Form Districts

ARTICLE XIII: FORM DISTRICTS

Abridged ordinance selections for purposes of efficient landscape and design review. Please refer to the official documentation available through www.dallascityattorney.com.

Sec. 51A-13.101. Purpose

(a) The purpose of this article is to provide an additional tool for the implementation of forwardDallas!. This article is not intended to preclude the use of planned development districts.

(b) This article is intended to create walkable urban neighborhoods where higher-(b) density mixed uses and mixed housing-types promote less dependence on the automobile.

(c) These areas are intended to transition successfully to existing neighborhoods (c) through the judicious mapping of permitted districts.

Sec. 51A-13.102. Applicability

Article X, “Landscape and Tree Preservation Regulations,” except for (10) Section 51A-10.110, Sections 51A-10.125(a), (b)(1), (2), (3)(A) and (5) through (7), and Section 51A-10.126.

Sec. 51A-13.201. Definitions (applicable to LA)

DOOR YARD means the area between the edge of the sidewalk furthest (10) from the street and the front building facade.

HARDSCAPE means paving with concrete, stamped concrete, pavers, or (15) other similar materials, including permeable materials approved by the building official.

STREET FRONTAGE means that portion of a building that must be located (29) within the required setback area, expressed as a percentage of lot width.

STREETSCAPE means the area between back of curb and the face of a (30) building, including the planting zone, sidewalk, and door yard.

Division 51A-13.300. District Regulations.

Section 51A-13.301. Districts Established. Page 3-1

Section 51A-13.303. Open Space. Page 3-6

Section 51A-13.304. Development Types. Page 3-7

Districts Established.

Walkable Urban Mixed Use (WMU -3,-5,-8,-12,-20,-40) - mix of compatible uses in pedestrian friendly area

Walkable Urban Residential (WR-3,-5,-8,-12,-20,-40) - residential neighborhoods with mixed housing

Residential Transition (RTN) - SF and duplex for land use transition between WMU/WR and residential

Shopfront Overlay (-SH ) - pedestrian shopping streets

Height Map Overlay (-HM ) - modify height requirements in underlying district

Parking Management Overlay (-PM) - address parking needs.

51A-13.303 Open Space

1) NET LAND AREA means gross land area minus street right-of-way.

2) OFF-SITE OPEN SPACE means open space that is not located on the building site but is within a quarter of a mile walking distance of the property. Off-site open space may consist of parks, wildlife preserves, or any form of open space lot as described in this article.

3) ON-SITE OPEN SPACE means the portion of a building site that is accessible to all occupants of that building site (or to the general public if dedicated as public open space) and principally open to the sky but allows for architectural elements such as colonnades, pergolas, and gazebos. The space must be a contiguous open area of not less than 10 feet in width or length.

4) OPEN SPACE means off-site and on-site open space.

Open Space Required (options available - refer to code):

At least eight percent of the net land area of a building site in a form district must be provided as open space. Compliance with this requirement must be demonstrated at the time of application for a building permit.

(2) Landscaping.

(A) In General.

(i) Specific landscaping requirements for each development type are (i) provided in Subsections (b) through (k) of this section.

(ii) All street trees must meet the requirements of Section 51A-10.125(b)(4). (refer to 10.125(b)(1) and 10.104 and discuss with arborist.)

(iii) All site trees must be a minimum of two inches in caliper at time of planting and may not be located closer than four feet to any paved surface (measured from the center of the tree trunk).

(iv) All site tree in-ground planting areas must be a minimum of 100 square feet for a large tree and 50 square feet for a small tree. Planters for large or small trees must be a minimum of 25 square feet.

(v) Site trees must be large tree species listed in Section 51A-10.134. Small tree species may be substituted at a rate of two small trees per required large tree.

(vi) Existing healthy site trees may be used to satisfy the site tree requirements of this section in accordance with Section 51A-10.125(b)(3)(B). Whether a site tree is healthy is a determination made by the building official.

(vii) In the RTN district, at least 50 percent of all required yards must be landscaped with turf, groundcover, soil, or mulch.

(B) Shared Access Developments.

(i) One site tree must be provided for every 4,000 square feet, or portion thereof, within the shared access development, or a minimum of one site tree must be provided for each individual dwelling unit in the shared access development, whichever is greater.

(ii) Site trees must be evenly distributed throughout the shared access development.

Specific Landscaping for Development Types

Mu - Mixed Use - STANDARD

Ss - Single-story shopfront -

(A) General landscaping standards are set forth in Section 51A-13.304(a)(2), “Landscaping.”

(B) One site tree must be provided for every 4,000 square feet of lot area, or portion thereof, or a minimum of four site trees must be provided, whichever is greater.

Gc - General commercial -

Apt - Apartment -

(A) General landscaping standards are set forth in Section 51A-13.304(a)(2), "Landscaping."

(B) One site tree must be provided for every 4,000 square feet of lot area, or portion thereof, or a minimum of four site trees must be provided, whichever is greater.

(D) Required landscaping may be provided above ground when configured as on-site open space in accordance with Section 51A-13.303, “Open Space.”

Ts - Townhouse stacked -

(A) General landscaping standards are set forth in Section 51A-13.304(a)(2), "Landscaping."

(B) One site tree must be provided in the front yard for each two units stacked vertically on an individually platted lot.

(i) One site tree must be provided for every 4,000 square feet of lot area, or portion thereof, or a minimum of one site tree must be provided for each set of two units stacked vertically, whichever is greater.

(ii) Site trees must be evenly distributed throughout the development.

Th - Townhouse -

(A) General landscaping standards are set forth in Section 51A-13.304(a)(2), “Landscaping.”

(B) Except in a shared access development, one site tree must be provided in the front yard for a townhouse on an individually-platted lot in all districts.

(C) In a shared access development or if more than one townhouse unit is located on the same lot, the following requirements apply:

(i) One site tree must be provided for every 4,000 square feet of lot area, or portion thereof, or a minimum of one site tree must be provided for each individual unit, whichever is greater.

(ii) Site trees must be evenly distributed throughout the development.

Mh - Manor house -

(A) General landscaping standards are set forth in Section 51A-13.304(a)(2), “Landscaping.”

(B) In the RTN district, one site tree must be provided in the front yard of a manor house on an individually platted lot.

(C) A minimum of one site tree must be provided on the lot for each individual unit in the manor house. At least one site tree must be located in the front yard of each manor house.

Sf - Single family house -

(A) General landscaping standards are set forth in Section 51A-13.304(a)(2), “Landscaping.”

(B) A minimum of two site trees must be provided on the lot for each single-family house. At least one site tree must be located in the front yard of each single-family house.

Civ - Civic building -

(A) General landscaping standards are set forth in Section 51A-13.304(a)(2), “Landscaping.”

(B) One site tree must be provided for every 4,000 square feet of lot area, or portion thereof, or a minimum of four site trees must be provided, whichever is

greater.