HomeMy WebLinkAbout03122009 ZPC Agenda Item 4
Amendment relating to
basements and other
"below-grade" spaces"
3-9-09
Add a new definition as follows:
o, v- rode s ace. Any basement or other building s pace where the floor is
more than o`~° t{ze standard
base level of the site].
Amend section (c) of Schedule FA (entitled "Framed Area") as follows:
(c) Uncounted areas. The following areas are not counted as framed area:
1. Attic area that cannot be reached through a fixed accessway;
2. Attic area where there is a interior height less than seven feet;
3. Those non-attic parts of an imaginary plane on a second or third-floor level,
above which there is less than seven feet of interior height;
4. Area beneath eaves, cornices, roof extensions, "greenhouse" or bay windows,
cantilevered space and similar parts of building that project outward from the
main wall of a building no more than 24 inches, if the area is on a lower floor
level (or at ground level) and is otherwise completely open to the outdoors;
5. Unenclosed porch area of a principal building, if the longest side of the porch
directly faces the front street line or side street line of the building site, and the
area is neither designed nor usable for motor vehicles;
6. The area of "crawl space" at ground level;
7. Unenclosed walkway or "breezeway" area if: (A) the area directly connects a
principal building to an accessory building containing garage space located
behind the principal building; (B) the total covered width of the area does not
exceed eight feet; and (C) no part of the roof is higher than 14 feet; and
8. Area of recessed entries (garage or home) or windows that is completely open
to the outdoors on at least one side, if: (A) each area faces the front street line or
side street line of the building site, (B) each area is not larger than 100 square feet,
and (C) the total of all such uncounted recessed area is less than 200 square feet;
level of the si4e, the ititefief heiehi meeed eight feet.
The rules for uncounted areas shall be strictly construed and applied to the defined areas
only.
Amend the definitions of "story" and "story, half," as follows:
r
tory. The portion of a building between successive floors of such building or from the
top floor to the roof. For this purpose, below-grade spaces air disregal°ded if they comply
with the limits s ecil'ied in this Ordinance,.see e. s, Section 8-116.
Story, half. In the case of a two-and-one-half-story building, a third-floor level with a
framed area that does not exceed 50% of the framed area of either the first or second-
floor level (whichever is smaller). For this lnrrl.ose, below-grade spaces are disregarded
if they comply with the limits specified in this Ordinance: secy. e. Section 8-116.
Amend the "ground level and underground items" section of Table 7-6, as
follows:
Sidewalks, patios,
porches/platforms/d
ecks, retaining The area counts as
walls, driveways, open area but not as
areas and No limit,
parking except pervious area unless
Ground similar structures that the material is
level and not higher than six decks completely pervious to
under- inches; all No No No water. The area
ground underground may not limit limit limit beneath a deck may
items structures (exept project count as pervious area
below-grade more
than 120" if rain is allowed to
s aces . See also pass through the deck.
Table 7-3 See Table 7-3.
regarding pervious
pavement.
eAdda, new Section 8-116, as follows:
Section 8-116, Below-grade space
Blow- grade space is forbidden on an site, unless: i the aggregate floor area is
smaller than s uare feet ,...per site "ii there is no ceiling higher than seven feet above
the Door, (iii) there are no ph~rnbin lixttres and (iv) the space is designed arrd used only
for stora~c or mechanical equipment.
~ F
end Section 18-57 of the Code of
Ordinances as follows:
Sec. 18-57. Trenching and excavations
(a) Notifications, e tc°. For any trench excavation exceeding a depth of five feet,
each applicant for a permit must certify in writing that the applicable requirements of the
Texas Health and Safety Code have been, and will be, satisfied. The applicable
requirements including, but not limited to the following, are:
(1) V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code § 756.021 et seq., for construction contracts
generally, where a contractor is employed; and
(2) V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code § 756.022, for construction contracts for the city
or any other political subdivision of the State.
b Distance -corn ro er°ty lines. No part of any excavation deeper thz ~
and bi-er t may be closer to a ro pert : line ffpan its depth
below the -rade vel at the nearest pro erty line. Exarn?le: A four-foot deep excavation
i-na , not be c ser than four feet to any property, line.