Item 13a
City of Southlake
Department of Planning
1400 Main Street, Suite 310, Southlake, TX 76092
MEMORANDUM
July 15, 2005
TO: The Planning & Zoning Commission
FROM: Ken Baker, AICP, Planning Director
SUBJECT: Ordinance 480-CCC – Amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance to
add the Rural Conservation Subdivision (RCS) Zoning District (proposed new
Section 46).
One of the key strategies following the approval of the new land use categories in the
Southlake 2025 Plan has been the need to create appropriate zoning districts to facilitate more
flexible development to implement the vision of the plan. At the May 5, 2005 Planning &
Zoning Commission, staff presented the details of a preliminary draft of the proposed Rural
Conservation Subdivision district. Following the discussions about optimal density, open space
requirements, and financial feasibility at that meeting and subsequent presentation to the City
Council, staff has made the identified revisions to the proposed ordinance.
The changes made since the last version presented are indicated by underlines for added text
and strikethroughs for deleted text. They key change is identified under section 46.5 which is the
inclusion of a maximum net density of 1.4 dwelling units per acre and a minimum open
space requirement of 35% of the gross site area.
While this above standard may work well in most situations, there may be limited situations
where more flexibility may be desired by the city and developers. In order to address that need,
staff would like the Commission to consider an alternative to the flat density and open space
standard. This alternative would be in the form of a sliding scale that establishes the open space
requirement based on the density. As the intensity of the development increases, so does the
open space requirement. This sliding scale attempts to bridge all the options from a typical
development in an SF1-A district to an R-PUD district while requiring higher open space
percentages than conventional development in these zoning districts.
The SF1-A zoning district has no specific open space requirement. However, the open space
dedication fees (1 acre per 40 units under the subdivision ordinance) equate to approximately
2.5% open space requirement. The open space requirement in an R-PUD is 10% and this applies
in addition to the same open space dedication requirement (subdivision ordinance) which is
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approximately 4.5%. Also, any open spaces provided in an R-PUD may qualify for up to 50%
credit on the required park dedication fees.
In addition to the following sliding scale density and open space standard, staff recommends
amending the subdivision ordinance requirement for open space dedication to permit a 100%
credit if the development meets the criteria under the RCS district under both options.
Proposed Net Density Minimum Gross Open
Space Percentage Required
1.01 – 1.1 20%
1.11 – 1.2 25%
1.21 – 1.3 30%
1.31 - 1.4*35%
*1.4 would then be the maximum net density permitted in the
Rural Conservation Subdivision zoning district under this
option also.
Staff would like to discuss this option together with the proposed flat density and open space
standard at the next meeting. Please review the changes in the attached draft ordinance. A
public hearing on the proposed ordinance draft has been scheduled at your upcoming regular
meeting on July 21, 2005. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any specific questions.
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