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(a) A pre-development conference may be held between the applicant, his or her consultant, and the DRC staff prior to submission of a preliminary plat, concept plan, or construction plan application for the purpose of advising the applicant as to the general restrictions, requirements and other planning and engineering matters applicable to the plat. If an issue arises during the pre-development meeting that directly concerns a city department not represented, the appropriate staff will be contacted. This pre-development conference does not constitute a filing under Tex. Local Government Code, Chapter 212.
(b) A presubmittal conference may be held between the applicant, his or her consultant, and the DRC staff prior to submission of a plat if the applicant is willing to agree in writing that the conference does not constitute the filing of an application. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the applicant input on areas of the submittal that require additional information to complete the application. This presubmittal conference does not constitute a filing under Tex. Local Government Code, Chapter 212.
(c) A presubmittal conference may be held between the applicant, his or her consultant, and the Infrastructure plan review center staff prior to submission of a construction plan if the applicant is willing to agree in writing that the conference does not constitute the filing of an application. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the applicant with assistance in designing construction plans that meet the city's requirements. This presubmittal conference does not constitute a filing under Tex. Local Government Code, Chapter 212.
(d) A post submittal conference may be held between the applicant, his or her consultant, and the Infrastructure Plan Review Center staff after a construction plan has been disapproved or conditionally approved. If the applicant chooses to have a post submittal conference, the post submittal conference must be held before the applicant files a response to the reasons the construction plan was disapproved or conditionally approved. An applicant must agree in writing that the conference does not constitute the filing of an application or a response. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the applicant with assistance in re-designing construction plans to meet the city's requirements. This post submittal conference does not constitute a filing or written response under Tex. Local Government Code, Chapter 212.
(Ord. 17794, § 2, passed 9-25-2007; Ord. 17851, § 1 (App. C, Ch. 4, Art. I), passed 10-30-2007; Ord. 23932-11-2019, § 5, passed 11-12-2019, eff. 11-22-2019; Ord. 24457-09-2020, § 3, passed 9-22-2020)
(a) Written request. Every proposal shall be submitted in writing in a format and on application forms provided by the planning and development department or transportation and public works department. All applications and any required supplemental documents shall be submitted to the executive secretary, or their designee. No plat or plan application will be accepted for filing and processing by the executive secretary until all fees are paid, the application meets the requirements of this chapter, including all necessary studies, plans and supporting information; supporting documents are accepted and approved by the reviewing department, and the property is properly zoned for the anticipated use or an application has been submitted for rezoning.
(b) Filing date. The filing date for applications submitted for commission or director action shall be established by the executive secretary. The filing deadline shall be the official filing date for all applications. Any application delivered to the city prior to the filing date shall be deemed submitted on the official filing date.
(c) Public notices for certain applications. The following applications shall require notice of a public hearing: application for waivers from subdivision ordinance requirements for plats, right-of-way or easement vacations and master thoroughfare plan amendments/waivers. Notice of the public hearing shall be sent to the applicant or his or her agent; and to the owners of all properties lying within 200 feet of the property (as ownership appears on the last approved county tax roll). Notice may also be sent to the owners of all abutting properties located outside the city limits and to other persons as the executive secretary determines may be affected by the proposal. Notice shall be given in writing, deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, not less than ten days prior to the date of commission hearing. The notice shall advise that a specific application as listed above has been submitted for consideration and is available for review in the planning and development department. The notice shall not be deemed a condition precedent to the holding of any public hearing or to any official action concerning the matter before the plan commission.
(d) Withdrawal of application. Any application may be withdrawn by submitting a request to the executive secretary. The request shall be effective upon the date of receipt by the executive secretary. A request to withdraw the application after public notices have been mailed shall be heard by the plan commission.
(Ord. 17522, § 5, passed 4-24-2007; Ord. 17851, § 1 (App. C, Ch. 4, Art. II), passed 10-30-2007; Ord. 23679-06-2019, § 1, passed 6-4-2019; Ord. 23932-11-2019, § 6, passed 11-12-2019, eff. 11-22-2019; Ord. 24457-09-2020, § 4, passed 9-22-2020)
(a) Concept plan.
(1) Applications. All concept plans shall include the following at the time of filing:
a. Approved master water study;
b. Approved master wastewater study; and
c. Approved master drainage study;
(2) Review. The DRC shall review the concept plan to determine the relationship of proposed traffic-ways to existing neighborhood circulation patterns; compliance with this chapter; the master thoroughfare plan; the comprehensive plan; parks and recreation policies; Meacham, Alliance and Spinks Airport controls; and other city codes, ordinances, policies, rules or regulations; and the need for other public facilities.
(3) Approval.
a. The plan commission shall review all concept plans. The decision of the plan commission is final.
b. Approval by the plan commission shall permit the submission of preliminary plats in stages that are in conformity with the approved concept plan and this chapter, City of Fort Worth development policies. Approval of a concept plan shall not prevent the plan commission from approving concept plans and plats on adjacent properties that are not consistent with the concept plan, or from disapproving future preliminary plats that do not comply with the approved concept plan. Before any inconsistent concept plan or plat is approved on adjacent property, the plan commission shall give written notice to the current property owner and to the applicant who filed the previously approved concept plan.
(4) Conditional approval. Concept plans conditionally approved shall follow the process provided in § 31-5(c).
(5) Withdrawal of approval by plan commission. Approval or conditional approval of a concept plan is voidable or subject to amendment at any time, after a public hearing by the plan commission, if the applicant causes a material change in the approved concept plan.
(6) Expiration. A concept plan shall expire on the fifth anniversary of the date the plan was approved by the plan commission if no progress has been made towards the completion of the project. Progress towards the completion of the project shall include any one of the following:
a. An application for a final plat or plan is submitted;
b. A good-faith attempt is made to file with the city or other regulatory agency for a permit necessary to begin or continue towards completion of the project;
c. Costs have been incurred for developing the project, including costs associated with roadway, utility and other infrastructure facilities designed to serve the project in the aggregate amount of 5% of the most recent appraised market value of the real property of the project;
d. Fiscal security is posted; or
e. Utility connection fees or impact fees for the project have been paid.
(b) Preliminary plat.
(1) Applications and engineering documents. All preliminary plat applications shall include the following at the time of filing:
a. An approved drainage plan and study, including the 100-year floodplain, and any existing or proposed drainage easements affecting the plan;
b. An approved comprehensive water study;
c. An approved comprehensive wastewater study;
d. Preliminary location of water wells serving the site, if not served by a public domestic water supply and distribution system. Subdivisions with three or more lots may show a typical location detail on the plat, with dimensions to the nearest proposed sanitary waste disposal field or facility. The county health department and city transportation and public works department shall each receive a copy of planned locations. Documentation of approved well sites and on-site waste disposal acres shall be provided from the county health department; and
e. An approved Traffic Impact Assessment Study;
f. Proof that the property is properly zoned for the project or a copy of the application for a zoning change or board of adjustment application;
g. Approved Master Thoroughfare Plan amendments or a copy of the application for approval;
(2) Review. The DRC shall review the preliminary plat to determine the relationship of proposed traffic-ways to existing neighborhood circulation patterns; compliance with this chapter; the master thoroughfare plan; the comprehensive plan; parks and recreation policies; Meacham, Alliance and Spinks Airport controls; and other city codes, ordinances, policies, rules or regulations; and the need for other public facilities.
(3) Approval.
a. The plan commission shall review preliminary plats requesting a waiver. The decision of the plan commission is final.
b. The plan commission shall determine that the plat meets the following city requirements prior to preliminary plat approval:
1. City's subdivision regulations;
2. Conformance with the zoning ordinance and district regulations governing the plat, including proper zoning of the plat to be in place prior to final plat approval;
3. Conformance with the latest adopted comprehensive plan of the City of Fort Worth, with regards to current and future streets, alleys, parks, playgrounds and public utility facilities;
4. Conformance with the latest adopted master thoroughfare plan and related street standards as determined by the city traffic engineer;
5. Conformance with city adopted park dedication policies;
6. Conformance with the city and/or county regulations (whichever is applicable) for the safe and adequate provision of water supply and sanitary waste collection and disposal;
7. Conformance with adopted federal, state, county and city stormwater management regulations;
8. Conformance with the city's latest adopted airport controls and master plans for Spinks, Alliance and Meacham Airports; and compliance with related Federal Aviation Regulations (FAA) to mitigate potential adverse safety impacts to other nearby surrounding regional satellite airports; and with the U.S. Government Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base (aka Carswell AFB); and
9. Conformance with a previously approved concept plan.
(4) Conditional approval. Preliminary Plats conditionally approved shall follow the process provided in § 31-5(c).
(5) Changes or alterations to approved plat.
a. No previously approved plat may be changed or altered, except to bring the plat in conformance with the conditions and requirements stipulated by the commission. Minor changes as outlined below shall be permitted at the discretion of the executive secretary.
1. The proposed internal street and/or circulation system and alignments may be altered if minor in nature. Changes to street classifications, connections to perimeter streets, or extensions to the subdivision's perimeter to un-subdivided property shall not be considered minor alterations.
2. A net increase, not to exceed 5% of the total residential lots (rounded to the nearest whole number) in the overall lot yield of the approved preliminary plat may be made, except as elsewhere prohibited by these regulations.
b. If the executive secretary determines that the proposed changes are minor, a revised preliminary plat may be approved administratively. A revised preliminary plat shall include all property within the boundary of the original preliminary plat. A revision to a revised preliminary plat shall not affect the expiration date of the plat and shall carry the same expirations as outlined below.
(6) Expiration.
a. A preliminary plat shall expire two years from the date the plat was approved by the city plan commission unless progress towards completion of the project has been demonstrated prior to that expiration date, or a request for an extension has been made in accordance with subsection (b)(7) below.
b. Progress must be demonstrated by the applicant in writing 30 calendar days prior to preliminary plat expiration. Progress towards the completion of the project shall include any one of the following:
1. An application for a final plat or plan or a portion thereof is submitted;
2. A good-faith attempt is made to file with the city or other regulatory agency for a permit necessary to begin or continue towards completion of the project;
3. Costs have been incurred for developing the project, including costs associated with roadway, utility and other infrastructure facilities designed to serve the project in the aggregate amount of 5% of the most recent appraised market value of the real property of the project;
4. Fiscal security is posted; or
5. Utility connection fees or impact fees for the project have been paid.
c. A final plat that is not recorded in accordance with subsection (c)(2) of this section will not constitute progress.
d. An acceptable demonstration of progress, as determined by the executive secretary, will result in the project being extended five years from the point of progress.
e. Subsequent progress made towards completion of the project, if documented prior to plat expiration, will extend the life of the project for an additional five years from the point of progress.
f. If a new preliminary plat is submitted, a new application and fees will be required and a new maximum two-year period shall begin upon the commission's approval of the newly submitted preliminary plat.
(7) Extension. The applicant may, within 30-calendar days prior to the preliminary plat expiration date, request commission approval for an extension up to a maximum one-year period, provided no plat changes have been made from the original approved plat. Such written request shall be placed on the commission's regular monthly agenda as an "other matters of business" item and no additional application shall be required. If approved, the commission shall set the expiration date of the requested extension for a period of time up to, but not exceeding, one calendar year. Extensions shall not exceed five years total from date of original approval.
(c) Plats (final plats, short form final plats, replats, vacated plats, conveyance plats, and amended plats).
(1) Approval.
a. If the executive secretary determines that the final plat complies with the requirements of this chapter or previously approved preliminary plat, then the executive secretary shall certify the final plat and it shall be recorded.
b. No final plat shall be certified as approved until:
1. All conditions required by this chapter including all plans, design standards and policy manuals incorporated by reference into the subdivision ordinance and other applicable regulations in the city code and the commission have been met;
2. All approvals of outside governmental entities, state agencies, or public utilities are provided to the city;
3. Construction of community facilities necessary to serve the property; execution of a community facilities agreement or similar agreement approved by the city and providing the city with an acceptable financial guarantee, other than a completion agreement; providing the city with any financial guarantee required by the county having jurisdiction in the ETJ per an interlocal agreement under State Senate Bill No. 1445; or the execution of a future improvements agreement and delivering to the city a check for the cost of the public infrastructure covered by the future improvements agreement;
4. The dedication instrument is completed and signed;
5. Any related documents are reviewed and approved; and
6. The commission chairperson's and commission executive secretary's attesting signatures have been placed on the face of the plat.
(d) Construction plans.
(1) Applications. All construction plans shall include the following at the time of filing:
a. IPRC application form and payment of the application fee;
b. Construction plans that are signed and sealed by the engineer of record;
c. Drainage study approved by the city or a copy of the city's determination that the drainage study is not required;
d. Traffic impact assessment study approved by the city or a copy of the city's determination that a traffic impact assessment study is not required;
e. Water and sanitary sewer studies approved by the city, or a copy of the city's determination that a water or sanitary study is not required;
f. Draft horizontal control plan;
g. Approved alignment walks for water, sanitary sewer and stormwater infrastructure or a copy of the city's determination that an alignment walk is not required;
h. Geotechnical report;
i. Proof that the property is properly zoned for the project or a copy of the application for a zoning change;
j. Approved Master Thoroughfare Plan amendments or a copy of the application for approval;
k. Approved street vacations or a copy of the application for approval;
l. Approvals of outside governmental entities or a copy of all applications for approval;
m. Construction plan waivers that have been granted or a copy of the application for each waiver; and
n. A copy of the currently public city construction specifications applicable to the construction plans.
(2) Review. The Infrastructure Plan Review Center shall review the construction plan to determine compliance with: this chapter; other city codes, ordinances, policies, rules or regulations; and county, state, and federal laws.
(3) Approval.
a. The commission or director shall review construction plans requesting a waiver. The decision of the commission or director is final.
b. The commission or director shall determine that construction plans meet the following requirements prior to approval:
1. City's subdivision regulations;
2. Conformance with any approved preliminary plat or final plat;
3. Conformance with city codes, ordinances, policies, rules and regulations;
4. Conformance with county, state, and federal laws.
5. Approval of proper zoning, street vacations, and Master Thoroughfare Plan amendments; and
6. Approval of other governmental entities, when required, have been obtained.
(4) Conditional approval. Construction plans conditionally approved shall follow the process provided in § 31-5(c).
(5) Changes or alterations to approved construction plans. No previously approved construction plan may be changed or altered, except to bring the construction plan in conformance with the conditions and requirements stipulated as part of the approval. Minor field changes shall be permitted at the discretion of the infrastructure plan review center and the construction inspector as long as the field changes do not conflict with the city codes, ordinances, policies, rules, and regulations.
(6) Expiration.
a. A construction plan shall expire two years from the date the construction plan was approved.
b. If a new construction plan is submitted, a new application and application fee will be required and a new maximum two-year period shall begin upon the approval of the newly submitted construction plan.
(e) Closure or vacation of public or private streets, alleys and access easements. Plan commission review process - vacation or closure of streets and alleys.
(1) Eligibility. All applications must conform to the requirements of the city for vacating public or private streets and alley rights of way or public access easements serving more than one property.
(2) Traffic study.
a. As a condition for vacation or closure approval and prior to the commission's public hearing, the director of transportation and public works may require the applicant to submit a traffic study prepared by a professional civil engineer to determine whether or not the requested closure or vacation would have an adverse impact on nearby or neighborhood through traffic and circulation.
b. The study shall be performed and completed in a format as required by the transportation and public works department. The study shall be submitted not less than two calendar weeks prior to the commission's scheduled public hearing. Copies of an executive summary of the traffic study shall also be simultaneously transmitted to the planning and development department for distribution to applicable city departments and the plan commission.
(3) Review. The DRC shall review and make a recommendation to the plan commission on all applications for closure or vacation.
(4) Plan commission approval. After approval by the city plan commission and upon receipt of the required purchase payment for the rights-of-way or access easement established by the property management department, and an acceptable replat has been submitted, the findings and actions shall be certified by the executive secretary and transmitted to the city council for final consideration and action.
(5) Plan commission denial and appeal. If the plan commission recommends denial, the applicant may appeal the decision to the city council by filing a written appeal with the executive secretary of the commission within 12 days after the commission's action. If no appeal is filed, the recommendation of the plan commission shall be final.
(6) Expiration/extension.
a. If a replat application that incorporates the area to be vacated is not submitted within 180 days of the city plan commission recommendation, the commission's recommendation shall expire and be deemed withdrawn.
b. Any city plan commission's recommendation to city council to vacate a public or private street, alley right-of-way or public access easement made prior to June 1, 2010 must be incorporated into a replat recorded by December 31, 2012 or the recommendation of the commission shall expire and be deemed withdrawn.
c. For the expiration of the replat that incorporates the land area to be vacated, see subsection (c), final plats, above.
(f) Vacation and abandonment of public utility, public open space and drainage easements. An application to vacate a public utility, public open space or drainage easement may be vacated by one of the following actions.
(1) Vacation by plat. Unless created by separate instrument, a drainage, public open space or utility easement may be vacated by submitting a plat.
(2) Vacation by separate instrument. Drainage, public open space and/or utility easements may be vacated or abandoned by separate deed instrument approved and executed by the city and recorded in the applicable deed records of the county. The procedures shall be as follows.
a. Application. A completed application shall be submitted to the property management department for review.
b. Accompanying exhibits. Proper exhibits as required by the property management department shall be provided.
c. Abandonment concurrence. All adjacent contiguous property owners that may be affected by the vacation or abandonment of the easement shall provide evidence of concurrence with the vacation.
d. Processing and investigation. The property management department shall notify and provide a copy of the application and exhibits to any affected department, agency or franchised public utility company. After all affected parties have been notified and endorsements received from reviewing city departments and franchised utility companies, the division administrator shall initiate approval by the city council.
e. Recording of instrument. Upon approval, the property management department shall record the abandonment document in the county deed records.
(Ord. 17522, § 5, passed 4-24-2007; Ord. 17794, §§ 3—5, passed 9-25-2007; Ord. 17851, § 1 (App. C, Ch. 4, Art. III), passed 10-30-2007; Ord. 18319-09- 2008, § 9, passed 9-30-2008; Ord. 19156-05-2010, §§ 7, 8, passed 5-18-2010; Ord. 20382-09-2012, §§ 3, 4, passed 9-11-2012; Ord. 21650-02-2015, § 4, passed 2-17-2015; Ord. 23679-06-2019, § 2, passed 6-4-2019; Ord. 23932-11-2019, § 7, passed 11-12-2019, eff. 11-22-2019; Ord. 24457-09-2020, § 5, passed 9-22-2020)
(a) Plats, plans and proposed public improvements shall conform to this chapter, the comprehensive plan as it applies within the city limits (except where it conflicts with existing zoning); master thoroughfare plan; parks and recreation policies; Meacham, Alliance and Spinks Airport controls; and other city codes, ordinances, policies, rules or regulations.
(b) These subdivision regulations shall be administered in accordance with the following.
(1) Sites and access. Appropriately sized sites per the comprehensive zoning ordinance and access to public schools, parks, playgrounds and other community facilities shall be provided in conformance with rules and regulations of the city. Subdivisions shall provide an adequate system of streets with multiple routes and connections serving the same origins and destinations.
(2) Adequate public facilities and infrastructure.
a. Each subdivision of land shall provide adequate public facilities including water, wastewater collection and disposal, drainage facilities, parks and recreation facilities, and transportation facilities necessary to properly serve the proposed development, including related off-site facilities.
b. The adequacy of public facilities shall be determined by evaluating their conformance with the minimum levels of service, as established in this chapter or any other applicable city development standards.
1. Street access. All final platted lots shall have a paved direct access to an all weather paved hard surfaced public or private street or an access easement approved by the public safety departments and the city engineer.
2. Water. All final platted lots must be connected to a domestic public water system or served by a non-contaminated private water well, when public water service is not available in accordance with adopted city water department policy for water service. The public water system shall not cross property lines, parallel side or rear property lot lines, nor encroach into natural areas or wetlands, without written approval from the city water department.
3. Wastewater. All final platted lots shall be connected to a public wastewater collection and treatment system or served by a county health department approved aerobic or septic sanitary waste disposal system, when a public wastewater system is not available in accordance with City of Fort Worth water department policy for wastewater service. The projected wastewater discharge of a proposed development shall not exceed the capacity of the public wastewater system. The public wastewater collection system shall not cross property lines, or parallel side or rear property lot lines, without written approval from the city water department.
4. Stormwater management. Stormwater management shall conform to the adopted stormwater management policies and ordinances adopted by the city.
5. Parks and recreation. Park and recreation facilities and features shall be deemed adequate when all required park fees have been paid and/or all required agreements for land dedication or participation have been approved and accepted by the department of park and recreation and the city council.
6. Public utilities. All final platted lots must have access to public and franchise public utilities.
(3) Drainage and natural land features. Subdivisions shall be designed and platted in conformance with the tree preservation ordinance and the stormwater management policy and ordinances. Floodplain and floodway conservation, wetland protection and the preservation of historic and archaeological sites and natural features including steep slopes and protected wildlife habitats shall conform to federal and state laws.
(4) Urban forestry plan.
a. Subdivision plats are subject to the tree preservation and planting requirements of the zoning ordinance of the City of Fort Worth in effect at the time of vesting. Prior to the submission of any plat for review and approval by the city, the applicant shall apply for an urban forestry permit or a waiver from such permit from the planning and development department.
b. Should compliance with the urban forestry permit require a provision for the planting of one or more trees per residential lot, a note shall be placed on the final plat stating: “In accordance with City of Fort Worth tree ordinance, construction shall require the provision of one tree per 5,000 square feet of lot area prior to final building inspection.”
(5) Incorporation of adopted design standards and policy manuals.
a. Design manuals. The city’s traffic engineering manual; Installation Policy and Design Criteria for Water, Wastewater, and Reclaimed Water Infrastructure; and utility construction policies, as adopted and amended by the city council and published by the city, are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in these regulations.
b. Installation of community facilities. The city’s community facilities agreement ordinance is incorporated by reference, as if fully set forth in these regulations.
c. Chapter 212 of the State of Texas Local Government Code. Tex. Local Government Code Chapter 212, governing: Municipal Regulation of Subdivisions and Property Development is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in these regulations.
d. City Council adopted form based codes and/or design overlay zoning districts containing a regulating plan, street cross sections, or streetscape standards are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in these regulations and shall apply to those areas zoned with the appropriate zoning suffix.
e. Access Management Policy. The city’s Access Management Policy is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in these regulations.
f. Active Transportation Plan. The Active Transportation Plan, as may be amended, is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in these regulations.
(Ord. 17794, § 8, passed 9-25-2007; Ord. 17851, § 1 (App. C, Ch. 5), passed 10-30-2007; Ord. 17924, §§ 1, 3, passed 12-18-2007; Ord. 20382-09-2012, § 5, passed 9-11-2012; Ord. 22051-01-2016, § 1, passed 1-12-2016; Ord. 22274-06-2016, § 1, passed 6-14- 2016, eff. 6-23-2016; Ord. 23225-06-2018, § 1, passed 6-5-2018, eff. 8-1-2018; Ord. 23679-06-2019, § 3, passed 6-4-2019; Ord. 25824-11-2022, § 1, passed 11-8-2022)
Editor’s note:
Ord. 17924, § 1, adopted December 18, 2007, deleted the provisions of § 31-136, incorporation of adopted design standards and policy manuals, and renumbered said provisions as § 31-81(d). Said provisions have been designated as § 31-81(e) at the discretion of the editor, as there already exist provisions designated (d). See also the Code Comparative Table.
(a) Roadway network. Prior to plat approval the city shall determine whether the roadway network serving the development to be platted has adequate capacity to accommodate existing traffic, traffic reasonably anticipated from the development, and traffic reasonably anticipated from other developments approved or for which a formal application has been submitted. Adequate connectivity will address internal connectivity as well as external connectivity. This determination shall be based on information provided by the developer in the plat application and supporting studies, unless the study is waived.
(b) Vehicular paved access to subdivisions.
(1) Vehicular access to subdivisions within the city shall be by means of a public street having an all weather reinforced concrete or HMAC asphalt paved surface, constructed to city standards, and of appropriate design, traffic capacity and service level rating to accommodate the present and anticipated traffic volumes and wheel loads of passenger, sanitation, moving vans, delivery services and emergency vehicles and equipment. Failure to meet, or provide satisfactory proof of meeting these requirements, by the developer, prior to the construction of on-site buildings, shall be basis for denial of any required building or related permit.
(2) Vehicular access to subdivisions within the ETJ area of the city shall be by an approved paved all weather hard-surfaced street, meeting the design standards of the city or as depicted in an adopted city/county inter-local agreement.
(c) Secondary ingress and egress to subdivisions.
(1) Subdivisions containing more than 30 one-family or two-family dwelling units shall have a platted and constructed secondary ingress and egress to a public street. Multi-family developments of 100 dwelling units or more shall have a platted and constructed secondary ingress and egress to a public street.
(2) Development phasing of any subdivision shall ensure that all such residential units have a platted and constructed secondary entrance when more than 30 residential units are proposed.
(3) Subdivisions with up to 40 one-family or two-family dwelling units may be permitted with one access point if a platted and constructed secondary entrance will connect to future development.
(d) Internal roadway network connectivity.
(1) All proposed developments shall have a connectivity index of 1.4 or greater. The connectivity index shall be calculated by dividing the total number of links (streets including stub-out streets) by the total number of nodes (intersections, culs-de-sacs, no-outlets, dead-ends).
(2) Stub outs to adjacent property are worth one-half credit each toward the number of links. Residential road connections to collector streets and larger are worth one full credit each. Standard public access easements count as links. Culs-de-sac count as links.
(3) Street elbows do not count as nodes. Standard alley intersections do not count as nodes. Intersections on collector streets and larger do not count as nodes. The termination of culs-de-sac count as nodes.
(4) Link-to-node connectivity index.
Ratio = 7/8 = 0.88 Ratio = 13/9 = 1.44
(5) The city plan commission may grant waivers to these requirements only upon finding that the development is constrained by topographic features, existing development or other impassible features.
(e) External roadway network connectivity. Subdivisions shall be phased in such a way to ensure effective traffic management. Applications for subdivisions including five or more lots shall include a traffic management plan, which shall include at a minimum: the estimated number of phases; the necessary improvements to ensure adequate access; the trigger point(s) for providing the improvements; and the number of lots that will be included in the corresponding phases.
(f) Secondary ingress and egress shall be in conformance with § 31-101(c). Above the second access point, the accumulated estimated peak hour traffic volumes for each public street connection shall not exceed the following:
Street Classification | Peak Hour Traffic Volumes |
Local | 350 vehicles per hour per lane (vphpl) (each direction) |
Collector | 750 vphpl (each direction) |
Industrial | 750 vphpl (each direction) |
(g) Collector network planning. All new preliminary plats shall show a collector network consistent with these requirements. Final minor plats contained within or adjacent to the planned or existing collector network shall connect with the collector network.
(1) Collector design is a careful balance between providing direct connectivity and attracting no more traffic than is appropriate. The primary means of achieving this balance is through proper subdivision network layout design, which considers each internal roadway's tributary area (the streets and homes that feed it), the daily number of vehicle trips generated by a typical home, and the resulting expected daily traffic on the key internal streets.
Example Collector Street Network
(2) Collector streets shall provide continuous access between thoroughfares, but discourage long-distance through traffic. The definition of long distance varies with context; Figure 4 indicates the target trip length and upper-limit traffic volumes for each context.
(3) Collector streets serve both residential and non-residential land-uses. However, they shall be planned and designed to discourage non-residential (i.e. commercial, industrial) traffic intrusion into residential areas.
Figure 4
Residential area | C. Non-residential/ mixed-use areas | ||
A. With fronting single-family homes* | B. No fronting single-family homes | ||
Typical trip length | ½ mile | 1 mile | up to 2 miles |
Upper limit daily traffic volume (both directions) | 2,000 | 5,000 | 10,000 |
Applicable design features to promote these characteristics (see text) | Curvilinear design; traffic-calming treatments | Roundabouts; discontinuities | Curvilinear design; roundabouts |
On-street parking | Required | Allowed but not required | Allowed but not required |
*Collectors without fronting homes are preferred | |||
(4) Collectors shall only terminate at an intersection with a thoroughfare or another collector except when the collector is a stub, that when ultimately finished will make this connection.
(5) Collector streets shall connect to thoroughfares at full median opening locations in accordance with the requirements of the Access Management Manual where feasible. The connection shall also be made at a location suitable for a future traffic signal installation.
(6) Collectors shall align across thoroughfares rather than forming offset intersections (to promote safe, efficient traffic flow on the thoroughfare). The city plan commission may grant a waiver if analysis determines that applying this approach will encourage cut-through traffic and/or undesirably long trips on a specific collector. Figure 4 indicates the typical trip lengths.
(7) At jurisdictional boundaries, collector planning and design must coordinate with the adjacent jurisdiction to maximize the ability to meet Fort Worth's policies and needs while supporting the adjacent jurisdiction's policies and needs.
(8) Design features shall encourage speeds of 25 mph or less and provide visual cues to drivers that the street is not intended for long-distance trips.
(9) If a subdivision network layout alone is insufficient to achieve the characteristics above, especially on collectors fronted by homes, special design approaches shall be incorporated. Traffic engineering studies can predict or estimate the effects of many of the design approaches described below, especially the effects on traffic volumes. If these measures are not sufficient to achieve the desired characteristics, then larger building setbacks and/or landscaping along the street shall be considered to buffer residences fronting on higher-volume collector streets. Design features to discourage speeding and long-distance trips:
a. Curvilinear street design: Curvilinear design reduces speeds, gives the road a meandering feel, and supplies a visual cue (if curvature is visible from intersections) that speeds are lower and unsuitable for cut-through traffic.
b. Neighborhood entry features: For residential collectors that have fronting homes and that cross thoroughfares, neighborhood entry features - including treed entry medians and entry signage - send visual cues that the street is intended for neither through traffic nor desirable for that purpose.
c. Traffic calming measures: These measures are most appropriate on residential collectors with fronting homes. They can include such items as on-street parking, roundabouts, mini-roundabouts, chicanes, and raised crosswalks.
d. Discontinuities: The design approaches listed above are generally sufficient to discourage cut-through traffic and promote desirable collector function. For cases in which these measures are deemed through analysis to be inadequate, discontinuities (Figure 5) may be considered. Discontinuities generally make thoroughfare access unnecessarily difficult for local travelers. Therefore, the discontinuity treatments described below shall only be considered if the above design approaches are shown, via traffic engineering analysis, to be unable to provide volume and trip-length limits appropriate to their context as described in Figure 4.
1. L-shaped collectors. This approach discourages cut-through traffic with a collector that connects intersecting thoroughfares rather than parallel thoroughfares.
2. Offset thoroughfare crossing. This approach puts a jog in the collector where it intersects the thoroughfare. This approach decreases pedestrian access and comfort and increases the number of intersections on the thoroughfare.
3. Internal offset. This approach puts a jog in between the thoroughfares connected by the collector.
4. Internal gap. This approach creates deliberately circuitous navigation through the neighborhood.
Figure 5: Discontinuities
(10) Collector streets shall be spaced accordi ng to Figure 6, subject to consistency with the Access Management Policy, unless natural or man-made features pose constraints. When planning and designing a collector layout:
a. Avoid steep slopes and otherwise unsuitable topography.
b. Minimize impact to the built environment.
c. Minimize wetland and floodplain impacts (i.e., identify 90-degree stream crossings at the narrowest point possible), critical watershed areas, and stream crossings.
d. Avoid railroad crossings and bisecting parks.
e. Minimize impacts to utilities (e.g., gas wells).
(11) The city plan commission may grant waivers to these requirements only upon finding that the development is constrained by topographic features, existing development, or other impassible features. The city traffic engineer or designee may administratively modify the spacing requirements within 10% or 100 feet (whichever is less) where it is impractical to meet the standards.
Figure 6
Land Use | Dwelling Units/Acre | Access Function | Desired Maximum Spacing between Collector Intersections along a Thoroughfare (feet) |
Rural | < 2 | N.A. | N.A. |
Residential Suburban | 2 - 4 | High | 1,500 - 3,000 |
Urban | > 4 | High | 750 - 1,500 |
Non-Residential and Mixed Use | n.a. | Medium | 750 - 1,500 |
(Ord. 17794, § 9, passed 9-25-2007; Ord. 17851, § 1 (App. C, Ch. 6, Art. I), passed 10-30-2007; Ord. 22051-01-2016, §§ 1 - 4, passed 1-12-2016; Ord. 23225-06-2018, § 2, passed 6-5-2018, eff. 8-1-2018)
(a) Streets and blocks shall be designed and configured in accordance with the Table of Geometric Street Design Standards of Article V and shall provide for the following.
(b) Arterial streets shall be intersected only by collector streets or other arterial streets, unless the means of ingress and egress to a subdivision is from such an arterial street. The city traffic engineer may approve exceptions based on adopted traffic engineering standards.
(1) Roadway design. Roadway design should take advantage of natural site features such as topography and drainage to reduce speeds through neighborhoods and discourage through traffic intrusions.
(2) Interconnectivity of neighborhoods. Fragmented street systems impede emergency access and increase the number and length of individual trips. New residential subdivisions shall be designed to coordinate with existing, proposed, and anticipated streets. Local and collector streets shall be extended to the tract boundary to provide future connection with adjoining un-platted lands. In instances where the street stub-out would traverse an adjacent 100-year floodplain, the spacing of the street crossings shall not exceed one-half mile. Where the street crossing is in a public park, the design of the crossing shall provide for pedestrian/bicycle access under the street, unless the depth of the creek below the roadway makes such a grade separation infeasible. Subdivisions shall be designed to connect to adjacent existing stub-out streets as provided on an approved preliminary or final plat. Subdivisions shall be designed to discourage the use of local streets by non-local traffic while maintaining the connectivity with the surrounding system of roadways. This can be accomplished using modified grid systems, T-intersections, roadway jogs, or other appropriate traffic calming or roadway design measures.
Figure 7: Street Connectivity
Poor | Improved |
 |  |
a. Walking, bicycling , transit use impeded. | a. Local trips shortened. |
b. Local trips on major roads increased. | b. Multimodal mobility improved. |
c. Properties cannot be developed properly. | c. Local mobility enhanced. |
d. Internal site access opportunities increased. |
(3) School location standards. For reasons of student and pedestrian safety and vehicular access, circulation and control, development around proposed school sites shall be guided by the following standards.
a. Elementary and middle schools. New elementary and middle school sites shall have adjacent perimeter streets on at least two sides of the site. These streets shall have at least 36 feet of roadway paving within a 60-foot ROW, and one street shall function and be classified as a collector street. Elementary and middle school sites shall not be located adjacent to, or at the intersection of, one or more arterial streets.
b. Senior high schools. New senior high school sites shall have direct access to an adjacent arterial street. Said schools shall have “boundary” streets on at least three sides of the site. Two of which shall have at least 60-foot ROW’s with paving widths of not less than 36 feet to 40 feet, as determined by TPW, with one such street classified as a major collector street. The third boundary street shall be an arterial street having ROW and paving widths commensurate with the city’s master thoroughfare plan standards.
c. Colleges and universities. When new two- and four-year institutions of higher learning are platted, they shall be sited and platted as to the type and nature of perimeter street service necessary to ensure adequate and safe circulation, mobility and access to the school facility, and to minimize any adverse impact on the city’s street and transportation system. Following recommendation from TPW department, and after review and approval of a traffic impact study embracing the proposed school site and surrounding environs, such plat shall be presented to the plan commission for approval.
(Ord. 17851, § 1 (App. C, Ch. 6, Art. II), passed 10-30-2007; Ord. 23225-06-2018, § 3, passed 6-5-2018, eff. 8-1-2018)
(a) Minimum residential lot widths.
(1) Within zoning districts. No residential lot shall be of less width, at the building line, nor less total lot area than required by the zoning district regulations governing the plat.
(2) Within ETJ areas. Where no zoning regulations apply, lots less than 10,000 square feet in area shall not be less than 50 feet in width; nor less than 100 feet in width when greater than 10,000 square feet in area, unless a waiver is granted for a panhandle or flag type lot. No waiver will be granted for a lot less than 40 feet in width, measured at the lot access connection with the adjacent street right-of- way.
a. Lots 150 feet in width or more, fronting onto an arterial street, shall have a front building setback line of not less than 30 feet and shall be provided with a circular drive if accessing such street.
b. Lots 100 feet in width or more, not fronting onto or accessing an arterial street, shall have a front building set-back line of not less than 30 feet.
(b) Residential lot arrangements.
(1) Lot configuration. No residential lot shall be configured in such a manner that it does not meet the minimum standards of zoning ordinance.
(2) Lot lines. Lot lines shall be perpendicular with street centerline or street centerline radii.
(3) Lot platting arrangement. Residential subdivisions shall be platted to provide two-tiers of residential lots between opposite parallel public or private residential streets. All single-family and two-family residential lots shall be platted with a front and a rear yard, with the front yard designed to face a residential street. The rear yards of such lots may abut another adjacent rear or side yard, open space, institutional lot or un-platted property.
(4) Alternative lot platting arrangements: double frontage residential lots (a.k.a. reverse frontage lots). Double frontage residential lots may only be platted providing such lots have their primary frontage onto a residential street or collector street and their opposite (secondary non-access) frontage abutting an arterial street. Such lots shall be platted, screened and landscaped in accordance with the following requirements.
a. Collector street (secondary) lot frontage. Lots that are less than 100 feet in width at the front building line and face a residential street with the opposite end of the lots backing onto a collector street, shall have the collector street of the lot also considered as a “front yard” for zoning purposes. The collector street frontage shall be subject to the provisions of the front yard setback and fencing restrictions, designated in § 6.101 of the zoning ordinance for the type of zoning district in which the lots are located, except where the following conditions are present:
1. Where residential lots back onto both sides of the collector street for a distance not to exceed 250 feet; or
2. The lot on the opposite side of the collector street forms the rear or side yard of a nonresidential use or dedicated public or private open space use.
b. Arterial street (secondary) lot frontage. Subdivisions with three lots or more, having less than 100 feet in width at the front building line and facing a residential street with the opposite end of the lots backing onto an arterial street, shall have the arterial street frontage considered as the rear of the lots. See § 6.101 of the zoning ordinance. Such lots shall have:
1. A minimum six-foot high solid masonry screen wall or solid wood cedar fence with brick masonry columns at intervals not greater than ten feet on center in accordance with § 5.305, Fences, of the comprehensive zoning ordinance;
2. Street trees, not less than three-inch diameter caliper and of a type and species acceptable to the city forester, shall be provided along or within the arterial parkway at a minimum ratio of one tree per 50 lineal feet of parallel parkway. Required trees may be clustered as necessary to avoid obstructions to safe traffic visibility, pedestrian access and circulation, drainage or utility service lines and facilities or to provide enhancement to related aesthetic landscape features; and
3. Failure to comply with these requirements will cause withholding of building permits on the lots affected.
c. Arterial street (primary) lot frontage. Direct residential driveway access to individual one-family and two-family dwellings shall not be allowed on any arterial. The city plan commission may grant a waiver if such lots are a minimum of 150 feet in width or greater at the building setback line and contain a circular access drive with approval by the city traffic engineer and egress per TPW design requirements.
(5) Residential corner lots. Residential corner lots adjacent to arterials shall obtain access from the collector or local street, and access shall be placed as far from the arterial intersection as possible to achieve the maximum available corner clearance.
(c) Flag lots (“panhandle lots”).
(1) Flag lots, known as “panhandle lots,” are defined as lot configurations where the perimeter lot geometry reflects the shape of a “flag” or “panhandle” where the narrow or elongated part of the lot abuts a public or private street and widens at the building setback line to accommodate a buildable development site.
(2) Flag lots are expressly prohibited, unless:
a. The proposed lot configuration is needed to abate an unusual property accessibility constraint, not created by the applicant;
b. The property has acute topographical conditions and constraints; or
c. The unusual adjacent property boundary configuration constrains the arrangement of an otherwise standard lot configuration.
(3) Where any of the above items are present, the commission may grant a waiver to allow such configuration, provided the following conditions are met:
a. The waiver does not circumvent the normal platting of streets for public and emergency access;
b. The waiver does not prevent the extensions of streets to adjacent un-subdivided property;
c. The lot width is not less than 40 feet in width at its frontage connection with the adjacent public or approved private street; and
d. The narrow or elongated part of the lot “panhandle” does not exceed 100 feet in length, measured from the connecting street frontage to where the lot widens into a “flag” shape to receive a suitable building area where a building setback line shall be established; nor shall more than two adjacent panhandle/neck lots be connected.
(d) Lots served by conventional septic or aerobic sanitary disposal systems.
(1) Lots served by on-site wastewater septic disposal systems shall have a contiguous land area not less than one acre (net) in size, exclusive of 100-year floodplain, drainage easements and features, access easements and street right-of-way. Contiguous gross and net lot area calculations shall be shown on and for each lot on the plat.
(2) Developments to be served by a public wastewater system but having individual water wells shall have a “dry line” public water system, conforming to city standards, to allow future connections to the public water supply system for domestic use and fire protection purposes. See the Installation Policy and Design Criteria for Water, Wastewater, and Reclaimed Water Infrastructure Manual for standards.
(e) Pedestrian access way lots or easements.
(1) When a school, park, or open space recreation site has only one point of street access, a mid-block public pedestrian access easement or lot shall be provided. Where adjacent to a single-family neighborhood, such access ways shall not be less than 16 feet wide for pedestrian restricted walkways, bicycle paths, and hiking/jogging paths.
(2) a. All access ways shall be paved to city sidewalk standards, shall contain city approved lighting illumination arranged so as not to shine directly on adjacent residential properties, and shall be contained within a designated lot or easement of common ownership. An all-weather paved hard access way surface shall be provided therein, as follows:
1. Five-foot paved surface for eight-foot wide public use easement or lot for access to lots less than 50 feet in width;
2. Eight-foot paved surface for ten-foot wide public use easement, or 12-foot wide public pedestrian access easement or lot; and
3. Twelve-foot paved surface for 16-foot wide public pedestrian access easement or lot.
b. Access ways may be platted as an easement, adjacent to a lot line, or as a separate designated lot owned and maintained by a property owner's association within the subdivision.
(3) Developments/subdivisions shall be designed to connect to adjacent existing or platted sidewalk stub outs as provided on an approved preliminary or final plat.
(Ord. 17851, § 1 (App. C, Ch. 6, Art. III), passed 10-30-2007; Ord. 18705-07-2009, § 1, passed 7-14-2009; Ord. 20382-09-2012, § 6, passed 9-11-2012; Ord. 22051-01-2016, § 6, passed 1-12-2016; Ord. 23225-06-2018, § 4, passed 6-5-2018, eff. 8-1-2018; Ord. 23679-06-2019, § 4, passed 6-4-2019)
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