Texas City, TX Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Two parts of Chapter 160 govern a backyard shed in Texas City, Texas. The district sections, §§ 160.024, 160.025 and 160.026, list one storage building not exceeding 225 square feet in floor area or 12 feet in height as an accessory use in Districts A, A-1 and A-2. Section 160.083 then sets placement rules for accessory buildings, and it identifies the districts zoned for residential use as A, A-1, A-2, B, C, C-1 and MH.

Size is measured against the yard. An accessory building not exceeding one story in height occupies not more than 60% of a minimum required rear yard, and one exceeding one story is held to 40% (§ 160.083(B) and (C)). The building sits on the rear one-half of the lot and at least ten feet from any dwelling on the same lot or any adjacent lot, with a carve-out for swimming pools. No accessory building goes nearer than five feet to any rear lot line, it carries the same side yard requirements as the principal structure, and on a corner lot none sits within a side yard required on the street side.

In Districts A and A-1 an accessory structure is limited to 2 stories or 25 feet, unless it is built with fabricated metal siding or roofing, in which case it drops to one story or 15 feet. District A-2 sets 2 stories or 15 feet, with the same fabricated metal limit.

Metal shipping containers are not allowed in any residential district. Section 160.083(E) restricts them to Districts F (Light Industry), F-1 (Outdoor Industrial), G (Water Front) and H (Heavy Industry), and to construction site areas not to exceed 24 months. Section 160.091(H) adds a 25 foot setback from high-pressure gas pipeline easements in residential districts, with one exception: a single storage building not exceeding 225 square feet or 12 feet in height, on a treated wood foundation and not concrete, which is not classified as a permanent accessory building. Building permit steps are outside the sections quoted here.