DIVISION 15 TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT CODE [1]

The purpose of the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Code is to support the development of the community's Station Areas into pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use urban development environments, with convenient access to rail transit, shopping, employment, housing, and neighborhood retail services. The goal of each Station Area is to encourage an efficient, compact land use pattern; encouraging pedestrian activity; reducing the reliance on private automobiles; promoting a more functional and attractive community through the use of recognized principles of urban design; and allowing property owners flexibility in land use, while prescribing a high level of detail in building design and form.

The TOD code implements the vision for each Station Area as established in the city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan and the Illustrative Master Plans (Appendix D and E). Each Station Area is envisioned as a distinct neighborhood with unique development and redevelopment opportunities. Specifically, the zoning district will guide the private development decisions on a market based approach with flexibility in use and density for both Station Areas.

Smithfield Station Area.

The goals for the Smithfield Station Area are to foster a vibrant, mixed use urban neighborhood within a one-quarter-mile walking distance from the future commuter rail stop. This code is intended to allow existing buildings and uses to transition to a higher intensity, walkable areas with shops, cafes, employment, residences, and civic uses. In addition, development within the Smithfield Station area would be sensitive to the existing historic resources and adjacent stable residential neighborhoods while providing opportunities for future redevelopment and new development.

Iron Horse Station Area.

The goals for the Iron Horse Station area are to foster a major regional employment center with significant regional retail and residential uses within convenient walking distance from the future transit station. Development and redevelopment within this station area would be higher intensity accommodating large scale office and retail users while providing for moderate scale mixed use in the immediate vicinity of the station.

The Transit Oriented Development Code provides clear graphic standards for the location, height, and building elements to achieve good urban design. The Smithfield and Iron Horse Illustrative Master Plans (Appendix D and E respectively) shall provide general guidance to property owners, developers, and the city on the form, character, and intensity of future development in these Station Areas.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013)

§ 118-562 Components of the code.

The TOD code shall apply to both Station Areas unless otherwise specified in the code.

The Regulating Plan for each Station Area shall be the official zoning map for that Station Area. It shall establish the development standards for all lots within the two Station Areas including:

Character Zones.

Each Station Area is further distinguished into "Character Zones". A Character Zone within each Station Area is intended to create a distinct urban form different from other Character Zones. Each Character Zone shall establish use and building standards including height, bulk, building and parking location, and functional design for all lots within that Character Zone. The Regulating Plan classifies all lots within both Station Areas into one of seven Character Zones. Some Character Zones are Station Area specific. The different Character Zones are based on historic and regional architectural traditions and development intent to create a built environment that is consistent with the vision for the two Station Areas.

Special Frontage Standards.

The Special Frontage Standards in each Station Area establishes exceptions and special conditions for new and redeveloped buildings along that designated frontage. These Special Frontage Standards shall apply in lieu of or in addition to the underlying Character Zone standards.

Street Type Specifications.

The Street Type Specifications illustrate configurations for significant existing and new streets within each Station Area. The specifications address vehicular lane widths, number of lanes, pedestrian accommodation, street tree requirements, on-street parking, and parkway and median standards (streetscape standards).

Required Street Network.

The Required Street Network is comprised of future streets needed to adequately accommodate trip volumes generated by the likely build out scenario presented in the Illustrated Plan. The Required Streets shall be mandatory and shall generally meet the locational and connectivity goals of the Regulating Plan. Their design shall be guided by the Street Type Specifications.

Recommended Street Network.

The Recommended Street Network indicates the future desired streets to implement the Station Area Illustrative Master Plan. Their location is not mandatory and their design shall be guided by the Street Type Specifications.

(6)

Required Civic/Open Space.

Public Civic and Open Spaces shall comply with the standards included in section 118-570.

(7)

Recommended Civic/Open Space.

The Recommended Civic/Open Space designation shall indicate the locations of desired civic buildings (public buildings and religious buildings) and open spaces (including parks, plazas, and squares) to implement the Illustrative Master Plan.

Transit Oriented Development Code Text: The Transit Oriented Development Code Text (the text portion of this division) shall enumerate the use and development standards with text and graphics including Character Zones, Special Frontage, Street Type, Civic Space, landscape, architectural, signage, lighting, and all related standards for all streets, and public and private development.

The development standards under chapter 118 of the City of North Richland Hills, as amended, shall not apply to the Station Areas except as specifically referenced herein. Development standards not addressed in this division shall be governed by the City of North Richland Hills Zoning Ordinance to the extent they are not in conflict with the intent of the Transit Oriented Development Code.

Using this code: Wherever a word begins with a capital letter, consult the definitions for the specific meaning. In order to understand what the division allows on property within each Station Area there are three basic steps:

Look at the Regulating Plan for the corresponding Station Area. Find the subject property on the Regulating Plan. Identify the Character Zone the property is located in and the Street Type designation along all its street frontages. In addition identify any Special Frontage Requirements applicable to the subject property.

The Schedule of Uses by Character Zone is listed in Table 5.1 and for Building Form and Development Standards refer to the corresponding zone standards in section 118-566 of this division.

Auto-related sales and service uses:

Refer to section 118-564; for Special Frontage Standards, section 118-567 for Street Type and Streetscape Standards, and section 118-568 for Architectural and Urban Design Standards.

The information from the above listed three steps explains where the building will sit on the lot, the limits on its three dimensional form, the range of uses, and the palette of materials that will cover it. For exact dimensions specific to a particular property, application process, or for information on Special Development Plans, consult with city staff.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013)

§ 118-563 Definitions.

In addition to definitions in section 118-1 in the City of North Richland Hills Zoning Ordinance, the following terms shall have the corresponding interpretations.

Attics/mezzanines:

The interior part of a building contained within a pitched roof structure or a partial story between two main stories of a building.

Are establishments that provide retail sales and services related to automobiles including, but not limited to, cars, tires, batteries, gasoline, etc.

Bonus provisions:

The specific development incentives available for development within some Character Zones based on desirable criteria.

Build-to zone:

The area within which the principal building's front façade is to be built.

Build-to line:

The line at which the principal building's front façade shall be built.

Building form standards:

The standards established for each Character Zone that specifies the height, bulk, orientation, and elements for all new construction and redevelopment.

Building frontage:

The percentage of the building's front façade that is required to be located at the front Build-to Line or Zone as a proportion of the block frontage along that public street. Parks, plazas, squares, and pedestrian breezeway frontages shall be considered as buildings for the calculation of Building Frontage.

Building types:

The classifications of different buildings by general function (building use) that also has implications on the scale, proportions, and architectural design of that specific building.

Character zone:

Each Character Zone is intended to create a distinct urban form different from other Character Zones.

Civic/open space:

means publicly accessible open space in the form of parks, courtyards, forecourts, plazas, greens, pocket parks, playgrounds, etc. They may be privately or publicly owned. For all residential uses, privately accessible open spaces such as courtyards, porches, and balconies may also be considered as Civic/Open Space for the purposes of this division.

Square:

means a Civic/Open Space available for unstructured recreation and civic purposes. A Square is spatially defined by buildings. Its landscape shall consist of landscaping, hardscaping, water features, pathways, and pedestrian amenities arranged in formal and informal patterns. Squares shall be located at the intersection of important streets.

Plaza:

means a primarily hardscaped Civic/Open Space that provides for a pedestrian gathering with formal landscaping, available for civic purposes and commercial activities. A plaza shall be spatially defined by buildings. Plazas include piazzas, courts, malls, market places and other such lateral expansions of the public way or additions to the public way that provide for civic, commercial or ceremonial pedestrian activities.

Comprehensive land use plan:

Playground:

means a Civic/Open Space designed and equipped for children's recreation. A playground shall be fenced and may include an open shelter. Playgrounds shall be located within residential areas and may be placed within a block as illustrated. They may be included in other open spaces.

City of North Richland Hills Comprehensive Land Use Plan that establishes the blueprint for the long-term growth and development of the city.

Concept plan:

A plan that is intended to illustrate the general development pattern proposed and meets the requirements of section 118-571 of this division.

Development review committee (DRC):

is a committee comprised of a representative from each of the various city departments in charge of reviewing and approving development applications within the two TOD areas.

Encroachment:

Any structural element that breaks the plane of a vertical or horizontal regulatory limit, extending into a setback, into the public R-O-W, or above a height limit.

Illustrative master plan:

is the building scale master plan that provides the guidance for future development and redevelopment of each of the two Station Areas. It indicates the general location of buildings, uses, streets, open spaces, and parking within both TOD areas.

Land use mix criteria:

shall be the relative percentages of commercial, civic, residential, and other uses within a specific Character Zone. The Land Use Mix Criteria may apply to a specific development or to an entire Character Zone.

Light manufacturing and industrial uses:

includes assembly and light manufacturing of commodities (incl. electronics) fully enclosed within the building without producing any noxious odors, gas, or other pollutants. This category shall include workshops and studios for cottage industries such as pottery, glass-blowing, metal working, screen printing, weaving, etc.

Live-work unit:

A Live-Work Unit is a dwelling unit that is also used for work purposes, provided that the 'work' component is restricted to the uses of professional office, artist's workshop, studio, or other similar uses and is located on the street level. The 'live' component may be located on the street level (behind the work component) or any other level of the building.

Living fence:

shall be a Street Screen composed of landscaping in the form of vegetation.

Multi-unit house:

A two story residential building on a single platted lot containing at least two and no more than five individual dwelling units. Architectural features include separate dwelling entrances and shared parking areas creating the effect of a larger estate type home.

Regulating plan:

is a Zoning Map or set of maps that shows the Character Zones, Civic Spaces, location of Special Frontages, Streets, and Special Requirements applicable to the two Station Areas subject to the standards in this division.

Retail sales:

Retail establishments are the final step in the distribution of merchandise. They are organized to sell in small quantities to many customers. Establishments in stores operate as fixed point-of-sale locations, which are designed to attract walk-in customers. Retail establishments often have displays of merchandise and sell to the general public for personal or household consumption, though they may also serve businesses and institutions. Some establishments may further provide after-sales services, such as repair and installation. Included in, but not limited to this category, are durable consumer goods sales and service, consumer goods, other grocery, food, specialty food, beverage, dairy, etc, and health and personal services.

Service uses:

This is a category for limited personal service establishments which offer a range of personal services that include (but not limited to) clothing alterations, shoe repair, dry cleaners, laundry, health and beauty spas, tanning and nail salons, hair care, etc.

Short-term rental (STR)

means a dwelling that is:

Used or designated to be used for residential purposes, including a single-family residence or a unit in a multi-family residential building;

Rented wholly or partly for a fee; and

Special development plan:

Rented for periods of less than 30 consecutive days.

A development application that meets section 118-571 of this division.

Special frontage requirements:

are standards applied to certain properties as indicated in the Regulating Plan in order to address specific requirements and transitions based on street frontage and adjacency in addition to or in lieu of the underlying Character Zone standards.

Station area:

The area included in one of the Character Zones as established in the Regulating Plans for the two future rail stations.

Street screen:

A freestanding wall or living fence built along the frontage line or in line with the building façade along the street. It may mask a parking lot or a loading/service area from view or provide privacy to a side yard and/or strengthen the spatial definition of the public realm.

Street type:

is a specific designation for streets in the TOD Zones that establish a certain character and cross-sections to improve walkability within each Station Area.

Street network:

is the required and recommended network for new and existing streets within both the Station Areas as established in the Regulating Plans and identified in the Illustrative Master Plans.

Townhouse:

Two to three story attached housing unit of at least two but no more than six dwelling units connected. Each townhouse is on a separately platted lot with a main entrance on a street and rear alley garage access.

Transition zones:

are the areas with specific adjacencies (single-family residential or Character Zones) within which certain limitations on building heights apply as established for each Character Zone.

Transitional surface parking lot:

are surface parking lots that are ultimately intended to be infilled with buildings to support the city's goals for transit-oriented development.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013; Ordinance 3922-B adopted 10/13/2025)

§ 118-564 The regulating plans.

The Regulating Plans for Smithfield (Appendix A) and Iron Horse Station (Appendix B) Areas are hereby adopted. The standards in this code shall apply mandatorily to all properties within the two Station Areas as designated in the respective Regulating Plans.

Character Zones established.

The following Character Zones are established. The boundaries of the specific Character Zones are established in the Regulating Plan for each Station Area.

Historic TOD: The Historic TOD Character zone is intended to preserve existing historic buildings in the Smithfield Station Area. It includes properties along Main Street, west of Davis and the Smithfield Cemetery.

TOD Core: The TOD Core provides the most opportunities for redevelopment and new development in both the Station Areas. It is the area that has the most development impact due to the location of the transit station.

TOD Residential: The TOD Residential zones in both Station Areas provide the transitions from the higher intensity development of the TOD Core and existing residential neighborhoods.

General Mixed Use — Iron Horse: The General Mixed Use — Iron Horse zone is located in the Iron Horse Station Area and is generally outside the immediate influence of the transit station. This area is characterized by large scale office and industrial uses or vacant land that will potentially redevelop after the TOD Core areas. This area is intended for a wider range of uses that includes retail, office, residential, and industrial uses.

General Mixed Use — Smithfield: The General Mixed Use — Smithfield zone is located in the Smithfield Station Area and is generally located east of Davis Blvd., outside the immediate influence of the transit station. This area is characterized by office and industrial uses or vacant land and adjacent to established residential neighborhoods that will potentially redevelop after the TOD Core areas. This area is intended for a wider range of uses that includes retail, office, residential, and industrial uses.

(6)

Arterial Mixed Use: The Arterial Mixed Use zone is intended to provide appropriate transitions to major regional roadways while taking advantage of that frontage for limited auto-oriented uses and sites.

(7)

High Intensity Mixed Use: The High Intensity Mixed Use is intended for large scale commercial uses and supporting retail, restaurant, and residential uses.

Special frontage requirements.

In order to address specific requirements and transitions based on street frontage and adjacency, the following Special Frontage Requirements as established in the Regulating Plan shall apply to both Station Areas:

Commercial Frontage: In all areas designated as Commercial Frontage on the Regulating Plan, the ground floor space shall be built to commercial standards and establishes mandatory commercial uses along the ground floor of all buildings.

Arterial Frontage (Davis and Mid-Cities Blvd.): For all buildings and building sites designated as Arterial Frontage in the Regulating Plan, the following rules apply:

A building setback of a minimum of 20 feet shall apply along the designated frontage. Of the 20 feet setback, 15 feet shall be dedicated to a landscaped parkway. A maximum building setback of 85 feet shall be required along the designated Arterial Frontage.

Surface parking lots no deeper than 70 feet as measured from the back of the landscaped parkway may be permitted.

Commercial driveways that meet the city and TxDOT design criteria are permitted.

Structured parking may be permitted along this frontage. Building setback standards in subsection (1) shall apply to any parking structure.

§ 118-565 Schedule of permitted uses by character zone.

Boulevard Frontage (Iron Horse): For all buildings and building sites designated as Boulevard Frontage in the Regulating Plan, the following rules apply:

Setbacks and build-to-zones shall be based on the underlying character district.

Surface parking lots no deeper than 70 feet may be permitted so long as its frontage along the boulevard is no more than 50 percent of the lot frontage (see figure 4.1)

Driveways shall be limited to a maximum of 24 feet in width and one driveway per every 200 feet of block frontage.

Required street network by street type.

In order to achieve streets that balance mobility with pedestrian orientation in both the Station Areas, the Regulating Plan establishes the network of required streets. The Regulating Plan also designates all streets by Street Type. All new and redesigned streets in both the Station Areas shall meet the street design standards established in section 118-567.

Civic buildings and civic/open space.

The Regulating Plan indicates existing Civic Buildings (schools, public uses, and churches) and Civic/Open Space (parks, plazas, and squares). In addition, it indicates the recommended Civic/Open Spaces based on the Illustrative Master Plan. The specific standards for civic buildings and Civic/Open Space are established in section 118-570.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013)

Generally.

Due to the emphasis on urban form over land uses in the Station Areas, general use categories have been identified by character zones. Uses not listed in the following schedule, but are substantially similar, may be permitted upon the approval of the City Manager or his or her designee, subject to appeal to the City Council.

Compliance with the land use mix criteria.

Review criteria and standards for recommended land use mix are established as a part of the Building Form and Development Standards in section 118-566.

Schedule of uses.

Key:

P = Permitted by right

NP = Not Permitted

P/C = Permitted with conditions

P/A = Permitted Accessory Use

P/SDP = Permitted with a Special Development Plan (See Section 118-571)

NA = Not applicable

Table 5.1
Character Zone
Land Use	Historic TOD	TOD Core	General Mixed Use (Iron Horse & Smithfield)	TOD Residential	Arterial Mixed Use	High Intensity Mixed Use
Commercial Uses (Office & Retail Uses)
Retail Sales or Service with no drive through facility. Excluded from this category are retail sales and services establishments geared towards automobile related uses (see Section 118-563 of this Ordinance for Definition of Retail Sales, Service Uses, and Auto-Related Sales and Service Uses)	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate establishments including banks, credit unions, real estate, and property management services, with no drive through facility	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Offices for business, professional, and technical uses such as accountants, architects, lawyers, doctors, etc.	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Food Service Uses such as full-service restaurants, cafeterias, and snack bars with no drive through facilities including café seating within a public or private sidewalk area with no obstruction of pedestrian circulation	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Auto-related retail sales or service	NP	NP	P/C	NP	P/C	P/C
Brewpub, Tap Room, Wine Bar	SUP	SUP	SUP	NP	SUP	SUP
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Uses
Art galleries	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Art, antique, furniture or electronics studio (retail, repair or fabrication; excludes auto electronics sales or service)	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Games arcade establishments	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Theater, cinema, dance, or music establishment	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Museums and other special purpose recreational institutions	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Fitness, recreational sports, gym, or athletic club	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Parks, greens, plazas, squares, and playgrounds	P	P	P	P	P	P
Cemeteries	P	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Educational, Public Administration, Health Care and Other Institutional Uses
Business associations and professional membership organizations	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Child day care and preschools	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Schools, libraries, and community halls	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Universities and Colleges	NP	P/C	P/C	NP	P	P/C
Civic uses	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Social and fraternal organizations	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Social services and philanthropic organizations	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Religious Institutions	P	P	P	P	P	P
Funeral homes	P	P	P	NP	P	P
Residential Uses
Home Occupations (regulated by Section 118-727 — Customary home occupations)	P/A	P/A	P/A	P/A	P/A	P/A
Residential Apartments and/or condominiums	NP	P/C	NP	NP	NP	NP
Upper floor residential uses ¹	P	P	P	P	P	P
Single-family residential attached dwelling unit (Townhomes)	NP	P		P	NP	NP
Single-family residential detached dwelling unit	NP	NP	P/C	P	NP
Two story Live/work	NP	NP	P	P	NP	NP
Multi-unit house	NP	NP	P	P	NP	NP
Other Uses
Model homes for sales and promotion ^**	NP	NP	P	P	NP	NP
Full-service hotels	P/SDP	P/C	P	NP	P	P
Bed and breakfast establishments	P	P	P	P	NP	NP
Parking, surface (primary use of property) (Transitional Surface Parking Lot)	P/SDP	P/SDP	P/SDP	NP	P/SDP	P/SDP
Parking, surface (accessory use of property)	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C
Parking, structured	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C
Sales from kiosks	P	P	NP	NP	NP	NP
Any permitted use with a drive through facility	NP	NP	P/C	NP	P/C	P/C
Veterinary clinic (no facilities for overnight storage of animals)	NP	NP	P	NP	P	P
Bar	SUP	SUP	NP	NP	SUP	SUP
Incidental Outdoor Display (subject to standards in Section 118-717 of the Zoning Ordinance)	P/A	P/A	P/A	NP	P/A	P/A
Outdoor storage and display (except Incidental Outdoor Display)	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Light Manufacturing and industrial uses limited to a maximum building footprint of 10,000 sq. ft.	NP	NP	P/C	NP	P/C	P/C
Warehousing	NP	NP	P/A ^*	NP	P/A ^*	P/A ^*
Miniwarehouse (Self-Storage)	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Specialty Personal Service Shop	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Sexually-Oriented Business	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Pawnshops	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Alternative Financial establishments	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Second Hand Dealers	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Construction offices with heavy trucks or equipment	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP
Cigar, cigarette and Non-traditional smoking shops	SUP	SUP	NP	NP	SUP	SUP
Short-term rental	P/SDP	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C	P/C

Notes:
¹ Residential uses shall be permitted by right in the upper floors of all buildings
A^* = Accessory use to not exceed 25 percent of the primary use building area
^** Model homes are limited to a time period until all the homes are sold in the neighborhood.

§ 118-566 Building form and development standards.

Use Criteria: All uses listed as P/C in Table 5.1 shall also meet the following standards in Table 5.2.

Table 5.2 — Use Criteria
Use	Zone	Location & Design Criteria
Non-Residential Uses
Light Manufacturing and industrial uses	General Mixed Use, Arterial, High Intensity	• No outside storage or overnight parking of work vehicles except behind a masonry screening wall blocking view from public. All equipment, storage, and display shall be enclosed within a building
Universities and Colleges	TOD Core, General Mixed Use, & High Intensity Mixed Use	• Shall be required to provide structured parking as part of the build-out for the university/college campus
Retail Sales or Service including establishments geared towards the automobile	Arterial Mixed Use, High Intensity Mixed Use, and General Mixed Use	• Shall have the auto-oriented sales and services oriented towards Davis, Mid-Cities, and Loop 820 Access Road only
		• In no case shall gas pumps and canopies along the major roadway exceed 50% of that street frontage.
		• Service bays shall be oriented internal to the site away from the arterial roadway or towards alleys
		• No outside storage or overnight parking of vehicles waiting on repair except behind a masonry screening wall blocking view from public. All equipment, storage, and display shall be enclosed within a building
Bar	All	Refer to Chapter 6 (Alcoholic Beverages) of the City Code for additional standards related to the sale of alcoholic beverages
Residential Uses
Single Family Detached (Homes)	General Mixed Use	• Shall only be allowed as an adjacent use to existing single-family detached housing and does not have Arterial frontage.
Apartment/Condos	TOD Core	• Permitted in Smithfield TOD Core at 25 dwelling units per acre minimum and built to first floor commercial construction for all buildings adjacent to and facing Smithfield Road and Davis Boulevard
Apartment/Condos	TOD Core	• Permitted in Iron Horse TOD Core at 30 dwelling units per acre minimum with maximum lot width of 600 feet and 80% of required parking maintained as onsite structured parking. Required built to first floor commercial construction for all buildings adjacent to and facing Iron Horse Boulevard
Other Uses
Full Service Hotel	TOD Core	• Permitted in Iron Horse TOD Core
Full Service Hotel	TOD Core	• Only permitted in Smithfield TOD Core by Special Development Plan
Short-term Rental	All	• Must comply with all standards outlined in Section 118-633(31)
Parking, surface (accessory use)	All	• Building form standards shall apply based on character zone (Section 118-566).
Parking, structured	All	• All structured parking shall be lined by active users along the entire ground floor frontage of all Commercial "Main" Streets, Avenues, and TOD Boulevards
Parking, structured	All	• All structured parking shall be lined by actives uses along a minimum of 50 of all other streets (with the exception of arterials, freeways, and alleys). Driveways into the garages shall be from alleys, TOD Boulevards, or TOD General Streets
Transitional surface parking lot	Historic, TOD Core, General Mixed Use, Arterial, High Intensity	• Transitional Surface Parking lots may be exempted from the parking setback standards in this section if all surface parking lots accommodating 50 cars or more in one or more contiguous lots obtain Special Development Plan (SDP) approval from City Council. A time limit of three years may be imposed by City Council for all transitional surface parking lots. In addition City Council may require a phasing plan for development on the site.
Any permitted use with a drive through facility	Arterial Mixed Use General Mixed Use and High Intensity Mixed Use	• All drive through access (driveways) shall be from arterial, TOD General Street, freeway frontage road, or alleys
Any permitted use with a drive through facility		• Drive through lanes and/or canopies shall not front on or be located along any Commercial "Main" Street, Avenue, or TOD Boulevard.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013; Ordinance 3325, § 2, adopted 9/8/2014; Ordinance 3574, § 6, adopted 3/25/2019; Ordinance 3922-B adopted 10/13/2025)

Historic TOD.

TOD Core.

High Intensity Mixed Use.

General Mixed Use Zone - Iron Horse.

§ 118-567 Street and streetscape design standards.

General Mixed Use Zone - Smithfield.

(f)

Arterial Mixed Use.

(g)

TOD Residential.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013)

Generally.

Streets in the Station Areas need to support the overall goal of a mixed use, compact, pedestrian oriented district. They should balance all forms of mobility while maximizing convenience for residents and visitors.

The Regulating Plan designates the required and recommended street network within each Station Area. This section specifies the typical configuration of streets within both the Station Areas. The specifications address vehicular land width, parkway widths, R-O-W widths, number of travel lanes, on-street parking, and pedestrian accommodation. The character of streets in the Station Area will vary based on the location. Some streets, such as Davis Blvd., Mid-Cities Blvd., and Loop 820, are under the purview of TxDOT while the remaining streets are city streets.

New streets.

In addition to standards for existing streets, this section specifies standards for both new streets in both station areas. New streets in both station areas shall be based on the required or recommended designation on the corresponding Regulating Plan or may include any of the designated Thoroughfare Types in the Town Center regulations (section 118-471(9) Thoroughfare Types.

Street types established.

Table 7.1 and associated cross sections or any designated Thoroughfare Type in the Town Center regulations under section 118-471(9) shall establish the cross sections for each street type. The cross sections may be adjusted to fit existing contexts with the approval of the director of public works. In addition, the proposed cross sections may be adjusted to meet the needs of the Uniform Fire Code as adopted by the city.

Elements Street Type	R-O-W (Recommended minimum)	Number of Lanes	Lane Widths	On-Street Parking	Sidewalk Width (min.)	Cross Walk Requirement	Parkway/Tree Well
Commercial "Main" Street	60 ft.	2	10 ft.	Yes, both sides, parallel or angled ^*	6 ft.	Intersections and min. of 1 mid-block	Tree Well, 6 ft. X 5 ft.
Commercial Avenue	80 ft. + 6 ft. sidewalk easement	4	11 ft.	Yes, both sides, parallel or angled ^*	6 ft.	Intersections and min. of 1 mid-block	Tree Well, 6 ft. X 6 ft.
TOD Boulevard	80 ft. + 6 ft. sidewalk easement	4 + turn lanes	11 ft.	No	6 ft.	Intersections	Parkway 6 ft. wide
Avenue	68 ft.	2	11 ft.	Yes, both sides, parallel or angled ^*	8 ft.	Intersections	Parkway; 6 ft. wide
TOD General Street	60 ft.	2	11 ft.	Yes, both sides, parallel or angled ^*	6 ft.	Intersections	Parkway; 5 ft. wide
TOD Alley	20 ft. 16 ft. pavement width	NA	16 ft.	No	NA	Street intersections	NA

Notes:
^* Angled parking may be permitted along these streets if an additional right-of-way of 16 feet is made available.

Street cross sections.

Streetscape and landscape standards.

Streetscape standards shall apply to all streets within the Station Areas. Streetscape standards shall address all elements between the building face and edge of the curb. Typical streetscape elements addressed are street trees, lighting, street furniture and pedestrian amenities, and materials.

Street trees (within public R-O-Ws).

Street trees shall be required on all TOD streets (except on alleys, arterial roadways, and highway access roads).

Street trees shall be planted approximately three feet behind the curb line.

Spacing shall be an average of 30 feet on center (measured per block face).

The minimum caliper size for each tree shall be three inches and shall be a minimum of 12 feet in height at planting. Each tree shall be planted in a planting area no less than 40 square feet.

Species shall be selected from the TOD District Planting List in Appendix C of this division.

Along the TOD Boulevard, trees shall be required in the center median and spacing and species shall be the same as the trees in the parkway.

Street furniture, lighting, and materials.

Pedestrian scale lighting shall be required along all TOD streets (except on alleys, arterial roadways, and highway access roads). They shall be no taller than 14 feet.

Street lights shall be placed at 50 feet on center, approximately three feet behind the curb line.

The light standard selected shall be compatible with the design of the street and buildings.

Trash receptacles and bike racks shall be required along the following TOD streets — Core Main Street, Avenue, Commercial Avenue, and TOD Boulevard. They shall be at least two trash receptacles per block within the public space. Street furniture and pedestrian amenities such as benches are recommended along the following TOD Streets - Core Main Street and Commercial Avenue.

All street furniture shall be located in such a manner as to allow a clear sidewalk passageway of a minimum of six feet.

Materials selected for paving and street furniture shall be of durable quality and require minimal maintenance.

§ 118-568 Architectural standards and guidelines.

Landscape standards (on private property).

All surface parking lots that accommodate more than ten cars shall be required to plant one canopy tree and three shrubs per every 1,000 square feet of paved area.

Trees and shrubs shall be planted in landscape islands no smaller than 200 square feet each. In addition, each tree shall be required a minimum of 40 square feet of planting area. Trees and shrubs shall be selected from the TOD District Planting List in Appendix C of this division.

All lot frontages along a public street (except alleys and highways) not defined by a building at the Build-to Zone may plant a four feet high (min.) Living Fence in as the required Street Screen. Such a Living Fence shall be composed of shrubs planted at two feet on center and two feet high when planted. Species shall be selected from the TOD District Planting List in Appendix C of this division. The required Street Screen shall be located within the Build-to Zone along the corresponding street frontage.

Maintenance of all landscape materials shall meet the requirements of chapter 114 of the City of North Richland Hills Zoning Ordinance.

Along arterials and highway access roads, street trees shall be planted within the required landscape parkway as per chapter 114 of the City of North Richland Hills Zoning Ordinance.

Turf and groundcover: When clearly visible from the street and alleys, all unpaved ground areas shall be planted with low growing shrubs or ground cover, ornamental grasses, or a combination thereof. Turf grass must be installed as solid sod and not seeded on. Ground cover is encouraged over turf/sod.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013; Ordinance 3325, § 2, adopted 9/8/2014)

The architectural standards and guidelines for the TOD Station Areas shall establish a coherent urban character and encourage enduring and attractive development. Building plans shall be reviewed by the DRC for compliance with the standards below.

The key design principles establish essential goals for development in both the Station Areas to ensure the preservation, sustainability, and visual quality of this unique environment. Buildings shall be located and designed so that they provide visual interest and create enjoyable, human-scaled spaces. The key design principles are:

•	New buildings/building façades shall utilize building elements and details to achieve a pedestrian-oriented public realm.
•	Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood or environment.
•	Infill design can be approached with non-historic designs using simple and neutral elements which will fit better with the character of the neighborhood. New designs generally should not copy existing structures, but must be consistent with the character, style and scale of those structures.
•	Compatibility is not meant to be achieved through uniformity, but through the use of variations in building elements to achieve individual building identity.
•	Building façades must include appropriate architectural details and ornament to create variety and interest.
•	Open space(s) shall be incorporated to provide usable public areas integral to the downtown environment.

The Smithfield area has an historic existing character that shall be preserved by rehabilitation of existing significant buildings. In addition, new and infill construction in the district shall reflect the character of the district during its historic period of significance.

Standards specific to Historic TOD Zone.

In addition to standards in subsection (b), the following guidelines shall apply for all development within the Historic TOD Zone. All changes to existing façades or new buildings within this zone shall receive a "compliance" permit from the planning and zoning commission after DRC review and recommendations on the extent to which the proposed changes or new construction meets the following guidelines.

Building form and massing.

Buildings shall consist of rectangular building forms limited to one- or two-stories in height.

Simple architectural ornamentation at the street level of buildings such as wood cornices or cast iron columns can both accent buildings, and provide visual interest for pedestrians and motorists. Do not incorporate high style architectural ornamentation that does not reflect the vernacular early 20th century design context of Smithfield.

Recessed entries provide weather protection, protect passing pedestrians from opening doors, and add attractive detail to the storefront. Do not recess the entire storefront.

Horizontal rhythm.

A building larger than the width seen traditionally in the district (greater than 40 feet) should be divided into modules (20 feet—25 feet) that are similar in scale to typical buildings.

Large project sites should be developed with several buildings, rather than a single structure.

The horizontal rhythm of the street wall shall be reinforced in new buildings by using a similar alignment of windowsills, building lines, floor lines, cornices, rooflines, and floor-to-floor spacing along a blockface.

Using building design elements such as cornice lines, ground floor canopies and awnings, overhangs and windowsills helps to maintain a clear visual division in building design between the street level (ground floor retail uses) and upper floors.

Doors and windows.

Windows and doors shall be vertically oriented.

The primary entrance to buildings shall be clearly defined and oriented to the street, and not to parking areas or side or rear elevations.

Clear glass should be used in upper story and storefront windows. No reflective, heavily tinted, patterned or sandblasted glass should be used in storefront or upper story windows. Patterned, colored or sandblasted glass can be appropriately used in transoms above storefront windows, however.

Roof form.

Flat roof forms with parapets, or gable roofs either facing or perpendicular to the street with a 5/12 or similar pitch are appropriate to the character and image of historic Smithfield.

Roof forms consistent with the character of Smithfield are recommended. Sloped roof shapes on one-story commercial buildings are not recommended unless they are hidden along all visible sides with a false parapet.

A visual terminus, such as a simple cornice, at the tops of two-story buildings helps reinforce the character of Smithfield architecture.

Building materials.

At least 75 percent of each façade visible from any public right-of-way or adjoining properties (except alleys) of new buildings shall use materials typical of common building materials of the historic period and location, including brick and stone indigenous to North Texas such as dark fieldstone. Masonry materials shall be installed in a craftsman like manner that are a minimum of one inch thick and imbedded in a cementitious reinforced substrate.

Stone patterns, sizes and color of individual stones should be similar to those found in historic stone buildings in the area, or typical of structures of this type, age or vicinity.

Masonry bonding patterns, sizes and color should be similar to those found in the historic commercial and institutional buildings nearby, or typical of structures of the type, age and vicinity.

Traditional materials such as horizontal wood siding of dimensions similar to novelty, shiplap or tongue-and-groove, or Cementitious horizontal siding, in a smooth, paintable finish and of traditional dimensions may be used as accent materials not to exceed 25 percent of each façade. Other non-traditional building materials shall only be permitted as accent materials (no more than 25 percent of each façade visible from any public right-of-way or adjoining properties).

(6)

Awnings and canopies.

Canopies of wood or metal and awnings of wood, metal, or canvas may be used to protect pedestrians and create interest along the street.

Fixed, rolled front awnings of corrugated metal, as found in many early 20th century North Texas commercial districts, are appropriate for the Smithfield district.

Fixed canopies may extend the width of a commercial building, and may be supported at the outer edge by simple wood or metal posts, as long as the supports are non-structural and do not interfere with pedestrian passage along the front sidewalk.

Standards specific to commercial and mixed use buildings.

The following design standards and guidelines shall provide property owners, developers, city staff, and decision makers adequate design guidance for new and existing commercial buildings.

Location on the street.

Buildings shall be oriented toward the major street with the primary entrance located on that street. All primary entrances shall be oriented to the public sidewalk for ease of pedestrian access.

At key intersections, buildings located on corner lots may utilize variations in building massing to emphasize street intersections as points of interest in the district. Maximum building heights shall be permitted to exceed by 25 percent for approximately 25 percent of the building frontage along each street façade.

Pedestrian-friendly building massing and scale.

A building's massing shall serve to define entry points and help orient pedestrians.

Buildings and/or façades shall emphasize and frame or terminate important vistas.

Buildings in the TOD Core zone, to the extent practicable, shall maintain a 25 feet—35 feet building façade widths or multiples thereof.

Variations in the rhythms within individual building façades shall be achieved within any block of building façades with architectural elements such as bays, columns, doors, windows, etc.

Breaks in the predominant rhythm may also be used to reinforce changes in massing and important elements such as building entrances, terminated vistas, or corner sites.

Porches, stoops, eaves, awnings, blade signs, arcades, colonnades and balconies should be used along commercial storefronts and they may protrude beyond the setback line provided that they do not inhibit pedestrian movement within the public right-of-way.

Feature buildings.

Buildings which are located on axis with a terminating street or at the intersection of streets shall be considered as feature buildings. Such buildings shall be designed with features which take advantage of that location, such as an accentuated entry and a unique building articulation which is off-set from the front wall planes and goes above the main building eave or parapet line.

Architectural elements and storefronts.

Shopfront buildings shall be designed and built in tri-partite architecture so that they have a distinct base, middle, and top. Contemporary design is not discouraged as long as long as it is compatible with the character of the property, neighborhood or environment.

Architectural elements shall be designed to the appropriate scale and proportions of the selected architectural style.

An expression line or equivalent architectural element shall delineate the base of all buildings, and a cornice shall delineate the tops of façades that do not utilize a pitched roof. For retail storefronts, a transom, display window area and bulkhead at the base shall be utilized.

Infill buildings shall maintain the alignment of horizontal elements along the block.

Building entrances may be defined and articulated by architectural elements such as lintels, pediments, pilasters, columns, porticos, porches, overhangs, railings, balustrades, and others as appropriate. All building elements should be compatible with the architectural style, materials, colors, and details of the building as a whole. Entrances to upper level uses may be defined and integrated into the design of the overall building façade. Doors and windows that operate as sliders are prohibited along the following streets - Core Main Street, Avenue, Commercial Avenue, and TOD Boulevard.

Roofs: Mansard roofs are prohibited and flat membrane-type roofs that are visible are prohibited.

Doors and windows: Generally, windows shall be oriented vertically, and bay windows shall have external bottom supports. Dormer windows shall also be vertically proportioned and slightly shorter than the windows below.

Transparency required: For all new construction and renovation in the TOD Core zone, the street-level floor shall have transparent storefront windows covering no less than 65 percent of the façade area. Each upper floor of all building façades facing a street or plaza shall contain transparent windows covering at least 35 percent of the façade area. Glass curtain wall buildings are prohibited. For all new construction and renovation in the General Mixed Use, Arterial Mixed Use, and High Intensity Mixed Use zones, the required street facing façade transparency (each floor) shall be at least 30 percent.

Ground floor commercial and mixed use building plate heights (floor to floor) shall be at least 15 feet in height. Two story Live/work buildings may have 12 foot floor to floor height. Upper floor to floor heights shall be a minimum of ten feet.

Storefronts: Retailers located at the street level shall primarily use storefronts to orient and advertise merchandise to customers. Retail buildings shall provide street-level pedestrian-oriented uses at the ground floor level. Storefronts on façades that span multiple tenants shall use architecturally compatible materials, colors, details, awnings, signage, and lighting fixtures.

Building materials.

Masonry (brick, stone, cast stone, rock, marble, granite, glass block and/or tile). Masonry materials shall be installed in a craftsman like manner that are a minimum of one inch thick and imbedded in a cementitious reinforced substrate.

(Architectural CMU with integral colors)

No more than 25 percent each façade (excluding doors and windows) visible from any public right-of-way or adjoining properties (except alleys) of new buildings may use accent materials such as decorative wood (naturally resistant to decay), metal, synthetic materials, or reinforced Exterior Insulating Finishing System (EIFS)

Stucco and Cementitious-horizontal siding in a smooth, paintable finish and of traditional dimensions with at least a 50-year warranty may only be used on the upper floors within the TOD Core and General Mixed Use Zones. This material is not permitted in the High Intensity Mixed Use and Arterial Mixed Use Zones

Side façades and rear façades shall be of finished quality and of the same color and materials that blend with the front of the building. Rear façades may be painted tilt-wall or painted block matching the same color of the rest of the building if the rear façade faces an alley or is not viewable from a public street or right-of-way. Rear façades shall not be designed as blank walls and while they may not have the same level of detailing as the other façades, they shall be designed to incorporate vertical and horizontal changes in color, materials, and articulation that are in keeping with the other street facing façades.

Standards specific to residential and two-story live/work buildings.

Location on the street:

For corner buildings, at least one primary entrance shall address the primary street unless configured as a courtyard or forecourt building.

Garages generally shall be located on alleys at the rear of residential buildings; pull-through garages are allowed if the garage door is set back behind the rear façade of the main structure. If front-loaded garages or carports are utilized on single-family residential lots, the garages and carports shall be no greater than 12 feet wide, and set back at least 20 feet measured from the face of the main structure closest to the garage/carport or rotated 90 degrees with windows on the wall facing the street. All garage doors shall be divided into single bays separated by at least an 18-inch column. Front-loaded garages on residential lots less than 60 feet wide shall not be allowed. Town homes and courtyard apartments shall utilize rear-loaded garages.

Pedestrian-friendly building massing and scale.

On residential buildings, at least one of the following shall be utilized: porches, stoops, bay windows, balconies, masonry clad chimneys, attached pergolas or colonnades. Those architectural elements may encroach beyond the setback line to a maximum of 50 percent of the setback.

The grade of the slab or main floor elevation shall be elevated at least 18-inch above the grade of the sidewalk.

Architectural elements.

Residential buildings shall have relatively flat fronts and simple roofs with most building wing articulations set at the rear of the structure. Window projections, stoops, porches, balconies, and similar extensions are exempt from this standard.

Gable roofs, if provided, shall have a minimum pitch of 5/12. When hipped roofs are used, the minimum pitch shall be 5/12. Other roof types shall be appropriate to the architectural style of the building.

Architectural embellishments that add visual interest to the roofs, such as dormers and masonry chimneys may be provided.

All new residential buildings shall have windows or doors covering no less than 30 percent of all street facing façades.

Building materials.

At least 75 percent of each façade (excluding doors and windows) visible from any public right-of-way or adjoining properties (except alleys) of new buildings shall be finished in one the following materials. No more than any combination of three of the following different materials shall be used on any single façade:

Masonry (brick; stone; man-made stone). Masonry materials shall be installed in a craftsman like manner that are a minimum of one-inch thick and imbedded in a cementitious reinforced substrate;

Stucco and Cementitious horizontal siding, in a smooth, paintable finish and of traditional dimensions with a 50-year warranty shall be restricted to upper floors and no more than a maximum of 50 percent of the block face on the first floor of any building block face.

The following shall be only allowed up to 25 percent of each façade as an accent material:

Decorative wood (naturally resistant to decay), metal, synthetic materials or reinforced Exterior Insulating Finishing System (EIFS) or similar material over a cementitious base, rock, glass block and tile.

Alley facing façades shall be of finished quality and of the same color and materials that blend with the front of the building.

Roofing materials (visible from any public right-of-way): copper, factory finished painted metal, slate, synthetic slate, terra cotta, cement tile, glass fiber and asphalt shingles.

An enclosed garage or carport shall be designed and constructed of the same material as the primary building.

Building types permitted by character zone.

Table 8.1 shall establish the building types permitted by Character Zone.

Table 8.1 Building Type Matrix
Building Type	Character Zone
Building Type	Historic Core	TOD Core	Gen. Mixed Use (I & S)	TOD Res.	Arterial MU	High Intensity MU
1. Shopfront building — residential occupancy limited to upper floor	P	P	P	NP	P	P
2. 3-Story Mixed Use (loft building) — residential occupancy limited to upper floors	NP	P	P	NP	P	P
3. 4-Story Mixed Use (loft building) — residential occupancy limited to upper floors	NP	P	NP	NP	NP	P
4. 2-story live-work — residential occupancy limited to upper floor — 12 foot floor to floor height	NP	NP	P	P	NP	NP
5. Apartment building — 4 story maximum height	NP	P	NP	NP	NP	NP
6. Multi-unit house — 2 story maximum height — 5 dwelling units per house maximum	NP	NP	P	P	NP	NP
7. Townhouse — 3 story maximum height	NP	P	P	P	NP	NP
8. Detached house — 2 story maximum height	NP	NP	P	P	NP	NP
9. Commercial building (high rise)	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	P
10. Hotel(number of stories limited to character district height standards)	NP	P in Iron Horse NP in Smithfield	P	NP	P	P

Quality building amenities.

The following regulations shall be required on all non-single family dwellings and buildings within the TOD zoning district.

Elevators on all three-story and above buildings with the exception of individually platted townhome lots.

Enclosed air conditioned stairways and corridors.

Alarm systems.

Sprinklers.

All HVAC units required on roof tops except for individually platted townhome lots and mixed use buildings less than 12,000 square feet in size. All allowed ground HVAC units shall be screened and placed at the side or rear of the lot and not visible from the street.

All non-single family dwellings shall conform to the latest version of the International Energy Conservation Code.

All mixed use buildings with three or more stories must have non-combustible construction on the first floor and a two-hour fire separation between the first and second floors.

The following regulations shall be required on all single family dwellings and individually platted townhomes within the TOD zoning district.

All developments with lot widths less than 60 feet are required to be served by rear entry alleys.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013)

§ 118-569 Signage.

Except as specifically listed below, all other signage and sign standards must comply with chapter 106 of the City of North Richland Hills Code of Ordinances, as amended.

For conforming uses and new signs for non-conforming uses, the standards in Table 9.1 shall apply and sign permits may be approved administratively unless specifically noted in this section. An applicant has the option to establish unique sign standards including size, color, type, design, and location based upon specific performance criteria. Such sign standards shall be reviewed by the sign review committee and is subject to approval of the sign review board. Nonconforming signs shall meet chapter 106 of the City of North Richland Hills Code of Ordinances.

Table 9.1
Sign Type		Character Zone						Standard
Sign Type		Historic Core	TOD Core	G/MU (S & I)	Arterial MU	High Intensity MU	TOD Res.	Standard
(1)	Wall (Building) Signs	P	P	P	P	P	P (comm. uses only)	• For all commercial uses fronting on I-820 access road: One sign per tenant space; area to be calculated at 0.75 sq. ft. per linear foot of highway frontage with a maximum of 200 sq. ft.
								• For all other commercial uses (retail, office, and restaurant): One sign per tenant space; area to be calculated at 1 sq. ft. per linear foot of public street frontage with a maximum of 50 sq. ft.
								• Second floor commercial uses may also be permitted one second floor wall sign per tenant space per public street frontage; area to be calculated at 0.75 sq. ft. per linear foot of second floor frontage along that public street.
								• Live-Work and Home occupations: One sign limited to an area of 12 sq. ft. max.
								• May encroach a maximum of 12" on to a sidewalk while maintaining a vertical clearance of 8 ft. from the finished sidewalk.
								• Wall signs may be internally or externally lit.
								• In the TOD Residential Zone, wall signs are only permitted for commercial uses (including the "work" component of live-work uses).
(2)	Monument Signs	P/C	P/C	P	P	P	NP	• One monument sign per lot per street frontage (no more than 2 per lot separated by at least 100 ft.) limited to a maximum of 50 sq. ft. per sign face and 6 ft. in height.
(2)	Monument Signs	P/C	P/C	P	P	P	NP	• Historic Core and TOD Core only allowed in Arterial frontage landscape buffer
(3)	Window Signs	P	P	P	P	P	P (comm. uses only)	• Limited to 25% of the window area.
								• In the TOD Residential Zone, window signs are only permitted for commercial uses (including the "work" component of livework uses).
								The following shall be exempt from this limitation:
								• Addresses, closed/open signs, hours of operation, credit card logos, real estate signs, and now hiring signs.
								• Mannequins and storefront displays of merchandise sold.
								• Interior directory signage identifying shopping aisles and merchandise display areas.
(4)	Blade Signs	P	P	NP	NP	NP	P (comm. uses only)	• Shall be permitted for all commercial uses only (retail, restaurant, and office)
								• 15 sq. ft. maximum per sign face.
								• May encroach a maximum of 4 ft. over a public sidewalk/R-O-W.
								• Blade signs may be attached to the building or hung under the soffit of an arcade or under a canopy/awning while maintaining a vertical clearance of 8 ft. from the finished sidewalk.
								• In the TOD Residential Zone, blade signs are only permitted for commercial uses (including the "work" component of live-work uses).
(5)	For sale/for lease signs	P	P	P	P	P	P	• Size is limited to 32 sq. ft. per sign face
(5)	For sale/for lease signs	P	P	P	P	P	P	• All other standards are the same as Sign Ordinance
(6)	Address signs	P	P	P	P	P	P	Same as Sign Ordinance
(7)	Temporary construction	P	P	P	P	P	P	• 1 free standing sign per lot during construction only; limited to 32 sq. ft.
(8)	Banners	P	P	P	P	P	P	Same as Sign Ordinance
		P	P	NP	NP	NP	P	• Permitted only for retail, service, or restaurant uses
								• Limited to 8 sq. ft. per sign face per storefront;
								• Sign may not exceed 2 ft. in width or 4 ft. in height.
								• A minimum of 6 ft. of sidewalk shall remain clear.
								• Chalkboards may be used for daily changing of messages. Readerboards (electronic and non-electronic) shall be prohibited.
								• Sign shall be removed every day after the business is closed.
(9)	Light Pole Banners	P	P	P	P	P	P	• 10 sq. ft. per sign face.
								• limited to one per light pole
								• All light pole banners shall be approved by the appropriate utility company prior to consideration by the Sign Control Board.
								• Light pole banners shall be limited to publicize community-wide events, holiday celebrations, public art, and other city sponsored events.
(10)	Directory signs	P	P	P	P	P	P	• Shall be allowed for all multi-tenant buildings only
								• One directory sign per multi-tenant building limited to 10 sq. ft. in area
								• Design of the sign shall be integral to the façade on which the sign is to be affixed.
(11)	Any sign with LED lights or electronic reader boards	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	NP	• To be reviewed as part of city-wide regulations
(12)	Traffic Directional Signs	P	P	P	P	P	NP	• Only allowed on 60 foot or greater streets; can include multiple locations; only showing name and direction of commercial or civic facilities at least 15,000 square feet of space or identify general districts or locations; consistent color and theming and approved by the Sign Review Committee
(12)	Traffic Directional Signs	P	P	P	P	P	NP	• All traffic directional signs within right-of-way shall not exceed six square feet in area with a maximum height of 40 inches
(13)	Pole Signs	NP	NP	NP	NP	P	NP	• Only allowed within freeway overlay district on Loop 820 frontage based on Section 106-3 regulations

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013)

§ 118-570 Civic/open space standards.

Required public open space: All new development shall provide a minimum of five percent of the gross area of the site as outdoor/unenclosed open space available to the general public. Required public open spaces may include pocket parks, children's play areas, greens, squares, plazas, pocket plazas, promenades, pedestrian passages (paseos), or linear greens. Open Spaces should be designed to be prominently featured, visible and accessible from the public right-of-way, and add value to the neighborhood. Required public open spaces can be publicly or privately maintained but must provide general public access and pedestrian connectivity to be counted as a required open space. Shaded pedestrian corridors such as promenades and paseos are encouraged to provide pedestrian linkages between buildings, blocks and uses. Extended sidewalk and pedestrian plazas located on private property can also be allowed as part of open space requirements. Required yards and retention/detention areas are not considered as public open spaces.

Square, parks, and greens are appropriate in any Character Zone. Plazas may serve as open spaces and shall only be appropriate in the Historic Core and the TOD Core Character Zones.

All new development and redevelopment of property less than ten acres may pay a park dedication fee based on the city's Code of Ordinances chapter 62 in lieu of the above requirement.

Required private personal open space: All new residential development shall provide a private personal open space to a minimum of 75 percent of units in the form of porches, stoops, patios, decks, balconies or roof terraces.

(Ordinance 3240, § 1(Exh. A), adopted 3/4/2013)

§ 118-571 Administration.

This section sets forth the provisions for reviewing and approving development applications within both the Station Areas. The intent is to ensure that all development and redevelopment is consistent with the provisions of this division and the goals for transit-oriented development in the city. All sections of this division shall be applied during the review process.

Overview of the development review process: Development and redevelopment within the two Station Areas is streamlined and shall follow the following guidelines:

All non-residential or mixed use development or redevelopment of one or more properties that is ten acres or larger may submit a concept plan prior to a site plan.

All residential development must have an approved Concept Plan prior to building permit application.

All non-residential or mixed use development must have a site plan approved by the city prior to building permit application.

All development or redevelopment must have a final plat approved by the city prior to building permit application.

Concept Plan:

The Concept Plan in the TOD district is intended to illustrate that the general development pattern proposed is consistent with the purpose and intent of the TOD and Station Area Plans. The applicant shall submit a Concept Plan for the entire property under consideration for development. A Concept Plan is not intended to be a detailed proposal; rather, it shall illustrate general location of land uses, street layout, treatment of transition areas to adjacent uses and any other appropriate information required by this ordinance. The Concept Plan in this zone shall illustrate the general design direction of the site(s) with adequate information on the design intent, intensity, and phasing of the project.

Requirements of Concept Plan submittal: The applicant shall prepare a Concept Plan demonstrating compliance with the district's purpose and standards and the city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan for review by the Development Review Committee (DRC). A Concept Plan shall include the following:

Map(s) and/or reports that include the following information (maps drawn to an appropriate scale):

Location of the subject property including delineation of Character Zones, required and recommended streets, and any special frontage requirements.

The layout of proposed blocks, streets, alleys, and trails consistent with this division and other city ordinances and plans;

Delineation of the proposed street type of each new and existing street

The location, acreage, and type of open space areas with an indication for each whether it will be privately owned, a common area for residents only or dedicated to public use;

The location, acreage, and percentages of retail, office, residential, civic, and open space uses by Character Zone and compliance with the mixed use criteria for each Character Zone;

Conceptual images of proposed buildings, open spaces, and streets including architectural renderings, typical elevations, photographs, and other graphics;

A schedule for the proposed development (or for each phase, if it is to be developed by phases), which schedule shall not be binding but shall be provided in order to show generally how the applicant will complete the project containing the following information:

The order of construction by section delineated on the Concept Plan;

ii.

The proposed schedule for construction of improvements to open space areas;

iii.

The proposed schedule for the installation of required public or utilities improvements and the dedication of public rights-of-way, easements and properties.

Site plan: All non-residential and mixed use development within the Station Areas must have a site plan approved by the city prior to the issuance of a building permit. All Site Plan applications shall meet the submittal requirements for a PD Site Plan in section 118-241 of the City of North Richland Hills Zoning Ordinance.

The city's Development Review Committee shall be responsible for the following:

(Reserved)

Reviewing applications for concept plans, site plans, plats, and any other development related applications within the two Station Areas.

Make determinations on the applications and interpretations of guidelines, standards, and requirements of this division.

Approval of Concept and Site Plans within the two Station Areas that comply with all applicable city ordinances.

Appeals and Special Development Plans. All applications that appeal the decision of the DRC, request a modification to any of the standards within this district, request any development bonuses, or development incentives shall be reviewed and processed as "Special Development Plans"

Special Development Plans: Special Development Plans are intended to allow applicants development flexibility to address specific market opportunities and/or contexts. An application for a Special Development Plan may only be approved by the city council after a recommendation has been made by planning and zoning commission. The DRC shall review and make recommendations on all SDPs prior to forwarding it to the planning and zoning commission. In evaluating a Special Development Plan, city council shall consider the extent to which the application meets the following:

The goals and intent of transit oriented development in the city

Provides an alternative "master plan" approach by consolidating multiple properties to create a predictable, market responsive development for the area

Fits the adjoining context by providing appropriate transitions

Provides public benefits such as usable civic and open spaces, livable streets, structured and shared parking, and linkages to transit

Does not hinder future opportunities for higher intensity transit oriented development

Transitional surface parking lots: In addition, all Transitional Surface Parking Lots within the Historic TOD and TOD Core zones that accommodate 50 or more cars within one or more contiguous lots may only be permitted with a Special Development Plan approval by city council. Applications for an SDP for a Transitional Surface Parking Lot shall include a phasing plan for development on the site that would be in compliance with the standards for that specific character zone. In approving an SDP for a Transitional Surface Parking Lot, city council may impose a time-limit on the use. An applicant may request three-year extensions of such an SDP to city council with any supporting information on future development phasing and justify the need to extend the use of the surface parking lot. A Transitional Surface Parking Lot may be converted into a building site with site plan approval at any time.

Legal non-conforming structures: Any buildings or structures that were legally permitted and constructed at the time of adoption of this division but do not meet the Building Form and Development Standards in section 118-566 or Architectural Standards and Guidelines in section 118-568 may continue to exist. However, any expansion shall meet the standards of this division unless a Special Development Plan is approved by city council. While considering approval of such an SDP, city council shall evaluate the extent to which the application meets the intent of the TOD Building Form and Development Standards, and Architectural Standards and Guidelines.

(f)

Special events and special use permits: Special events shall be regulated by section 118-715 and special use permits shall be regulated by section 118-201 of the City of North Richland Hills Zoning Ordinance.

(g)

Plat approval:

Preliminary plat approval.

An application for preliminary plat may be submitted only after approval of a Concept Plan or site plan for development. A preliminary plat may be submitted for all of a planned development or for a portion of development. The preliminary plat shall generally conform to the approved Concept Plan. The applicant shall follow chapter 110, article IV of the city's subdivision regulations, for the preliminary plat submittal requirements.

Simultaneous submittals: Applications for a preliminary plat approval may be submitted for review simultaneously with the Concept or Site Plan application. In such cases, any approval of the preliminary plat must be conditioned upon the approval of the Concept or Site Plan. If the approved Concept or Site Plan includes any additions or conditions by the DRC, the preliminary plat undergoing simultaneous review must be amended to conform to the approved Concept or Site Plan.