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Commission recommends limiting residential accessory buildings to three and 1,000 sq ft combined
Summary
Balcones Heights commissioners debated and largely agreed to ask staff to draft language limiting accessory buildings on residential lots to a maximum of three structures with a combined footprint not to exceed 1,000 square feet (non-living quarters); larger or different arrangements would be considered by the Board of Adjustments.
The Planning & Zoning Commission reviewed existing accessory-building language and found a gap: current code allows buildings up to 1,000 square feet each but does not limit the number of accessory buildings per residential lot.
Commissioners raised concerns about aesthetics, fire-department access and enforcement. Some argued for tying limits to lot size (fraction of property footprint), while others preferred a clear numeric cap for simplicity. After discussion the commission settled by consensus to direct staff to prepare language limiting accessory buildings to a maximum of three per residential lot with a combined maximum of 1,000 square feet; the structures must be non-living quarters. Requests to exceed those limits would go before the Board of Adjustments.
Participants noted that setbacks and fire-department review remain determinative for location and that the Board of Adjustments would continue to handle exceptions. Staff will bring a drafted definition and related setback language back to the commission for approval prior to any council submission.
Next steps: staff will prepare proposed ordinance text reflecting the three-building / 1,000-square-foot combined limit and return to the commission for further review.
