDC decisions and
recommendations to other boards/commissions for UR projects. The COA shall expire if a
building permit is not received within 2 years of issuance of the COA.
• Clarify the Conceptual Site Plan requirements.
2) Building Types
• Combine Two -Family Attached (Duplex) descriptions.
• Clarify Apartments/Condominiums and townhouse definitions.
3) Property Development Standards
• Reformat Maximum Residential Units per Acre into a table to simplify use of the ordinance.
4) Off -Street Parking and Loading for Residential Uses
• Allow a parking reduction for townhouse building types when within one -quarter mile of an
existing or planned passenger rail station.
• Remove parking standards for uses located in historically significant buildings.
5) Buffers, Landscaping, and Pedestrian Lighting
• Only require transitional height plane when adjacent to one- or two-family zoning districts. •
Allow medium canopy trees to count towards parking lot coverage.
• Increase the parking lot screening standard from a height of 3 feet to "a minimum of 3 feet
measured from parking lot grade up to a maximum of 4 feet."
• Allow medium canopy trees to count towards parking lot coverage.
• Include urban forestry language from Section 6.302 on the 40% canopy coverage requirement for
developments with surface parking, which counts towards the site canopy coverage requirement.
6) Fagade Design Standards
• Remove requirement that a fagade drawing be provided.
• Provide clarification for parking garage and pedestrian -level parked car screening.
• Update parking garage fagades standard to require habitable space for multifamily buildings on
the ground floor.
• Require 2 facade variations regardless of width of building.
• Provide clarification for residential entries and primary and secondary entrance locations.
7) Other Development Standards
• Provide clarification on exterior fencing.
• Require collection container enclosures to have a gate.
• Separate service area and mechanical area screening standards. Reformat Mechanical Area
Screening into a table to simplify the ordinance.
8) Administrative clarifications and reformatting to the ordinance.
9) Include more intent statements throughout the ordinance to clarify intentions of specific standards.
Urban Design Commission Recommendations:
1) Review Procedures for Development (previously Administrative Review Requirements):
• Grant staff the authority to administratively approve modifications to certain development
standards with a maximum modification up to 10% increase or decrease.
• Require that any variance requests to be heard by the Board of Adjustment shall first be heard by
and a recommendation provided from the Urban Design Commission.
• Require that any zoning proposal requesting a Planned Development "PD" zoning district that
includes waivers from any UR design standard shall first be heard by and a recommendation
provided from the Urban Design Commission. The recommendation shall be provided to the
Zoning Commission and City Council for their final consideration of the PD district request.
• Require a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to be issued for UDC decisions and
recommendations to other boards/commissions for UR projects. The COA shall expire if a
building permit is not received within 2 years of issuance of a COA.
2) Building Types:
• Combine Two -Family Attached (Duplex) descriptions.
• Clarify Apartments/Condominiums and townhouse definitions.
3) Property Development Standards:
• Require 20' rear setbacks for primary structures when adjacent to one- or two-family zoning
districts.
• Remove minimum building height.
• UDC recommends including the maximum building height in feet at 14 feet per floor.
• Reformat Maximum Residential Units per Acre into a table to simplify use of the ordinance.
• UDC recommends updating the pocket park height bonus language to the following:
"Pocket parks shall provide a minimum of 20 percent ground level green space; the
remaining ground area may be impervious, provided the space is structured for active
recreation, including, but not limited to, sueh-as sculpture gardens, basketball courts,
or tennis courts . "
4) Off -Street Parking and Loading for Residential Uses:
• Allow a parking reduction for townhouse building types when within one -quarter mile of an
existing or planned passenger rail station.
• Allow a parking reduction for Duplex and Manor House building types when within one -quarter
mile of an existing or planned passenger rail station.
• UDC recommends updating the Apartment/condo parking requirement language for
leasing office and social rooms to be "and/or'; not "and".
5) Buffers, Landscaping, and Pedestrian Lighting:
• Remove enhanced landscaping point system and table. Require street trees and pedestrian lights
along all rights -of -way.
• Only require transitional height plane when adjacent to one- or two-family zoning districts.
• Allow medium canopy trees to count towards parking lot coverage.
• Include urban forestry language from Section 6.302 on the 40% canopy coverage requirement for
developments with surface parking, which counts towards the site canopy coverage requirement.
6) Fagade Design Standards:
• Remove requirement that a fagade drawing be provided.
• Provide clarification for parking garage and pedestrian -level parked car screening.
• UDC recommends updating the parking structure openings to not exceed 20 feet per
entrance.
• UDC recommends requiring ground floor occupiable space for multifamily buildings
and limiting the street facade allowance for parking structure openings, parking
structures or both combined.
• Require 2 f:,g ade . .bons regardless of .width of•building.
• UDC recommends retaining the current adopted building favade standards, including
the 3-foot wall plane variation.
• Provide clarification on primary and secondary entrance locations.
7) Other Development Standards:
• UDC recommends not allowing illuminated signs in UR.
• Provide clarification on exterior fencing.
• Clarify that service area collection container standards are for apartments/condominiums.
• Require collection container enclosures to have a gate.
• UDC recommends requiring all sides of a collection container enclosure to be opaque,
including the gate.
• Separate service area and mechanical area screening standards. Reformat Mechanical Area
Screening into a table to simplify the ordinance.
8) Administrative clarifications and reformatting to the ordinance.
9) Include more intent statements throughout the ordinance to clarify intentions of specific standards.
The Urban Design Commission has also requested studies for the following topics to be performed at a later
date:
1) Turned townhouses
2) Incentives for landscape and green spaces
August 26, 2021
RE: UDC-2021-019 RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL from the Urban Design Commission to
the Zoning Commission
Dear Zoning Commission,
The Urban Design Commission seeks to uphold the stated intent of the Urban Residential (UR) zoning
district by encouraging development that promotes a pedestrian -oriented urban form; requires excellence in
design of the public realm and of buildings that front public spaces; and encourages creativity, architectural
diversity, and exceptional design.
At its August 19, 2021 meeting, the Urban Design Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval
with minor changes of Zoning Ordinance text amendments for the UR zoning classification standards as
recommended by the Mixed -Use Zoning Advisory Group (MUZAG) and City staff.
The Urban Design Commission recommends approval of the following text amendments for UR. Minor
modifications recommended by the Urban Design Commission to the original text amendment proposals
are italicized.
1) Review Procedures for Development (previously Administrative Review Requirements):
• Grant staff the authority to administratively approve modifications to certain development
standards with a maximum modification up to 10% increase or decrease.
• Require that any variance requests to be heard by the Board of Adjustment shall first be heard
by and a recommendation provided from the Urban Design Commission.
• Require that any zoning proposal requesting a Planned Development "PD" zoning district that
includes waivers from any UR design standard shall first be heard by and a recommendation
provided from the Urban Design Commission. The recommendation shall be provided to the
Zoning Commission and City Council for their final consideration of the PD district request.
• Require a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to be issued for UDC decisions and
recommendations to other boards/commissions for UR projects. The COA shall expire if a
building permit is not received within 2 years of issuance of the COA.
• Clarify the Conceptual Site Plan requirements.
2) Building Types
• Combine Two -Family Attached (Duplex) descriptions.
• Clarify Apartments/Condominiums and townhouse definitions.
3) Property Development Standards
• Require 20' rear setbacks for primary structures when adjacent to one- or two-family zoning
districts.
• Remove minimum building height.
• UDC recommends including the maximum building height in feet at 14 feet per floor.
• Reformat Maximum Residential Units per Acre into a table to simplify use of the ordinance.
• UDC recommends updating the pocket park height bonus language to the following:
"Pocket parks shall provide a minimum of 20 percent ground level green space; the
remaining ground area may be impervious, provided the space is structured for aefiv
recreation, including, but not limited to, sue4-a& sculpture gardens, basketball courts,
or tennis courts . "
4) Off -Street Parking and Loading for Residential Uses
• Allow a parking reduction for Townhouses when within one -quarter mile of an existing or
planned passenger rail station.
• Allow a parking reduction for Duplexes and Manor Houses when within one -quarter mile of an
existing or planned passenger rail station.
• UDC recommends updating the Apartment/condo parking requirement language for
leasing office and social rooms to be "and/or ", not "and".
5) Buffers, Landscaping, and Pedestrian Lighting
• Remove enhanced landscaping point system and table. Require street trees and pedestrian
lights along all rights -of -way.
• Only require transitional height plane when adjacent to one- or two-family zoning districts.
• Increase the parking lot screening standard from a height of 3 feet to "a minimum of 3 feet
measured from parking lot grade up to a maximum of 4 feet."
• Allow medium canopy trees to count towards parking lot coverage.
• Include urban forestry language from Section 6.302 on the 40% canopy coverage requirement
for developments with surface parking, which counts towards the site canopy coverage
requirement.
6) Fagade Design Standards
• Remove requirement that a fagade drawing be provided.
• Provide clarification for parking garage and pedestrian -level parked car screening.
• Update the parking structure openings to not exceed 20 feet per entrance.
• Require ground floor occupiable space for multifamily buildings and limit the street fagade
allowance for parking structure openings, parking structures or both combined.
• Require e 2 fagade vafiatiers regardless f widtl..,f building. UDC recommends retaining the
current adopted building facade standards, including the 3-foot wall plane variation.
• Provide clarification for residential entries and primary and secondary entrance locations.
7) Other Development Standards
• UDC recommends not allowing illuminated signs in UR.
• Provide clarification on exterior fencing.
• Clarify service areas collection container standards are for apartments/condominiums.
• Require collection container enclosures to have a gate. UDC recommends requiring all sides of
a collection container enclosure to be opaque, including the gate.
• Separate service area and mechanical area screening standards. Reformat Mechanical Area
Screening into a table to simplify the ordinance.
8) Administrative clarifications and reformatting to the ordinance.
9) Include more intent statements throughout the ordinance to clarify intentions of specific
standards.
The Urban Design Commission has also requested studies for the following topics to be performed at a later
date:
1) Turned townhouses
2) Incentives for landscape and green spaces
Sincerely,
Korrie Becht
Senior Planner
Planning & Data Analytics