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Bertram council adopts reduced front and rear setbacks in citywide ordinance
Summary
Council adopted Ordinance 26-032426 to change front setbacks of 25 feet to 20 feet and rear setbacks of 25 feet to 15 feet for zoning districts that currently used 25 feet; staff said parking and lot sizes are unchanged and the ordinance applies to existing and new lots.
The City Council voted to adopt Ordinance 26-032426, amending the city's zoning chart to change certain front setbacks from 25 feet to 20 feet and rear setbacks from 25 feet to 15 feet where those 25-foot figures previously applied.
Staff told council the change was surgical: only entries in the zoning chart showing 25 feet were altered to the new values and other setback values (for example 10 or 50 feet) were left unchanged. Staff said the amendment applies to existing and new lots moving forward and could affect placement of porches, carports and accessory structures. A council member raised a concern that a 20-foot front setback could leave vehicles (for example a 20-foot truck) parked within the sidewalk alignment; staff and builders answered that lot layouts and an additional 10 feet of separation on new subdivisions meant the effective distance to the road would remain adequate.
Council also noted that parking requirements for built structures remain in effect and will still dictate where required parking can be located. The fire chief was consulted informally and staff reported no operational concerns with the setback adjustments. After discussion a motion to adopt the ordinance was made, seconded, and the council approved it by voice vote.
