2.102 Urban Design Commission

  1. Creation and Appointment
    There is hereby created an Urban Design Commission for the purpose of:
    1. Recommending the designation of scenic, cultural, architectural, or historical areas of the City as a Conservation District;
    2. Recommending the designation of Urban Design Districts;
    3. Reviewing and approving stealth communication towers as well as antennas that are surface mounted on enclosed buildings and structures;
    4. Reviewing and recommending to the City Council the approval or modification of proposed design guidelines for Urban Design Districts and Conservation Districts, except those districts where a separate design review board is established by the City Council;
    5. Reviewing and approving projects in Urban Design Districts and Conservation Districts for compliance with design guidelines, except those districts where a separate design review board is established by the City Council; and
    6. Reviewing and approving design standards for other projects as directed by the City Council.
  2. Members
    The Urban Design Commission shall consist of nine qualified electors of the City.   The City Council will consider for appointment to the Commission as members only those persons who have demonstrated their civic interest, general knowledge of the community, independent judgment, and availability to prepare for and attend meetings. At least six of the nine appointees shall be practicing professionals from the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban design or planning, real estate or law. Appointees should be acknowledged about fundamental principles of urban design. The members of the Commission shall regularly attend meetings and public hearings of the Commission and shall serve without compensation, except for reimbursement for authorized expenses attendant to the performance of their duties.
  3. Terms of Office
    Place numbers one through nine shall identify the nine members of the Urban Design Commission.  The odd-numbered places shall expire on October 1 of each odd-numbered year and even-numbered places shall expire October 1 of each even-numbered year. Members may be appointed to succeed themselves.  Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms but no member shall be appointed for a term in excess of two years.
  4. Quorum
    Six voting members of the Urban Design Commission shall constitute a quorum.  A motion to approve any matter before the Commission shall require the affirmative vote of five voting members of the Commission.
  5. Powers and Duties
    1. Nomination of a Scenic, Cultural, Architectural or Historical Area as a Conservation District Designation
      1. Designation
        The Urban Design Commission may nominate for designation as a Conservation District any area within the city that is a scenic, cultural, architectural, or historical area per the criteria as set out in this section.   Nomination by the Urban Design Commission shall be in the form of a resolution requesting that the Planning and Development Department submit the nomination to the Zoning Commission for consideration.  All properties nominated based on its historical significance shall be submitted to the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission for consideration and recommendation prior to submission to the Zoning Commission.  Applications and the procedure for designation of a scenic, cultural, architectural, or historical area as a Conservation District shall follow the procedures outlined in Chapter 4, Article 4, “Conservation (CD) Overlay District.”   Upon designation of an area as a Conservation District, the designation shall be recorded on the official zoning maps of the City with the suffix “CD” and filed in accordance with the requirements set out in Chapter 4, Article 4, “Conservation (CD) Overlay District.”
      2. Criteria for designation of scenic, cultural, architectural, or historical areas as a Conservation District
        An area must satisfy one or more of the following criteria in order to be nominated for consideration as a Conservation District based on its scenic, cultural, architectural or historical significance:
        1. Character of Fort Worth:  Distinctive in character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the City of Fort Worth, State of Texas or the United States.
        2. Architectural significance:  Group of buildings, which are examples of a significant architectural style/design or innovation or have been identified as the work of an important architect.
        3. Historic event or person:  The site of a significant historic event or is identified with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the culture and development of the area.
        4. Character of neighborhood:  The area represents a resource, whether natural or man-made, which greatly contributes to the character or image of a defined neighborhood or community area.
        5. Historical area:  An area that represents a historical significance to the City of Fort Worth.
        6. Views and vistas:  Dramatic views, horizon lines, urban scenes, and vistas.
        7. Gateways:  Is a primary gateway to the city.
        8. Connecting routes:  Routes that connect scenic areas even though the route itself is of marginal value.
        9. Parks:  City, state or federal parks and recreation areas or other areas that are maintained by the city parks and community services department.
        10. Natural features:  Represents an example of a natural feature including:
          1. Streams, lakes and wetlands;
          2. Unusual geological formations;
          3. Recreational areas and floodplains;
          4. Outstanding areas of natural vegetation.
    2. Stealth Telecommunication Tower and Antenna Designs:  The Urban Design Commission shall review and approve, modify, or reject proposed designs for stealth telecommunication towers and all antennas that are surface mounted on stealth telecommunication towers, structures, and enclosed buildings considering the materials, colors, textures, screening and landscaping designs of the equipment structure and any other permitted structures to determine the visibility, aesthetic impact, and compatibility to the surrounding natural or built environments.
    3. Nomination of Urban Design Districts:
      Designation
      1. Designation
        The Urban Design Commission may nominate mixed-use growth centers and urban villages, or sections thereof, as Urban Design Districts.  Nomination by the Scenic Preservation and Design Review Commission shall be in the form of a resolution requesting that the Planning and Development Department submit the nomination to the Zoning Commission for consideration.  Applications and the procedure for designation of an Urban Design District shall follow the procedures outlined in Chapter 3, Article 5, “Text or Map Amendment.”  Upon designation of an area as a Urban Design District, the designation indicating the boundaries of the district shall be adopted as an exhibit to the Zoning Ordinance.
      2. Criteria
        Urban Design Districts, such as the Downtown Urban Design District, shall be unique areas in which mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development is desirable.  Urban Design Districts are overlay zoning districts within which the UDC, or a district- specific body appointed by the City Council, has design review authority, as described in Section E.4.
    4. Guidelines and Certificate of Appropriateness: In order to enhance the character of the districts, encourage economic development and protect property values, the Urban Design Commission shall:
      1. Review and recommend to the City Council the approval or modification of proposed design guidelines for designated Urban Design Districts and Conservation Districts; and
      2. Review and approve, modify, or reject a Certificate of Appropriateness for new construction and renovations for compliance with the adopted design guidelines for designated Urban Design Districts and Conservation Districts that do not have a City Council approved design review board.
    5. Design Standards Directed by City Council:  In order to protect and enhance the character of the districts, encourage economic development and protect property values, the Urban Design Commission shall review and approve, modify, or reject design standards for other applications as directed by the City Council.
  6. Notice
    1. Nomination of Scenic, Cultural, Architectural or Historical Areas as a Conservation District:  Written notice of any application before the Urban Design Commission for the nomination of any area as a scenic, cultural, architectural or historical area as a Conservation District shall be given at least ten days prior to any meeting to the owner or owners of the property within such area to be so designated, as such ownership appears on the last approved City Tax Roll.  Such notice may be served by depositing the same, properly addressed and postage paid, in the United States mail.  The same notice and hearing requirements as for changes in zoning shall be followed by the Zoning Commission and the City Council at all hearings to designate any scenic, cultural, architectural or historical area a Conservation District (See 3 ‘Review Procedures’, Article 5 and 4 ‘District Regulations’, Article 4, “Conservation (CD) Overlay District”).
    2. Stealth Telecommunication Tower and Antenna Designs:  Written notice of all public hearings before the Urban Design Commission shall be sent to the owners of real property lying within 300 feet of the proposed site.  Such notice shall be given not less than ten days before the date set for the hearing to all such owners, as the ownership appears on the last approved City Tax Roll.  Such notice may be served by depositing the same, properly addressed and postage paid, in the United States mail.  Notice of the public hearing before the Commission shall also be given by publication one time in a paper of general circulation in the municipality at least 15 days before the time of the hearing and sent to all neighborhoods registered with the Planning and Development Department that include property within 300 feet of the proposed site.
    3. Urban Design Districts:  Written notice of any application before the Urban Design Commission for the nomination of any Urban Design district shall be given at least ten days prior to any meeting to the owner or owners of the property within the overlay district, as such ownership appears on the last approved ad valorem tax roll.  Such notice may be served by depositing the same, properly addressed and postage paid, in the United States mail.
  7. Appeal
    Any aggrieved person or entity may appeal any decision of the Urban Design Commission, other than the nomination of an area as Conservation District, (which is a recommendation to the Zoning Commission) to the Appeals Board. ( A written notice of appeal must be filed with the City Secretary within ten days after receipt of notification of the Commission’s decision).  The Appeals Board shall schedule a hearing on such appeal within 30 days after receipt of the notice of appeal, or as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable.  The Appeals Board may uphold, reverse, or modify the Commission’s decision.