Commission review and consideration.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 42-204
in effectSec. 42-204. - Commission review and consideration.
(a) The commission shall consider each complete application referred by the director and shall hold a public hearing on the application. After the close of the public hearing, the commission shall consider the application and recommend designation of a proposed special minimum lot size block or a special minimum lot size area that complies with the following criteria:
(1) The proposed area has an identifiable lot size character, taking into account the age of the neighborhood, existing evidence of a common plan and scheme of development, and other factors that the commission reasonably determines to be relevant to an individual application;
(2) The establishment of the proposed special minimum lot size requirement will further the goal of preserving the identifiable lot size character of the proposed area;
(3) The applicant has demonstrated sufficient support for the application to warrant the designation of the special minimum lot size requirement;
(4) The application complies with the application requirements of section 42-198 of this Code and the eligibility requirements of section 42-197 of this Code;
(5) For a proposed special minimum lot size area, no blockface within the boundaries includes a significant area developed as or restricted to a use that is not single-family residential use; and
(6) For a proposed special minimum lot size area, no blockface within the boundaries includes a significant area that does not share a lot size character with the rest of the proposed area.
(b) If the commission is unable to recommend designation of the proposed block or area, the commission shall:
(1) Defer the consideration of the application to a later commission date and request additional information needed to consider the application be provided;
(2) Deny the application;
(3) Modify the boundaries of the proposed block or area by removing one or more blockfaces if the modification will result in boundaries of a block or area that the commission determines to satisfy the criteria of subsection (a) of this section; or
(4) Modify the boundaries of the proposed special minimum lot size area in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.
(c) When provided for by this chapter, the boundary of a proposed special minimum lot size block or area may terminate at the location of existing major physical features that create a distinct and identifiable boundary. The modified boundary must satisfy the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, except for item 42-197(c)(3) of this Code. For the purposes of this subsection, major physical features include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) A public street that:
a. Does not have a roadway;
b. Has a right-of-way width of 100 feet or more; or
c. Is a major thoroughfare;
(2) Property owned in fee by an electric utility and used or intended for use for electric transmission facilities;
(3) A drainage channel required by a governmental entity with flood control jurisdiction, or other creeks, bayous, or other waterways; and
(4) A railroad track;
(5) An existing neighborhood perimeter wall or sound barrier wall; and
(6) A lot on the perimeter of the proposed area that is:
a. More than ten times the size of the proposed special minimum lot size requirement calculated in accordance with section 42-202 of this Code; or
b. Not in use for or restricted to single-family residential use that is abutting a major thoroughfare.
(Ord. No. 2013-343, § 3(Exh. A), 4-24-2013; Ord. No. 2015-639, § 39, 6-24-2015)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH42SUDEPL_ARTIIIPLST_DIV4LORE_SDBSPMILOSIRE_S42-204CORECOFetched: 10/26/2026