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Kennedale planners weigh allowing ADUs by right, preapproved plans and streamlined plat approvals
Summary
The Kennedale Planning & Zoning discussion focused on allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by right with design controls, creating a library of preapproved building plans to speed permitting, and making many plat approvals administrative to reduce delay; drafts of UDC changes are due in January.
Kennedale's Planning & Zoning group spent the meeting parsing possible changes to the city's Unified Development Code that would let homeowners build accessory dwelling units and speed approvals for infill development.
The commission discussed allowing ADUs 'by right' in residential districts (AG, R1'R4) so owners would not need a Board of Adjustment variance, while retaining design standards and permit requirements. "We are considering allowing ADUs by right in a residential district," Speaker 3 said, adding proposed limits such as no separate utility meters or separate addresses and size controls to prevent full second dwellings used primarily as rentals.
Speakers also raised enforcement concerns and future uses. One commissioner said existing short-term rental rules could be tied into ADU provisions to prevent units converting to Airbnbs after the qualifying occupant dies or leaves; Speaker 3 noted the city already maintains an ordinance regulating short-term rentals and suggested linking the policies.
To cut permitting time, staff proposed offering a library of preapproved, architect- or engineer-stamped building plans homeowners and infill builders could choose from. "While we can't control building materials, we can control how things look, form, character, and we can certainly make it easier for folks to get a permit and to build the way we want them to build," Speaker 3 said. Commissioners discussed requiring multiple elevations and alternating patterns so neighborhoods would avoid a cookie-cutter appearance.
The commission also reviewed proposed administrative changes to plat review and approvals. Staff recommended converting many final plat and site-plan approvals to administrative (staff-level) actions when an application meets zoning, while retaining preliminary plats for public P&Z review. Speaker 3 reminded the group the state provides a 30-day review window for filed, complete plat applications and said the change is intended to avoid unnecessary council hearings for ministerial approvals.
Members discussed tailoring ADU allowances to lot size or rear-yard percentage rather than a flat cap on accessory buildings, noting the present 10% rear-yard accessory-structure limit can permit very large structures on multi-acre lots and that R-3 acreage lots require different treatment. Commissioners asked staff to refine definitions for triplexes, quadplexes and multifamily so the UDC is clearer about density and unit counts.
Staff said draft ordinance language and UDC edits will be circulated in advance of a January meeting for review and that the commission will have an opportunity to provide further direction. The meeting adjourned at 07:28.
