Arlington, TX Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Height cap near residential
- 45 feet within 75 feet of the shared line
- Beyond the buffer
- Full sub-district max height applies
- Height measurement standard
- Per UDC Section 4.1.7
- Required pairing
- Screening per Section 13.1.9.B.5
- Effective date
- UDC Ord. 26-019, June 1, 2025
Summary
Arlington's Form-Based Zoning Districts cap new building height at 45 feet within 75 feet of a shared line with a Traditional Neighborhood sub-district or any existing single-family zoning outside an FBZD. Beyond that 75-foot buffer, the full sub-district maximum height applies, measured under UDC Section 4.1.7.
8. Building Height Measurement: Building heights shall be measured according to the standards established in UDC Section 4.1.7. 9. Building Height Transitions: A building's height shall not exceed 45 feet within the first 75 feet of a shared property line with TN sub-district or any existing single-family residential zoning district located outside an FBZD. Beyond 75 feet, the maximum building height shall be the Sub-district's maximum building height. Also see Section 13.1.9.B.5. for applicable screening requirements for the same.
Full Breakdown
Since the citywide UDC rewrite under Ord. 26-019 (effective June 1, 2025), most of Arlington's land converted from conventional districts into Form-Based Zoning sub-districts, and building height there is set two ways. 7, not simply eyeballed from grade. 9 imposes a mandatory step-down near homes: a building cannot exceed 45 feet within the first 75 feet of a shared property line with a TN (Traditional Neighborhood) sub-district or any existing single-family residential zoning district located outside a Form-Based Zoning District. 6 standards. 5 for the screening treatment required at that same 75-foot transition line, meaning the height step-down is typically paired with a landscape or wall buffer facing the residential side.
There is no single citywide numeric cap for residential structures generally; instead, the maximum for any given lot is set by that lot's own base sub-district Regulating Plan, with this 45-foot/75-foot rule operating only as a protective transition where new, taller development sits next to existing single-family homes or TN-designated blocks.
Violations & Fines
Height compliance is verified by Development Services at plan review and again at framing inspection; a structure that exceeds 45 feet within the 75-foot residential buffer without the required screening or a Minor Modification approval can be denied a building permit or ordered to remove the offending stories before occupancy is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a new building be next to my house in Arlington?
Is there one citywide maximum height for houses in Arlington?
How is building height actually measured under the UDC?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Tarrant County handle structure height limits.