New Regulations Reign In Monster Houses

Building the biggest house on the block could become a taller task in Fredericksburg following the preliminary approval of a zoning amendment designed to limit building mass in older city neighborhoods. The new regulations set  variable structure height and scale limits designed to allow for the construction of of buildings which pair well with their residential surroundings. The push to modify the zoning regulations comes out of the 2007 Comprehensive Plan, which called for new regulations to address out of scale housing in the older neighborhoods of downtown Fredericksburg.

"The trend in average house size growth from 1950 to 2000 is significant," writes City Manager Beverly Cameron. "The average house size in 1950 was 983 square feet. By the year 2000, the average house size increased to 2,265 square feet. During the same time, the average ceiling height increased from 8 feet to 10 feet."

The measure is also motivated by at least six specific residences which have been built in the city over the last five years. One of those houses is 1413 Paine Street, said Ray Ocel, director of planning and community development for Fredericksburg. That house, at 35 feet, dwarfs the neighborhood which otherwise averages a max height of 16 feet.

The proposed new zoning regulations expands the types of land uses allowed by special use permit in the R-4  and R-8 zoning district to allow for medical and dental offices, restaurants, corner stores, barber shops, hair salons, tailors, laundromats and dry cleaners without an site cleaning operation. The new regulations also allow for repair shops no larger than 1,000 square feet.

Commercial, non-residential development within the R-4 and R-8 zoning districts would only be permitted on corner lots or along arterial streets. Parking would only be required on the side or rear of the building. Drive-through establishments are prohibited.

No off-street parking will be required for new residential development within the two zoning districts. 

The new regulations also cover roofs. New roofs would be required to match existing neighborhood roofs. Flat roofs will only be allowed for new buildings if they are located between two existing buildings with flat roofs.

The regulations also address building height, out of concern for a perceived rise in out-of-scale housing being built in older neighborhoods within the city. According to the proposed regulations, no building within 150 feet of a single-family detached home will be allowed to be taller than 35 feet. Buildings which are outside of this boundary will have to break up their highest points into wings so that the shortest portion of the structure is closest to any residences.

But many existing neighborhoods within the city would be dwarfed by even a 35 foot building. Thus, in neighborhoods where a "pattern of building height has already been established" by existing houses, the max height in those neighborhoods will be reduced according to a formula to between 25 and 35 feet.

Building setbacks, the distance between a structure and any property line, can vary no more than 10 percent from the adjacent building setbacks.

The regulations were unanimously approved by the Planning Commission at its June 8 meeting. The measure must be approved a second time by the city council, currently slated for Aug. 23.