Arlington allows accessory dwelling units only in limited residential districts under the Arlington Unified Development Code (UDC) Article 4. Detached ADUs (called 'guest quarters' or 'accessory living quarters') typically require a Specific Use Permit (SUP) reviewed by Planning and Zoning Commission and approved by City Council. Building permits issue only after the SUP is granted. Texas has not preempted local discretionary review.
Arlington regulates accessory dwelling units (ADUs) β referred to as accessory living quarters or guest quarters β under the Arlington Unified Development Code (UDC) Article 4 (Use Regulations) and Article 5 (Development Standards). In most R-1, R-2, R-3, and RS series residential districts, an ADU with full kitchen facilities is not permitted by right and requires a Specific Use Permit (SUP) under UDC Β§ 4.4. The SUP application is filed with the Community Development and Planning Department, reviewed by Planning and Zoning Commission, and approved by Arlington City Council after a public hearing with notification to property owners within 200 ft. Approval criteria include neighborhood compatibility, parking adequacy, lot size sufficiency (typically 8,000 sq ft minimum for an ADU), and infrastructure capacity. Once the SUP is granted (typically 3β6 months), the applicant submits construction plans through the OneStart permit portal for building permit review under the 2018 International Residential Code as locally amended. Detached ADUs are subject to UDC accessory structure standards: typically 600 sq ft maximum, 15 ft maximum height, 5 ft side and rear setbacks, single-story. Texas state law has not preempted Arlington's discretionary SUP process. Bonus districts (Downtown, Entertainment District near Globe Life Field/AT&T Stadium) have different mixed-use ADU provisions.
Building an ADU without an SUP and building permit is a Class C misdemeanor under Arlington City Code with fines up to $2,000 per day for building/fire code violations and $500 per day for zoning violations under Texas Local Government Code Β§ 54.001. The city can order removal and place a lien for abatement costs.
Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX
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