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Council approves waiver to modify rear‑yard standard for specified Timnath Ranch townhomes with conditions
Summary
Town council approved a waiver allowing some rear‑yard setback reductions in the Timnath Ranch Eighth Filing replat to enable alley‑loaded townhome designs, but required that specific blocks (11, 19 and 20) adhere to the R‑4 dimensional standards to preserve streetscape consistency.
The Town of Timnath council on May 11 approved a town‑council waiver requested by Hartford Homes (applicant Highland Development Services) to reduce the minimum rear‑yard setback from 15 feet to 6 feet on specified lots in the Timnath Ranch Eighth Filing replat, subject to conditions designed to preserve a consistent streetscape.
Why it matters: the applicant said the waiver allows alley‑loaded townhome buildings to shift rearward so private front‑yard space becomes usable and to reduce conflicts where short rear drive aisles would otherwise encourage on‑alley parking that could block shared drives. Staff recommended limiting the waiver so that blocks already issued building permits remain consistent with previously permitted setbacks and to avoid visual inconsistency along street frontages.
Key points from staff presentation and applicant statements
- Requested change: the applicant sought a blanket reduction of the 15‑foot rear‑yard minimum to 6 feet for lots in the subject area to increase private front yard usability and reduce driveway encroachment into shared drive aisles.
- Staff recommendation: after reviewing building permits already issued, staff recommended the waiver be approved only for specified blocks and that building permits for blocks 11, 19 and 20 adhere to the existing R‑4 dimensional standards (15‑foot rear yard) to maintain streetscape consistency; staff also noted lot coverage and impervious surface rules would still apply.
- Applicant response: the applicant said the requested change is driven by the presence of sidewalks in the lot frontages and limited usable front yard depth; the applicant also said its plan would remain within buildable area limits and that the 6‑foot rear‑yard footprint would not permit expanded buildings beyond lot‑coverage rules.
Council action and conditions
Council moved to approve the waiver with the staff’s recommended condition: building permits for Blocks 11, 19 and 20 must be submitted in accordance with the existing R‑4 dimensional standards to ensure consistency with previously approved permits in the same subdivision. The motion passed unanimously.
Provenance: staff presentation, applicant remarks and council vote (transcript May 11, 2025).
