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Belton council approves first reading of UDC changes that raise accessory-structure size limits
Summary
The Belton City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that amends the Unified Development Code to increase allowable accessory storage sizes, add new accessory structure types, and change frontage-tree and planting requirements; council also approved a late textual amendment removing the word 'recreational' from a subsection.
Belton City Council approved the first reading of bill 2025-08 on a motion to amend and pass changes to the city’s Unified Development Code, which would increase allowable accessory storage sizes, add new accessory structure types and adjust tree and planting standards.
City planner Wright told the council the ordinance would "provide additional flexibilities and options for accessory uses, structures, and building projections, as well as to enhance community aesthetics." He said the change increases the maximum cumulative size of accessory storage structures to 400 square feet or 5% of lot size, whichever is greater, and adds greenhouses, hoop houses and hobby shops to permitted accessory structures. "This would allow larger lots to have larger structures on," Wright said.
The amendment package also reduces the required separation between accessory structures and principal buildings from 10 feet to 5 feet, relaxes certain rear-yard setbacks for accessory structures on side streets, and renames "street trees" to "frontage trees," requiring trees along public and private street frontages for new developments. Wright said the frontage-tree requirement allows trees within 10 feet of the street-front property line and that the changes add a minimum front-yard planting standard and minimum tree species requirements to diversify the tree canopy.
During review, Council member Johnson flagged unclear language in section 4-4, subsection 3, saying, "I have no idea what that means," referring to a sentence that included the term "recreational." Council members discussed cleaning up the sentence and agreed to delete the word "recreational" from that subsection to improve clarity. A motion to amend bill 2025-08 by removing the word "recreational" from section 4-4 subsection 3 passed on a voice vote, and the council then approved the amended first reading of bill 2025-08 on a subsequent voice vote.
Wright said the planning commission held a public hearing on Feb. 4 and unanimously recommended approval; staff recommended approval as proposed. Council members noted the ordinance is a targeted update and may be further modified as part of a broader zoning code overhaul planned for the future.
The council clarified that the new higher storage limits would not change driveway requirements for storage buildings: storage buildings would not require a paved driveway, but buildings used as garages would continue to require one. The ordinance’s redline summary was included in the agenda packet; councilors said a full UDC rewrite is planned over the next year.
The vote recorded on the first reading was by voice; the transcript records the motion passed on voice vote and does not provide a roll-call tally.
