Abilene, TX Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Lowest coverage cap
- 15% (AO and RR-5 districts)
- Highest coverage cap
- 90% (MF district)
- Typical single-family cap
- 40%-50% (RS-12 to RS-6)
- Patio Home cap
- 75% of lot area
- Violation fine
- Up to $2,000/day, Sec. 1-9(a)
- Governing table
- LDC Table 2-2
Summary
Abilene's Land Development Code caps how much of a lot a building can cover, from just 15 percent in the Agricultural Open Space and RR-5 districts up to 90 percent for Multiple-Family (MF) development. Table 2-2 sets the exact percentage for every residential zoning district, enforced by the Planning and Development Services Department.
Zoning District Max. Density of Dwelling Units Per Acre Minimum Lot Size Minimum Building Line Setbacks Max. Height (ft) Max. Lot Coverage (% of lot area)...AO n/a 217,800 200 500 25 25 30 40 25 40 25 [height rule] 15% n/a RS-12 n/a 12,000 80 100 25 25 30 40 25 30 10 35 40% n/a RS-8 n/a 8,000 70 100 15 20 30 40 20 25 7.5 35 50% n/a PH n/a 4,500 40 100 15 20 30 40 20 20 0* 35 75% n/a MF 24 6,000 60 100 15 20 30 40 25 20 10 40; 3 stories 90% n/a
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Table 2-2, 'Site Layout and Building Requirements for Residential Zoning Districts,' in Land Development Code Chapter 2, Article 3, Division 2, lists a Max. Lot Coverage (% of lot area) column for every residential district. The percentage climbs with density. Large-lot districts built around open space, Agricultural Open Space (AO) and Rural Residential-5 (RR-5), are capped at 15 percent. Rural Residential-1 (RR-1) allows 40 percent. The standard single-family categories, RS-12, RS-8 and RS-6, run from 40 percent up to 50 percent as minimum lot size shrinks from 12,000 to 6,000 square feet.
The Patio Home (PH) zero-lot-line district, built on lots as small as 4,500 square feet, is allowed 75 percent coverage. Townhome (TH) lots top out at 70 percent, and the Residential Medium Density (MD) district, capped at twelve units per acre, is also 70 percent. Residential Multiple-Family (MF), which allows up to twenty-four dwelling units per gross acre, carries the highest figure in the table at 90 percent. ' Coverage is calculated against total lot area and applies on top of, not instead of, the minimum setback lines also fixed by Table 2-2, so a lot that meets its coverage percentage can still violate the code if a structure crosses a required setback line.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the lot coverage percentage listed for a property's zoning district without an approved variance is a Land Development Code violation. Code of Ordinances Sec. 1-9(a) makes an offense arising under a zoning ordinance punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, well above the general $500 municipal cap, and treats each day the excess coverage remains as a separate offense. Property owners who cannot meet the standard apply to the Board of Adjustment for a variance before building.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum lot coverage for a standard Abilene single-family lot?
Why does the Multiple-Family (MF) district allow 90 percent lot coverage?
Is there a lot coverage limit in Abilene's Manufactured/Mobile Home district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Abilene
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Abilene to another location·View the Texas building setbacks & zoning overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.