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Council denies special‑request to retain existing exterior materials on elevated manufactured home in Lake Rockwall Estates
Summary
Council denied a request to retain existing OSB/composite siding and waive required skirting when elevating a manufactured home in PD‑75; the vote was 7–0.
Rockwall City Council on Nov. 3 unanimously denied a special request to allow existing exterior (OSB/composite) siding and to waive masonry skirting and column wrapping when elevating a manufactured home in planned development district PD‑75 (Lake Rockwall Estates).
Staff background: Planning staff said the Board of Adjustments previously approved elevating the legally nonconforming manufactured home between about 6.4 and 10 feet above grade to meet base flood elevations; that BOA action permitted an expansion of a legally nonconforming structure under the UDC (subsection 403). PD‑75, however, requires higher percentages of masonry or cementitious materials on exterior cladding and specifically requires skirting and masonry column wraps. The applicant requested a special exception under the PD ordinance (subsection 3c) to retain the existing siding and omit skirting, arguing replacement is an undue financial burden and that wrapping or adding skirting would impair flood flows or be damaged by raising the structure.
Staff also reported compliance problems unrelated to the materials request: multiple unpermitted improvements on the parcel and three code citations, most recently in the prior week. The Planning & Zoning Commission reviewed the application and recommended denial 4–3.
Council action and rationale: after the applicant's representative explained the hardship claim, Councilmember Lewis moved to deny the MIS request; the motion passed unanimously (7–0). Councilmembers reiterated that the property's unpermitted improvements must be resolved and that any future work will require proper permitting and materials consistent with PD‑75 or manufactured‑home replacement standards.
Next steps: staff said unpermitted work must be removed or properly permitted before any building permits will be issued. The denial preserves PD‑75 exterior standards and requires the owner to pursue compliant options for elevation and exterior finishes.
