Public Hearing and Notification Procedures for Zoning in the City of Arlington
For most zoning applications in the City of Arlington, including Zoning Map Amendments and Specific Use Permits, the City requires public notification to be provided at least 11 days prior to the scheduled public hearing. This notice typically involves a combination of newspaper publication, written mailings to property owners within 200 feet of the subject site, and the physical posting of signs on the property. Specific actions, such as amendments to the text of the City of Arlington Unified Development Code, require a longer lead time of 16 days and are only subject to published notice [Section 10.3.6].
General Notification Requirements
The City of Arlington Unified Development Code establishes standardized procedures for notifying the public about pending development activities. These procedures ensure that residents and property owners are informed of and can participate in the decision-making process [Section 10.3.6].
Published Notice
When a public hearing is required by the City of Arlington Unified Development Code, the Zoning Administrator must prepare and publish a notice in an official newspaper or a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality. This notice must be consistent with the requirements of the Texas Local Government Code [Section 10.3.6.B].
Written (Mailed) Notice
For applications requiring a public hearing, the City of Arlington sends written notice via mail to the owner of the property for which the approval is sought and to every property owner within 200 feet of the subject property as identified on the most recent municipal tax roll. If the application involves a gas well, the notification radius is expanded to 1,320 feet [Section 10.3.6.C].
Posted (Sign) Notice
The applicant is responsible for ensuring that notification signs are posted on the property subject to the application. At least one sign is required per street frontage. The number of signs required is determined by the size of the tract:
| Property Size | Minimum Number of Signs Required |
|---|---|
| Less than 15 acres | 1 sign |
| 15 to 25 acres | 2 signs |
| More than 25 acres | 3 signs |
Signs must be placed in a prominent location adjacent to a public street and must be clearly visible. These signs must be posted at least 11 days before the hearing and removed within five days after final action is taken [Section 10.3.6.D].
Summary of Notice Requirements by Application Type
The City of Arlington Unified Development Code mandates different notice types and timing depending on the specific zoning procedure being requested.
| Application Type | Published | Written | Posted | Minimum Timing (Days Before Hearing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning Code Amendments | Yes | No | No | 16 days |
| Zoning Map Amendments | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 days |
| Planned Developments | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 days |
| Multi-family Development Plans | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 days |
| Specific Use Permits (SUP) | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 days |
| Variances | Yes | Yes | No | 11 days |
| Appeals to Zoning Board of Adjustment | Yes | Yes | No | 11 days |
| Landmark District Designation | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 days |
| Landmark District Cert. of Appropriateness | No | Yes | No | 7 days |
[Section 10.3.6, Table 10.3-2]
Public Hearing Procedures
Public hearings in the City of Arlington are conducted to allow the public to provide testimony or submit written materials regarding a proposal.
Conduct of Hearings
Decision-making bodies such as the City of Arlington City Council or the Planning and Zoning Commission may continue a hearing to a specific date, time, and place. If a hearing is continued, notice must be posted at least 72 hours before the new date [Section 10.3.7.D]. A decision-making body may also "table" a decision, which means the request will appear on a subsequent agenda unless the decision is deferred indefinitely [Section 10.3.7.E].
Specific Use Permits for Gas Well Drilling
The City of Arlington requires an additional neighborhood meeting for any Specific Use Permit (SUP) application involving gas well drilling. This meeting must occur no more than 30 days prior to the public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant must mail notice of this meeting to all surface owners within 600 feet of the proposed SUP boundary and to all registered neighborhood associations within one mile [Section 10.4.6.J].
Administrative and Legislative Decisions
The City of Arlington classifies zoning decisions into different procedural categories:
- Legislative (L): These involve policy-making actions such as Zoning Map Amendments and Unified Development Code Text Amendments [Section 10.4.1, 10.4.2].
- Quasi-Judicial (QJ): These involve the application of the law to specific cases, such as Zoning Variances and Appeals [Section 10.4.7].
- Administrative (D): These are decisions made by the Zoning Administrator, such as Zoning Site Plans or minor plat approvals, which often do not require a public hearing [Section 10.4.4, 10.4.16].
Sections Cited
- Section 10.3.6 Public Notice
- Section 10.3.7 Approval Procedures
- Section 10.4.1 Unified Development Code Text Amendments
- Section 10.4.2 Zoning Map Amendments (Zone Changes)
- Section 10.4.4 Zoning Site Plans
- Section 10.4.6 Specific Use Permits (SUP)
- Section 10.4.7 Zoning Variances and Appeals
- Section 10.4.16 Minor Plats