Deceptive Petitioning to Non-Contributing Homeowners Like You

Petitioners promised non-contributing homeowners they would not be subject to architectural restrictions. That turned out not to be true. As a non-contributing (now renamed “Supporting“) in the Proposed CD2 Expansion Ordinance, you must adhere to the Architectural Standards for Supporting Houses below.

This should make you very angry.

How did this happen?

The Head of the Neighborhood Committee justified it this way:

I know what was said during Petitioning. . .  Non-Contributing homes would only be subject to height and setback type restrictions, but the discussions that happened in however long we’ve talked about Styles, it evolved to where we are because if Non-Contributing has no regulation then someone could apply for a remodel of a NC home, take it down to a couple of walls and then rebuild like that black house on [x street]  that everyone… complains about.“

SUMMER LOVELAND HEAD OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE, MEETING 15

If the Ordinance Passes You will Lose

You will lose time:

Routine home maintenance will require another level of approval on top of a building permit, delaying completion and adding to your costs. The Department of Planning and Urban Development’s average time for review?

Work Not Requiring a Building Permit Must Still Go Through Review with The Director of the Dept. of Planning and Urban Development.

You will lose $Money:

Appealing a Denial: Just filing paperwork will cost $600-1000 plus a tree-killing amount of paperwork. See what is required on the City’s Website. It’s mind-boggling.

  • Plus attorney’s fees
  • Plus the cost of construction delays

Fines. $2,000 per day per occurrence for unauthorized work.

Fines. $2,000 per mature tree removed or seriously damaged in front yard.

You Will Lose Use of the Equivalent of a Living Room

In the Development Standards, something never discussed was snuck into the Ordinance (see (4) Development Standards, (2) Driveways, curbing and parking). We never discussed or agreed to this in neighborhood meetings.

Any new front entry driveway must extend at least 20 feet beyond the front yard setback.

Couple this with A driveway from the front street must be between eight and 12 feet
wide and you could lost about living room (AI says a typical living room is 216 feet).

  • 20 x (8 feet of driveway) = loss of 160 square feet of building area
  • 20 x 12-foot-wide driveway = loss of 240 square feet of building area

You Will Lose Control of Your Property

The City will have complete discretion through the inclusion of regulations like this:

  • Window must be typical of the architectural style.
  • Doors must be typical of the architectural style.

Architectural Standards for all other Supporting Houses


(1) If a Supporting House is remodeled, the remodeling must comply with the
standards of this section; or
(2) A Supporting House may be remodeled in one of the 5 contributing styles (Tudor, Spanish Revival/Eclectic, French Eclectic, Colonial Revival, Neoclassical) for that element of the structure being remodeled.
(3) Materials. Metal cladding of any type is prohibited on a front facade.

(4) Roof.
(A) Except was provided in this section, structures must have a gable or hipped roof, with roof pitch between 4/12 and 12/12 or match thedocumented existing roof pitch of the main structure.

(B) Roof eaves must not exceed two feet.

(C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) flat and shed style roofs areallowed for entry porch roofs only.

(D) The only roofing materials allowed are: wood shingles, material that looks like wood shingles, tile, materials that look like tile, slate, materials that look like slate, standing seam metal, or composition
shingles. Roofing material colors must be compatible with Original Houses in the district.
(E) Any flat or low pitch (under 2/12 pitch) may use modified bitumen,
TPO membrane, or EPDM membrane.

(5) Windows
(A) Individual window units must be taller than they are wide on the front facade.
(B) Except as provided in this paragraph, all windows on a front facade
must be:
(i) single or double-hung 1-over-1;
(ii) single or double-hung with divided light upper sash;
(iii) single or double-hung with divided light upper and lower sash;
(iv) divided light casement;
(v) divided light fixed/non-operable;
(vi) stained or leaded glass; or
(vii) match or be compatible with existing windows in place at
passage of this ordinance(C) Fixed plate glass windows are permitted only when utilized immediately between two operable windows.

Source: Proposed Lakewood CD2 Expansion Ordinance (https://dallascityhall.com/departments/pnv/PublishingImages/Pages/Lakewood-Expansion/CD%202_Lakewood%20Expansion_TractIV_FINAL%20CPC%20DRAFT.pdf)