When a public notice (zoning change request) is received, the Planning Department is asking for assistance in guiding the future of the city. The notice, consisting of three or four pages, is most likely about a request a neighbor is making to change the allowable uses on a nearby property.
The first page is the actual public notice. It consists of a case number, property owner name, application, acreage and location of the site, description of what is currently allowed and what zoning classification is being requested. It also includes the time, date and location of scheduled public hearings.
For most zoning requests, these are sent to everyone listed as the owner of land within 200 feet of an applicant’s property as per the last Certified Tax Roll. Also included as a courtesy, any new property owner listed on the appraisal district’s website at the time the notice list was prepared, a designated representative from any registered neighborhood association within 200 feet, and per state law, the local School District contact.
The second page is a “Public Comment Form” to fill out and send back to City of Irving Planning Department or email Planning@cityofirving.org. Comments, whether for or against, become part of the case record.
The third page is a map showing the location of the property where the zoning change is being requested and identifying those properties within the notice distance for the case.
A fourth page, the site plan, is often included if the request is for something other than a standard zoning district. It will list any exceptions to the usual rules for that property and may possibly show the layout of any proposed structures.
Unless the City of Irving is listed as the applicant, the city is merely considering a private party’s request for a zoning change. City staff may be recommending for or against it, based on the facts of the case known. A major factor City Council will often consider is whether the neighbors support or oppose a project.
Details of each zoning district can be found at CityofIrving.org/3444/Planning-and-Zoning.