To: Mark R. Hafner, City Manager
From: Sarah Hensley, Assistant Director of Community Development
Subject:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING: Consider an ordinance approving amendments to the City of Keller Unified Development Code (UDC), adopted by Ordinance No. 1746 dated July 7, 2015, by replacing Article Eight - Zoning Districts, Development Standards, Tree Preservation, with a new Article Eight - Zoning Districts; by replacing Article Nine - Appendices, with a new Article Nine - Development Standards; and by adding a new Article Ten - Tree Preservation; and a new Article Eleven - Appendices; authorizing publication; providing a penalty; and establishing an effective date. (UDC-22-0010)
Action Requested:
Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance approving amendments to the City of Keller Unified Development Code (UDC) by replacing Article Eight - Zoning Districts, Development Standards, Tree Preservation, with a new Article Eight - Zoning Districts; by replacing Article Nine - Appendices, with a new Article Nine - Development Standards; and by adding a new Article Ten - Tree Preservation; and a new Article Eleven - Appendices.
Background:
Staff recently began identifying features of the online version of the Unified Development Code (UDC) that make navigating the code challenging for users, including staff, residents, developers and other members of the public. Staff also found multiple documents in the UDC that included outdated processes and guidelines or that held information that is formally updated and posted elsewhere on the city website (i.e. the permit fee list). Staff believes the proposed changes will make specific portions of the code easier and quicker to find online and eliminate old and confusing language no longer relevant to the development process.
Proposed Amendments:
The proposed amendments are “red-lined” in the Staff Attachment included with the agenda packet.
Summary:
The proposed UDC Amendments include:
1. Changing the content of Article Eight to include only Zoning Districts and “bookmark” each zoning district in the Municode system. This allows anyone searching this section of the code to go directly to a specific zoning district rather than scrolling through the entire section to find a particular zoning district. (No content change.)
2. Remove “Development Standards” from Article Eight and create a new Article Nine - Development Standards. (No content change.)
3. Remove Tree Preservation from Article Eight and create a new Article Ten - Tree Preservation. (No content change.)
4. Change the current Article Ten - Appendices to Article Eleven - Appendices and remove the following documents that have outdated/irrelevant information:
-Development Review Committee Members (changes depending on individual department staffing)
- Fees (updated and posted as part of annual budget process)
-Sign Formulas (mistakenly left in during 2015 UDC update; UDC Sections 8.09 and 8.18 are now used to calculate sign area)
-Utility Companies Serving the City of Keller (subject to change without City knowledge)
-Keller CAD Standards Manual (outdated per City GIS staff)
-City of Keller Organization Chart (updated and posted as part of annual budget process)
-Development Process Schedule (contains exact dates from 2017-2019 that are no longer relevant)
Supporting Documents:
- Staff Attachment: Proposed Draft UDC Amendments (red-line)
- Exhibit A: Proposed Draft UDC Amendments (clean version)
Citizen Input:
An amendment to the text of the UDC requires a public hearing notice to be published in the local newspaper ten (10) days prior to the scheduled Planning and Zoning Commission meeting date and fifteen (15) days prior to the City Council Meeting Date. Notices were published in the October 30, 2022 and November 13, 2022 editions of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for the respective Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council public hearings. As of today, Staff has not received any comments from the public.
Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation:
On November 8, 2022, the Commission voted to unanimously recommend approval of the proposed UDC amendments.
Alternatives:
The City Council has the following options when considering an amendment to the text of the UDC:
§ Approve as submitted.
§ Approve with modified or additional condition(s).
§ Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose.
§ Deny.