Purpose

The purpose of this section is to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of persons and property within the city by providing for the structural integrity of pedestrian skybridges over public right-of-ways; preventing visual obstruction of public right-of-ways and urban landscapes; facilitating the flow of traffic; encouraging use of public skybridges by pedestrians through well designed additions to the existing pedestrian system; minimizing the negative impact of pedestrian skybridges on adjoining properties, communication and utility company facilities, and public street lighting and safety facilities; and establishing standards for construction and maintenance of pedestrian skybridges

Districts Permitted

A pedestrian skybridge is permitted in any district by SUP. An SUP is required for pedestrian skybridges in planned development (PD) districts. A license or abandonment from the city of Dallas is also required to cross a city right-of-way. Provisions concerning licenses for use of the public right-of-way are contained in Chapter 43, "Streets and Sidewalks," of the Dallas City Code. Provisions concerning abandonment of the public right-of-way are contained in Chapter 2, "Administration," of the Dallas City Code

Application

An application for an SUP for a pedestrian skybridge must contain a statement outlining the need for the pedestrian skybridge and how the pedestrian skybridge will enhance the welfare of the area of request and adjacent properties

Specific Use Permit Procedure

The provisions concerning specific use permits contained in Section 51A-4.219 apply except as modified by this subsection

• Notification. The director shall send written notice of a public hearing on an application for an SUP for a pedestrian skybridge to all owners of real property lying within 750 feet of the properties on which the skybridge will be located
• Urban Design Advisor Committee. The Urban Design Advisory Committee shall make a report and recommendation to the director on all applications for an SUP for a pedestrian skybridge. The director shall forward the recommendation of the Urban Design Advisory Committee to the City Plan Commission
• Protest. For purposes of the protest provisions, the area of request is the properties on which the skybridge will be located
• Residential adjacency. An SUP for a pedestrian skybridge must be approved by the affirmative vote of three fourths of all members of the city council if the pedestrian skybridge is within 750 feet of a residential zoning district or planned development district that allows residential uses or is sited within a planned development district that is adjacent to residential districts
• Term. The term of an SUP for a pedestrian skybridge must coincide with the term of any related license

Mandatory Pedestrian Sky Bridge Standards

Additional provisions concerning construction of pedestrian walkways are contained in Section 509 of Chapter 53, "Dallas Building Code," of the Dallas City Code. Pedestrian skybridges must be constructed and maintained in accordance with the following regulations

• Pedestrian sky-bridges must be properly maintained at all times. If a pedestrian skybridge connects two buildings which are separately owned, an operating agreement assigning maintenance and liability responsibilities is required
• No more than one pedestrian skybridge may be located within any block or 700 feet of frontage, whichever is less.
• Pedestrian sky-bridges must have clearance above the public right-of-way of at least 18 feet above grade
• If the pedestrian skybridge has a length of less than 150 feet, the interior passageway must be no less than 10 feet and no greater than 20 feet in width. If the pedestrian skybridge has a length equal to or greater than 150 feet, the interior passageway must be no less than 12 feet and no greater than 20 feet in width
• The interior height of the passageway must be at least 7 1/2 feet. The interior height at the springline of vaulted ceilings must be at least 7 1 / 2 feet
• Supports must not be located within the public right-of-way
• A sign must be posted within the adjoining structures indicating whether the skybridge is open to the public, the location of the pedestrian skybridge, and where the pedestrian skybridge leads
• Pedestrian sky-bridges must meet state and federal standards for accessibility to and usability by individuals with disabilities
• Pedestrian sky-bridges connected to structures with air conditioning must be enclosed and air conditioned
• Any change in slope of the pedestrian skybridge greater than one percent must be over private property or concealed within the pedestrian skybridge
• Pedestrian sky-bridges must not diverge from a perpendicular angle to the right-of-way by more than 30 degrees
• At least 70 percent of the side walls must be open, or glass or transparent material with a light transmission of not less than 36 percent and a luminous reflectance of not more than 6 percent. "Light transmission" means the ratio of the amount of total light to pass through the material to the amount of total light falling on the material and any glazing. "Luminous reflectance" means the ratio of the amount of total light that is reflected outward by a material to the amount of total light falling on the material
• Minimum artificial lighting of 15 foot candles must be provided. Lighting must not produce glare of an intensity that creates a nuisance for motor vehicles or pedestrians
• No exterior signs, other than government signs, may be applied to or suspended from any pedestrian skybridge
• Pedestrian sky-bridges must not be located within 300 feet of an historic overlay district.
• Pedestrian sky-bridges must be designed to prevent people from jumping or throwing objects from the pedestrian skybridge
• Structural materials must be durable and easily maintained. Construction must comply with the City of Dallas Building and Fire Codes
• Pedestrian sky-bridges must not interfere with or impair use of the right-of-way by existing or proposed communication and utility facilities
• The applicant must post bond for the estimated cost to the city to remove the pedestrian skybridge if it becomes a public nuisance

Recommended Pedestrian Skybridge Standards

Pedestrian skybridges are recommended to be constructed and maintained in accordance with the following guidelines

• Pedestrian sky-bridges which are open to the public should penetrate the second story of the adjoining structures, or, if not possible, as close as possible to the street level.
• Pedestrian sky-bridges should penetrate the adjoining structures as close as possible to escalators or elevators having access to the entire structure and the street
• Free-standing pedestrian skybridges and pedestrian skybridges connected to structures without air conditioning should have a roof, wind breaks, and adequate ventilation that maximize the comfort and safety of pedestrians. A pedestrian skybridge should be open only when the adjoining structures are open
• If the length of the pedestrian skybridge exceeds 250 feet, the passageway should be interrupted by interior visual breaks, such as turns, courts or plazas
• Primary lighting sources should be recessed and indirect. Accent lighting is encouraged. Natural lighting should be used in addition to artificial lighting
• The pedestrian skybridge should be designed so as to coordinate with the adjoining structures to the extent possible. Where coordination is not possible, the pedestrian skybridge should be of a neutral color, such as brown or grey

Special Exception

The board of adjustment may grant a special exception to the pedestrian skybridge standards contained in this paragraph if the board finds that:

• strict compliance with the requirements will unreasonably burden the use of either of the properties
• the special exception will not adversely affect neighboring property; and
• the special exception will not be contrary to the public interest

.Compliance Regulations