HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-070NO _U-21%
AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REENACTING APPENDIX A TO THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS RELATING TO SUBDIVISION
AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, PROVIDING A PENALTY OF A FINE
NOT TO EXCEED TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH, AND
DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS
SECTION I
That Appendix A to the Code of Ordinances of the City of
Denton, Texas, is hereby repealed and reenacted in its entirety
to read as follows
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1 IN GENERAL
CHAPTER I
PURPOSE $ INTENT
2
Article
1 01 Policy
2
Article
1 02 Purposes
3
Article
1 03 Authority
3
CHAPTER II
SHORT TITLE
4
CHAPTER III
VARIATIONS
4
CHAPTER IV
DEFINITIONS
6
Article
4 01 Rules for Definition
6
Article
4 02 Definitions
6
ARTICLE II SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
CHAPTER I AUTHORITY
11
Article
1 01 Jurisdiction
11
Article
1 02 Scope of Regulations
12
Article
1 03 Development Standards Requirements
in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
12
Article
1 04 Approval Required
12
CHAPTER II
PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSION $ APPROVAL
13
Article
2
01
Preliminary Plat 4 Plans
13
Article
2
02
Final Plat F, Plans
13
Article
2
03
Filing of Plat
14
Article
2
04
Subdivision Construction
14
Article
2
05
Acceptance of the Subdivision
14
Article
2
06
General Development Requirements
14
Article
2
07
Replat Procedure
14
ARTICLE III LAND DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES $ PERMIT REGULATIONS
CHAPTER I JURISDICTION & SCOPE 15
CHAPTER
II
WITHHOLDING
IMPROVEMENTS
16
CHAPTER
III
PROCEDURES $
APPROVAL PROCESS POLICIES
16
PAGE 1
Article
3
01
General Overview of Review Process
16
Article
3
02
Pre -Design Conference Recommended
17
Article
3
03
Annexation Policy
17
Article
3
04
Zoning
19
Article
3
05
Preliminary Planning/Plats
19
Article
3
06
Final Development Review $ Permit
Procedures
24
Article
3
07
Construction Phase Procedural
Requirements $ Policies
30
Article
3
08
Combined Approval of Preliminary Plat
& Lot of Record --Optional Procedure
35
Article
3
09
Special Planned Development Zoning
Districts
35
CHAPTER IV GENERAL DESIGN STANDARDS $
IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED 37
Article 4 01 Purpose 37
Article 4 02 Authority of the Development Review
Committee to Recommend Standards
Specifications 37
Article 4 03 Streets Standards & Policy 38
fable I -City of Denton, Texas Summary of
Recommended Thoroughfare Design Standards 42
Article
4
04
Sidewalk Standards $ Policy
51
Article
4
05
Median Standards
51
Article
4
06
Alleys
52
Article
4
07
Water Utilities Standards
53
Article
4
08
Sewer Utility Standards
54
Article
4
09
Extensions of Water $ Sewer Mains
55
Article
4
10
Alternative Water & Sewer Facilities
59
Article
4
11
Utilities Easement Requirements
62
Article
4
12
Electric, Gas, Cable Television, $
Telephone Utility Standards
63
Article
4
13
Underground Electrical Utility Policy
63
Article
4
14
Street Lights
64
Article
4
15
Drainage Requirements
65
Table II -Runoff Coefficient "C"
68
Article
4
16
Lots, Common Areas & Facilities
71
Article
4
17
Blocks
72
Article
4
18
Building Lines
72
Article
4
19
Fire Lanes
72
Article
4
20
Monuments $ Markers
73
Article
4
21
Development on Existing Lots That Were
Previously Approved by the City
73
Article
4
22
Filing Fees
74
ARTICLE I IN GENERAL
CHAPTER I
PURPOSE AND INTENT
Article 1 01 Policy
A Land to be subdivided shall be of such character that it
can be used safely for building purposes without danger to
health or peril from fire, flood, or other menace Land shall
not be subdivided and/or developed until adequate facilities and
improvements are provided
PAGE 2
B Existing and proposed land development improvements shall
conform and be properly related to the proposals, policies shown
in the officially adopted Master Plans, and the capital
improvement budget and program of the City of Denton It is
intended that these regulations supplement and facilitate the
enforcement of the provisions and standards contained in
building and housing codes, zoning ordinances, official Master
Plans, and capital improvement budget and program of the
municipality
Article 1 02 Purposes
These regulations are adopted for the following purposes
A To protect and provide for public health, safety, and
general welfare of the community
B To guide the future growth and development of the
municipality, in accordance with the Master Plans
C To guide public and private policy and action in
providing adequate and efficient transportation, water,
sewerage, and other public and private requirements and
facilities
D To establish reasonable standards of design and
procedures for subdivisons and resubdivisions, to further the
orderly layout and use of land, and to ensure proper legal
descriptions and monumenting of subdivided land
E To ensure that public or private facilities are available
and will have a sufficient capacity to serve proposed
subdivisions and developments within the City
Article 1 03 Authority
A These regulations are adopted under the authority of the
provisions of the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas
and Charter of the City of Denton The rules and regulations
govern the subdivision and development of land in the corporate
limits of the City of Denton and shall govern the subdivision
and development of land within the extraterritorial jurisdiction
of the City of Denton under Article 970a V A T S , as amended,
known as the Municipal Annexation Act
PAGE 3
B The Planning and Zoning Commission shall exercise the
power and authority to administer standards established by this
ordinance and review, approve, or disapprove plats and develop-
ment plans for subdivision of land and for any development
within the corporate limits of the municipality (or unincorpo-
rated ETJ areas of the county) which show lots, blocks or sites
with or without new streets or highways or any lot improvement
activities as defined by this ordinance
C A Development Review Committee is hereby established
composed of not more than seven (7) members The City Manager
is hereby authorized to appoint the members of the Development
Review Committee (DRC) composed of key staff members involved in
development review and assistance and to designate a chairperson
of such committee, which chairperson shall be responsible for
coordinating and establishing committee procedures The purpose
is to provide centralized technical review of city development
regulations and policies and provide centralized staff
interpretations and recommendations to the Public Utilities
Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council and any
other city board charged with authority for review and approval
of development matters of the City
CHAPTER II
SHORT TITLE
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Denton
Development Code and it shall become a part of the Code of
Ordinances of City of Denton, Texas
CHAPTER III
VARIATIONS
A Authority
Variations and modifications of the general requirements of
this ordinance will be made by the Planning and Zoning
Commission when, in its judgment, special or peculiar factors
and conditions warrant such variations and do not affect the
general application or spirit of the rules and regulations, or
the Master Plan of the city The Planning and Zoning Commission
PAGE 4
shall be the judge in all cases regarding the application of the
following rules and regulations Advice and cooperation is
offered and will always be given by the Development Review
Committee In no case, however, shall the Commission or Council
grant such modifications unless it finds that all of the
following conditions are satisfied
1 That the modified proposal would conform to the
City Master Plans
Z That literal enforcement of a provision would
result in an extreme hardship for the
development of the subdivision
3 That granting of a modification will not have
the effect of preventing the orderly subdivision
of other land use in the area
4 That the modification accomplishes the spirit
and intent of the standard (Even though the
modification may not meet the letter of the
applicable standard, it provides for a better
project design For example the requirement
for drainage piping in residential streets might
be waived if the design maintains all building
lines out of the 100-year flood plain and the
system is designed to provide detention
qualities that help correct downstream drainage
problems )
5 That the problem in question is not generally
common to other properties in the City If the
problem standard in question is of general
application to numerous properties throughout
the City, then the Planning and Zoning
Commission is prohibited from granting such
variance, but should instead recommend an
ordinance change to the City Council
6 The actual pecuniary cost of development of the
property shall be considered for modification of
standards
7 That the hardship must be a physical hardship
relating to the property itself as distinguished
from a hardship relating to convenience
8 That the hardship must not result from the
applicant's or property owner's own actions
B Procedure
The owner of any tract of land aggrieved under these
regulations shall apply to the Planning and Zoning Commission
for a hardship variance On such application all adjacent
property owners shall be notified 10 days in advance of the
scheduled hearing for variance request Upon review and public
hearing the Planning and Zoning Commission shall make a
PAGE 5
determination A determination to grant a variance must be made
by a majority of affirmative votes of the Planning and Zoning
Commission Denial of a variance shall be final unless appealed
to the City Council for final decision
Discretion of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the
City Council in the application of these standards is also
provided through a planned development zoning procedure, which
shall take precedent over the above variance procedure
CHAPTER IV
DEFINITIONS
Article 4 01 Rules for Definition
For the purpose of this ordinance, the following rules shall
be applied in constructing, interpreting, or otherwise defining
the terms and provisions hereof
A Words used in the present tense shall include the future,
words used in the singular number shall include the plural
number, and words used in the plural shall include the singular
B The word "shall" is mandatory and the word "may" is
permissive
C The phrase "used for" shall include the phrases,
"arranged for," "designed for," "intended for," and "occupied
for," and shall apply exclusively to physical uses
Article 4 02 Definitions
For the purpose of this ordinance, certain words or terms
applicable hereto are defined as hereinafter provided Words
and terms used, but not defined, in this ordinance shall have
the meanings ascribed thereto in the Comprehensive Zoning
Ordinance of the City
Alley A public way less in size than a street, designed
for the special accommodation of the property it reaches, and
not intended for general travel or primary access
Acreage, Gross The acreage included within a boundary and
also including, if any, one-half of the right-of-way of abutting
public thoroughfares and, if any, one-half of the area adjacent
public open space or drainage ways provided that the maximum
PAGE 6
abutting area that may be included is the area within 100 feet
of said boundary line
Acreage, Net The acreage included within the boundary line
of a particular subdivision, tract, parcel, lot, etc but
excluding all public ways
Appeal A request for a review of the Development Review
Committee or city board's and commission's interpretation of any
provision of this chapter or a request for a variance
Area of Shallow Flooding A designated AO Zone on a
community's flood insurance rate map (FIRM) with base flood
depths from one (1) to three (3) feet This condition occurs
where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path
of flooding is unpredictable and indeterminate, and where
velocity flow may be evident
Average Current Cost The cost per foot determined
periodically, but no less than annually, by the Public Utilities
Board of the City based upon actual construction costs of water
and, separately, sewer mains in the City of Denton, considering
all appurtenances thereto and needed therefore, during the
period preceding such determination, and mathematically
averaging same and dividing by the number of feet constructed
under such contracts for water and for sanitary sewers
Area of Shallow Flooding Hazard The land in the floodplain
within a community subject to a 1 percent or greater chance of
flooding in any given year
Applicant The owner of land proposed to be subdivided or
his representative Consent shall be required from the legal
owner of the premises
Build To erect, convert, enlarge, reconstruct, restore, or
alter a building or structure
Building Any structure which is built for the support,
shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or movable
property of any kind
Building Line A line established beyond which no part of a
PAGE 7
building shall project, except as otherwise provided in the
Zoning Ordinance
Base Flood The flood having a 1 percent chance of being
equaled or exceeded in any given year
CA The product of the runoff coefficient and the drainage
area in acres
City The City of Denton, Texas
Commission The Planning and Zoning Commission of the City
Committee The Development Review Committee (DRC)
Council The City Council of the City
Developer A general term including all persons, firms and
corporations developing, building or using land for any purpose
other than one single-family residence, and the term shall
expressly include subdividers of residential and nonresidential
property
Development Any man-made change to improved or unimproved
real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other
structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, utility
installation, excavation or drilling operations (also see lot
improvement)
Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) An official map of a
community, issued by the Federal Insurance Administration, where
the areas within the boundaries of special flood hazards have
been designated as Zone A
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) An official map of a
community, on which the Federal Insurance Administration has
delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk
premium zones applicable to the community
Flood Insurance Study The official report provided by the
Federal Insurance Administration The report contains flood
profiles, the water surface elevation of the base flood, as well
as the flood hazard boundary floodway map
Floodplain The area outside the floodway which is still
subject to inundation by the regulatory flood This area is
designated by FP
PAGE 8
Frontage That side of a lot, parcel, or tract abutting a
street right-of-way and ordinarily regarded as the frontal
orientation of the lot
Lot A tract, plot, or portion of a subdivision or other
parcel of land intended as a unit for the purpose, whether
immediate or future, for transfer of ownership or for building
development
Lot of Record A lot which is part of a subdivision, the
plat of which has been recorded in the office of the County
Clerk of Denton County or a parcel of land which has been
approved as a lot pursuant to the requirements of this ordinance
by the City and filed with the City as an approved lot of
record A lot or any interest therein, which is not part of a
recordable subdivision but which is filed with the City as an
approved lot shall not be titled nor conveyed by reference to a
lot number
Lot Improvement Any building, structure, work of art or
other object, or improvements of the land on which they are
situated whether immediate or future which includes streets,
alleys, utilities, drainage modifications, access modifications
including curb cuts and other similar activities covered by
these regulations Lot improvements include offsite work
accomplished for the betterment of removed building lots
Master Plan Those plans adopted by the Council as a guide
to the systematic physical development of the City
Owner An all inclusive term denoting the person, firm,
corporation or partnership with primary responsibility toward
the City to see that these subdivision rules and regulations and
the ordinances of the City are complied with The term includes
person, firm, corporation, partnership or agent, attorney -in -
fact, manager or director, developer, developer's contractors
including engineer, builder, planner, etc Such term as used
herein always includes one or more of the above who own all or
any part of the land which is contemplated to be developed
PAGE 9
Planned Unit Development A zoning concept which allows
flexibility in dwelling types, arrangement, lot sizes, and
common open space as exceptions to normal development standards,
based on an approved Final Development Plan
Public Improvement Any drainage ditch, roadway, parkway,
sidewalk, pedestrianway, tree, lawn, off-street parking area,
lot improvement, or other facility for which the local
government may ultimately assume the responsibility for
maintenance and operation, or which may effect an improvement or
for which local government responsibility is established
Resubdivision A change in a map of an approved or recorded
subdivision plat if such change affects any street layout on
such map or area reserved thereon for public use, or any lot
line or if it affects any map or plan legally recorded prior to
the adoption of any regulations controlling subdivisions
Right -of -Way A strip of land occupied or intended to be
occupied by a street, crosswalk, railroad, road, electric
transmission line, oil or gas pipeline, water main, sanitary or
storm sewer main, or for another special use The usage of the
term "right-of-way" for landplatting purposes shall mean that
every right-of-way hereafter established as shown on a final
plat is to be separate and distinct from the lots or parcels
adjoining such right-of-way and not included within the
dimensions or areas of such lots or parcels Rights -of -way
intended for streets, crosswalks, water mains, sanitary sewers,
storm drains, or any other use involving maintenance by a public
agency shall be dedicated to public use by the maker of the plat
on which such right-of-way is established
Special Circumstances (in regard to utility extensions)
Only those areas where water or sewer is deemed necessary and
the application of any general rule for extension shall cause a
burden and cost considerably greater than what would be normally
incurred due to the particular topography or unusual shape of
the particular lot or tract involved
PAGE 10
Subdivider Any person who (1) having an interest in land,
causes it, directly or indirectly, to be divided into a
subdivision or who (2) directly or indirectly, sells, leases, or
develops, or offers to sell, lease, or develop, or advertises
for sale, lease, or development, any interest, lot, parcel site,
unit, or plat in a subdivision, or, who (3) engages directly or
through an agent in the business of selling, leasing, develop-
ing, or offering for sale, lease, or development a subdivision
or any interest, lot, parcel site, unit or plat in a
subdivision, and who (4) is directly or indirectly controlled
by, or under direct or indirect common control by any of the
foregoing
Subdivision Any land, vacant or improved, which is
hereafter divided in two or more parts for the purpose of laying
out any subdivision of any tract of land or any addition to any
town or city, or for laying out suburban lots or building lots,
or any lots, and streets, alleys or parks or other portions
intended for public use, or the use of purchasers or owners of
lots fronting thereon or adjacent thereto shall cause a plat to
be made thereof
Variance A grant of relief to a person from the require-
ments of this ordinanace when specific enforcement would result
in unnecessary hardship A variance, therefore, permits
construction or development in a manner otherwise prohibited by
the ordinance
ARTICLE II SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
CHAPTER I
AUTHORITY
Article 1 01 Jurisdiction
These regulations shall govern any and every person, firm,
corporation or organization owning any tract of land within the
corporate limits of the City of Denton or its extra -territorial
jurisdiction who may hereafter divide the same in two or more
parts for the purpose of laying out any subdivision of any tract
PAGE 11
of land or any addition to any town or city, or for laying out
suburban lots or building lots, or any lots, and streets, alleys
or parks or other portions intended for public use, or the use
of purchasers or owners of lots fronting thereon or adjacent
thereto shall cause a plat to be made thereof
Article 1 02 Scope of Regulations
The scope of these regulations shall include rules governing
plats, plans, subdivisions and development of land within the
City of Denton, Texas and its legally defined extra -territorial
jurisdiction including certain definitions, providing procedures
for the approval of subdivision plats, prescribing regulations
for the design and construction of streets, sidewalks, alleys,
water and sanitary sewage utilities, drainage and community
facilities, in conjunction with immediate or future development
upon that property
Article 1 03 Development Standards and Requirements in the
Extra -Territorial Jurisdiction
All major development areas in the ETJ will be reviewed for
possible annexation as required by the annexation policy
subsection 3 03 If after the study the area is not annexed
then the county construction standards will apply unless
specifically noted otherwise in the following list
A Water and sewer standards
B Plat processing (document review, recording and general
city plan conformance, location and dimensions but not
construction standards which shall be according to county
standards )
Article 1 04 Approval Required
Unless and until any such plan, plat or replat shall have
been first approved in the manner and by the authorities
provided for in this ordinance it shall be unlawful within the
area covered by said plan, plat or replat for any city official
to serve or connect said land, or any part thereof, or for the
use of the owners or purchasers of said land, or any part
thereof, with any public utilities such as water, sewers, light,
PAGE 12
gas, etc, which may be owned, controlled or contributed by the
City
No improvements shall be initiated, nor contracts executed
until the approval of the City has been given Disapproval of a
Final Plat by the City shall be deemed a refusal by the City to
accept the offered dedications shown thereon Approval of a
Final Plat shall not be deemed an acceptance of the proposed
dedications and shall not impose any duty upon the City
concerning the maintenance or improvement of any such dedicated
parts until the proper authorities of the City have both given
their written acceptance of the improvements and have actually
appropriated the same by entry, use, or improvements
CHAPTER II
PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSION AND APPROVAL
Article 2 01 Preliminary Plat and Plans
The developer is required to submit a preliminary plat and
plans of the subdivision to the City of Denton Submittal shall
include an application requesting review and the required filing
fees
The purpose of the submittal is to allow the Planning and
Zoning Commission to review overall platting of the tract, water
and sewer service, and street patterns within the subdivision
for conformance with the requirements of the City It also
provides the City an opportunity to make preliminary estimates
of any City participation that may be required in street and
utility costs in the subdivision
The requirements for such submittal and review are the same
as outlined in Article III, Chapter III
Article 2 02 Final Plat and Plans
Plat and Plans Review Procedure
The developer or his engineer shall submit the final plat and
complete construction plans to the Planning and Community Deve-
lopment Department for review Submittal shall include an appli-
cation requesting review and payment of the required filing fees
PAGE 13
The requirements for such submittal and review are the same
as outlined in Article III, Chapter III
Article 2 03 Filing of Plat
After approval of the final plat by the Planning and Zoning
Commission as outlined in Article III, the developer or his
engineer shall submit to the Planning and Community Development
Department the required number of copies for filing with the
County Clerk These copies shall bear all signatures but those
of the city officials After signature by these city officials,
the developer or his engineer must complete the filing process
and return the required number of filed copies to the Planning
and Community Development Department Said copies shall show
the volume and page of the Map and Plat Records into which the
plat was filed by the County Clerk
Article 2 04 Subdivision Construction
The requirements for construction permit and subsequent
procedures are the same as outlined in Article III
Article 2 05 Acceptance of the Subdivision
The requirements for such acceptance are the same as
outlined in Article III
Article 2 06 General Development Requirements
All development requirements shall be the same as outlined
in Article III
Article 2 07 Replat Procedure
A A public hearing is required on all replats when the
previous plat is not vacated (Vacation is an alternative
procedure that does not require public hearing )
B If the previous plat is not vacated and the area proposed
for replatting was zoned for residential use for not more than
two residential units per lot or deed restricted for same
(within preceding five years), then the following procedure is
required
1 Notice by Planning and Zoning Commission (or
governing body) for a public hearing must be
published fifteen (15) days in advance of the
hearing
PAGE 14
2 Written notice of the public hearing must be
forwarded to the owners of all lots in the
immediate preceding plat at least fifteen (15)
days prior to the hearing, however, if the
preceding plat contains more than one hundred
(100) lots, the notice shall be mailed to those
owners within five hundred (500) feet of the
parcel to be replatted
3 If 20 percent or more of the owners of lots in
the previous plat file a written protest the
Planning and Zoning Commission or governing body
shall require the written approval of 66 2/3
percent of the owners of all lots in such plat
or the owners of all lots in such plat within
five hundred (500) feet of the property to be
replatted if the preceding plat contains more
than one hundred (100) lots
4 All replats of single family lots shall also
include a courtesy notice to all residents
within 200 feet of the proposed replat without
regard to whether such persons reside within the
boundaries of the existing plat Such notice
shall be in addition to notification
requirements imposed by statute, provided,
however, failure to comply with such additional
notification requirements shall not affect the
validity of the replat proceedings
5 All replats shall be first presented to the
Planning and Zoning Commission for its
recommendation to the City Council for final
action
C The above procedures are not required when the sole
purpose of the plat is to correct errors
ARTICLE III LAND DEVELOPMENT
PROCEDURES AND PERMIT REGULATIONS
CHAPTER I
JURISDICTION AND SCOPE
The following regulations cover all lands within the City or
Extra -Territorial Jurisdiction which are being prepared whether
immediate or in the future for development by reason of road
construction, utility construction or service request, drainage
modification, building permit request or other similar
development and lot improvement activities covered by these
regulations
These regulations do not cover lots for which a building
permit is requested in agricultural zoning districts or
accessory building construction, provided that such building
construction does not require additional road access or increase
PAGE 15
traffic on such roads, does not require additional utility
service, does not require drainage modification, does not
require additional curb cuts or other similar development
activities covered by these regulations
CHAPTER II
WITHHOLDING IMPROVEMENTS
It shall be the policy of the City to withhold all city
improvements, including the maintenance of streets and the
furnishing of sewage facilities and water service, from all
developments that have not been officially approved according to
these regulations No improvements should be initiated, nor
contracts executed until the approval of the City has been given
CHAPTER III
PROCEDURES AND APPROVAL PROCESS POLICIES
Article 3 01 General Overview of Review Process
In order to allow orderly processing of a proposed develop-
ment, the procedures discussed in the following sections shall
be used The steps for approval shall include
A Pre -design conference with Development Review Committee
(Conference may be required )
B Annexation by the City Council (if applicable)
C Zoning by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City
Council
D Approval of the preliminary plat and preliminary
engineering plans by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City
Council Approval of a general development plan for large tracts
may also be required by Planning and Zoning Commission
E Approval of the final engineering plans by the City
Engineer
F Approval of the final lot of record and engineering plans
by the Planning and Zoning Commission
G. Execution of development contract as furnished by City
Engineer (optional)
H Recording of all executed easements, dedications and
other documents required and, if a subdivision as defined
PAGE 16
herein, filing of approved plat with the Denton County Clerk
I Letter from the chairperson of the Development Review
Committee that all approvals are complete
J Letter to start construction from the City Engineer
(Pre -construction meeting will be required )
K Completion of construction and acceptance of all
improvements by the City Engineer
L File final Lot of Record if contract option not taken
(See step G )
Article 3 02 Pre -Design Conference
Prior to the filing of any plans, plats or proposed
developments, an applicant shall consult with the Development
Review Committee, unless specifically waived by the Development
Review Committee Chairman
Article 3 03 Annexation Policy
It is the general policy of the City of Denton to assess on
a case -by -case basis the annexation of areas in the extra-
territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) when significant developments are
proposed, occurring, or likely to occur in the near future
The following are guidelines for determining when annexation
study should be considered
1 Guidelines for Initiating Study
A Single family developments over five lots, or
B Multi -family, industrial or commercial developments
over one acre, or
C Any area where the density exceeds 500 units per
square mile, or
D Any development or area that might have a significant
impact upon the City, including but not limited to service
costs, increased traffic, utility needs or utilization, safety
or health hazards
When any or all of the above conditions exist, appropriate
city staff shall review the proposed development for the purpose
of considering annexation The review shall also include
PAGE 17
consideration of the annexation of logical planning areas around
the area of initial concern
2 Guidelines for Scope of Study
In studying the questions of whether or not an area should
be annexed, the following criteria shall be considered at a
minimum (guidelines for scope of study)
A The ability of the City to furnish normal urban services
equal to other comparable areas inside the city limits (Note
water and sewer system capabilities are considered, but lines
for individual areas are normally not city financial
responsibility )
B The reliability, capacity and future public cost (if any)
of current and planned provisions for community facilities such
as roads, utilities, etc (Private facilities will be
considered )
C The need and quality of land use and building controls
(Private controls will be considered )
D Impact on the City, both current and long range,
including at a minimum
1 Fiscal cost and benefits,
2 Traffic,
3 Infrastructure of roads, utilities and other
community facilities,
4 Safety or health,
5 Building/development quality,
6 Aesthetic quality, and
7 Community character
E Conformance with or need to ensure conformance with the
officially adopted Master Plans of the City
If, after preliminary study, the above criteria indicate a
need to consider annexation in order to promote or protect the
public interest, then the City will initiate formal annexation
proceedings to consider the annexation question in detail
If a property in the ETJ is contiguous to the city limits
and the owner of said property desires that it be annexed in
PAGE 18
order to be qualified to receive city services when available and
to be afforded zoning protection, the owner may petition the City
for annexation
3 Study and Annexation Procedure
A Based upon guidelines for initiating study (Section 1) the
staff is required to initiate a preliminary assessment of the
area for possible annexation
B The results of the preliminary assessment are presented to
the City Council as a work session item The City Council will
review the study results and other information and make a
determination whether or not formal study and public hearings and
annexation proceedings should be initiated
C If formal public hearings are initiated the planning and
Zoning Commission is to review the annexation study and make a
recommendation to the City Council
D The City Council will then consider all recommendations
and public comment during the prescribed public hearings phase,
and make determination whether or not to initiate formal
annexation proceedings
E Formal annexation proceedings accomplished (if applicable)
F City Council make final determination
Article 3 04 Zoning
If the property is not zoned as required for the proposed
subdivision, permanent zoning shall be requested Application
for zoning includes completion of application forms, payment of
required fees, and performance of other requirements of the
Zoning Ordinance and the rules and regulations of the City, these
policies may from time to time be passed or amended
Article 3 05 Preliminary Planning/Plats
Preliminary plans are to be submitted, reviewed and approved
prior to starting detail engineering design Such approval of
preliminary plans assures the City's concurrence and avoids
costly delays if re -design is required Preliminary plans are of
two forms, General Development Plan and Preliminary Plan In
PAGE 19
most cases both types of plans are not required The following
describes when each type of plan will be utilized
A General Development Plan
When a development is a portion of a large tract under one
ownership or is to be developed in phases, the developer may be
required to submit a General Development Plan for review and
approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission This plan
should include the portion to be first developed and, if so
done, will constitute the preliminary plan for such section
The section to be first developed will require information as
detailed in the preliminary plan requirements comprising 3 05
(B) When appropriate or if required by the Planning and Zoning
Commission, more than one tract or subdivision may be included
within the General Plan
The purpose of the General Development Plan is to allow the
Planning and Zoning Commission to review proposed major
thoroughfare and collector street patterns, land use, and the
relationship to adjoining subdivisions or properties A General
Development Plan shall be construed to be a detailing of the
Comprehensive Plan
The following guidelines shall be utilized to determine when
such a plan will be required
1 When a development is a portion of a larger tract
under one ownership
2 A proposed subdivision is to be developed in phases
3 When offsite road, drainage, or utility connections
have major alternative possibilities
4 When a proposed development's roads, drainage,
utilities or other such improvements may have a
major impact on adjacent or nearby private or
public properties
5 When the impact of offsite roads, drainage,
utilities or other such improvements cannot be
determined by a limited area plan
Information Required on General Development Plan
The following information is required on all General
Development Plans submitted unless waived by the Development
Review Committee
PAGE 20
I The study shall show the names of adjacent subdivi-
sions or the names of owners of record of adjoining
parcels of unsubdivided land
2 The study shall contain the existing zoning on
ad ooning land, the location, width, and names of
ali existing or platted streets or other public
ways within or adjacent to the tract, existing
permanent buildings, railroad rights -of -way, topo-
graphy, existing utilities and other important
features such as political subdivision or corporate
limits and school district boundaries
3 The study shall show the layout and width of
proposed thoroughfares and collector streets
4 The study shall show the proposed land uses by area
and with a tabulation summary of acres, density and
populations
5 The study shall provide a location map showing
location of tract by reference to existing streets
or highways
B Preliminary Plans (or Plats)
A Preliminary Plan is required for all proposed subdivisions,
lot improvements and developments within the City and ETJ in
order to provide the City with the preliminary plans for the
development The Preliminary Plan review is intended to produce
a subdivision design in which all community planning factors
have been recognized and reconciled Compared to a General
Plan, it provides more detail such as lotting layout, residen-
tial streets, drainage pattern, etc , but not the detail of a
Final Plan, in which engineering requirements of dimensional
precision are the major objective
Information Required on Preliminary Plan (or Plat)
On one or more drawings the following information is to be
provided unless specifically waived by the Development Review
Committee
1 Scale
The Preliminary Plat shall be drawn to a scale of
1,, = 100' or 1,, = 50' except that under special
conditions a smaller or larger scale may be
accepted when prior approval of the Development
Review Committee Chairman has been obtained
2 Ownership and Identification
a) Name of the subdivider or developer, record
owner, and land planner, engineer, or surveyor
b) Proposed name of the subdivision or lot of
record
PAGE 21
51
c) Location of development by City, County and
State
d) Key map showing location of tract by reference
to existing streets or highways
e) Date of preparation, scale of plat and north
arrow
f) Development boundary lines, indicated by heavy
lines, and the computed acreage of the
development
g) Name of the owners of contiguous parcels of
unsubdivided land, the names of contiguous
subdivisions, and the lot patterns of these
subdivisions shown by dotted or dashed lines
h) Location of city limit lines and/or the outer
border of the City's extra -territorial
jurisdiction as provided by the City if they
traverse the subdivision or form part of the
boundary of the subdivision or are contiguous to
such boundary
Existing Conditions
a) The location, dimensions, name, and description
of all existing or recorded public and private
right-of-way, including easements, within the
subdivision as well as those intersecting or
contiguous with its boundaries or forming such
boundaries
b) The location, dimensions, identification or name
of all existing or recorded residential lots,
parks, and public areas within the subdivisions
c) Permanent structures and uses within the subdivi-
sion including location of houses, barns, walls,
wells, tanks and other significant features that
will remain
d) The location, dimensions, description, and flow
line of existing drainage structures and the
location flow line and flood plain as defined by
the appropriate study of existing water courses
within the subdivision
e) Utilities on the tract, specifying size of lines
and those which are transmission lines
f) Topography shown by contour lines on a basis of
a two -foot vertical interval If such an
interval is not available, a five-foot interval
is acceptable
g) If ereis no
aentbeubdncluded' amap w th o
n a
small scale shall
the
Preliminary Plan, and oriented the same way, to
show the nearest subdivision in each direction,
it shall show how the streets or highways in the
subdivision plan submitted may connect with
those in the nearest subdivision if such
connections affect the subdivision design
PAGE 22
Proposed Layout
a) Any major proposed changes in topography shown by
contour lines on a basis of a two -feet vertical
interval, unless otherwise specified by the City
Engineer
b) The location, dimensions, description, and purpose
of all proposed alleys, drainage ways, parks,
open spaces, other public areas, reservations,
easements, or other right-of-way, and blocks,
lots and other sites within the subdivision that
significantly affect the overall subdivision
design
c) A number or letter to identify each lot or site
and each block
d) Data specifying the gross area of the subdivision,
the proposed number of residential lots, the area
in residential use, the approximate area in parks,
and the area in other non-residential uses
e) Identification all existing zoning districts
f) Show the location and size of water and sanitary
sewer mains which will be required to ensure
adequate service and fire protection to the lots
specified in such proposed development or
subdivision, unless waived by the Development
Review Committee
g) A "preliminary drainage study" is to be submitted
concurrent with the submittal of any Preliminary
Plan to the City, unless expressly waived by the
Development Review Committee
The study shall include a drainage area map
designating drainage areas and summary of calcu-
lation of sufficient detail to assess preliminary
sizing of major drainage facilities Also all
areas outside of drainage easements or street
right-of-way that will be inundated by the 100
year flood shall be shown
C Procedure for Preliminary Plan and General Plan Processing
Pre -design Conference A pre -design conference
with the Development Review Committee is required
unless expressly waived by the Committee's
Chairperson
Submittal Application and fifteen (15) copies
of necessary plans and supporting documents shall
be submitted to the Planning and Community Deve-
lopment Department at least ten (10) working days
prior to the regularly scheduled Planning and
Zoning Commission meeting A copy of the pro-
cessing and meeting schedule shall be approved by
the Planning and Zoning Commission and filed in
the Planning and Community Development Department
and with the City Secretary Total review and
processing time by the Planning and Zoning Com-
mission shall not be more than thirty (30) days
PAGE 23
3 Schedule of Fees Lists of fees approved by the
City Council shall be on file with the Director
of Planning and Community Development
No resubmittal fee shall be required when action
is directed from the Commission for further study
and the resubmittal is made within six (6) months
of original submission
4 Ten (10) days prior to the regularly scheduled
Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, a
courtesyy notice to all abutting property owners
shall be given by the Planning and Community
Development Department for plans over one hundred
(100) acres
5 The staff Development Review Committee (DRC)
The DRC shall review the plans and make a report
of their findings for forwarding to the Planning
and Zoning Commission The applicant will be
afforded an opportunity to meet with the Com-
mittee and discuss the report's preliminary
conclusions prior to the drafting of the
Committee's final report
6 The Planning and Zoning Commission at a regularly
scheduled meeting shall review the plans and make
its recommendation
7 The Preliminary Plan, including all conditional
requirements, shall then be placed on the agenda
of the City Council for final action
D Approval Time
Approval of the Preliminary Plan and/or General Plan shall
expire after a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date
of approval unless a Lot of Record has been submitted on all or
part of the Preliminary or General plan, the Lot of Record
submission will automatically extend approval of the remaining
portion of the Preliminary Plat for another twenty-four (24)
month period However, in no case shall a Preliminary Plan or
Plat remain in force more than ten (10) years, unless extended
by the Planning and Zoning Commission
Article 3 06 Final Development Review and Permit Procedures
A. Purpose
The purpose of final permit review is twofold
First, it is to provide the map which becomes the official
lot of record of the division of land or development site
whichever the case may be It shall conform substantially to
the Preliminary Plan as approved by the City Council The Lot
PAGE 24
of Record shall be clearly and legibly drawn in ink on
reproducible material and shall be certified as provided in the
regulation It may include all or only a portion of the area of
the approved Preliminary Plan However, the final plat cannot
exclude an area solely for the purpose of avoiding off -site
improvements such as drainage, for example In such cases the
necessary improvements outside the area of the final plat can be
required Whether such off -site improvements will be required
shall be determined by the Planning and Zoning Commission based
upon one or more of the following guidelines
1 The off -site improvement contributes to the use and
function of the lot(s) being platted
2 The excluded area is considered an undevelopable
lot
3 The off -site improvement ties into or is part of a
continuous system that is already in place
Approval of the Lot of Record can be considered the same as the
development permit approval step since no subdivision plat may
be recorded or no building permit approved until the Lot of
Record has been approved
Second, part of the process is to receive, review and
approve engineering plans Engineering plans showing details of
streets, sidewalks, alleys, culverts, bridges, storm sewers,
drainage channels, water mains, sanitary sewers and other
engineering details of the proposed development shall be
approved prior to approval of the Lot of Record Such plans
shall be prepared by a Professional Engineer registered in the
State of Texas and shall conform to the design standards estab-
lished by the City of Denton The Lot of Record will not be
recommended for approval to the Planning and Zoning Commission
until detailed engineering plans have been approved by the City
Engineer
If public improvements are to be undertaken on or in
conjunction with an approved Lot of Record and no changes are
proposed or needed on that Lot of Record, then engineering plans
PAGE 25
should include a copy of the approved Lot of Record Engineering
Plans will be reviewed according to the same procedure outlined
in this section except reapproval of the Lot of Record is not
required
B Information Required on Lot(s) of Record Map
The final map of the Lot(s) of Record may constitute all
or
only a portion of the approved Preliminary Plan or Plat, but
any
portion thereof shall conform to all of the requirements
of
these regulations If final plans or plats are submitted
for
approval by portions or sections of the proposed subdivision,
each portion or section shall carry the name of the entire
subdivision but shall bear a distinguishing letter, number
or
subtitle Block letters shall run consecutively throughout
the
entire subdivision, even though such subdivisions might
be
finally approved in sections Lot and block numbers of
an
approved lot of record not required to be recorded with
the
County as a subdivision shall not be used to reference
such
property for the purposes of title or conveyance, nor may
the
name of such lot of record infer that the property is
a
recordable subdivision The fact that the lot of record is
not
a recorded subdivision shall be noted on the City's records
1 Scale
The Lot (s) of Record Map shall be drawn to a
scale of 1" = 100' or 1" = 50' except that under
special conditions a smaller or larger scale may
be accepted when prior approval of the Planning
Director has been obtained The size of the map
shall be 18" x 24"
2 Contents Reference and Identifications
a) Proposed title or name of subdivision or deve-
lopment, written and graphic scale, north
arrow, date, and a key map
b) Location of the subdivision or development by
City, County and State
c) Primary control points or descriptions and
ties to such control points, to which dimen-
sions, angles, bearings and similar data shall
be referred At least one corner shall be
tied by course and distance to a corner in a
recorded subdivision or to a survey corner A
PAGE 26
note describing the corner marker should be
included
d) Tract boundary lines, right-of-way lines or
streets, easements and other rights -of -way,
and property lines and building lines of
residential lots and other sides
e) Adequate location data in order to reproduce
the tract or subdivision on the ground
f) Approved name and right-of-way width of each
street
g) Locations, dimensions and purposes of any
easements or other rights -of -way
h) Identification of each lot or site and block
by letter or number
1) Boundary lines and names of open spaces to be
dedicated for public use or granted for use of
the inhabitants of the subdivision or
development
J) adjoining to platted recorded
b subdivision
name plats or
J g P
k) All required dedication and certification
statements
C Construction Plans - Information Required
Construction plan and profile sheets for all public improve-
ments shall be reviewed prior to approval of the final plat
The approval of the final plat will not be recommended to the
Planning and Zoning Commission until the construction plans have
been approved by the City Engineer Construction plans and
profiles shall be drawn on sheets measuring twenty-two (22) or
twenty-four (24) by thirty-six (36) inches Each sheet shall
include north point, scale, and date Bench mark description to
sea level datum shall be included with the plans Each sheet
shall show the seal and signature of the registered professional
civil engineer who prepared the plans, and shall include the
following, unless specifically approved otherwise by the City
Engineer
1 A plan and profile of each street with top of curb
grades shown Scale shall be 1"=40' horizontally,
and appropriate vertical scale
2 The cross-section of proposed streets, alleys,
and sidewalks showing the width and type of pave-
ment, base and subgrade, and location within the
right-of-way
PAGE 27
3 A plan and profile of proposed sanitary sewers,
With grades and pipe sizes indicated and showing
locations of manholes, cleanouts, and other
appurtenances, and a cross section of embedment
4 A plan of the proposed water distribution system
showing pipe sizes and location of valves, fire
hydrants, fittings and other appurtenances, with
a section showing embedment
5 A plan to scale of all areas contributing storm
water runoff or drainage within and surrounding
the proposed subdivision Such plan shall indi-
cate size of areas, storm frequency and duration
data, amounts of runoff, points of concentration,
and other data necessary to adequately design
drainage facilities for the area
6 A plan and profile of proposed storm sewers,
showing hydraulic data, pipe grades and sizes,
manholes, inlets, pipe connections, culverts,
outlet structures, bridges, and other structures
7 Profile views of individual improvements shall
have no more than two improvements on one sheet
unless specifically approved by the City Engineer
The project engineer is responsible for the
accuracy, completeness and conformance to city
standards
The purpose of the City review is to assure
conformance to city policies and standards
However the City review is limited to facts as
presented on submitted plans Te City takes no
project engineering responsibility The engineer
certifying the plans is the engineer responsible
for the accuracy and completeness of the documents
submitted for review and actual construction
The City reserves the
to actual conditions
to be contrary to or
D Engineering Plans and
Procedures
right to require corrections
in the field which are found
omitted from submitted plans
Final Lot of Record Processing
1 Preliminary Review of Final Maps and Engineering
Plans Three (3) complete sets of preliminary
engineering plans and fifteen (15) copies of the
Lot(s) of Record shall be submitted to the Deve-
lopment Review Committee Chairperson seven (7)
working days prior to a regularly scheduled
Development Review Committee meeting Comments
from the preliminary review will be given to the
applicant for his/her consideration prior to the
submission of the final plans to the Planning and
Community Development Department for rfquested
Planning and Zoning Commission approval The
preliminary review by the Development Review
Committee will be no longer than seven (7)
working days, except for unique or extremely
T arge projects (over 100 acres)
2 Public Utilities Board Hearing and Recommendation
required for
PAGE 28
a) Service to new areas outside the corporate
limits of the City
b) Request for alternative utility system
3 Final Lot of Record Map and Final Engineering
Plans Submission Ten (10) working days prior
to the regularly scheduled Planning and Toning
Commission meeting the applicant shall submit
fifteen (15) copies of the final Lot of Record
and three (3) sets of final engineering plans
(as described in subsection 3 06 B and C) to the
Planning and Community Development Department
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall act
within thirty (30) days from date of official
written request by applicant and deliverance of
prescribed fee Failure to act within thirty
(30) days on the Final Lot of Record will be
considered an approval of the Final Lot of
Record
4 ScheCitydule of Cou cilfees will bests of on fileeewithapproved theDirector
of Planning
5 Staff Development Review Committee The
Development Review Committee shall review the
plat and plans and make a report of their
findings for the Planning and Zoning Commission
The applicant shall be afforded the opportunity
to meet with the Committee and discuss the
report's preliminary conclusions prior io the
drafting of its final report
6 Planning and Zoning Commission Review The
Planning and Zoning Commission at its regularly
scheduled meeting shall review and approve the
Lot of Record
7 Forwarding to City Council The City Council
will be forwarded Lots of Record involving
determination of City cost participation
E Approval and Recording of Lot of Record
One (1) reproducible and two (2) other paper copies of the
Lot of Record with all required signatures and three (3) copies
of the final approved engineering plans are required before the
Lot of Record can be recorded with the County Clerk or the City
and before building permits are issued or before land
development permit can be issued The filing of the Lot of
Record is subject to the following conditions
1 The completion and acceptance of required public
improvements, or
2 The execution of a development contract with the
City (see subsection 3 07)
PAGE 29
If an approved Lot of Record plat has not been ailed within
two (2) years, it shall be considered null and void unless an
extension is granted by the Planning and Zoning Commission
Disapproval of a Final Lot of Record Plat by the Planning
and Zoning Commission shall be deemed a refusal by the City to
accept the offered dedications shown thereon Approval of a
Final Lot of Record Plat shall not be deemed an a( ceptance of
the proposed dedications and shall not impose any duty upon the
City concerning the maintenance or improvements of any such
dedicated parts until the proper authorities of the City have
both given their written acceptance of the improvements and have
actually appropriated the same by entry, use, or improvement
Article 3 07 Construction Phase Procedural Requirements
and Policies
A Approval Required for Construction Start
1 Certification of plans and plats approved
Before any construction can begin, a developer
must secure an approved Lot of Record and an
official written notice from the chairperson of
the staff Development Review Committee that
certifies that all development plan review and
approval are complete
2 Pre -construction conference and/or agreements
required
a) Development contract agreement (required for
construction authorization if a Lot of Record
is to be filed prior to completion of
improvements)
The contractor shall furnish to the City
Engineer, before beginning any improvement
operation, three (3) executed sets of the
required development contract documents,
including payment, performance and maintenance
bonds The form of these documents shall be
provided to the contractor by the Engineering
Department Among other things this contract
will outline performance of the work and any
other agreement between the City and developer
Should the developer and the contractor be one
and the same, then the payment bond may be
waived by the City Engineer
The Development Contract required by the City
of Denton shall as a minimum meet the follow-
ing guidelines More detailed standard
provisions shall be provided by the City
Engineer as approved by the Planning and
Zoning Commission pursuant to Article 4 02
PAGE 30
Development Contract Minimum Provisions
(1) Outline the improvements, exact location,
name, and times of construction of each
portion of the improvements
(2) All improvements shall be constructed under
City of Denton standard specifications
(3) Performance of work and payments to contrac-
tors by the developer shall follow all legal
restrictions according to the applicable bond
or the City may institute legal proceedings
(4) Maintenance bond for required percentage of
improvement contract amount by the contractor
(5) A performance bond shall be submitted by the
developer for a required percentage of the
subdivision contract
(6) A payment bond shall be submitted by the
developer for a required percentage of the
subdivision contract
(7) Perallfhisance work crews ards for shou d meetetheeveloper folloand
wing
(a) The liming process for the street subgrade
shall not be interrupted or driven on or
through during lime application or either
remixing process
(b) Curb and gutter (concrete) shall not be
driven over or on until a minimum of seven
(7) curing days have passed If cylinders
are taken on the concrete, results of
compression tests shall be used to deter-
mine the proper curing time (7-28 days)
(c) Asphalt pavements shall not be driven on
until the City releases the pavement as a
fullstrength pavement
(d) Seweoutsrshallsnotabeoles operatedvores and a connected to
private service lines by the developer's
personnel until authorization is given by
the city inspector on the project
(e) Water lines, valves, fire hydrants, and
services shall not be operated or con-
nected to private service lines until
authorized by the city inspector on the
project
(8) The developer shall deposit in escrow the
amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000 00) to
be used if any home or other type building is
occupied by a buyer before all improvements
(streets, drainage, water, and sewer) are
accepted by the City of Denton Acceptance of
improvements means all final punch list items,
regardless of size or importance have been
completed and the required maintenance bond
and two (2) sets of as -built drawings
submitted to the City of Denton
PAGE 31
Violation of the occupancy rule before project
completion shall require that the two thousand
dollar ($2,000 00) amount be forfeited to the
City of Denton and that all building
inspections shall cease until the required
improvements are finished
b) Pre -Construction Conference
At the discretion of the City Engineer a
pre -construction conference between the City,
developer and contractor may be required
c) Letter of Authorization to Proceed
The City Engineer will authorize in writing
that the above steps are complete and that the
contractor is authorized to proceed
B Construction Inspection and Acceptance
The developer shall cause his engineer to design, stake and
help interpret the plans during construction of improvements and
shall cause his contractor to construct the said improvements in
accordance with these regulations and the approved Lot of Record
and engineering plans The approved engineering plan shall be
so marked on the face by the City Engineer When found to be
installed and completed in accordance with the plans and speci-
fications as certified in writing by the City Engineer and upon
receipt by the City of Denton of a one (1) year maintenance bond
from each separate contractor in the amount of 10 percent of the
contract price, a sepia set of "as built" plans acceptable to
the City Engineer, a letter of the contractor's compliance with
these regulations, then the City Engineer shall receive and
approve for the City of Denton the title, use and maintenance of
the improvements The City Engineer, or his duly authorized
representatives, shall be required to inspect fully any and all
phases of the construction of improvements for subdivisions
The subdivider, or his contractor, should maintain daily contact
with the City Engineer, or his representative, during construc-
tion of improvements No sanitary sewer, water, or storm sewer
pipe shall be covered without approval of the City Engineer, or
his representative No flexible base material, subgrade
material, or stabilization shall be applied to the street
PAGE 32
subgrade without said approval No concrete may be poured nor
asphaltic surface applied to the base without said approval
The City Engineer, or his representative, may at any time
cause any construction installation, maintenance, or location or
improvements to cease when in his judgment, the requirements of
this ordinance or the standards and specifications as herein -
before provided have been violated, and may require such
reconstruction or other work as may be necessary to correct any
such violation
C Cost of Improvements and City Participation
All required improvements shall be made by the applicant,
at his expense, according to the officially adopted Master
Plans, without reimbursement by the City of Denton except for
certain oversized or city participation provisions of this
ordinance as may be expressly authorized by the City Council and
paid as funds are available The remainder of this paragraph
provides general participation policy and procedure, the General
Design standard (Chapter IV) provides specific conditions for
oversized participation in water, sewer and streets Reimburse-
ment costs shall be based on actual installation cost where
larger facilities are required by the City The City will
participate in the cost of any water line having an inside
diameter greater than eight (8) inches and of any sanitary sewer
line having an inside diameter greater than ten (10) inches if
not required by the development Streets larger than
thirty-four (34) feet as required by the City shall be
considered oversized Any requests by the developer for payment
shall be made in writing and shall be presented to the Director
of Utilities or to the City Engineer for study The City
Engineer shall present his findings, along with his recommen-
dations for payment, to the City Council for final approval
D Subdivider to Extend Mains to Subdivisions
If the existing City mains and/or streets are not within or
adjacent to a subdivision, the developer, unless exempt, shall
PAGE 33
construct the necessary extension as specified in this ordinance
These mains/streets shall be constructed in accordance with the
Master Plan of City These facilities shall be in easements,
secured and paid for by the developer Such easements shall be
properly assigned to the City of Denton before service is
extended to the subdivision In cases where easements cannot be
secured, the developer may petition the City to authorize
condemnation proceedings However, the City will not be liable
for any cost
1 Criteria for Extensions
For the City to consider using condemnation
authority for assistance to extend mains to a
subdivision area, a clear evidence of public need
and interest must be shown by the applicant The
following criteria are presented as guidelines in
considering such public need or interest
a) The proposed extension must be in accordance
with the officially adopted Master Utility
Plan
b) The proposed extension must be such that it
will be able to serve other development areas
c) The proposed extension must be supportive of
the Denton Development Guide
d) The proposed extension will substantially help
the overall city economy (For example, it
will serve a new plant that employs over fifty
people )
e) The proposed extension will help alleviate a
critical community need (For example, it
would open an area for low income housing that
would not otherwise be provided )
f) The extension, if for immediate health
reasons, can be construed as an overwhelming
public need
2 Review Procedure
The applicant for such requests must present a
written application justifying public need and
interest In addition, the applicant must
present written evidence that he has made every
practical attempt to secure needed easements
This evidence must include an appraisal by an
independent fee appraiser as to the current
market value and damages (if any) of the easement
and documentation that an offer has been made of
at least the amount of the appraisal Such
appplication shall be forwarded to the chairperson
of the Development Review Committee for review
and recommendation
PAGE 34
Upon notice of such application the City, at least
ten (10) days prior to the hearing, will notify
all property owners within the proposed easement
line and two hundred (200) feet therefrom
A hearing of facts by the Public Utilities Board
and Planning and Zoning Commission with recom-
mendation to the City Council will be required
Determination of the City Council will be final
E Construction Requirement before Issuance of
Building Permits
The City Engineer, at his discretion, may authorize building
permits within the subdivision if a development contract is
executed and the following condition is met
Unless otherwise provided for in the development contract,
adequate water installation and all-weather fire lanes or roads
must be complete to ensure adequate fire protection
Article 3 08 Combined Approval of Preliminary Plat
and Lot of Record --optional Procedure
A Criteria for Preliminary and Final Lot of Record Plat
The subdivider has the option to combine the Preliminary
Plat, Lot of Record and engineering plans processes This
optional procedure is available when
1 The tract to be subdivided (or developed) affects
not more than twenty (20) lots, or five (5) acres
2 The subdivision or development does not change
any street locations and/or does not affect or
involve any collector or major thoroughfare
streets
3 The area does not involve directly or indirectly
any proposed community facility areas, does not
require extensive easements, or is not in an area
of extensive flood plains or one raising drainage
questions or any other similar community planning
consideration
B Processing Procedure
The processing procedure shall be the same as previously
outlined for final plan processing except the processing step
M1, preliminary review of final maps, plats or engineering plan
is not required
Article 3 09 Special Planned Development Zoning Districts
Where it is proposed to develop a unified residential,
commercial, industrial and/or institutional project under a
PAGE 35
Planned Development zoning, the Planning and Zoning Commission
may recommend to the City Council the variance of specific
requirements of this ordinance based on a detailed site
development plan
Such modification shall be governed by the Planned Develop-
ment ordinance standards for granting such modification from
normal standards (refer to the Zoning ordinance for more detail)
Planned Development zoning is an optimal zoning and subdivision
process intended to provide an avenue to apply new and inventive
planning concepts that are not readily accommodated by tradi-
tional regulations In reviewing Planned Development plans
traditional standards are utilized as the base standard for
comparison and guidance Any modification of those standards
must meet all of the following criteria
A The modified proposal would conform to the City Master
Plans
B Granting the modification will not have the effect of
preventing the orderly subdivision of other land use in the area
C The need for a variance of requirements to accomplish a
unique project design, as distinguished from a need for a
variance for personal convenience
D The proposed development cannot be readily accomplished
through standard zoning districts or subdivision processes
E The proposed modification substantially accomplished the
intent of the standard and improves the overall development
design (Even though the modification may not meet the letter
of the applicable standard, it provides for a better project
design For example The requirement for drainage piping in
residential streets might be waived if the design maintains all
building lines out of the 100-year flood plain and the system is
designed to provide retention qualities that helps correct
downstream drainage problems, as well as provide aesthetic
qualities to the project )
PAGE 36
CHAPTER IV
GENERAL DESIGN STANDARDS AND IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED
Article 4 01 Purpose
The purpose of this section is to outline the basic design
and improvement standards and policies for development within
the City of Denton It is intended that these standards set the
basic development policies for the City and act as the guiding
ordinance to other related ordinances, regulations and official
plans Other rules, ordinances, regulations and plans that must
be coordinated with these general standards include
A Building and Housing Codes,
B Zoning Ordinance,
C Engineering Standard Construction Specifications,
D Utility Ordinance,
E Flood Damage Prevention,
F Fire Codes,
G All officially adopted Master Plans, and
H Capital Improvement Plan
Article 4 02 Authority of the Development Review Committee
to Recommend Standards and Specifications
The Development Review Committee is hereby authorized and
directed to recommend standards and specifications for the
design and construction of curbs, street lights, street signs,
alleys, utility layouts, utility easements, sidewalks, water
supply and distribution systems, fire hydrants, sewage disposal
systems, drainage facilities, and other public improvements,
and related processing documents, contracts and procedures
They shall file same with the Planning and Zoning Commission
and/or Public Utilities Board at least thirty (30) days before
they shall become effective They may amend the specifications
from time to time, provided that an amendment shall be filed
with the appropriate board or commission at least thirty (30)
days before it becomes effective and no objection or modifica-
tion is required by the board or commission No such standards
PAGE 37
or specifications shall conflict with this or any other ordinances
of the City of Denton
All such plans and improvements shall be processed, designed,
constructed, installed, located, and arranged by the Subdivider
or developer in accordance with such rules, regulations, stan-
dards, procedures and specifications
Article 4 03 Street Standards and Policy
In general, streets should conform to the Master Thoroughfare
Plan and the following standards The major street plan can be
amended as needed by the City Council as recommended by the
Planning and Zoning Commission The collector street portion of
the master thoroughfare plan can be amended as needed by the
Planning and Zoning Commission according to the collector street
criteria set forth in the following collector street subsection
A Street -Right -of -Way
The owner shall be required to dedicate street right-of-way
as shown in the officially adopted Thoroughfare Plan, and accord-
ing to the standards and criteria shown below
1 Standards and Criteria for Right -of -Way and Alignment
a) Major Arterials (Primary)
Basic Functional Classification Criteria
These streets transverse the city, usually are
eighty (80) to one hundred twenty (120) feet
rights -of -way, and a landscaped boulevard and
parkway are desirable, if economically feasible
including maintenance cost
Technical Classification Criteria
(1) The route is a major crosstown route, or
(2) Major route into town (major regional route
to Denton), or
(3) Major connection to one or more of Denton's
four major centers, and
(4) Exhibits design criteria
(a) Projected year 2000, volumes exceeding
2100/23,000 vehicles per hour/vehicles
per day
(b) Projected route does not have any major
engineering obstacle
PAGE 38
(c) The projected route takes into account any
existing parallel routes that might exhibit
better traffic flow than the projected route
b) Major Arterial (Secondary)
Basic Functional Classification Criteria
These streets connect major sections of town and
usually have a right-of-way of sixty (60) to
eighty (80) feet
Technical Classification Criteria
(1) The route is a major connection between
different sections of town, or
(2) Major connection between two different
primary arterials, or
(3) Major connection to one or more of Denton's
moderate intensity areas, and
(4) Exhibits design criteria
(a) Projected year 2000, volumes exceeding
1266/12,600 vehicles per hour/vehicles
per day
(b) Projected route does not have any major
engineering obstacle
(c) The projected route takes into account
any existing parallel routes that might
exhibit better traffic flow than the
projected route
c) Collector Streets
Basic Functional Classification Criteria
These are not shown on the major street map in
the Denton Development Guide but are specified in
a separate map* that is updated yearly by the
Planning and Zoning Commission and modified as
needed by subdivision review of detailed site
design Collector street design should include
consideration for all modes of individual
transportation Collector street planning is
subject to the following policy criteria
(1) At least one collector street per area
between arterials to collect neighborhood
traffic to the major arterials
(2) Collector street (or larger) required for
higher intensity land uses such as apart-
ments (apartments usually defined as a
minimum 12 units/acre on two or more acres),
industrial areas, and commercial areas
*The major criteria for collector street location are these
written policies, and the map is only a secondary guide (Nor
major streets, the map is primary )
PAGE 39
2
(3) As intensity increases, the number of collectors
required increases
Collector streets should not be allowed to be
incrementally linked -up until a major arterial
is created This procedure is the same as
setting policy to change land use intensity
If such a land use intensity change is desir-
able, the Denton Development Guide should first
be changed to so indicate the activity center
prior to designating a new arterial on the
thoroughfare plan
Technical Classification Criteria
(1) Collects neighborhood traffic and feeds to
major arterials
(2) In low density areas, normally spaced at one-
fourth to one-half mile intervals In high
intensity areas, may be spaced every block
(3) Usually exhibits the following design criteria
(a) Projected year 2000, volume exceeding 790
vehicles per hour or 7100 vehicles per day,
(b) Projected route does not have any major
engineering obstacle
d) Residential (Single or 2 Family) or Local Streets-
50 feet
e) Streets in Apartments, Commercial or Industrial
Area-60 feet (Collector Street)
f) Residential Estate Subdivisions Streets-60 feet
(As defined under subsection M )
Required Dedication Criteria
When evaluating the need to require mandatory right-
of-way dedication in a recordable subdivision, the
following general requirements shall be met unless
unique public interest conditions exist which would
make these guidelines in part or in whole not
appropriate
a) The proposed land use requires or causes the need
for such improvement requiring additional
right-of-way
b) The officially adopted Thoroughfare Plan of the
City and these standards indicate a public need
c) The amount of the required dedication is
considered reasonable which is generally defined
in large subdivisions (over 100 acres) as not more
than 35 percent of the property and in small tracts
as a lesser percent depending on the tract size
d) The required dedication is shown to enhance the
use and function of the property
PAGE 40
B Design Requirements
The following design guidelines shall be followed Interpre-
tation of street need classification shall be governed first by
the approved Thoroughfare Plan If outside the detail of the
Thoroughfare Plan, street classification shall be interpreted on
the basis of need as determined by the Plan after a report from
the Development Review Committee on overall thoroughfare
planning including the projected vehicle trips per day with full
development
In the case of existing topographic features which prohibit
the reasonable use of the following specified design
requirements, consideration will be given for a variation A
request for such a variation must be made in writing to the
Development Review Committee for its approval and must include
an accurate topographic map of the area in question showing the
proposed design
Design requirements are summarized as Table 1
(TABLE ON PAGE 42)
PAGE 41
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PAGE 42
I
C Street Cost and City Participation
The owner shall be responsible and pay all costs for the
design and construction of all streets within his development
except streets over thirty-four (34) feet as required by the City
as defined below The developer shall build these streets in
accordance with city standards The City will participate in
the paving cost only (subject to funds available and approval of
City Council) on street paving costs above a thirty-four (34)
foot pavement section on streets required by the City, above and
beyond the traffic needs of the proposed development
D Relation to Adjoining Street System
The proposed street system shall extend all existing major
streets and such collector streets up to logical termination
according to the preceding criteria Local access streets are
to be extended as may be desirable for public safety and
convenience of circulation Where possible, the width and the
horizontal and vertical alignment of extended streets shall be
preserved
E Street Jogs
Where off -sets (jogs) in street alignment are in the opinion
of the Planning and Zoning Commision desirable, such off -sets
may be employed provided the distance between center lines is not
less than one hundred twenty-five (125) feet
F Cul-de-Sacs and Dead-end Streets
1 The maximum length of a cul-de-sac or dead-end
street with a permanent turnaround shall usually
be one thousand (1000) feet, except under unusual
conditions with the approval of the Planning and
Zoning Commission
2 Turnarounds are to have a minimum right-of-way
width of one hundred (100) feet and a minimum
forty (40) foot outside radius for single-family
and two-family uses, and a minimum right-of-way
width of one hundred twenty (120) feet and a
minimum fifty (50) foot outside radius for all
other uses
3 Temporary dead-end streets may be approved by the
Planning and Zoning Commission if adequate,
all-weather turnaround is provided "Adequate,
all-weather turnaround" is defined as a turn-
around that is of sufficient size to accommodate
PAGE 43
fire and sanitation vehicles and is of a
construction quality comparable to standard road
cross -sections
G Street Intersection
Except where existing conditions will not permit, all streets
shall intersect at a ninety degree (900) angle Variations of
more than ten degrees (10°) on Residential or Local streets and
more than five degrees (50) on Collectors and Thoroughfares must
have the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission
H Perimeter Streets
1 General
Partial or half -streets may be provided where the
Planning and Zoning Commission feels that a
street should be located along a property line
Wherever a half -street has already been provided
adjacent to an area to be subdivided, the other
remaining portion of the street shall be platted
with such subdivision Where part of a street is
being dedicated along a common property line, the
first dedication shall be one-half of the
proposed street right-of-way
2 Unimproved Perimeter Streets Adjacent to Subdivi-
sions and Development Lots
a) The term "unimproved street" shall mean a
public thoroughfare without paved curb and
gutter which affords access by vehicles and
pedestrians to abutting property
b) Upon any land being subdivided or otherwise
developed in an area adjacent to existing
unimproved streets (excluding State or Federal
highways), the developer shall bear half the
total cost of paving (up to 17 foot width) and
installing curb and gutter for all such
unimproved perimeter streets adjacent to the
area being subdivided or otherwise developed
Provided, however, that the Planning and Zoning
Commission may either waive or postpone this
requirement in the manner as set forth below
(1) For the following listed developments, the
Planning and Zoning Commission may waive
the required improvements of an unimproved
street by the developer after considering
such factors as (1) the extent of exist-
ing and anticipated development in the
area, (2) the amount of anticipated
vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and (3)
the current condition of the unimproved
streets under consideration
(a) Single family development not exceed-
ing three (3) acres in size or three
(3) lots, or
PAGE 44
I
(b) Industrial, commercial, or multi -family deve-
lopment not exceeding three (3) acres in size
(2) In all developments, the Planning and Zoning
Commission may postpone the required improve-
ments of an unimproved street by the developer
should it be determined that such improvements
are not feasible or desirable at the time of
development If such improvements are post-
poned, the developer shall either
(a) Post an approved performance bond acceptable
to the City for one and one-half the current
estimated cost of construction and enter into
a written agreement with the City obligating
the developer to pay for such costs, or
(b) Place his pro-rata share (half the total cost
of paving and installing curb and gutter for
the unimproved street) in an escrow account
with a Denton bank acceptable to the City
and enter into a written agreement obligating
the developer to pay such pro-rata share
Said interest from such an escrow account
shall be made payable to the City to offset
inflationary costs of construction If the
funds are not used within nine (9) years the
City shall hold a public hearing to show
clear intent to improve the road within one
year, if no such intent is shown, the funds
and interest will be returned
(3) Any developer who builds one-half the street and
desires to provide ultimate drainage facilities
for the whole street will be able to collect up
to one-half of the cost of the drainage improve-
ments when adjacent properties develop by signing
an appropriate pro-rata agreement with the City
of Denton
If it is not financially feasible for the
developer to provide drainage improvements in
accordance with the City of Denton drainage
design standards due to the need to rebuild
downstream structure or to do extensive amounts
of off -site work, the Planning and Zoning
Commission may choose to accept cash payment in
the amount of 50 percent of the cost of the
drainage system as shown on the City of Denton
Master Drainage Plan or comparable study in lieu
of the drainage improvements
Driveway/Median Cuts
1 Residential Driveway Access to Arterial Streets
Residential driveway access to arterial streets
should not be permitted except for major multiple
family "cluster" developments
2 Number of Direct Access Driveways (Curb Cuts)
a) Street Classification No of Curb Cuts
Primary Arterial Only for major generators
under specific conditions
(See b F, c below)
PAGE 45
Secondary Arterial 1 per 200 feet of frontage
Collector 2 per 100 feet of frontage
Local (Residential) 10 foot separation unless
joint access
b) It is the policy of the City to discourage
driveway cuts onto the major arteries of the
City Driveway cuts onto the City's major
streets will be allowed only when
(1) There is no other feasible alternative, or
(2) Traffic engineering studies clearly show
a need which such study shall use the
following criteria (subsection c) as part
of the need evaluation
c) More driveways than permitted in the above
chart may be needed Such additional drive-
ways can be permitted under the following
conditions
(1)
If the daily volume using one
driveway
would exceed five thousand
(5,000)
vehicles (both directions)
(2)
If the on site peak hour traffic
volume
exceeds five hundred (500) vehicles
per
hour (both directions)
(3)
A competent professional traffic
analysis
shows that traffic conditions
warrant
more driveways Part of this study must
include data indicating volumes
compared
to above standards and must
show how
alternative arrangements, joint
access,
etc, will not work
d) Every separately owned lot of record will be
permitted access through one driveway, either
on the parcel or as part of joint access
3 Spacing of Direct Access/Driveways (Curb Cuts)
For Commercial or Multi -family
Driveways shall be spaced a minimum of two
hundred (200) feet apart on arterial streets and
fifty (50) feet apart on collector streets In
unique circumstances, where such spacing would
create a hardship, the spacing can be reduced by
one of the following methods
a) On arterial streets where the average spacing
of driveways within three hundred (300) feet
of the subject property could be maintained
at two hundred (200) feet, a minimum spacing
of one hundred fifty (150) feet would be
permissible
On collector streets where the average
spacing within one hundred (100) feet of the
subject property could be maintained at fifty
(50) feet, a minimum spacing of thirty (30)
feet would be permissible
PAGE 46
b) Where such spacing control cannot readily be
achieved within a particular parcel, joint
access with an adjoining property should be
sought
c) If the City Engineer is satisfied that
sufficient attempts to secure joint access
have been made and that joint access is still
not possible, and access cannot be provided
via another street, driveway spacing of not
less than one hundred fifty (150) feet for
major arterials, one hundred (100) feet for
secondary arterials and thirty (30) feet for
collector streets may be granted by the
Development Review Committee if minimum
corner clearances are met However, this
access on arterial streets should be limited
to right turns in and out (left turns in and
out prohibited)
d) Additional variation of this standard is
permitted by application to the Planning and
Zoning Commission after recommendation from
the Development Review Committee and Traffic
Safety Commission as provided in subsection 8
and 9
4 Corner Clearance
The minimum curb length between a driveway and
an intersection of the arterial with a cross
street should be not less than forty (40) feet
If the intersection is or is likely to be
signalized, then traffic movements to and from
any driveway within one hundred twenty-five (125)
feet of an intersection with a collector and two
hundred fifty (250) feet of an intersection with
an arterial should be limited to right turns
only However, when possible corner clearance
shall be within the following guidelines
ARTERIAL MINIMUM CORNER CLEARANCES GUIDELINES
(For Multi -Family, Commercial or Industrial)
Minimum Corner Clearance, Feet*
Intersection Desirable Critical
Type Minimum Minimum
Arterial -Arterial 300 250
Arterial -Collector 200 125
Arterial -Local 100 50
Desirable minimum corner clearance is the
clearance needed to assure that conflicting
driveway and intersection movements do not
overlap
*Corner clearance is measured from the intersection curb to
the near driveway curb
PAGE 47
Sight Distance, On Site Maneuvering, and Parking
Lot Design
Adequate sight distance and on site maneuvering
should be available from every driveway Any
movement for which adequate sight distance
isnot
available or any parking lot design
oes
not provide adequate on site maneuvering should
not be permitted For example, if parking is
within twenty-five (25) feet of the driveway, for
commercial or multi -family developments under
three (3) acres or within fifty (50) feet of the
driveway for commercial or multi -family develop-
ment over three (3) acres, either the parking
should be rearranged or joint access should be
considered or access to another street should be
sought
6 Median openings
If and when medians are constructed on any arte-
rial (street), spacing between median opening
should be at least four hundred (400) feet The
spacing may be reduced to three hundred (300) feet
if a competent traffic study shows that a lesser
spacing will still safely and efficiently accom-
modate left turn movements to existing and
projected future development in the immediate
vicinity
Width of Driveway Approaches
The standards below shall apply unless traffic
studies indicate variation is necessary, varia-
tions can be approved by the Planning and Zoning
Commission according to regular permit procedure
(subsection 9)
Width
Radius
Multi -Family Commercial 20' recommended
12' minimum (1-way) on arterial
30' maximum (2-way) streets,
24' recommended 10' minimum
Single and Two -Family 5' radius
10' minimum
20' maximum
Note Where significant truck traffic is
projected for two-way access a thirty-five (35)
foot driveway width and twenty (20) foot curb
radius may be required by the City hngineer
Special Land -Use Requirements
Certain land uses may require driveways which do
not totally conform to the guidelines stated pre-
viously Examples of these land uses are service
stations and drive-in banks Applications for
permits for "non -conforming" driveways for any of
these land uses should be processed according to
**Also see Zoning Ordinance parking lot requirements for detail
parking standards
PAGE 48
the following subsection 9 procedure and should
be accompanied by a traffic engineering study
technically justifying the nonconforming features
As a part of this study, alternative arrangements
should be laid out and specifically shown how they
will not work before variations can be considered
However, in no case should variations in corner
clearances be permitted, since they are critical
to safe, efficient intersection operation
9 Permit Procedure
a) Information Required
Application for a curb cut permit can be made
as part of the building permit request or as a
separate request Driveway permit applications
shall contain sufficient information, when
combined with the building permit and site
development plan, to allow the city to fully
assess the adequacy of the proposed driveway
design
An industrial, commercial or multi -family permit
application for arterial and collector streets
shall include, at a minimum, the following
(1) Drawn to scale (1"=50' or less)
(2) The dimensions, locations, and design of the
driveway(s) being requested
(3) The location of any buildings or structures,
either existing or proposed
(4) The type of land use activity and site
development (e g , floor space)
(5) The parking lot with the proposed internal
circulation pattern
(6) Show all existing or proposed driveways,
gutters, storm sewers, manholes, fire
hydrants, utility poles, service fixtures,
etc , which may be affected or which may
affect driveway operations
(7) Show any existing driveways or curb -cuts
located on adjacent lots or lots across the
street
(8) Show all of the geometric design features of
the roadway itself, including the presence of
a median, the number and width of travel
lanes, the presence of a shoulder or a parking
lane, etc
(9) Show the distances to intersecting streets
(10) A traffic engineering study of professional
traffic engineering standards may be required
by the Development Review Committee on any
request for more than one driveway cut on any
major arterial street of the City, or any
request on an arterial street that varies
from the general curb cut standards
PAGE 49
b) Processing Procedure
An approved curb access permit is required prior
to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy
Curb cut request for single family, two family
and townhouses shall be reviewed and approved by
the City Engineer
Curb cut request for industrial, commercial or
multi -family shall be reviewed by the City
Engineer and a report of his finding shall be
made to the Development Review Committee, who
shall make determination of such request
If a driveway permit application is rejected and
the situation cannot be resolved by submission
of a revised plan, then the applicant can appeal
such ruling to the Traffic Safety Commission,
who shall make a recommendation to the Planning
and Zoning Commission who shall make final
determination
Driveway permits will be issued for a given use
and a specific certificate of occupancy Land
use requiring a new certificate of occupancy
would also require a new driveway permit based
on the anticipated new building use or
development plans
J Street Names
New streets shall be named so as to provide continuity of
name with existing streets and to prevent conflict with identical
or similar names in other parts of the City
K Private Streets
Private streets shall be prohibited except in Planned Deve-
lopment zones as approved by the City Council
L Large Lot Subdivisions
If the lots in the proposed subdivision are large enough to
suggest resubdivision in the future, or if a part of the tract
is not subdivided, consideration must be given to possible
future street openings and access to future lots which could
result from such resubdivision
M Estate Subdivisions
For Estate Subdivision as herein defined (one (1) acre lots
with 100 feet or more frontage for single family use), a pave-
ment width of twenty-four (24) feet without curbs is allowed
Pavement quality must meet the minimum quality of the City of
Denton standard specifications
PAGE 50
N Off -site Street Connection
See Section 4 16, Part B - Lot to be fronted on a public
street
Article 4 04 Sidewalk Standards and Policy
At the discretion of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the
developer shall install sidewalks on one side of all thorough-
fares and collector streets within and adjoining a subdivision,
or, in lieu thereof, a comprehensive system of public walkways
to serve all properties within the subdivision The sidewalk
should be placed to tie in with access to schools as a primary
criteria Also all local streets which are located immediately
adjacent to a school site and for a distance of one block shall
have a sidewalk along one side In a residential subdivision,
sidewalks shall normally be placed in the right-of-way one (1)
foot from the property line, shall be four (4) feet in width,
and shall include required ramps Final design details shall
conform to the standard engineering specifications for the City
of Denton
Article 4 05 Median Standards
A No median unit will be permitted except on major arterial
roadways (primary and secondary) as defined by the major
thoroughfare master plan
B Minimum width of 14 feet from back to back of curb will
be accepted Medians less than 14 feet in width must be of a
maintenance free surface
C Contractors shall be required to keep the median areas
clean and free of debris, concrete waste and other construction
waste Medians shall be equipped with a water supply and
outlets spaced a minimum of every 100 feet apart Provisions
for an underground electrical supply shall be provided for each
median unit for purposes of automatic irrigation This shall be
determined by the Parks Division prior to construction
D Contractors are to fill each median unit with top soil
and each unit shall be fertilized, seeded and watered in a
PAGE 51
proper manner to establish a turf grass cover
Article 4 06 Alleys
A Commercial and Industrial Areas
Alleys shall be provided in commercial and industrial
districts where other definite and assured provisions are not
made for service access, such as off-street loading, unloading,
parking and fire -fighting access consistent with and adequate
for the uses proposed
B Residential Areas
Alleys are not required
C Alley Width
All alleys shall be paved In commercial areas, the minimum
width of the alley right-of-way shall be twenty (20) feet and
the minimum pavement width shall be sixteen (16) feet In
residential areas, the minimum alley right-of-way width shall be
sixteen (16) feet and the minimum pavement width shall be twelve
(12) feet
D Turnouts
Alley turnouts shall be paved to the property line and shall
be at least twelve (12) feet wide at that point Paving radius
where alleys intersect Thoroughfares shall be twenty (20) feet,
and shall be ten (10) feet at intersections with all other
streets
E Intersections
Alley intersections and sudden changes in alignment shall be
avoided, but where necessary, lot corners shall be cut off at
least fifteen (15) feet on each tangent to permit safe vehicular
movement
F Fences
Where driveways connect to alleys, fences shall only be
constructed along the rear lot line and driveway in such a
manner that the fence corner is angled, providing a cut off of
at least five (5) feet from both the alley and driveway
PAGE 52
G Dead-end Alleys
Dead-end alleys shall be avoided if possible, but if unavoid-
able, shall be provided with adequate outlet or turnaround, as
determined by the Planning and Zoning Commission
Article 4 07 Water Utilities Standards*
A Basic Policy
Water systems shall be provided with a sufficient number of
outlets and shall be of sufficient size to furnish adequate
domestic water supply to furnish fire protection to all lots and
to conform to the City of Denton Master Water Plan, the Compre-
hensive Utility Ordinance of the City of Denton and the Standard
Specifications of the City of Denton
B Basic Design Standards
Water pipe shall be a minimum of six (6) inch nominal inter-
nal diameter construction
C Fire Hydrants
Hydrants shall be a maximum of six hundred (600) feet apart
in residential areas and three hundred (300) feet apart in
commercial/industrial areas
D Location
Location of water utilities shall generally be in city right-
of-way, in unusual circumstances, location may be in a utility
easement
E Water Capacity Required
The City reserves the right to prohibit any connection to
the City water system when it is determined that adequate
capacity does not exist to serve the proposed development
Adequate minimum capacity shall be defined as follows
High Intensity Commercial
and Industrial areas 3,000 GPM
Medium Intensity
Commercial areas 1,500 GPM
*All sewer and water utility standards are applicable in the
city limits or the ETJ
PAGE 53
Medium Intensity
Residential areas 750 GPM
Low Intensity Residential areas 500 GPM
All flows to be calculated with 20 pound residual
pressures
Special and unique exceptions to the above standard
may be made by the Planning and Zoning Commission
after recommendation from the Public Utilities Board
Article 4 08 Sewer Utility Standards*
A Basic Policy
Sanitary sewer facilities shall be provided to service the
subdivision adequately and conform to the City of Denton Master
Sewer Plan, Standard Specifications and the Comprehensive Utility
Ordinance of the City of Denton
B Basic Design Standards
1 All main lines shall be a minimum of eight (8) inches
except under certain conditions such as short lines, steep grades
etc , then a six (6) inch line can be approved by the Development
Review Committee Right of appeal is to the Public Utilities
Board, which shall make final determination
2 Minimum grades shall be maintained in laying sewer lines
to provide a minimum velocity of two (2) feet per second, as per
the following chart
Size of Pipe
6"
8"
10"
12"
15"
18"
20"
24"
6"
811
10"
12"
15"
18"
20"
24"
VITRIFIED TILE
Fall in Foot
Per 100 feet
0 60
0 40
0 30
0 22
0 16
0 12
0 10
0 08
Capacity Flowing
Full - M G D
P V C GRAVITY SEWER PIPE
0 27
0 46
0 72
1 00
1 06
2 30
2 80
4 00
0
60
0
27
0
30
0
46
0
24
0
72
0
20
1
00
0
12
1
60
0
10
2
30
0
08
2
80
0
06
4
00
*All sewer and water utility standards are applicable in the
city limits or ETJ
PAGE 54
3 Manhole spacing shall not generally exceed five hundred
(500) feet
C Location
The location of all sewer mains shall be in city right-of-
way unless special circumstances exist (such as topography)
which can be approved by the Director of Utilities for location
in appropriate easements
D Sewer Capacity Required
the City reserves the right to prohibit any connection to
the City Sewer System when it is determined that a line or the
system is overloaded overloaded shall be defined as
System or Line -operating at capacity during peak hours,
more than 20 percent of the time (2 out of 10 days, 4 8
hours out of 24 hours )
Special exemption to the above standard may be made by
the Planning and Zoning Commission after recommendation
by the Public Utilities Board (Also note policy in
subsection 4 08 (1) )
Article 4 09 Extensions of Water and Sewer Mains
A Extensions required to serve new subdivisions and other
developments
1 Required Extensions
All developments shall be required to extend
across the full width of the development lot
(defined by Plat or Lot of Record) in such an
alignment that it can be extended to the next
property in accordance with the Master Sewer and
Water Plans for the City
Properties already served by water and sewer
shall not be required to install additional
facilities unless
a) The current lines are not of adequate capacity
to serve the proposed development, in which
case the developer will be required to install
adequate facilities
b) The current lines are not of adequate
capacity to serve the zoning of a property
that has been rezoned to a more intense use
since the time of the original utility
installation
2 All extensions over six hundred (600) feet to
new construction require prior approval by the
Planning and Zoning Commission after recommen-
dation y the Public Utilities Board
PAGE 55
3 The Director of Utilities may approve an extension
of water and sewer mains to an existing dwelling
if the extension is less than six hundred (600)
feet, provided funds are available and as
allocated in the Capital Improvement Plan
B Cost policies for extensions to new subdivisions and
other new developments
1 Development Mains -Developers* shall pay the actual
cost of water and sewer main extensions required
to serve their development area Their develop-
ment area includes current and future phases
Required facilities will be according to the
City's Master Utility Plan as determined by the
Development Review Committee with right of appeal
to the Planning and Zoning Commission after
recommendation from the Public Utilities Board
2 Oversize Mains -The City may participate in any
cost of oversize water and sewer mains, subject
to funds availability and approval by the City
Council
Oversized mains are defined as water mains over
eight (8) inches and sewer mains over ten (10)
inches, which are required by the City for future
system expansion and are not required by the
proposed development
3 Pro-Rata Reimbursement Due Developer -Where the
extensions to reach a development are laid in
street rights -of -way or in dedicated areas
directly accessible for future service lines, the
developer shall be entitled to reimbursement in
accordance with the provisions of section below,
but such reimbursement shall not exceed the
developer's total cost of the main
4 City Right To Approve Oversize Construction
Contracts Where City Funds Are Involved -The City
shall approve all oversize utility contracts for
such construction of utilities prior to their
execution by the developer In the event the
City cannot justify the costs involved in any
such contract where city funds or pro-rata
repayment is involved the City shall have the
option and right to submit the project for sealed
bids, and the developer shall pay his proportion-
ate share of the acceptable low bid
5 Pro-Rata Cost Charges For Tapping Mains Extended
by City -The City of Denton may elect to extend a
main where conditions exist which cause a hardship
due to lack of water or sanitary sewer service
In such cases the main shall come under the same
pro-rata provisions, and any taps of these lines
shall be paid for the same as if such main were
extended by a developer, except the taps made by
the "special extensions to individual single
family residence" as described below There
*(Includes individuals, subdividers, and owners of multi -family
dwellings)
PAGE 56
shall be no time limitation for reimbursement to
City for lines extended under the provisions of
this section and the mentioned special extension
section described below
C Extension to Existing Subdivisions
Where extensions are made to a subdivision lot, the lot
owner shall pay a proportionate share to extend the main across
the front of his property or on whichever side the City of
Denton Utilities Department deems to be most appropriate The
proportionate share for the owner and the City shall be as
stated below
D Reimbursement Policies For Extension Costs
1 Any developer who bears the cost of off -site
water or sanitary sewer main extensions to a
development as provided above, shall be entitled
to reimbursement of the pro-rata cost paid to the
City as provided below, for each user who extends
a service line from the main within twenty (20)
years from the date the main is finally inspected
and accepted by the City
2 The provisions of this section shall not apply to
service lines or main extensions constructed at
the expense of the City of Denton under the terms
of this section
3 Reimbursement payments shall be made by the City
to the person who paid the cost of the main, or
his assignee, and no other person shall be
entitled to payment under the terms of this
section
4 The reimbursement shall be payable within thirty
(30) days of its receipt by the City
5 The developer shall enter into an agreement with
the City before any reimbursement may be made,
which agreement shall be made prior to acceptance
of the main by the City Such agreement shall
state the cost of the main, terms of payment, and
the maximum amount of reimbursement (Ord No
71-170 Pt I, 6-8-71)
E Pro-rata Cost Charges For Tapping Mains Extended By
Developer or City
1 Every person or developer applying for a tap of
any water or sanitary sewer main which has been
constructed under the terms of the above deve-
loper extension section or the city extension
section shall pay for the requested taps at the
following rates
a) Where a water or sewer main is located on a
City street or County road and abuts and is
accessible to separate platted tracts, the
PAGE 57
pro-rata charge shall be 60 percent of the
average current per foot cost of such main
b) Where a water or sewer main is located on a
State or Federal highway and abuts and is
accessible to separate platted tracts, the
pro-rata charge shall be 100 percent of the
average current per foot cost of such main
c) Where a water or sewer main is located in a
proper easement across an owner's property and
where such easement does not abut a street or
is not in any other way directly accessible to
any separately owned tract, the pro-rata
charge shall be 100 percent of the average
current per foot cost of such main
Pro-rata charge shall be based on the average
current cost of similar projects with pipe of
the same size up to eight (8) inches inside
diameter water pipe and ten (10) inches
diameter sewer pipe All pro-rata charges
shall be charged on a per front foot basis
2 The pro-rata charges provided by this section
shall be in addition to the usual tapping fee and
to any other charges required by the City
3 The intent and purpose of this section is to
provide an equitable charge for water and
sanitary sewer connections as a proportionate
distribution of the cost of water and sanitary
sewer main extensions to serve property within
the jurisdiction of the City In cases where a
property or a tract of land is so situated or
shaped that the above front foot charge creates
an inequitable basis compared to other tracts of
land of similar overall size, the Public
Utilities Board shall determine the proper charge
in accord with the intent and purpose of this
section, and such determined charge may be lesser
or greater than that by the front foot basis If
more lots are to be served by the main than abut
or contain it, then the charge shall be greater,
as determined by the Public Utilities Board No
person shall acquire any vested right under the
terms and provisions of this section, nor shall
the City of Denton incur or assume any liability
or obligation to expend or encumber tax or
utility funds No utility funds shall be spent
or encumbered unless funds are available for such
purpose, as determined by the Public Utilities
Board
4 The pro-rata charges shall be determined and
established at least annually by the Public
Utilities Board based upon the average cost of
recent similar water and sewer line installations
F Special Extensions to Individual Single Namily Residences
1 Where an extension of water or sanitary sewer
main is made by the City in order to serve a
single-family residence, the owner may contract
with the City to pay a proportionate share of
such a main as follows
PAGE 58
a) Extension to lots with less than one hundred
(100) feet fronting or abutting the main
(1) Main in city street or easement (side or
front of lot) shall pay 60 percent of the
average current cost per foot, or
(2) Main extended through adjoining lot shall
pay 100 percent of the average current
cost per foot
b) Extension to lots with more than one hundred
(100) feet fronting or abutting the main
(1) Main in city street, easement or county
road shall pay average current cost per
foot as follows
60 percent of the first 100 feet,
10 percent of the next 200 feet,
0 percent over 300 feet
(2) Main extended through adjoining lot shall
pay average current cost per foot as
follows
100 percent of the first 100 feet,
10 percent of the next 200 feet,
0 percent over 300 feet
c) No owner for which a connection is made
pursuant to this section shall be entitled to
reimbursement for any future connections, and
all future taps and connections made by the
owner shall be paid for as provided in the
previous section unless the extension
agreement shall state otherwise
d) Owners of tracts with over one hundred (100)
feet of frontage, as described in subsection
b) preceding, who may at a later date
subdivide their tract shall be required to
pay for pro-rata for the subdivided frontage
equal to 60 percent of the average current
cost per foot, cost to be determined as of
the date of the tap request
Article 4 10 Alternative Water and Sewer Facilities
All developments within the jurisdiction of the City of Denton
shall be required to have approved water supply and sanitary
sewerage facilities and shall be required to connect to the City
of Denton's facilities unless alternative arrangements have been
approved by the City according to the following standards and
procedures
A Water Wells (Individual)
Developments may be approved with alternative water facilities
according to the following criteria
PAGE 59
I Water well operation and quality meet the minimum
requirements of the Texas State Department of
Health and City of Denton Health Ordinances
2 Water wells are not utilized in any commercial
sale of the water
3 Cost to tie onto the City of Denton Water System
exceeds the certified initial capital cost of a
well
4 An applicant for approval of an individual water
well shall submit the following evidence to the
Director of Utilities
a) Water quality tests,
b) Affidavits stating that no more than three (3)
families will use the well and/or the well
water will not be used in any commercial
sales, and,
c) Certified cost estimate of well installation
Upon review of this evidence, the Director of
Utilities may issue a water well permit
B Septic Tanks
Developments may be approved with alternative sewer facilities
according to the following criteria
1 A septic tank may be installed to serve an
individual residence, commercial or industrial
facility if
a) The premise upon which such structure is
located is more than two hundred (200) feet
from any city sanitary main, or,
b) The Director of Utilities or his authorized
representative certified in writing that the
topography of such premises makes normal
connection with such existing sanitary main
impractical or impossible, and
c) the operation of a septic tank is feasible on
the premise and will meet the standards and
requirements of this ordinance
All other installations of septic tanks shall
be unlawful within Denton or Denton's
extra -territorial jurisdiction
2 Septic tanks shall be installed in accordance
with the standards established by the Texas State
Department of Health, 1959 Code, Article 9 04
3 An applicant for approval of an individual septic
tank shall submit the following evidence to the
Director of Utilities
a) Map and statement of justification,
PAGE 60
b) Affidavits that no more than one residence,
commercial or industrial facility shall be
utilizing such septic tank,
c) A plan of the septic tank system prepared by a
registered professional engineer or registered
professional sanitarian, and
d) Affidavit of the results of the percolation
tests
Upon review of this evidence, the Director of
Utilities or his authorized representative may
issue a septic tank permit
C Other Individual Systems
Other individual septic systems can be considered if satis-
factory evidence is submitted certifying that the system meets
all requirements and standards of the Texas State Department of
Health
D Private Water and/or Sewer Co-op Systems
In areas where development requires water and/or sewer ser-
vices for more than a single facility, and the cost of extending
and tying on to the City system is prohibitive, privately owned
water and/or sewer facilities may be considered and approved by
the City according to the following general criteria
1 The cost to tie on to the City system would be
significantly greater than the proposed
alternative
2 The applicant of the proposed alternative system
provides certified evidence from a registered
professional engineer that the system will meet
all City, State and Federal health and water
quality standards
3 The sizing and material quality of all facilities
will meet the City of Denton standards
4 Perpetual private maintenance is guaranteed by
such means as Homeowner's Association, bonds, or
other means approved by the City Attorney
5 Operators of the system(s) will be certified by
the State Department of Health
6 The City shall have the right to inspect the
system periodically to determine if such system
is being operated and maintained according to
industry standards
7 The review and approval procedures for such
private water and/or sewer system shall proceed
concurrently with the normal platting and
engineering plan approval process as outlined in
PAGE 61
Article III, except for applications unoer these
alternative water and sewer facilities proposals,
which shall first require review and recommenda-
tion from the Public Utilities Board and final
concurrence from the City Council
8 The City of Denton may accept existing or annexed
private water or sewer systems for operation and
maintenance when the City's water and sewer lines
are connected to such system, provided the system
has been designed, constructed, and operated in
accordance with accepted industry and City stan-
dards Such private system shall be dedicated to
the City at no cost
9 Prior to such acceptance by the City, such water
and sewer lines and facilities shall be inspected
and evaluated as to standards, adequacy,
condition, etc If water and sewer lines and
facilities are not according to city standards, a
per lineal foot pro-rata charge shall be assessed
to the users of such system(s) for installation
of these new facilities will be on a per lineal
foot actual cost basis for upgrading or repairing
the existing facilities to meet city standards
E Connections to Sanitary Sewer Extensions Required upon
Notice
Whenever the City sanitary sewer system is extended to
within two hundred (200) feet of any lot or parcel of land
within the corporate limits of the City where a septic tank, dry
closet or privy vault exists, the owner or occupant of each
premises shall abate such septic tank, dry closet or privy and
shall construct a suitable water closet upon such premises and
connect the same with the City sanitary sewer main within thirty
(30) days after written notice to do so from the City health
officer unless he can show by County Health certificate that his
current system is functioning in a sound and safe manner He
shall further be required to have these facilities re -certified
every two (2) years
Article 4 11 Utilities Easement Requirements
All utilities shall be provided in street right-of-way
except for special circumstances approved by the Development
Review Committee In such cases, the following standards shall
prevail
PAGE 62
A All utility easements shall be sixteen (16) feet unless
special circumstances warrent additional or reduced easements
which can be approved by the Development Review Committee
B Lot lines will not split easements
C Dead end easements are not acceptable unless approved for
special circumstances by the Development Review Committee
D Employees of the Utilities Department shall have the
authority to enter premises at any time in the regular line of
duty for the purpose of inspecting, repairing or constructing
any water, electric or sewer line, or any water or electric
meter, etc
This authority applies whether or not the City chooses to
require a dedicated easement The land developer and occupant
are responsible for any construction occurring over or within
eight (8) feet either side of any on site utility In the event
utility inspection or repair or reconstruction is necessary, any
structure or improvement damaged within eight (8) feet either
side of a non -dedicated utility whether in a dedicated easement
or not shall not be the responsibility of the City for any
repairs but shall be the sole responsibility of the owner
Article 4 12 Electric, Gas, Cable Television, and
Telephone Utility Standards
All installation shall be according to the Comprehensive
Utility Code (Sec 25) of the City of Denton and engineering
standard utility installation procedures
Article 4 13 Underground Electrical Utility Policy
A It is the basic policy of the City of Denton to encourage
installation of underground electric utilities in all new
subdivisions and commercial development
B Where underground electric utilities are installed at the
request of the developer, the developers shall pay the
differential costs between underground electric utility service
and overhead electric utility service, as calculated by the
Utility Department
PAGE 63
C In residential areas, underground electric utility facil-
ities shall be installed on public right-of-way except where the
utility elects to install facilities adjacent to the building
setback line for aesthetic purposes All underground electric
utility cable of either primary voltage or secondary voltage
shall be installed in conduit
D For commercial development, the developer shall install
and maintain the conduit system from the transformer or
secondary cable terminal point to the utility designated service
point at the boundary of the property The utility shall install
and maintain the primary circuit and the developer shall be
responsible for furnishing, installing, and maintaining the
secondary cable
E Underground electric utility service will not be
installed on the perimeter of a subdivision or planned develop-
ment unless the adjacent area already has underground electric
utility service
Article 4 14 Street Lights
A Basic Policy
It is the policy of the City of Denton that adequate street
lights be installed in all new developments Detailed
procedures and standards shall be governed by the comprehensive
utility standards on file in the Utilities Department
B General Standards
1 Developers shall furnish satisfactory easements
for installation of services to street lights,
normally five (5) feet in width
2 Street light number, type, and size shall be
determined by the Utilities Department
3 Developers will pay pro rata cost of street
light installations
4 Street lights are normally required at all
intersections, in cul-de-sacs, and at approxi-
mately three hundred (300) foot intervals on
tangent streets
PAGE 64
Article 4 15 Drainage Requirements
A General Policy
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall not recommend for
approval any plat of subdivision which does not make adequate
provision for storm or flood water runoff channels or basins
Drainage provision shall ensure the health and safety of the
public and property in times of flood and such facilities shall
not cause excessive increases in flood heights or velocities,
particularly to adjacent and downstream properties When
calculations indicate that curb capacities are exceeded at a
point, no further allowance shall be made for flow beyond that
point, and basins shall be used to intercept flow at that point
The applicant may be required by the Planning and Zoning
Commission to carry away by pipe or open ditch any spring or
surface water that exists either previous to, or as a result of,
the subdivision Such drainage facilities shall be located in
the road right-of-way where feasible, or in perpetual
unobstructed easements of appropriate width, and shall be
constructed in accordance with the construction standards and
specifications of the City of Denton
B General Design Standards
The following are general
policies of the City of Denton
drainage design standards and
1 Coordination with the Comprehensive Master Drainage
Plan is required
2 Design Storm Frequencies
Area or Facility Frequency
Residential Street Capacity 10 years
Other Street capacity $ Enclosed
pipe system (if needed) 10 years
Channels and creeks* 25 years
Culverts and small bridges 25 years
Large bridges** 50 years
Floodways between building lines 100 years
*Channels and creeks shall have one (1) foot of freeboard
**Large bridges are those with a total span greater than 50 feet
PAGE 65
3 Water Spread Limit
Street
Classification
Expressway
Permissible
Water Spread
10-year storm
--1 traffic lane may be closed
Major Thoroughfare 10-year storm
(Divided) --1 traffic lane must remain
open each direction
Major Thoroughfare 10-year storm
(Undivided) --2 traffic lanes must remain open
Collector Street
Residential Street
Pipe Systems
$ Inlets
10-year storm
--1 traffic lane must remain open
10-year storm
--water flow must
above curb
10-year storm
--hydraulic grade
top of curb below
not exceed 4"
shall be 2'
The permissible water spreads are based upon the
initial storm frequency (10-year), but consideration
must be given to street conveyance of the major storm
(100-year) and possible flooding All streets shall
be capable of conveying a major storm without water
encroaching into adjacent buildings Therefore, the
maximum spread limit in streets for a major storm
shall be the building lines This requirement of
utilizing the streets to convey the major storm
runoff may require increasing the capacity of the
enclosed drainage system
4 Street Cross Flow
Allowable depths of flow across street intersections
for initial frequency storms (10-year) are
established as follows
Street Intersection
Expressway
Cross Flow Depth
None
Major Thoroughfare
(Divided & Undivided) None
Collector Street 6 inches of depth or maximum
(One Valley Crossing) spread at valley sections
Residential Street 6 inches at valley sections
(One Valley Crossing)
5 Drainage System Requirements
The complete drainage system is composed of (a) the
initial system, consisting of inlets, storm drains,
and the associated appurtenances to convey the
initial storm runoff (10 year), and (b) the major
system or the major runoff (100 year), which consists
of swales, creeks, channels, floodways and emergency
overflows to prevent water encroachment into residen-
tial and commercial facilities
PAGE 66
0
a) Initial storm systems are required when water
spread and street cross flow limits are
exceeded (closed pipe generally up to 48"
capacity)
b) Channels
(1) Channels are to be concrete -lined at least
to the 10-year frequency channel flow level
with additional height to carry the 25-year
flow
(2) 100-year flow is to be contained within the
building lines
(3) Unlined channels will be considered for quan-
tities of floodwater larger than the equiva-
lent flow of a seventy-two (72) inch pipe
Additional Storm Drain criteria are
a) Utilization of retention ponds and dispersion
areas and preservation of major flood plains,
etc , shall be strongly encouraged and may be
required if a proposed drainage improvement is
found to create actual or potential upstream,
adjacent or downstream property damage due to
the creation of excessive flood velocities or
heights
b) The City's major drainage floodplains that are
still functioning in a natural or semi -natural
state will require special drainage and other
preservation considerations To implement this
policy of the natural 100-year flood plain for
flooding areas draining one square mile or
more, it may be recommended that these areas be
zoned for planned development when zoning
requests are made so that channel improvements
and preservation efforts will be coordinated
and defined on the site plan before detailed
plans are submitted
c) Minimum velocity with the pipe flowing full
shall be three (3) feet per second
d) The minimum storm drain pipe diameter shall be
fifteen (15) inches
e) Pipe diameters shall not normally decrease
downstream
f) Pipe crowns at change in sizes should be set at
the same elevation
g) Vertical curves in the conduit will not be
permitted, and horizontal curves will be
permitted only with the approval of the Lity
Engineer
11) Maximum manhole spacing is shown below
Pipe Size Maximum Spacing
15" 400'
18-36" 60
42-60" 1,000'
Larger than 60" No limit
PAGE 67
Manholes shall also be placed at pickup points
having two (2) or more laterals, at pipe junctions
having pipe sizes twenty-four (24) inches or
greater, at alignment changes, and at the
beginning of the storm drain system
1) Inverted crown sections will be permitted only in
alleys
�) Street crowns shall be reduced for approximately
one hundred (100) feet on each side of valleys,
and only one valley crossing for each street shall
be used at an intersection
k) At streets with culverts or bridges, an emergency
overflow shall be provided to contain the 100-year
channel flow within the building lines
7 Runoff Coefficients
Storm drainage shall be designed for ultimate deve-
lopment of the watershed and, therefore, runoff
coefficients used shall consider these fully
developed conditions Master plans, zoning maps and
land use plans shall be used to determine the
ultimate development
Table II gives general guidelines of values for
runoff coefficients which may be used in the
determination of storm water runoff
TABLE II
RUNOFF COEFFICIENT "C"
FOR ALL STORM CALCULATIONS
Runoff
Type Area or Land Use Coefficient "C"
Parks & Permanent Open Space 0 20
Single Family Residential 0 50
Multi -Family 0 65
Industrial & Manufacturing 0 70
Business 0 80
Central Business District 0 90
When the Director of Planning and Community Deve-
lopment cannot verify ultimate development, a
standard runoff coefficient of 6 can be used
8 Time of Concentration
MINIMUM INLET TIME OF CONCENTRATION
Type Area
Parks & Permanent Open Areas
Residential
(less than 5 un/ac density)
All Other Residential
Industrial & Business
Roof and Paved Areas, Streets
Minimum Inlet Time
20 minutes
15 minutes
10 minutes
10 minutes
10 minutes
PAGE 68
C
When inlet times of concentration which are in
excess of these minimums are used, the techniques
and assumptions used in computing these times must
be submitted with the plans and approved by the
City Engineer
In cases where it is evident that the actual time
of concentration is less than that indicated
above, a shorter time of concentration should be
used
Offsite Drainage
1 The owner or developer of property to be developed
shall be responsible for all storm drainage flowing
on his property This responsibility includes the
drainage directed to that property by ultimate
development as well as drainage naturally flowing
through the property by reason of topography
2 Adequate consideration shall be given by the owner
in the development of property to determine how
the discharge leaving the proposed development
will affect adjacent property
3 On lots or tracts of three (3) acres or more where
storm water runoff has been collected or
concentrated, it shall not be permitted to drain
onto adjacent property except in existing creeks,
channels or storm sewers unless proper drainage
easements or notarized letters of permission from
the affected property owners are provided
4 The subdivider shall pay for the cost of all
drainage improvements required for the development
of the subdivision, including any necessary
offsite channels or storm sewers and acquisition
of the required easements
5 Where it is anticipated that additional runoff
incidental to the development of the subdivision
will overload an existing downstream drainage
facility, whether natural or manmade, the Planning
and Zoning Commission may withhold approval of the
subdivision until appropriate provision has been
made to accommodate the problem, and plans shall
be provided which include all necessary offsite
improvements including storm sewer systems,
channel grading, driveway adjustments, culvert
improvements, etc
In areas where downstream pipes or channels are
inadequate to handle proposed increased flows, the
City as one alternative may consider accepting
cash payment in lieu of actual drainage
improvements The developer must show that the
proposed pipe system to handle the flow from his
development would not function properly without
substantial downstream improvements Prior to
permitting any development that will significantly
increase flood heights downstream or upstream, a
hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission
is required with special notice to the adjacent
property owners
PAGE 69
D Drainage Easements
Where topography or other conditions are such as to make
impractical the inclusion of drainage facilities within road
rights -of -way, perpetual unobstructed easements for such
drainage facilities shall be provided across property outside
the road lines and with satisfactory access to the road
Easements shall be indicated on the plat Drainage easements
shall be carried from the road to a natural watercourse or to
other drainage facilities
When a proposed drainage system will carry water across
private land outside the subdivision, appropriate drainage
rights must be secured and indicated on the plat or other
instrument as approved by the City Attorney In the case of
clear public interest, the City may participate in easement
acquisition by power of condemnation
The applicant shall dedicate an appropriate drainage
easement either in fee or by drainage easement or by
conservation easement of land on both sides of existing
watercourses to a distance to be determined by the Planning and
Zoning Commission
E Drainage Modification Permit
No land shall be modified in any 100-year flood drainageway
until a Drainage Modification Permit is issued from the City
Engineer's Office The City Engineer, as a condition of the
permit, shall certify that such modification will, as a minimum,
fulfill the requirements of this ordinance with special
attention that peak flow heights or velocities will not be
increased on adjacent properties
Drainage modification permits for drainageways whose basin
exceed one square mile may be approved by the Planning and
Zoning Commission after notification of adjacent property
owners Drainage modification permits for drainageways less
than one square mile may be approved by the City Engineer
Smaller drainageways which do not carry runoff from upstream
PAGE 70
properties and do not change the downstream concentration point
will not require permits
Any decision by the City Engineer can be referred to the
Planning and Zoning Commission by either the City Engineer or
the applicant for final determination Upon such referral all
adjacent property owners will be notified of the hearing at
least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled Planning and Zoning
Commission meeting
F Flood Prevention Ordinance
The Flood Prevention Ordinance of the City of Denton
(Chapter 10 1/2) impacts land development in only two ways It
1 Outlines requirements for amending the Federal
Flood Insurance Map, and
2 Outlines the minimum requirement for finished
floor elevations
The ordinance, therefore, except in the above two cases, is
not applicable to development standards, as the purpose of the
ordinance is basically to ensure that no new structures are
flooded
Article 4 16 Lots, Common Areas and Facilities
A Lot Size The size, width and depth of lots shall conform
to the zoning requirements for the area
B Access to Street Each lot shall be provided with
adequate access to an existing or proposed public street (County
or City) by frontage on such street except frontage on a private
street may be permitted in a Planned Development Zoning District
Such public street shall be connected to and considered part of
the general network of public streets in the area Development
adjacent to existing public streets shall include the required
improvements in accordance with the City's perimeter street
policy
C Facing Wherever feasible, each lot should face the
front of a similar lot across the street In general, an
arrangement placing facing lots at right angles to each other
should be avoided
PAGE 71
D Common Areas and Facilities
Such areas shall be noted on the plat, and also have filed
with the County Homeowner's Association covenants approved by
the City Attorney, or other arrangements for permanent mainte-
nance of these areas and facilities as may be approved by the
Planning and Zoning Commission
E Building Across Lot Lines
No building, except buildings designed and constructed as
two-family dwellings or one -family attached dwellings, shall be
constructed on or across existing lot lines Where buildings
designed and constructed as two-family dwellings or one -family
attached dwellings are constructed on or across lot lines, the
buildings shall be so located so that the common walls
separating the individual living units are located on and along
the common lot lines of the adjoining lots on which the
buildings are located
Article 4 17 Blocks
Block length for residential use should generally not exceed
twelve hundred (1,200) feet, measured along the center of the
block Six hundred (600) feet is a desirable minimum Maximum
block length along a Thoroughfare shall be sixteen hundred
(1,600) feet, except under special conditions approved by the
Planning and Zoning Commission The Commission may require a
pedestrian easement or wall near the center of blocks over one
thousand (1,000) feet
Article 4 18 Building Lines
The building line is a line beyond which buildings must be
set back from a street right-of-way line or property line It
should conform to the zoning requirements for that district
Article 4 19 Fire Lanes
Where adequate access for fire -fighting purposes may not
otherwise be provided, easements for fire lanes may be required
Fire lane easements shall be paved, with either asphalt or
concrete material of such strength to support fire vehicles,
PAGE 72
shall be a minimum of sixteen (16) feet in width, shall
generally be within fifty (50) feet of all exposed building
walls, shall be maintained by the property owner, shall be
marked as such on the ground, and shall be kept free and clear
at all times, or have such obstacles that can easily be
traversed by a fire truck, (i a breakable chains, low-level
plant material), unless otherwise approved by the Planning and
Zoning Commission
Article 4 20 Monuments and Markers
A Monuments
Concrete monuments, six (6) inches in diameter and
twenty-four (24) inches long, shall be placed on all boundary
corners, block corners, curve points, and angle points, a copper
pin one -quarter (1/4) inch in diameter embedded three (3) inches
in the monument shall be placed at the exact intersection point
on the monument The monuments shall be set at such an
elevation that they will not be disturbed during construction,
and the top of the monument shall not be less than twelve (12)
inches below the finished ground level
B Markers
Lot markers shall be a five -eighths (5/8) inch reinforcing
bar, eighteen (18) inches long, or approved equal, and shall be
placed at all lot corners flush with the ground, or below ground
if necessary in order to avoid being disturbed
C Bench Marks
Where no bench mark is established or can be found within
three hundred (300) feet of the boundary of the subdivision,
such bench marker shall be established to a sea level datum
The bench mark shall be established upon a permanent structure,
or may be set as a monument, and shall be readily accessible and
identifiable on the ground
Article 4 21 Development On Existing Lots That Were
Previously Approved by the City
It is the policy of the City of Denton that redevelopment on
existing lots within the City shall be encouraged This policy
PAGE 73
shall apply to lots that have previously been platted and/or
developed and are now currently being redeveloped For such area
the existing community facilities of streets, water and sewer
shall be considered the responsibility of the City and shall be
upgraded as funds are available and/or during the regular assess-
ment program
For areas where zoning has been changed significantly from
the time of original platting or development, the full require-
ments of this subdivision/development ordinance shall be applied,
including all required improvements and facilities A zoning
change from single family to multi -family, commercial or
industrial is deemed a significant change for the purpose of
this Article
Article 4 22 Filing Fees
No preliminary or final plat, replat, or general development
plan shall be accepted for filing for review by the Planning and
Zoning Commission unless the person wishing to file such plat,
replat, or plan first pays to the Director of Planning and Com-
munity Development a filing fee of fifty-five dollars ($55 00),
provided, however, that in cases where a replat is to be filed
and state law requires notification of lot owners because of
such proposed replat the filing fee shall be one hundred ten
dollars ($110 00), in addition to a fee of two dollars ($2 00)
per lot owner required to be notified
SECTION II
That any person violating any of the provisions of this
ordinance shall, upon conviction, be fined a sum not exceeding
Two Hundred Dollars ($200 00), and each day and every day that
the provisions of this ordinance are violated shall constitute a
separate and distinct offense This penalty is in addition to
and cumulative of, any other remedies as may be available at law
and equity
SECTION III
That if any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence,
clause, phrase or word in this ordinance, or application thereof
PAGE 74
to any person or circumstance is held invalid by any court of
competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity
of the remaining portions of this ordinance, and the City Council
of the City of Denton, Texas, hereby declares it would have
enacted such remaining portions despite any such invalidity
SECTION IV
That all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with
the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed
SECTION V
That this ordinance shall become effective fourteen (14) days
from the date of its passage, and the City Secretary is hereby
directed to cause the caption of this ordinance to be published
twice in the Denton Record -Chronicle, the official newspaper of
the City of Denton, Texas, within ten (10) days of the date of its
passage
PASSED AND APPROVED this the � day of , 1983
CITY OF D NTON,,TEXAS
ATT
V LL^�LVLLL )
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM
C J TAYLOR, JR , CITY ATTORNEY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
BY 444 —
PAGE 75
I� THE MATTER OF
CITE` OF DENTON
CHARLOTTE ALLEN
THE STATE OF TEXAS Roy Appleton, Jr
County of Denton
being duly sworn, says he is the General Manager of the Denton Record - Chronicle, a
newspaper of general circulation which has been continuously and regularly g the shed date
for a period of not less than one year in the County of Denton, Texas, p
recediof the attached notice, and that the said notice was published in said paper on the follow-
ing dates
ORDINANCE NO. 83-70 subdivision & land development regulations
Subscribed and sworn to before me AN.a
Witness my hand and official seal
15 day of _ J U LY ,19
83
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