Houston Code of Ordinances § 42-621 Pedestrian realm standards.
Sec. 42-621. - Pedestrian realm standards.
(a) The pedestrian realm shall comply with all the following standards, unless a modification is granted under section 42-604 of this Code:
(1) Meet the minimum width standards shown below:
Classification | Street Type | Minimum Width of the Pedestrian Realm
WP Street | All | As established by the walkable places plan
Transit Corridor Street | Only one vehicular through traffic lane in each direction | 15 feet
All others | 20 feet
TOD Street | Major thoroughfare with a right-of-way width of 80 feet or less as designated by the MTFP | 15 feet
All other major thoroughfares | 20 feet
Any street that is not curb and gutter | 10 feet measured from the functional edge furthest from the roadway of an adequate drainage facility, as approved by the city engineer
All others | 15 feet
(2) Any building constructed within the pedestrian realm above-grade shall be prohibited from having support columns within the minimum width requirement of the pedestrian realm and must maintain an unobstructed vertical clearance of at least:
a. 8 feet for any uninhabitable shade structure or unenclosed balcony; and
b. 10 feet for all other buildings or structural elements built over the pedestrian realm.
This vertical clearance is measured from the top of the highest point of the ground or sidewalk of the pedestrian realm under the building or structure to the lowest point of the building or structure over the pedestrian realm;
(3) Meet the landscaping requirements of articles V and VI of chapter 33 of this Code, except that the minimum caliper of each required street tree, as the terms are defined in section 33-101 of this Code, shall be:
a. Three inches along each transit corridor street or major thoroughfare; and
b. Two inches along all other streets.
(4) The maximum softscape area in the pedestrian realm shall be 35% of the surface area of the pedestrian realm excluding any driveways. This requirement shall not apply to single-family residential uses; and
(b) Any fence, wall, or barrier within the pedestrian realm shall be 48 inches or less in height and non-opaque.
(c) Any sidewalk and safety buffer within the pedestrian realm shall conform with the requirements of article XXII of chapter 40 of this Code.
(d) Any bulk container, as the term is section 39-1 of this Code, and related screening for compliance with article VI of chapter 39 of this Code shall be located outside of the pedestrian realm.
(e) The area in the pedestrian realm outside the unobstructed sidewalk may accommodate activities such as outdoor seating or merchant displays associated with adjacent uses provided, however, that such activities within the public right-of-way shall comply with the applicable requirements of this Code.
(Ord. No. 2020-684, § 2(Exh. A), 8-5-2020)