Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Dallas, TX (2026)
5 verified zoning overlays & bonuses rules for Dallas, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Specific Plans Overview
Dallas guides neighborhood growth through the forwardDallas Comprehensive Plan and over 1,100 Planned Development (PD) Districts under Chapter 51A. Each PD tailors uses, density, height, and design standards for a defined area.
Area Plans and Planned Development Districts
Some RestrictionsTexas Local Government Code Chapter 232 - County Regulation of Subdivisions
Sec. 232.0015. EXCEPTIONS TO PLAT REQUIREMENT. (a) To determine whether specific divisions of land are required to be platted, a county may define and classify the divisions. A county need not require platting for every division of land otherwise within the scope of this subchapter.(b) Except as provided by Section 232.0013, this subchapter does not apply to a subdivision of land to which Subch...
Density Bonus Law
Dallas City Code Chapter 51A offers a voluntary density bonus for residential developments that include affordable units. Projects can earn extra units, height, or reduced parking by setting aside dwellings for lower-income households.
Mixed Income Housing Density Bonus Program
Some RestrictionsTransit-Oriented Communities (TOC)
Dallas Chapter 51A creates Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Districts surrounding select DART light-rail stations. TOD zoning concentrates mixed-use buildings, walkable street design, and reduced parking minimums within roughly a quarter mile of platforms.
TOD Districts Around DART Rail Stations
Some RestrictionsHillside Overlay Rules
Dallas does not use a hillside overlay because most of the city is flat. Sloped sites are managed through grading, escarpment, and floodplain rules in Chapter 51A and the Drainage and Flood Control regulations rather than a dedicated overlay.
No Hillside Overlay; Escarpment and Floodplain Rules Apply
Few RestrictionsQ-Conditions (Qualified Zoning)
Dallas does not use Los Angeles-style Q conditions. Instead, Chapter 51A authorizes Specific Use Permits (SUPs) and Conditional Use Permits, which attach customized operating, site, and time conditions to otherwise permitted uses on individual properties.
Specific Use Permits Replace Q Conditions in Dallas
Some RestrictionsLooking for Dallas County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Dallas city rules.
Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Dallas County →