PURPOSE: The "R-3.5," Two-family District is established to provide adequate space for medium density, duplex type residential development, promoting a population density of almost twice that of a typical single-family development.

USES GENERALLY: In an "R-3.5", Two-family District no land shall be used and no building shall be erected for or converted to any use other than as hereinafter provided.

A.

Permitted uses: The following uses shall be permitted as principal uses:

1.

Duplexes.

2.

Churches, convents and other places of worship.

3.

Parks, playgrounds and nature preserves, publicly owned.

4.

Temporary buildings when they are to be used only for construction purposes or as a field office within a subdivision approved by the city for the sale of the real estate of that subdivision only. Such temporary construction buildings shall be removed immediately upon completion or abandonment of construction and such field office shall be removed immediately upon occupancy of 95 percent of the lots in the subdivision.

B.

Secondary uses: The following uses shall be permitted as secondary uses to dwelling units provided that none shall be a source of income to the owner or users of the principal use. All secondary uses shall be located at least 20 feet from any street right-of-way and shall not be located between the building line and the front property line.

1.

Off-street parking and private garages in connection with any use permitted in this district.

2.

One storage structure per dwelling unit 120 square feet or less, and having no plumbing.

3.

Private swimming pools and private tennis courts no closer than 75 feet to any adjacent residential district.

4.

Signs subject to the provisions of Section 60.

5.

Communication equipment meeting the requirements of Chapter 7, Article XIII of the Grapevine Code of Ordinances.

6.

Sale of merchandise or goods, including but not limited to garage sales and yard sales, shall be limited to a maximum of once per quarter, for a period not to exceed three continuous days. For the purpose of this paragraph, the month of January shall constitute the first month of the first quarter.

With the exception of item 6, when any of the foregoing permitted secondary uses are detached from a principal dwelling, said uses shall be located not less than 45 feet from the front lot line nor less than 20 feet from any street right-of-way, and at least six feet from the rear and side lot lines.

All secondary structures shall be setback from side and rear property lines a minimum of six feet. Secondary structures greater than 10 feet in height shall be set back from the side and rear property lines six feet plus one additional foot for each additional foot of height over 10 feet.

C.

Conditional uses: The following conditional uses may be permitted provided they meet the provisions of Section 48 and a conditional use permit is issued.

1.

Public and nonprofit institutions of an educational, religious or cultural type excluding correctional institutions.

2.

Nonprofit community centers and swimming pools and tennis courts.

3.

Memorial gardens and cemeteries.

4.

Any off-street parking for churches, convents and other places of worship developed on property other than the platted lot of record of the principal use, provided all or a portion of the property utilized for parking is located within 300 feet of the platted lot of record.

D.

Limitation of uses:

1.

There shall be a separate platted lot of record for each duplex structure.

2.

In the event a duplex structure is converted to separate ownership, the duplex shall be considered a town house unit and shall be permitted, provided that all requirements and regulations of the "R-TH", Townhouse District are met and maintained.

3.

Not more than three persons, unrelated by blood or marriage may occupy residences within an "R-3.5", Two-family District.

4.

Storage of mechanical, maintenance of farm equipment incidental to any permitted or conditional use shall be screened in accordance with the provisions of Section 50, Alternate B or E, from any adjacent residential development or use.

5.

Private or public alleys shall not be located in the 25-foot required rear yard. Whenever rear access or parking is provided, access shall be from a platted alley or easement.

6.

No storage boxes or any other containers to be picked up or dropped off by curbside self-storage services, moving services and other similar services shall be placed within a public right-of-way. Storage containers to be picked up or dropped off by such services shall be visible from a public right-of-way or adjacent property for a period not exceeding 72 consecutive hours, and not more than two instances during any 30-day period.

E.

Plan requirements: No application for a building permit for the construction of a principal building shall be approved unless:

1.

A plat, meeting all requirements of the City of Grapevine, has been approved by the City Council and recorded in the official records of Tarrant County.

2.

A site plan, meeting the requirements of Section 47, has been approved.

3.

A landscape plan, meeting the requirements of Section 53 has been approved, provided a landscape plan is required under Section 17.L.2.

F.

Density requirements: The following density requirements shall apply:

1.

Maximum density: eight (8) dwelling units per acre of gross area.

2.

Lot size: 8,000 square feet.

3.

Minimum open space: 10 percent of the gross site area shall be devoted to open space including required yards and buffer areas. Open space shall not include areas covered by structures, parking areas, driveways and internal streets.

A portion of the minimum open space equivalent to 300 square feet per dwelling unit shall be devoted to planned and permanent usable recreation area. The amount, type and location of usable recreation space shall be shown on the site plan.

4.

Maximum building coverage: 40 percent of the combined area occupied by all main and secondary buildings and structures of the total lot area.

5.

Maximum impervious area: 60 percent of the combined area occupied by all main and secondary buildings of the total lot area.

6.

Minimum floor area: Every duplex dwelling hereafter erected, constructed, reconstructed or altered in this dwelling district shall have a minimum square feet of floor area, excluding common corridors, basements, open and screened porches, and garages as follows:

a.

Efficiency and one-bedroom unit: 750 square feet.

b.

Two-bedroom unit: 900 square feet.

c.

Three-bedroom unit: 1,000 square feet.

7.

The minimum land area for each dwelling unit shall be not less than 4,000 square feet.

G.

Area regulations: The following minimum standards shall be required:

1.

Depth of front yard: 30 feet.

A minimum of 50 percent of the area of the lot within the required front yard setback shall be a landscaped area.

2.

Depth of rear yard: 25 feet.

3.

Width of side yard on each side: 6 feet.

4.

Width of lot: 65 feet.

Except that reverse frontage lots shall be a minimum of 95 feet in width.

5.

Depth of lot: 100 feet.

6.

Distance between buildings: The minimum distance between detached principal or secondary buildings shall be not less than 16 feet.

H.

Reserved.

I.

Maximum Height: The following maximum height regulations shall be observed.

1.

Principal structure: two (2) stories, 35 feet.

2.

Secondary structure: 15 feet.

J.

Off-street parking: Provisions of the parking of automobiles shall be allowed as a secondary use to any principal permitted use provided that such shall not be located in a required front yard. Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of Sections 56 and 58 of this ordinance and other applicable ordinances of the city.

Parking of recreational vehicles, recreational trailers, motor homes or boats (all listed hereinafter referred to as vehicles) is prohibited in the required front yard except in the following circumstances:

1.

Pursuant to a permit to park said vehicle on a paved driveway in the front yard issued by the Director of Planning Services (director), or his designee, after a determination is made by the director that it is not feasible to park said vehicle in the side or rear yard.

2.

For any length of time for all or any part of three consecutive days, the said vehicles may be parked in the required front yard on a paved driveway for three consecutive 24-hour days, or any part of three consecutive 24-hour days. For example, vehicle could be parked in front yard on Friday evening at 10:00 p.m. and all day for the next two days, Saturday and Sunday, with the authorized parking time ending at 12:00 a.m. Sunday night. Parking of the vehicle in the front yard for all or any part of consecutive Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, or any other combination of three consecutive days, is allowed. If the vehicle parked in front yard at any time on Monday in the example, the vehicle is parked in violation of this ordinance.

K.

Off-street loading: No off-street loading is required in the "R-3.5", Two-family District for residential uses. Off-street loading for conditional uses may be required as determined by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

L.

Landscaping requirements:

1.

Landscaping shall be required in accordance with Section 53 of this ordinance.

2.

For developments in the "R-3.5", Two-family District that contain more than 20 units, a landscape plan shall be required.

M.

Masonry requirements: Masonry requirements shall be met as provided in Section 54 of this ordinance.

(Ord. No. 84-16, § 2(A), 4-9-84; Ord. No. 84-73, § 1, 9-18-84; Ord. No. 85-19, § 1(D), 4-16-85; Ord. No. 93-16, § 1(E), 4-20-93; Ord. No. 93-50, § 1(E), 10-19-93; Ord. No. 99-144, § 1I, J, 9-21-99; Ord. No. 2000-109, § 1, 10-3-00; Ord. No. 2002-27, § 1E, 3-19-02; Ord. No. 2007-55, § 1.F, 9-18-07; Ord. No. 2010-37, § 1E, 7-20-10; Ord. No. 2014-36, § 1, 6-17-14; Ord. No. 2023-094, § 10, 11-21-23; Ord. No. 2024-111, § 17, 12-17-24; Ord. No. 2025-054, § 8, 8-19-25)