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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 11446~ j. •. i ORDINANCE NO . ~` `~' AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE ISSUANCE OF CITATIONS AND PROSECUTION OF COMPLAINTS FOR VIOLATIONS OF HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS BY CERTAIN FENCES IN THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, WHICH PROHIBITION SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON MARCH 31, 1994, UNLESS SOONER REPEALED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, THE PURPOSE OF SUCH PROHIBITION BEING TO PRESERVE THE STATUS QUO PENDING HEARINGS BY THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PERTAINING TO SUCH FENCES; PROVIDING FOR A METHOD OF REPEAL OF THIS ORDINANCE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth regulates the locations and construction of fences and other structures under its Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance 3011, as amended) and other city ordinances and regulations; and WHEREAS, there are several areas in the City of Fort Worth where fences have been added to the front of residences; and WHEREAS, some of such fences violate the height requirements of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance; and WHEREAS, it is necessary to provide a moratorium on citations until midnight on March 31, 1994 so that numerous applications for variances may be heard by the Board of Adjustment pertaining to such fences; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That pursuant to the valid exercise of the police power granted to the City, the following acts are hereby prohibited in the City of Fort Worth during the period from the effective date of this ordinance until midnight on March 31, 1994, or until this ordinance is repealed, whichever occurs first; ~ l' (a) the prosecution of citations issued or complaints filed for violations of height requirements by fences added to the front yard of residences; and (b) the issuances of citations or the filing of complaints for violations of height requirements by fences added to the front yard of residences. That the purpose of this prohibition is to maintain the status quo concerning such nonconforming fences until numerous applications for variances may be heard by the Board of Adjustment. SECTION 2. That all of the declarations and findings contained in the preamble of this ordinance are made a part hereof and shall be fully effective as part of the ordained subject matter of this ordinance. SECTION 3. That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect until such time as the City Council adopts an ordinance repealing same or until midnight on March 31, 1994, whichever occurs first. SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances. and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, in which event, such conflicting provisions of such ordinances and Code are hereby suspended for the period during which this ordinance is in effect. _2_ j ., SECTION 5. That it is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared void, ineffective or unconstitutional by the valid judgement or final decree of a Court of competent jurisdiction, such voidness, ineffectiveness or unconstitutionality shall not effect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation herein of any such void, ineffective or unconstitutional phrase,, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 6. That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, and it is so ordained. SECTION 7. That the City Secretary shall send copies of this ordinance to the Chief. Judge of the Municipal Court, City Attorney and Director of the Department of Development of the City of Fort Worth. -3- ~ 1 APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: ~~~.~ -~ ity A ~"tornley Date : l 0 ' ~. ~ .`- ~C' ~j ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: -4- City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Camrtmunication DATA RSFERBNCE NUIBSR IAa NAl[8 PA(ii3 11 /09/93 G10418 12ADOPT 1 of 1 sv>~,rscx ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE IMPOSING MORATORIUM ON ISSUANCE AND ~° PROSECUTION OF CITATIONS FOR VIOLATIONS OF HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS BY FENCES IN FRONT YARDS OF RESIDENCES RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance which imposes a moratorium on the issuance and prosecution of citations for violations of height requirements by fences in front yards of residences, which moratorium shall remain in effect until midnight on March 31, 1994, unless sooner repealed by the City Council DISCUSSION There are .several areas in Fort Worth where fences have been added to the front of single family residences. Many of these fences violate the height requirements of the zoning ordinance Neighbors in some of these areas have contacted City Councilmembers to indicate that they do not object to such fences and feel that they should be allowed to exist The owners of several residences with nonconforming fences have applied to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for variances. Given the large number of residences where such fences exist, it is anticipated that hearings on all such cases could take several months to complete During the hearings on these cases, a moratorium should be imposed to stay the prosecution of existing citations against the owners of such fences and to require that no new citations be issued for such fences FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION. The Director of Fiscal Services certifies that approval and implementation of this M&C will not require the City to spend any funds. CB r or Manager s FUND UNT ENTER UNT ITY RET Y OIKce by: (~) ~ ® k ~~O~~Q Charles R. Boswell 8500 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (~ v c Department Head: ~ 1 ~Q~ ~ 1993 Wade Adkins 7623 ([gym) ~ For Additional Information `~ '~''~ Cit S CoWact: y eas®tazy of the Ciky of Fosk V{lorth i exas Wade Adkins 7623 , ~~ Printed on recycled paper