Seagoville City Zoning Code
Division 11
TH Townhouse District Regulations
§ 25.02.221 Use regulations.
In a “TH” Townhouse District, no land shall be used and no buildings shall be erected for or converted to any other use than:
(1)
One-family attached dwellings where each dwelling is separated by an appropriate firewall.
(2)
Churches.
(3)
Schools, including elementary schools, high schools, and institutions of higher education.
(4)
Museums, libraries, parks, playgrounds, swimming facilities not deemed to constitute a nuisance, hazard, or otherwise interfere with the public health, welfare, and safety.
(5)
Gardening.
(6)
Farming except that which in form and type is prohibited by other ordinances and laws.
(7)
Fire stations.
(8)
Temporary buildings necessary to new construction provided they are razed and removed within 30 days after substantial completion of the new construction or failing completion of the new constructions then within 60 days from the commencement of such temporary construction.
(9)
One attached garage with one or more compartments and with front and side walls complying with the requirements of the front and side walls of the main portion of the building as to the distance, etc.; or, one detached private garage with one or more compartments located not less than 15 feet back from the main building and not less than 20 feet back from any street line. Provided, that each entrance to any garage shall not be less than 20 feet back from any corner lot line it faces. A detached private garage shall not exceed more than 600 square feet.
(10)
An accessory building necessary to store equipment for several dwelling units or provide a service function for several dwelling units. No such accessory building shall be occupied as a place of abode or located on a lot having a place of abode.
(11)
One-family detached dwellings if in accordance with all provisions of the R-1 Residential District Regulations.
(Ordinance 05-06, sec. 1, adopted 5/4/06)
§ 25.02.222 Building regulations.
(a)
Minimum size.
The minimum area of the main building constituting a single-family unit shall be 1,300 square feet, exclusive of garages and breezeways.
(b)
Type of material.
(1)
All buildings shall be constructed of standard masonry construction as described in division 32, Regulations Applicable to all Districts, section 25.02.712, and in accordance with the city building code, as amended, and fire code, as amended. Vertical exterior walls to the top plate line shall not contain more than ten percent non-masonry materials, excluding windows and door openings.
(2)
“Chateau” or “mansard” type construction in which over 50 percent of a second story is enclosed by a surface of the roof must be approved by the city plan commission.
(Ordinance 05-06, sec. 1, adopted 5/4/06; Ordinance 35-16, sec. 7, adopted 12/19/16)
§ 25.02.223 Height regulations.
No dwelling unit shall exceed two standard stories in height. No detached garage or accessory building to the dwelling unit shall exceed one standard story.
The structural height of attached single-family dwellings shall be limited to a height of one story for a distance of 150 feet from the boundary of any single-family detached residential area, inclusive of streets and alleys.
(Ordinance 483, sec. 2, adopted 2/20/79; Ordinance 05-06, sec. 1, adopted 5/4/06)
§ 25.02.224 Area regulations.
(b)
Front yard.
(1)
There shall be a landscaped front yard on lots containing dwelling units having a minimum depth of 20 feet. On lots or areas containing other than dwelling units, there shall be a landscaped front yard having a minimum of 50 feet.
(2)
On corner lots, the required front yard shall be required on both streets.
(3)
Where lots have double frontage, running through from one street to another, the required front yard shall be provided on both streets.
(4)
No structures shall be located in the front yard unless [as] an element of permissible landscaping.
(5)
No off-street parking shall be allowed on any front yard area. However, drives of ingress and egress from the public street to a parking area shall be allowed to cross the front yard from front to rear.
(c)
Side yard.
On lots having attached dwelling units no side yard is required providing a suitable firewall is provided except that no contiguous attached structure shall exceed 180 feet in length and the minimum separation between structures shall be 20 feet.
(d)
Rear yard.
Each lot shall have a rear yard area extending the full width of the lot of a depth of not less than 20 feet.
(e)
Unusable land areas.
No pond, creek or other unusable terrain shall be changed without the approval of such plan by the city building official. All required setback areas shall be measured from the edge of the usable land available for development as determined by the city plan commission. Such unusable land area shall be planned an [as] open greenbelt area to the maximum extent possible.
(f)
Overhang and fireplaces.
The maximum setback requirements shall apply in all cases, except that fireplaces, eaves, bays, and balconies may extend up to a maximum of 3-1/2 feet into the required front, side or rear yards.
(g)
Parking regulations.
(1)
On lots having dwelling units, adequate off-street parking space shall be provided to meet the requirements of the residents and their guests; but in no event shall the number of off-street parking spaces provided to serve a lot be less than 2-1/2 off-street [parking] spaces per lot for motor cars; it is envisioned that these spaces may be on the lot proper or on common or community property located in the immediate vicinity of the lot or lots to be served. However, no supporting member of any garage, carport, or other automobile storage structure shall be located within the required front yard.
(2)
Additional and adequate off-street parking spaces as determined by the city plan commission shall be provided adjacent to all swimming pools, parks[,] service buildings, and recreational areas.
(3)
All off-street driveways and parking areas; other than those on lots having dwelling units, shall be curbed, paved, and maintained to the city specifications so as to eliminate dust or mud and shall be so graded and drained as to dispose of all surface water.
(h)
Lighting.
All parking areas on other than lots having dwelling units, all recreational areas, all service facilities, etc. shall be lighted and such lighting shall be arranged so as to reflect light away from lots containing dwelling units and away from adjacent districts.
(i)
Accessory buildings and uses.
Accessory buildings in the district and uses of such shall be permitted only to the extent necessary and normal to the limited types of use permitted in the district. All accessory buildings shall be separated from each other and from dwelling units by a minimum of 20 feet except for separation from main dwelling units and detached garages which shall be a minimum of 15 feet. The site plan shall show all accessory buildings and their planned use.
(j)
Coverage.
(1)
On lots containing dwelling units the main structure and any accessory buildings (exclusive of parking shelters) shall not cover more than 60 percent of the lot.
(2)
For each lot platted for a single-family attached dwelling a minimum of 800 square feet outside the limits of the platted lot must be provided for open space, recreational and service areas, exclusive of dedications for the site plan and landscape plan.
(3)
In no event shall the number of dwelling units exceed ten units per acre exclusive of all streets, alleys, and sidewalks but inclusive of open space, recreational, and service area.
(k)
Access.
Alleys within or abutting a “TH” District may be used for ingress and egress to parking and service areas provided a minimum paved alley width of 20 feet is provided from a street to the parking or service area. Such ingress and egress shall be approved by the city plan commission giving consideration to adjacent properties and appropriate screening.
(l)
Refuse and waste.
Storage areas shall conform to standards as required by the city.
(m)
Swimming pools.
(1)
[Approval; location; lighting; fencing.]
Swimming pools shall be subject to approval by the city plan commission after taking into consideration the location and size of the plot; the site; the detailed plans of such swimming pool and any required accessories; and other such factors as may be required for the health, safety, and general welfare of the community. In addition, the city plan commission may require that any swimming pool, including mechanical equipment, be located at such distance from any property line as not to interfere with the peace, comfort and repose of the occupant(s) of any adjoining building or residence. Any lights illuminating such swimming pools shall be so erected as to eliminate direct rays of light on adjoining premises. A four-foot permanent fence or wall must be erected and maintained around each pool. The fence or wall must be provided with a gate which must be locked when the pool is not in use.
(2)
Mechanical equipment.
Mechanical equipment shall be constructed, located and screened so as not to interfere with the peace, comfort, and repose of the occupant(s) of any adjoining building or residence.
(Ordinance 483, sec. 2, adopted 2/20/79; Ordinance 05-06, sec. 1, adopted 5/4/06)
§ 25.02.225 Site plan approval.
(a)
Prior to the issuance of any building permit, there shall be submitted to the city plan commission for its approval a site plan drawn to an acceptable scale and with adequate copies. The scale and number of copies shall be that deemed necessary by the city manager, or other designated city official.
(b)
The site plan shall show but not be limited to, the arrangement of the proposed improvements in detail, together with the essential requirements such as parking facilities, location of buildings and other structures, and the uses to be permitted, means of ingress and egress and areas to be landscaped.
(c)
The city plan commission’s consideration shall include paving and layout of street, alley, and sidewalks; means of ingress and egress, provisions for drainage; parking spaces, protective screening and open spaces; areas designated for landscaping; any other request deemed by the city plan commission necessary to consider in the interest of promotion the public health, safety, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare.
(d)
It shall be unlawful to issue a building permit prior to the approval of the site plan by the city plan commission. No building permit shall be issued except in conformity with the approved site plan including all conditions of approval applied by the city plan commission.
(e)
If during the course of considering the site plan, the city plan commission is of the opinion that proper approval or disapproval cannot be granted without a detail landscape plan, the city plan commission is authorized to request the applicant to submit a landscape plan and further authorized to withhold action on the site plan until the submission of the landscape plan for the city plan commission’s consideration.
(f)
For the purpose of assisting in-process planning, a preliminary site plan may be submitted for city plan commission consideration. Such preliminary site plan may contain any or all of the site plan requirements and must be drawn to scale, submitted in adequate quantity and titled “PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN”. The approval of a preliminary site plan will not imply approval of all elements of a site plan. It shall be unlawful to issue a building permit on a preliminary site plan.
(Ordinance 483, sec. 2, adopted 2/20/79; Ordinance 05-06, sec. 1, adopted 5/4/06)
§ 25.02.226 Landscaping plan approval.
(a)
Prior to the issuance of any occupancy permit, there shall be submitted to the city plan commission for its approval a landscape plan drawn to the same scale as the site plan and submitted with the same number of copies as the site plan.
(b)
Except where otherwise provided, all yard, setback, parking, service, and recreational areas shall be landscaped with lawns, trees, shrubs, or other live or artificial plant materials and shall be permanently maintained in a neat and orderly manner as a condition for use.
(c)
Where the use of a living screen is proposed, such screen must be included as an element of the landscape plan.
(d)
There shall be permitted fountains, ponds, sculptures, planters, walkways, flagpoles, light standards and decorative screen type walls as elements of landscaping in areas designated for landscaping. Decorative type walls, planters, and sculptures shall be 30 inches or less in height. The city plan commission shall be authorized to permit heights in excess of 30 inches where such is in the best interest of landscaping and will not in the city plan commission’s opinion create a problem relative to public health, safety, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare.
(e)
With respect to landscaping parking areas, a minimum of two percent of all parking areas shall be landscaped. On parking areas having not more than two rows, the two percent requirement can be met in perimeter landscaping; for lots having more than two rows, at least one-half of the landscaping requirement must be internal to the lot.
(f)
The landscape plan shall show in detail but not be limited to the location of each element of landscaping, a description or name of each landscape element or group of elements, the number and size of each tree and the height of any proposed planter, sculpture, or decorative screen.
(g)
The city plan commission shall consider the adequacy of the proposed landscaping in the interest of promoting the public health, safety, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare.
(h)
It shall be unlawful to issue an occupancy permit prior to the approval of the landscape plan by the city plan commission. Prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit, all approved screening and landscaping must be in place or if seasonal considerations prohibit the completion of the landscaping, a temporary occupancy permit may be issued for such time as is reasonable to complete the landscaping.
(Ordinance 483, sec. 2, adopted 2/20/79; Ordinance 05-06, sec. 1, adopted 5/4/06)
§ 25.02.227 Special requirements.
(a)
All areas for locating dwelling units shall be platted into individual lots and located on dedicated streets; and each of said lots shall be served individually by water, sewer, electric and gas utility services.
(b)
The areas for recreational, open space, and service use may be platted into one or more lots.
(c)
No building permit shall be issued in a “TH” Townhouse District until evidence of satisfactory provision for the handling of areas not platted for dwelling units is submitted to the city plan commission and they accept such.
(d)
Street pavement in dedicated rights-of-way in a “TH” Townhouse District shall have a minimum width of 30 feet, face of curb to face of curb; and shall be constructed in accordance with the specifications of the city.
(e)
All utilities shall be underground. This includes in addition to those normally installed underground, electric distribution facilities, telephone cables, and individual house services.
(Ordinance 483, sec. 2, adopted 2/20/79; Ordinance 05-06, sec. 1, adopted 5/4/06)