2019-002 Example Projects Impacted by the DDC UpdateDate: January 4, 2019 Report No. 2019-002
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Examples of recent projects that would be impacted by the Denton Development Code update.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On November 13, 2018, City Council requested information on projects that would be approved under the current
Denton Development Code (DDC), but would no longer be allowed under the proposed DDC, and projects not
allowed currently that would be allowed under the proposed DDC. Staff has reviewed recent projects and chosen
a few examples to highlight key differences between the current DDC and proposed DDC. Generally, the
proposed DDC allows for more flexibility in methods by developers to reach the desired outcome for the City.
The following information is based on the latest draft of the proposed DDC which is subject to change through
the process of adoption. The consolidated draft will be available in late January 2019 in advance of a work session
in February 2019 with City Council.
EXAMPLES:
Staff has researched several examples to highlight key differences and the subsequent effects following the
adoptions of the proposed DDC. Examples 1 and 2 are projects that are currently prohibited under the DDC, but
would be permitted in the proposed DDC. Examples 3 and 4 are projects that are currently permitted, but would
be prohibited in the proposed DDC.
Example 1: Landscaping requirement at the site on Audra Lane
There was a recent project (ADP18-0005) where a church on Audra Lane was requesting to add additional parking
to their site. This addition required to applicant to meet the current landscape code, so the site had to have the
following:
Maintain a tree canopy of 50 percent.
Type “C” 15-foot-wide along the areas adjacent
to residential development
Front Parking Screening of:
o 15-foot-wide landscape area;
o Landscape berm;
o 1 large tree per 40 linear feet or 3 small
trees per 30 linear feet; and
o Xeriscaping, 3-foot shrub row, or 3-foot
high wall.
There were constraints on this site that made it difficult to achieve the landscape standards and ultimately what
they were required to include to meet the Code was not the best strategy for the site or the City. For example,
there is a drainage easement and detention pond on the site and the inclusion of the required berm would have
negatively impacted the drainage on the site. An Alternative Development Plan (ADP) was approved by the
Planning and Zoning Commission on August 8, 2018 that allowed the site to modify the requirements with the
following deviations:
Date: January 4, 2019 Report No. 2019-002
Maintain all existing trees and provide parking lot and screening trees with a total site canopy coverage
of 30 percent;
Add 83 parking spaces and decrease the landscape area to 58 percent; and
Have a 20-foot-wide landscape frontage with a continuous double row of shrubs and 1 tree every 25 linear
foot.
In the proposed DDC, there would be flexibility in the way that the landscape and conservation standards are
applied, so rather than requiring an ADP for the site, the applicant would have been able to do a combination of
various buffering methods in order to meet the proposed points-based standard for the future landscape code in
the DDC. This would have resulted in the site meeting the goal of the City to have a buffer for certain types of
development while allowing the applicant to do so in a manner that is better for the long-term health of the
landscaping on site.
Example 2: Specific Use Permit for multi-family dwellings
Currently, NRMU and NRMU-12 districts require the approval of a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for multifamily
dwellings. The future comparable zoning districts would not require SUP approval. There were 70 zoning changes
from August 2016 to August 2018, and eight of those rezoning would not have required an SUP due to the
proposed zoning changes in the DDC update.
Example 3: Villages of Carmel Development
Finally, for residential subdivisions over two acres, the current DDC allows developments to rely on a maximum
density instead of minimum lot sizes and dimensions. For example, the Villages of Carmel contains some lots
as small as 4,000 square feet; however, under the proposed DDC, subdivisions similar to the Villages of Carmel
would require a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet square feet. As an example of the differences in lot sizes,
the photo below depicts a 4,305 sf lot in blue and 7,200 sf lot in green. This modification would yield larger lot
sizes, potentially reducing density.
Date: January 4, 2019 Report No. 2019-002
Example 4: Bell Avenue multi-family complex
In the current DDC, portions of commercial parking lots can be constructed with pervious material to meet the
minimum landscape area requirement. The proposed DDC removes this allowance, and instead, requires
landscape areas to be constructed as a planted area. This amendment would require some developments to modify
their site plans to ensure that the designs meet the intent of landscaping requirements. For example, a recent
multi-family project located at the corner of Industrial Street and Bell Avenue used pavers to meet the landscape
requirement, resulting in parking coverage on almost the entirety of the site. Under the proposed regulations, the
pavers would not be counted toward the minimum landscaping requirements, reducing the parking area, and by
extension, the number of dwelling units.
STAFF CONTACT:
Richard Cannone
Deputy Director of Development Services
940-349-8507
Richard.Cannone@cityofdenton.com