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New site development
regulations for single-family, duplexes, and other
non-multi-family residential development (the McMansion
Ordinance and changes to the City’s duplex regulations) went
into effect on October 1, 2006.
WHERE DO THE NEW
REGULATIONS APPLY?
The McMansion Ordinance does not apply to every property within
the City. It applies only within
specific boundaries
(generally, greater central Austin). The Mueller Planned Unit
Development is exempt from the regulations. Properties zoned
SF-4A are also exempt unless they are adjacent to properties
zoned SF-2 and SF-3.
However, the changes to the City’s duplex regulations apply
throughout the entire city and are not limited to a specific
area.
WHAT
RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES ARE SUBJECT TO THE McMANSION ORDINANCE?
• Single-family
• Small-lot single-family
• Single-family attached
• Duplex
• Two-family (a main residence and a secondary dwelling unit)
• Secondary apartment (neighborhood planning tool)
• Urban home (neighborhood planning tool)
• Cottage lot (neighborhood planning tool)
• Bed and breakfast (group 1) residential
• Bed and breakfast (group 2) residential
WHAT
DOES THE McMANSION ORDINANCE DO?
The
McMansion Ordinance
> Limits the size of new and remodeled structures
to the greater of
• 2,300 square feet or
• 0.4 to 1 Floor-to-Area-Ratio (FAR) (the limit applies to the
combined square footage of all residential units on a lot)
To figure out what an 0.4 FAR means for your property, simply
multiply your total lot size by 0.4. For example, an 0.4 FAR
applied to a 10,000 square foot lot would yield an allowable
4,000 square feet of gross floor area)
> Adds new provisions to the City’s definition of gross floor
area that explain how square footage must be calculated
for
• Second and third story covered porches (included in your
square footage)
• Basements meeting certain criteria (excluded in your square
footage)
• Garages and other parking areas (included after a certain
amount)
• Areas with ceiling heights of greater than 15 feet (included
by counting the square footage twice)
• Mezzanines and lofts (included)
• Habitable attic spaces meeting certain criteria (excluded)
Otherwise, gross floor area means the total enclosed area of all
floors in a building with a clear height of more than six feet,
measured to the outside surface of the exterior walls. The term
includes loading docks and excludes atria airspace, parking
facilities, driveways, and enclosed loading berths and
off-street maneuvering areas.
[Land Development Code Section 25-1-21]
> Adds a building envelope requirement, created by side and rear
setback planes,
so that all structures on a site must fit within this envelope
(there is an allowance for remodels; some building features are
allowed to protrude through the setback planes)
> Adds a side wall articulation requirement,
though the the side wall articulation requirement does not apply
to new construction that is less than 2,000 square feet in gross
floor area and less than 32 feet in height
> Changes how height is measured
for uses subject to the McMansion ordinance so that it is
measured from the lower of natural or finished grade
> Changes the maximum height
• From 35 feet to 32 feet for single-family, small-lot
single-family, single-family attached, bed and breakfast (group
1 and group 2) residential structures
• From 30 feet to 32 feet for duplexes
• From 30 feet to 32 feet for two-family residential structures
• (The 35 foot height limit stays in effect for urban home and
cottage lot special uses.)
• (The 30 foot height limit stays in effect for secondary
apartment special uses.)
> Decreases the minimum rear yard setback from 10 feet to 5 feet
for a secondary dwelling unit if the lot abuts an alley
> Establishes minimum front yard setbacks that are slightly
different than the setbacks prescribed previously in the City’s
Land Development Code
> Allows neighborhoods within the ‘McMansion boundary’ modify
the McMansion Ordinance
Other changes approved with the McMansion
Ordinance that also went into effect on October 1, 2006
> Require that the two units of a duplex share a common roof and
a common wall
for at least 50% of the maximum depth of the building, and
prohibit the separation of the two units by a breezeway,
carport, or other open building element; instead of a shared
common wall, the two units can share a common floor and ceiling
(applies citywide to all duplexes, not just those within the
"McMansion boundary")
> Amend how noncomplying structures may be modified
(applies citywide to all uses, not just residential uses)
> Amend when and how a damaged or destroyed noncomplying
structure may be restored
(applies citywide to all uses, not just residential uses).
** The above list is meant
only to summarize the highlights of the October 1 regulations.
** PLEASE READ THE
APPROVED ORDINANCE
FOR EXACT DETAILS.
There is also a new
Residential Design and Compatibility
Commission (RDCC) made up of
residential design professionals and other citizens appointed by
the Council who have the ability to review projects and grant
requested modifications to certain elements of the McMansion
Ordinance.
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