Waco, TX Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential districts (R)
- 75% max site coverage
- Office districts (O), residential use
- 75% max coverage
- Office districts (O), other uses
- 85% max coverage
- C and M districts (except C-4)
- 90% max coverage
- Recreational surfaces
- Counted as open space, not coverage
Summary
Waco caps how much of a lot can be covered by buildings and pavement, with the limit set by zoning district: 75 percent in all R (residential) districts and for residential uses in O districts, 85 percent for other O-district uses, and 90 percent in C and M districts other than C-4.
(a)In all O districts, except for residential uses in O districts, the maximum coverage of the site by buildings and paved areas shall not exceed 85 percent of the total lot area. When the use is residential in O districts, the maximum coverage of the sites by buildings and paved areas shall not exceed 75 percent of the total lot area.(b)In all C and M districts, except the C-4 district, the maximum coverage of the site by buildings and paved area shall not exceed 90 percent of the total lot area.(c)In all R districts, the maximum coverage of the site by buildings and paved areas shall not exceed 75 percent of the total lot area.(d)Areas of the lot covered by structures or paved area used solely for recreational purposes may be included as usable open space and not counted as part of the site coverage.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 88).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 28-216, 'Site coverage and open space,' sits in Division 3 of Chapter 28's site-development standards and sets four tiers. Subsection (a) caps non-residential uses in all O (office) districts at 85 percent site coverage by buildings and paved areas, but drops that cap to 75 percent when the use in an O district is residential. Subsection (b) allows the highest coverage, 90 percent, in all C (commercial) and M (industrial) districts except C-4, which is carved out and evidently governed elsewhere. Subsection (c) sets a flat 75 percent cap in all R (residential) districts, matching the residential-use figure used in O districts.
Subsection (d) provides one coverage-reducing exception: areas of a lot covered by structures or paved surfaces used solely for recreational purposes, such as a pool deck, sport court or similar amenity, can instead be counted as usable open space and excluded from the site-coverage calculation entirely, rather than counted against the district's maximum. Because this section is part of Division 3's site-development standards, it is checked as part of development-plan review under Sec. , where an applicant's plans must illustrate existing and proposed site improvements per Sec. 28-173, letting the building official confirm the buildings-plus-pavement footprint stays within the applicable percentage before a permit or certificate of occupancy issues.
Violations & Fines
Building or paving beyond the applicable site-coverage percentage without an approved, amended development plan is a zoning violation under Sec. 28-251. Sec. 1-14(b)(12) sets fines up to $2,000 for zoning code violations, with each day of an over-coverage site treated as a separate offense, and the building official can withhold or revoke a certificate of occupancy until the site is brought back within the cap.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum lot coverage for a house in Waco?
Does a pool deck count against Waco's site coverage limit?
Why do office and commercial properties get higher coverage limits than houses in Waco?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waco
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Waco 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.