Answers to Frequently Asked Questions for Residents - Page 1
The following are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions in the Planning and Development Services Department. Additional Resident FAQs are available by following the links at the bottom of the page.
General Questions
Can I keep horses on my property?
It depends on the zoning of your property. First, you will need to find out the zoning designation on your property. Only the "AG" Agricultural, "RE" Residential Estate, "SF1-A", and "SF1-B" residential zoning districts are permitted private stables as accessory uses on the lot. In those zoning categories, each grazing animal over 500 lbs. requires a minimum of 15,000 square feet of open space and each grazing animal under 500 lbs. requires 5,000 square feet of open space.
Can I have a home-based business in my home? What are the restrictions on it?
Yes, you are permitted to have a home-based business (called a Home Occupation) as long as it meets the definition for a home occupation under the Zoning Ordinance. You will have to obtain a permit from the city before you can operate a home-based business. Click here for an application for a home occupation permit.
Can I have a garage sale at my home? Is so, can I have signs for the garage sale?
Yes and you do not need a permit to have one. However, there are limits and regulations on garage sales. You can only have a maximum of two per year and you are only allowed a maximum of four (4) signs. One sign may be at the location of the garage sale. Three may be at other locations. However, you cannot place the signs on any telephone poles, street signs, or anywhere in a public right-of-way, which is generally the 10 foot space starting at the curb. If you wish more detailed information, you may review the sign ordinance.
What are covenants and deed restrictions?
Also called CC&R's, deed restrictions and covenants are private limitations on the use of real property. Restrictive covenants are created by deed (by the subdivider/owner) and may "run with the land", binding all subsequent purchasers of the land, or may be personal and binding only between the original seller and buyer. Restrictive covenants may limit the density of buildings per acre, regulate size, design, style or price range of buildings to be erected, or prevent particular businesses from operating in a given area.
Typically, CC&R's are enforced by home owner's associations or private property owners in a civil action. The city does not enforce deed restrictions. It is the responsibility of the property owner to research the effect of deed restrictions on any building permits or development activity on the subject property.
How can I find out if there are covenants and deed restrictions on my property?
Typically covenants and deed restrictions are conveyed with the property deed records. If you do not have a copy of the covenants, you should contact the County plat records. The city does not maintain copies of any deed restrictions in its records.
From:
www.CityOfSouthlake.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Poster Child From Southlake
Friday, Sep. 12, 2008
Southlake Girl Becomes Poster Child for PKD Walk
By Nicholas Sakelaris
Staff Writer
jeff wood/contributing PHotographer
6-year-old Lauren MacMillan, of Southlake, poster child for this year’s North Texas Walk for PKD on Sept. 20 in Town Square, poses with her dog, Stella. Lauren was diagnosed with the incurable disease two years ago.
Lauren MacMillan plays, jumps and smiles like any first-grader at Rockenbaugh Elementary School.
You would never know that she has a serious, incurable disease. You cannot tell that even now cysts are growing on her tiny kidneys that could someday cause severe pain and infections from a little-known disorder called polycystic kidney disease.
Her mother, Judy, wouldn’t have known either, if not for a fateful trip to the doctor’s office two years ago. A sonogram revealed the cysts. The family was in disbelief, because the disease is usually hereditary and they have no known family history of it.
"I’d never heard of ... PKD," MacMillan said.
PKD affects more than 600,000 Americans and efforts to find a cure are severely underfunded, said former Southlake Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn Morris. Morris’ first husband died of the disease and her daughter inherited it.
The disease receives less research funding than other genetic disorders such as Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis, which are far less common, Morris said.
The PKD Foundation will host the North Texas Walk for PKD on Sept. 20 at Southlake Town Square that will raise money and awareness. For the fifth year in a row, Morris will be the chairperson for the walk.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. at Rustin Park, 1400 Main St. The children’s walk starts at 9 a.m. and goes from Rustin Park to the north side of Town Hall. The main walk takes two one-mile laps around Southlake Town Square beginning at 9:30 a.m.
There will be healthy snacks, clowns, face painting, free T-shirts and prizes for the teams that raise the most money and the biggest teams.
Watermere at Southlake, a new upscale retirement community, donated $10,000 as title sponsor of this year’s walk. Meteorologist Larry Mowry from Channel 11 will be the master of ceremonies.
Since Lauren’s diagnosis, the MacMillans have educated themselves and are doing all they can to fight back. This year, Lauren, a little girl with a big smile, was chosen as poster child for the this year’s event.
MacMillan encourages her daughter to eat fruits and vegetables and won’t let her play contact sports. She also monitors Lauren’s blood pressure, because PKD can also cause brain aneurisms.
"Knowing that she does have this, I monitor her diet as closely as possible," MacMillan said. "Every day I worry. Has she had enough water? Has she had too much salt or proteins?"
Adult-onset PKD, also known as autosomal dominant PKD, usually goes undetected for years unless someone looks for it, as in Lauren’s case.
Morris can empathize with the MacMillans because her daughter, Jamie, underwent a kidney transplant to save her life two years ago. Her first husband, James Hill, was diagnosed at age 25 and he fought the disease for 22 years until he died in 1985 at age 47.
"It’s horrible to think that your child has this disease that’s going to destroy their kidneys and it could destroy their life," Morris said.
Last year’s walk raised more than $88,800, funding two research grants.
Researchers have identified the gene that causes PKD, the first step to developing a treatment and a cure.
"It’s very optimistic to think that there could be a cure within 10 years," Morris said. "That’s very exciting."
For families like the MacMillans, finding a cure is like racing against time before the disease takes hold and they have to consider kidney dialysis or a transplant.
Many PKD patients also face job discrimination because of the high insurance risk. Morris and other PKD volunteers lobbied the U.S. Legislature to pass the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act [GINA], which protects patients’ genetic information from health insurers and employers.
"Knowledge is power. Especially in this disease," Morris said. "You have to be your own advocate."
To sponsor a team or to create one, see www.pkdcure.org.
nsakelaris@alliancenews.net 817-329-7700, ext. 104
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Southlake Girl Becomes Poster Child for PKD Walk
By Nicholas Sakelaris
Staff Writer
jeff wood/contributing PHotographer
6-year-old Lauren MacMillan, of Southlake, poster child for this year’s North Texas Walk for PKD on Sept. 20 in Town Square, poses with her dog, Stella. Lauren was diagnosed with the incurable disease two years ago.
Lauren MacMillan plays, jumps and smiles like any first-grader at Rockenbaugh Elementary School.
You would never know that she has a serious, incurable disease. You cannot tell that even now cysts are growing on her tiny kidneys that could someday cause severe pain and infections from a little-known disorder called polycystic kidney disease.
Her mother, Judy, wouldn’t have known either, if not for a fateful trip to the doctor’s office two years ago. A sonogram revealed the cysts. The family was in disbelief, because the disease is usually hereditary and they have no known family history of it.
"I’d never heard of ... PKD," MacMillan said.
PKD affects more than 600,000 Americans and efforts to find a cure are severely underfunded, said former Southlake Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn Morris. Morris’ first husband died of the disease and her daughter inherited it.
The disease receives less research funding than other genetic disorders such as Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis, which are far less common, Morris said.
The PKD Foundation will host the North Texas Walk for PKD on Sept. 20 at Southlake Town Square that will raise money and awareness. For the fifth year in a row, Morris will be the chairperson for the walk.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. at Rustin Park, 1400 Main St. The children’s walk starts at 9 a.m. and goes from Rustin Park to the north side of Town Hall. The main walk takes two one-mile laps around Southlake Town Square beginning at 9:30 a.m.
There will be healthy snacks, clowns, face painting, free T-shirts and prizes for the teams that raise the most money and the biggest teams.
Watermere at Southlake, a new upscale retirement community, donated $10,000 as title sponsor of this year’s walk. Meteorologist Larry Mowry from Channel 11 will be the master of ceremonies.
Since Lauren’s diagnosis, the MacMillans have educated themselves and are doing all they can to fight back. This year, Lauren, a little girl with a big smile, was chosen as poster child for the this year’s event.
MacMillan encourages her daughter to eat fruits and vegetables and won’t let her play contact sports. She also monitors Lauren’s blood pressure, because PKD can also cause brain aneurisms.
"Knowing that she does have this, I monitor her diet as closely as possible," MacMillan said. "Every day I worry. Has she had enough water? Has she had too much salt or proteins?"
Adult-onset PKD, also known as autosomal dominant PKD, usually goes undetected for years unless someone looks for it, as in Lauren’s case.
Morris can empathize with the MacMillans because her daughter, Jamie, underwent a kidney transplant to save her life two years ago. Her first husband, James Hill, was diagnosed at age 25 and he fought the disease for 22 years until he died in 1985 at age 47.
"It’s horrible to think that your child has this disease that’s going to destroy their kidneys and it could destroy their life," Morris said.
Last year’s walk raised more than $88,800, funding two research grants.
Researchers have identified the gene that causes PKD, the first step to developing a treatment and a cure.
"It’s very optimistic to think that there could be a cure within 10 years," Morris said. "That’s very exciting."
For families like the MacMillans, finding a cure is like racing against time before the disease takes hold and they have to consider kidney dialysis or a transplant.
Many PKD patients also face job discrimination because of the high insurance risk. Morris and other PKD volunteers lobbied the U.S. Legislature to pass the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act [GINA], which protects patients’ genetic information from health insurers and employers.
"Knowledge is power. Especially in this disease," Morris said. "You have to be your own advocate."
To sponsor a team or to create one, see www.pkdcure.org.
nsakelaris@alliancenews.net 817-329-7700, ext. 104
reprint or license Print E-Mail AIM tool nameclose
tool goes here
Friday, September 12, 2008
Dragons Game With Bellaire Cancelled Due to Hurricane Ike
Thursday, Sep. 11, 2008
Dragons Game with Bellaire Cancelled Due to Hurricane Ike
Breaking News
By Zach Warner
Staff Writer
Game No. 3 of the Carroll football season will have to wait another week, as the Dragons’ scheduled Sept. 12 matchup with Houston Bellaire has been cancelled.
Carroll (2-0) planned to host the Cardinals (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dragon Stadium, but Bellaire was forced to change plans due to travel restrictions brought on by Saturday’s forecasted arrival of Hurricane Ike.
Chauncey Willingham, Carroll’s interim athletic director, confirmed plans to cancel the game on Thursday.
“We’ll try to see if we can schedule any other games, but that chance seems pretty slim at this point,” Willingham said.
The Dragons will be unable to reschedule a game with Bellaire this season because the Cardinals’ football schedule is otherwise full. Carroll would at least look into the possibility of scheduling a game with another football team for the Dragons’ off week, which is set for Oct. 3, Willingham said.
Carroll football coach Hal Wasson said that they have checked with other six-team districts down south that have had to cancel their games due to the severe weather anticipated from Ike. Many of those schools have also successfully switched their games from this weekend to their off weeks later this season.
“I would say it’s going to be a long shot, but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up on the option,” Wasson said.
“We’re disappointed that we’re not getting to play … but that’s part of life and some things are out of your control. Mother Nature intervened.”
Wasson said that the possibility the Dragons only play nine regular-season games is not a concern. The focus is district, he said, and the games Carroll plays in the non-district should help them be ready to face a challenging district.
Carroll plays a strong area team in Mesquite (2-0) on Sept. 19 and state 5A power Galena North Shore, ranked No. 4 in the state by the Associated Press, on Sept. 27.
“We’re disappointed that the Bellaire game’s cancelled, but we don’t think that we’ll have a problem going into district,” Wasson said. “We’ll be battle-tested.”
Carroll will hold regular practices on Friday, turning its focus to Mesquite instead of Bellaire. Meanwhile, Bellaire and other teams near the Texas coast have bigger things on their mind.
“Those people in the Houston and Galveston area have a lot more to worry about than a football game,” Wasson said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Dragons Game with Bellaire Cancelled Due to Hurricane Ike
Breaking News
By Zach Warner
Staff Writer
Game No. 3 of the Carroll football season will have to wait another week, as the Dragons’ scheduled Sept. 12 matchup with Houston Bellaire has been cancelled.
Carroll (2-0) planned to host the Cardinals (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dragon Stadium, but Bellaire was forced to change plans due to travel restrictions brought on by Saturday’s forecasted arrival of Hurricane Ike.
Chauncey Willingham, Carroll’s interim athletic director, confirmed plans to cancel the game on Thursday.
“We’ll try to see if we can schedule any other games, but that chance seems pretty slim at this point,” Willingham said.
The Dragons will be unable to reschedule a game with Bellaire this season because the Cardinals’ football schedule is otherwise full. Carroll would at least look into the possibility of scheduling a game with another football team for the Dragons’ off week, which is set for Oct. 3, Willingham said.
Carroll football coach Hal Wasson said that they have checked with other six-team districts down south that have had to cancel their games due to the severe weather anticipated from Ike. Many of those schools have also successfully switched their games from this weekend to their off weeks later this season.
“I would say it’s going to be a long shot, but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up on the option,” Wasson said.
“We’re disappointed that we’re not getting to play … but that’s part of life and some things are out of your control. Mother Nature intervened.”
Wasson said that the possibility the Dragons only play nine regular-season games is not a concern. The focus is district, he said, and the games Carroll plays in the non-district should help them be ready to face a challenging district.
Carroll plays a strong area team in Mesquite (2-0) on Sept. 19 and state 5A power Galena North Shore, ranked No. 4 in the state by the Associated Press, on Sept. 27.
“We’re disappointed that the Bellaire game’s cancelled, but we don’t think that we’ll have a problem going into district,” Wasson said. “We’ll be battle-tested.”
Carroll will hold regular practices on Friday, turning its focus to Mesquite instead of Bellaire. Meanwhile, Bellaire and other teams near the Texas coast have bigger things on their mind.
“Those people in the Houston and Galveston area have a lot more to worry about than a football game,” Wasson said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Carroll Trustees Trim 5 Cents Off Tax Rate
Friday, Sep. 12, 2008
Carroll Trustees Trim 5 Cents Off Tax Rate
By Nicholas Sakelaris
Staff Writer
This week brought good news for Carroll homeowners, especially those in Southlake.
Carroll school district trustees chopped 5 cents off the property tax rate at their Monday meeting. The total rate will be $1.415 per $100 of assessed property value.
The reduction comes from the interest and sinking [I&S] portion of the tax rate, which pays off debt associated with bond elections. By refinancing its variable rate bonds, Carroll can strike a balance between paying off debt and giving relief to homeowners, said Robb Welch, assistant superintendent for financial services.
A homeowner in the Carroll district with a $446,025 home, the average value in CISD, will save about $233 a year on their school property taxes. The average taxable value of a home in CISD increased by more than $17,313, meaning that with the tax decrease, the owner of an average home will only pay about $12 more in school taxes this year.
Trustee Sue Armstrong said the district is in a good position to lower the tax rate.
"We’re still being prudent and paying off the debt early but also giving our taxpayers a break," Armstrong said.
Southlake homeowners will also benefit from a $15,000 homestead exemption approved on first reading by the City Council last week. That could save Southlake homeowners another $69 a year in city property taxes. A final vote is scheduled for Sept. 16.
Based on the district’s valuation, Carroll generates about $530,000 per penny on the I&S tax rate. The 5-cent decrease will reduce the district’s revenue by $2.65 million.
"Tough economic times call for some sensitivity to that," said board President Erin Shoupp. "I’m comfortable with that."
The district’s maintenance and operations tax rate will stay at $1.04, four cents of which is not subject to Chapter 41 payments, also known as Robin Hood.
In other action, a new student handbook will debut soon at southlakecarroll.edu. Trustees approved an updated 2008-2009 Carroll ISD Handbook and Student Code of Conduct that is alphabetized by subject with cross references. Hot topics like dress code, cellphone policies and grooming regulations will be easily accessible.
Lowell Strike, assistant superintendent for student services, noted that even staff had a hard time finding policies using the old format.
There weren’t any major policy changes to the document, mostly because the Texas Legislature didn’t meet in 2007, Strike said.
Carroll Trustees Trim 5 Cents Off Tax Rate
By Nicholas Sakelaris
Staff Writer
This week brought good news for Carroll homeowners, especially those in Southlake.
Carroll school district trustees chopped 5 cents off the property tax rate at their Monday meeting. The total rate will be $1.415 per $100 of assessed property value.
The reduction comes from the interest and sinking [I&S] portion of the tax rate, which pays off debt associated with bond elections. By refinancing its variable rate bonds, Carroll can strike a balance between paying off debt and giving relief to homeowners, said Robb Welch, assistant superintendent for financial services.
A homeowner in the Carroll district with a $446,025 home, the average value in CISD, will save about $233 a year on their school property taxes. The average taxable value of a home in CISD increased by more than $17,313, meaning that with the tax decrease, the owner of an average home will only pay about $12 more in school taxes this year.
Trustee Sue Armstrong said the district is in a good position to lower the tax rate.
"We’re still being prudent and paying off the debt early but also giving our taxpayers a break," Armstrong said.
Southlake homeowners will also benefit from a $15,000 homestead exemption approved on first reading by the City Council last week. That could save Southlake homeowners another $69 a year in city property taxes. A final vote is scheduled for Sept. 16.
Based on the district’s valuation, Carroll generates about $530,000 per penny on the I&S tax rate. The 5-cent decrease will reduce the district’s revenue by $2.65 million.
"Tough economic times call for some sensitivity to that," said board President Erin Shoupp. "I’m comfortable with that."
The district’s maintenance and operations tax rate will stay at $1.04, four cents of which is not subject to Chapter 41 payments, also known as Robin Hood.
In other action, a new student handbook will debut soon at southlakecarroll.edu. Trustees approved an updated 2008-2009 Carroll ISD Handbook and Student Code of Conduct that is alphabetized by subject with cross references. Hot topics like dress code, cellphone policies and grooming regulations will be easily accessible.
Lowell Strike, assistant superintendent for student services, noted that even staff had a hard time finding policies using the old format.
There weren’t any major policy changes to the document, mostly because the Texas Legislature didn’t meet in 2007, Strike said.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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