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INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7902
Irx 00To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 4, 1995
0- Subject: PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS
At the Pre-Council worksession of February 21, 1995, staff presented the Mayor and Council with
an Informal Report that provided information regarding public notice requirements for rezoning,
platting, and Board of Adjustment actions. At that time, the Mayor and Council requested that staff
solicit input from the League of Neighborhood Associations. The League was contacted and has
responded (see attached correspondence). Based on this input, staff offers the following
recommendations for revision of the City's public notification requirements.
NOTICE TO AFFECTED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS
A courtesy notice will be provided to a registered neighborhood association affected by any case
before the Plan Commission, Zoning Commission, and the Board of Adjustment, A neighborhood
association must register with the Applications Division, Department of Development and provide
a description of the association's boundaries, current contact person(s), and pay an annual
registration fee of $5.00. These notices will be provided as a courtesy to the registered
neighborhoods, and will not be considered legal notices.
EXPANDING RADIUS OF MAILED NOTICES
The radius of mailed notices for the Plan Commission, Zoning Commission, and the Board of
Adjustment will be expanded from 200 feet to 300 feet.
POSTING OF SIGNS FOR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HEARINGS
It is not recommended that signs be required for Board of Adjustment variance requests. (Signs are
already posted for Board of Adjustment special exception requests and rezonings.) Staff believes
that a courtesy notice to the affected neighborhood association and an expanded notification radius
should provide necessary notification.
NOTIFICATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Current policy provides notice to affected school districts for all preliminary plats and for other
actions where school district property falls within the mandatory notification radius. Staff
recommends, that the affected school district receive a courtesy notice of all rezonings within the
RECOMMENDATION
If the Mayor and Counci-1 wish to proceed with these recommended actions, staff should be directed
to prepare the necessary ordinance amendments to increase legal notice for Zoning Commission, the
Plan Commission, and the Board of Adjustment to a 300 foot radius from the subject tract. In
addition, the Mayor and Council should direct staff to implement a system for registration of
interested neighborhood associations to receive a courtesy notice for cases filed with the Zoning
Commission, Board of Adjustment, and the Plan Commission and for school districts to receive a
courtesy notice for rezoriings. As noted above, this registration will require payment of an annual
Bob Terrell
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
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City of Vort Worth
Development Department * 1000 Throckmorton Street
It Fort Worth,Texas 76102 * (817)871-7820
It TTY(817)871-7995 * FAX(817)871-8116
February 22, 1995
Mary Lynn Holder, President
Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods
9037 Tyne Trail
Fort Worth, Texas 76118
Dear Ms. Holder:
The City Council is considering possible modification of public notice provided for hearings
before the Plan and Zoning Commissions, and Board of Adjustment. The options identified by
staff include:
1. Retention of the present public notice process.
2. Expand the notice area for mailed notices to 300' of the property in question.
3. Provide signage on the properties requesting Board of Adjustment variances.
Additional signage could be in lieu of expanded radius for mailed notices.
I rr
4. Provide a courtesy notice to affected neighborhood associations for all cases.
Staff suggested the registration of neighborhood organizations with the Development
Department for a fee. In return, each registered neighborhood would receive a copy of
the public notice for those cases within their defined boundaries. A $25 annual
registration fee was proposed.
The City Council requested that the League of Neighborhoods be provided an opportunity for
input. I am requesting comment from the League as to how the City can provide better notice to
all neighborhood organizations and what options of expanded notice would best serve the
general public and adjacent property owners.
If possible, I would appreciate you comments by March 13 in order for me to return to Council
in a timely manner. If you wish to discuss the issues further, please call me at 871-8901.
Ann incerely,
Kovich
Director
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cc: Bob Terrell, City Manager
Fort Worth All-Aft"edca C11 All-America City
Printed on recycled paper
1993
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Fort Worth League of Neighborhood Associations
P.O. Box 3088 Fort Worth, Texas 76113
3-9-95
Ann Kovich, Director
Development Department
City of Fort Worth
1000 Throckmorton
Fort Worth TX 76102
Dear Ms. Kovich:
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input to the City Council
regarding possible modifications of public notice for hearings before
the Plan and Zoning Commissions and Board of Adjustment. We consider
this an extremely important issue.
Our Executive Committee strongly supports the suggestion of providing
a courtesy notice to affected neighborhood associations in all cases.
We agree that it should be the responsibility of each neighborhood
association to register with the Development Department. However,
we feel that the suggessted $25 fee is excessive and burdensome.
Most neighborhood associations are totally volunteer organizations
with few funds. The $25 fee would be a hardship to some neighborhoods.
Also, most neighborhoods have a small number of cases each year.
The required postage should be minimal. If a fee must be charged
to cover this postage, we would suggest $5.
The Fort Worth League of Neighborhood Associations has already compiled
a map showing neighborhood association boundaries. This could be
easily modified as needed, if each neighborhood is required to provide
a list of its boundaries when it registers.
Our organization will be glad to help notify neighborhood associations
of this new program and the registration process. If you have any
questions, please call me at 284-8441. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mary'7? Lynn Holder
Chairman
cc: City Council
Bob Terrell, City Manager