The City is Committed to Protecting its Natural Resources

As part of the City of Southlake’s commitment to protect its natural resources, the City has developed an incentive plan to promote preservation around natural streams and pathways.

On February 7th, the Southlake City Council passed Ordinance No. 480-VVVV which provides incentives to preserve stream corridors during and after development. The new incentive plan is part of an amendment to the City of Southlake Zoning Code (Ordinance No. 480). The incentive gives developers credits when they preserve the land along an existing stream corridor. The credit would allow naturally occurring vegetation within the stream corridor to take the place of manmade buffer-yards and landscaping that are normally required to be planted along commercial site boundaries.

Ordinance No. 480-VVVV was developed as part of the Southlake 2030 Sustainability Master Plan adopted in 2015. The Sustainability Master Plan recommends the use of buffering along natural streams to reduce erosion from storm water runoff, to conserve trees and native species, and to protect habitats which frequently occur along stream corridors.

In some cases, the buffer may be used for narrow walking trails and footpaths, but otherwise it remains off-limits to development. The ordinance allows for the clearing of invasive species from the stream, and the planting of native trees and grasses as approved by the City.

Ordinance No. 480-VVVV also established incentives for the use of permeable pavement in commercial and retail parking lots. To view the ordinance as seen and approved by Council, click here.