(a) General provisions.
(1) Required front yards must be open and unobstructed except for fences and light poles 20 feet or less in height. Except as otherwise provided in this section, ordinary projections of window sills, belt courses, cornices, and other architectural features may not project more than 12 inches into the required front yard. A fireplace chimney may project up to two feet into the required front yard if its area of projection does not exceed 12 square feet. Cantilevered roof eaves and balconies may project up to five feet into the required front yard.
(2) The front yard setback is measured from the front lot line of the building site or the required right-of-way as determined by the thoroughfare plan for all thoroughfares, whichever creates the greater setback. On minor streets, the front yard setback is measured from the front lot line of the building site or the existing right-of-way, whichever creates the greater setback. When the city council by ordinance establishes a specific right-of-way line for a street, the front yard setback is measured from that right-of-way line.
(3) If a building line that is established by ordinance requires a greater or lesser front yard than prescribed by Section 51-4.410, the building line established by ordinance determines the minimum required front yard.
(4) The building official may approve a ramp that projects into the required front yard to allow a handicapped person access to an existing single family, duplex, or handicapped group dwelling unit use. The ramp must be constructed with minimal encroachment and must be constructed to the applicable accessibility standard as determined by the building official. Initial review of a complete permit application for a ramp must be completed in 10 days.
(5) If a lot runs from one street to another and has double frontage, a required front yard must be provided on both streets. If access is prohibited on one frontage by plat or by the city, the following structures or portions of structures in the yard along that frontage are governed by the rear yard regulations in Section 51-4.403:
(A) Swimming pools.
(B) Game courts.
(C) Fences.
(D) Garages.
(E) Accessory storage buildings.
(6) Except as provided in this paragraph, if a blockface is divided by two or more zoning districts, the front yard for the entire blockface must comply with the requirements of the district with the greatest front yard requirement.
(A) If the greatest front yard is in a district with only one or more of the following uses being conducted as a main use and having a minimum of 80 feet of frontage, the blockface terminates at the boundary of that use:
(i) Utility and service uses listed in Section 51-4.202.
(ii) A railroad team track or railroad yard, round house, or shops.
(iii) A cemetery or mausoleum.
(iv) Recreation and entertainment uses listed in Section 51-4.208(1) through (5).
(B) In this section BLOCKFACE means:
(i) the distance along one side of a Street between the two nearest intersecting streets;
(ii) where a street deadends, the distance along one side of a street between the nearest intersecting street and the end of the deadend street; or
(iii) where a street centerline contains a change of direction greater than 45 degrees, the distance along one side of a street between either the nearest intersecting street or the deadend and the point determining the angle of the change of direction.
(7) If a building is erected or altered to exceed 36 feet in height, and if the building site is either perpendicularly contiguous to or perpendicularly across an adjoining street from an R, R(A), D, D(A), TH, TH(A), or CH district, an additional setback must be provided that is equal to twice the height of that portion of the building that exceeds 36 feet. The additional setback is only required for that portion of a building that exceeds 36 feet in height.
(8) The minimum front yard requirements in a planned development district are controlled by the planned development district regulations.
(9) In a multiple-family, MH, A, office, commercial, central area, or industrial district, the board of adjustment may allow a special exception from the front yard requirements of Section 51-4.410 to permit the erection of a permanently constructed porte-cochere, covered walkway, or canopy if the structure is rectilinear in shape and does not exceed 25 feet in width at the building line, and if the board finds that the structure will not adversely affect neighboring property.
(b) Front yard provisions for residential districts.
(1) If a corner lot in a single-family, duplex, or agricultural district has two street frontages of equal distance, one frontage is governed by the front yard regulations of this section, and the other frontage is governed by the side yard regulations in Section 51-4.402. If the corner lot has two street frontages of unequal distance, the shorter frontage is governed by this section, and the longer frontage is governed by the side yard regulations in Section 51-4.402. Notwithstanding this provision, the continuity of the established setback along street frontage must be maintained.
(2) In a residential district, if a structure specified in Section 51-4.408(a)(1) is erected or altered to exceed the maximum height allowed in Section 51-4.410, an additional setback must be provided that is equal to one-half the height of that portion of the building that exceeds 36 feet, up to a maximum total setback of 50 feet. The additional setback is only required for that portion of a building that exceeds 36 feet in height. In case of conflict between Subsection (a)(7) and this provision, Subsection (a)(7) applies.
(3) If a TH district abuts another residential district, as defined both in this chapter and in Chapter 51A, in the same blockface and fronts on the same side of the street, the residential district with the greater front yard requirement determines the minimum front yard. The minimum front yard for the residential district with the greater front yard requirement must extend at least 150 feet into the TH district.
(4) In a manufactured home district, a manufactured home may not be located closer than 20 feet to a public street right-of-way or a private drive used for access, circulation, or service to a lot or stand where a manufactured home is located.
(5) Reserved.
(6) Reserved.
(7) In MF-3 and MF-4 districts, if a building is erected or altered to exceed 36 feet in height, an additional setback must be provided that is equal to one-half the height of that portion of the building that exceeds 36 feet, up to a maximum total setback of 50 feet. The additional setback is only required for that portion of a building that exceeds 36 feet in height. In case of conflict between Subsection (a)(7) and this provision, Subsection (a)(7) applies.
(c) Front yard provisions for nonresidential districts.
(1) In a nonresidential district, if a building is erected or altered to exceed 36 feet in height and if the building site is either perpendicularly contiguous to or perpendicularly across an adjoining street from a MF-1, MF-1(A), MF-2, or MF-2(A) district, an additional setback must be provided that is equal to one-half the height of that portion of the building that exceeds 36 feet, up to a maximum total setback of 50 feet. The additional setback is only required for that portion of a building that exceeds 36 feet in height.
(2) Reserved.
(3) In the CA-1-CP and CA-1-SP districts, a 10-foot setback is required that is measured from the street curb as established by the Dallas Central Business District Streets and Vehicular Circulation Plan, Ordinance No. 13262, as amended. When an owner establishes a setback on his property greater than the 10-foot requirement, a floor area bonus of six times the additional setback area is allowed. The maximum permitted floor area ratio with a bonus is 24 to one.
(4) In a CA-1 district, a sidewalk must be provided between the back of the street curb and the face of a building at grade in accordance with this subsection. The face of a building is behind the columns for a building with exterior columns.
(A) Average sidewalk width equals the total sidewalk surface area divided by the lineal feet of frontage.
(i) Each frontage on each blockface must contain the required average sidewalk width.
(ii) The computation of average sidewalk width excludes the area occupied by structural walls or columns.
(iii) In computing average sidewalk width, the surface area at the corner is counted only once.
(B) In a CA-1-CP district, sidewalks must be constructed and maintained in accordance with the following regulations.
(i) An average sidewalk width of 18 feet is required.
(ii) A minimum sidewalk width of 12 feet that is unobstructed by any structure or planting is required. The 12-foot minimum sidewalk width may be divided into seven- and five-foot minimum segments.
(C) In a CA-1-SP district, sidewalks must be constructed and maintained in accordance with the following regulations.
(i) A building with a floor area ratio of more than 15 to one is subject to the requirements of the CA-1-CP district in Subsection (c)(4)(B).
(ii) A building with a floor area ratio of 15 to one or less must have an average sidewalk width of 15 feet and a minimum sidewalk width of nine feet that is unobstructed by any structure or planting.
(D) In a CA-1 district without a CP or SP overlay district designation, sidewalks must be constructed and maintained in accordance with the following regulations:
(i) A building with a floor area ratio of more than 15 to one is subject to the requirements of the CA-1-CP district in Subsection (c)(4)(B).
(ii) A building with a floor area ratio of 10 to one through 15 to one must have an average sidewalk width of 15 feet and a minimum sidewalk width of nine feet that is unobstructed by any structure.
(iii) All other buildings must provide a minimum sidewalk width of 10 feet with seven feet unobstructed by any structure or planting.
(d) Special exception for tree preservation.
(1) The board may grant a special exception to the minimum front yard requirements in this section to preserve an existing tree.
(2) In determining whether to grant this special exception, the board shall consider the following factors:
(A) Whether the requested special exception is compatible with the character of the neighborhood.
(B) Whether the value of surrounding properties will be adversely affected.
(C) Whether the tree is worthy of preservation.
(e) Schedule of minimum front yards.
(1) Except as provided in this section, a person shall not erect, alter, convert, or maintain a structure or part of a structure in violation of the minimum front yard requirements of Section 51-4.410. (Ord. Nos. 16959; 17044; 17442; 17445; 17859; 19060; 19455; 20236; 20360; 22053; 26531; 30895; 30932)