Texas City, TX Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Yard setbacks in Texas City, Texas are printed in the area table of each zoning district in Chapter 160, and § 160.091 adds exceptions that apply across districts. District A under § 160.024(D) requires a minimum front yard of 25 feet, a minimum rear yard of 20 feet, a minimum side yard of 5 feet and 15 feet on the street side of a corner lot. District A-1 under § 160.025(D) raises the front yard to 30 feet and keeps 20 feet, 5 feet and 15 feet for the rear, side and corner street side. District A-2, Patio Homes, requires 15 feet in front, or 20 feet where the garage faces the street, and 10 feet at the rear for 1 story or 15 feet for 2 stories. District B requires 30 feet in front, 20 feet at the rear and 6 feet at the side. District C-1 requires 25 feet in front, 20 feet at the rear and 20 feet at the side. District O, Open Space, requires a 50 foot front yard, a 20 foot rear yard, a 15 foot side yard and 25 feet where adjacent to a street.

Section 160.091 sets the shared exceptions. Where a street frontage is partly built with front yards that do not conform, or the ground configuration makes conformity a hardship, the Board of Adjustment permits modifications of the front yard requirements for the remaining frontage (subsection A). A minimum of ten feet is allowed between buildings, and eaves, roofs or other projections cannot reduce it by more than 40% (subsection E). Yards stay open to the sky except for listed projections: window sills, belt courses and cornices not exceeding four inches, chimneys not more than two feet, and balconies and one-story porches with three unenclosed sides projecting into a front or rear yard not to exceed ten feet (subsection F). An open fire escape projects not more than four feet into a side or rear yard (subsection G).

Subsection (H) applies in all districts zoned for residential uses. Buildings and accessory buildings sit at least 25 feet from any underground, high-pressure gas pipeline easement or other hazardous pipeline, and the City Commission requests additional setbacks when deemed necessary. Accessory buildings also stay five feet from any rear lot line under § 160.083(D).