2019-186 R7 Zoning District Use RegulationsDate: November 8, 2019 Report No. 2019-186
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Use regulations in R7 District
BACKGROUND:
Late in the development of the 2019 Denton Development Code (DDC), a new district, R7, was
introduced to provide a mixed-density district that permitted limited small-scale commercial uses.
The intent was to bridge the gap between purely residential districts and mixed-use districts for
targeted infill areas and in transitional contexts. The R7 District would allow development scale
to increase, but in a manner harmonious with nearby neighborhoods. Permitted residential uses
(with additional use-specific standards) include single-family detached dwellings, townhomes,
duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. Commercial uses are more limited, with day cares permitted
by right, and banks, offices, small retail, and laundries permitted only with a Specific Use Permit
(SUP) and use-specific standards. Medical Offices such as pediatricians, dentists, and psychiatrists
are not permitted.
The Transition Table adopted with the approval of the 2019 DDC outlined which 2002 zoning
districts would convert to R7 District, focusing on those districts which most closely aligned with
the purpose of the R7 District. They included DR-1, NRMU-12, and MF-1 (MF-1 was a hold-over
from the 1969 Development Code and only affected four properties). The transition was not a
perfect match, but rather an approximation of the appropriate uses and development scale typically
found in the areas previously zoned DR-1, NRMU-12, and MF-1 Districts.
DISCUSSION:
Under the 2002 DDC, DR-1 was primarily a moderate-density residential district, while NRMU-
12 permitted a variety of residential, commercial, and institutional uses. Permitted commercial
uses in NRMU-12 District were generally limited to professional and medical offices under 10,000
square feet and neighborhood-serving retail under 5,000 square feet. The purpose was to allow for
small-scale uses which support the day-to-day functioning of neighborhoods within walking
distance from residential areas. Landscaping, buffers, and adequate parking were required in order
to reduce potential impacts and increase compatibility.
Original drafts of the 2019 DDC removed DR-1 and NRMU-12 in favor of a more inclusive MN
District which permitted a large variety of higher density residential and commercial uses.
However, as the 2019 DDC came together, it became apparent that the menu of zoning districts
needed a bridge between residential districts and mixed-use districts to ensure compatibility. R7
District was a result.
This late-inclusion of R7 has created some issues with implementation. Generally, the
implementation for residential uses in R7 District has been straightforward; however, commercial
uses, and in particular offices and medical offices, have encountered more complexity with the
new use and development regulations. The SUP requirement for offices and the prohibition of
Date: November 8, 2019 Report No. 2019-186
medical offices has created nonconformities for some property and business owners. While their
businesses were permitted legally in NRMU-12, they now cannot expand their businesses or
rebuild more modern facilities without complying with the nonconforming regulations outlined in
Section 1.5 of the 2019 DDC.
In order to address this issue, staff is revisiting the transition from the 2002 DDC to 2019 DDC to
more closely align with the previous NRMU-12 regulations and determine which gaps and
inconsistencies in the R7 District can be corrected. Immediate areas of concern include
Administrative, Professional, and Government Office and Medical Office. These were uses
permitted with a limitation on size in NRMU-12, but are now permitted with an SUP or prohibited
in R7. The potential correction would include the following DDC text amendments:
Table 5.2-A Section 5.3 Use-Specific Standards
Use R7 District
Administrative,
Professional, and
Government Office
P+
Section 5.3.4H revise the following language:
R3, R4, R6, and R7 Zoning Districts
Administrative, professional, and government office
uses shall not exceed 10,000 square feet per lot.
Add the following language:
R7 Zoning District
Uses greater than 10,000 square feet or not located on
an arterial roadway require a specific use permit
pursuant to Subsection 2.5.2: Specific Use Permit
(SUP)
Medical Office P+
Section 5.3.4H add the following language:
R7 Zoning District
Uses greater than 10,000 square feet or not located on
an arterial roadway require a specific use permit
pursuant to Subsection 2.5.2: Specific Use Permit
(SUP)
The major change is to permit small-scale Medical and Professional Offices in R7 along arterials,
but larger buildings and those uses in areas interior to neighborhoods would still require an SUP.
These proposed changes will assist with current non-conforming developments and would allow
the limited development of low-impact uses in R7 District with targeted City Council oversight to
ensure compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods.
CONCLUSION:
Staff will be bringing this proposal forward to City Council in the near future to discuss the R7
correction.
STAFF CONTACT:
Julie Wyatt
Senior Planner
Date: November 8, 2019 Report No. 2019-186
Development Services
julie.wyatt@cityofdenton.com
REQUESTOR:
Staff Initiated
PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS:
Development Services
STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT:
Four Hours