Sugar Land Initiative Petition Proposed Ordinance

Sugar Land Voters Announce Initiative Petition Signing Event to Limit Multifamily Development

Following the approval of 600 apartments at the Imperial Redevelopment site, 600 apartments at Riverstone and 400 apartments at Telfair, Sugar Land registered voters will have the opportunity to bring forth a public vote to limit future multifamily dwellings within the City of Sugar Land through an Initiative Petition.

Petition signers must be registered City of Sugar Land voters living within the city limits. The first petition signing event will be held on July 28, 2012 at the University Branch Library at 14010 University Blvd. from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. You are asked to bring your voter registration card to the event. Other locations, times and dates will be announced as needed.

The Initiative Petition requires five registered voters to serve as a “Committee of the Petitioners”. Committee members are as follows:

Diana Miller, north Sugar Land/Imperial area

Myatt Hancock, Sweetwater and First Colony

Norma Gomez, Commonwealth

Mary El-Halam, Telfair

Tammy Marino, Telfair

Diana Miller, who operates the web site www.SustainableSugarLand.com, may be contacted for further information. The web site, which is not affiliated with the other committee members for the Initiative Petition, will offer petition updates as they occur.

Ordinance language prepared by the law office of Wilson, Cribbs & Goren:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 3,

ARTICLE X OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADDING A SECTION.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL [if adopted by City Council]/PEOPLE [if adopted by election]

OF THE CITY OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS:

Section 1. That the Code of Ordinances, City of Sugar Land, Texas, is hereby amended by adding a section, to be numbered 3-178, which section reads as follows:

Sec. 3-178 LOCATION OF MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS

No multifamily dwelling may be located on a site (i) within [1000] feet of any school, park, library, community facility, church, industrial facility, manufacturing plant, historic district, licensed child/elder care facility, or any other multifamily dwelling; or (ii) where over 50% of the area within [500] feet from the boundary of the site (excluding streets and public easements) are single family residential in character; or (iii) which does not abut a street which is improved with 4 traffic lanes for at least [2500] feet in each direction from the site.

If any portion of this ordinance is invalidated, the remainder shall remain in force.

Existing City of Sugar Land Multi-Family Residential Zoning District

City of Sugar Land Development CodeSec. 2-115. -

Statement of Intent

The Multi-Family Residential District allows development of quality apartments in a medium density setting, while ensuring that livability, property values, Open Space, high levels of design quality and landscaping, safety and the general welfare will be sustained. The R-4 district allows development of up to 20 Dwelling Units per acre.

Sec. 2-116. - Uses Permitted. As shown in the Land Use Matrix.

Sec. 2-117. - District Regulations. The following regulations apply in the Multi-Family Residential District:

(a)Minimum Lot Area - 2,178 square feet per Dwelling Unit.

(b)Maximum Lot Coverage - 50%.

(c)- Maximum Height of Structures 2 and 1/2 Stories but not more than 35 feet from finished grade.

(d)Minimum Yards:

(1)Front - 25 feet.

(2)Rear - 20 feet.

(3) Residential Use - 10 feet. Side:Nonresidential Use - 20 feet.

(4)Street Side - 15 feet.

(e)Minimum Distance between Principal Buildings - 20 feet.

(f)Minimum Open Space around each Building - 15 feet.

(g)Concentration Restrictions:

Any Multi Family Residential District created after the effective date of this article shall not contain more than 200 Dwelling Units.

(h)Minimum Parking Lot Setback 8 feet from Side and Rear Lot - Lines.25 feet from Front and Street Side Lot Lines