Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in San Antonio, TX (2026)
3 verified zoning overlays & bonuses rules for San Antonio, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Specific Plans Overview
San Antonio's Unified Development Code (UDC), codified at SAMC Chapter 35, governs zoning, subdivision, and land use citywide. The SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan and dozens of community and neighborhood sub-area plans guide rezoning decisions.
San Antonio UDC Plus Community Plans Guide Land Use
Some RestrictionsTex. Local Government Code § 232.001
(a) The owner of a tract of land located outside the limits of a municipality must have a plat of the subdivision prepared if the owner divides the tract into two or more parts to lay out:(1) a subdivision of the tract, including an addition;(2) lots; or(3) streets, alleys, squares, parks, or other parts of the tract intended by the owner of the tract to be dedicated to public use.(a-1) A divis...
Density Bonus Law
San Antonio's Unified Development Code lets developers build more units as of right under Sec. 35-360 by trading extra open space, affordable units, or commercial retrofits for density credit. Bonuses run up to 130 percent of base density under Table 360-2, and qualifying residential subdivisions can shrink minimum lot sizes to match the added unit count.
San Antonio Zoning Density Bonus Program
Some RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code § 35-360
(a)Applicability. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to density and intensity on the parcel subject to an application for development approval. Density bonuses will be granted as of right if the applicant complies with the criteria established in subsection (b), below. Applicants requesting a density bonus for a residential subdivision may also reduce lot sizes through approval of a ...
Downtown Design Guide
Any infill or redevelopment project on property zoned 'D' Downtown must follow the Downtown Design Guide in UDC Appendix G, per Sec. 35-310.11(b) and Sec. 35-425. Sec. 35-650 layers a Certificate of Appropriateness requirement on top, reviewed against both the guide and Sec. 35-608, and where the two conflict, Sec. 35-608 controls, not the guide.
San Antonio Downtown Design Guide Requirement
Significant RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code § 35-650
Applications proposing infill development projects or redevelopment projects on property zoned "D" Downtown Zoning District shall require review for a certificate of appropriateness under the provisions of section 35-608 and section 35-G101 (Downtown Design Guide). In the event of a conflict between the provisions of 35-608 and the Downtown Design Guide, section 35-608 shall prevail.
Looking for Bexar County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Antonio city rules.
Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Bexar County →