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Dallas, TX Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Key Facts

Zoning code
Chapter 51A Dallas Development Code
Unlisted-use rule
Section 51A-4.220
Data center in use tables
Not listed
Discretionary tools
SUP (51A-4.219) or PD
Enforcing agency
Planning and Development Dept.

Summary

Dallas's Chapter 51A Development Code has no "data center" use category, so a server-farm developer must have the use classified under Section 51A-4.220 and sited through the matching use district, a Specific Use Permit, or a Planned Development district.

SEC. 51A-4.220. CLASSIFICATION OF NEW USES. (a) Initiation. (1) A person, the commission, or the city council may propose zoning amendments to regulate new and previously unlisted uses. (2) A person requesting the addition of a new use shall submit to the director all information necessary for the classification of the use... (b) Use regulations. New use regulations must contain the following information: (1) The definition of the use. (2) The zoning districts within which the use is permitted...

View official code

Full Breakdown

Dallas zones land under Chapter 51A, the Dallas Development Code, administered by the Planning and Development Department. The use tables in Division 51A-4.200 list no "data center" anywhere, including Section 51A-4.203 (Industrial Uses). Under Section 51A-4.220, an applicant proposing an unlisted use submits its details to the director, and the City Plan Commission and City Council adopt a zoning amendment defining the use and the districts where it is allowed. In practice a Dallas data center is classified into an existing category or approved through a Specific Use Permit under Section 51A-4.219 or a Planned Development district.

Violations & Fines

Operating a data center where Chapter 51A does not permit the use, or without the required SUP or Planned Development approval, is a zoning violation; the city can withhold permits, issue citations, and seek fines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a data center allowed by right in Dallas?
Chapter 51A lists no "data center" use, so it isn't automatically by-right; the use must first be classified under Section 51A-4.220 into an existing category or added by a zoning amendment.
Does a Dallas data center need a Specific Use Permit?
If the use is classified into a category that requires one, siting runs through a Specific Use Permit under Section 51A-4.219, or through a Planned Development district for larger projects.
Who handles data center zoning in Dallas?
The Planning and Development Department administers Chapter 51A; the City Plan Commission and City Council approve new-use classifications, Specific Use Permits, and Planned Development districts.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Dallas

Landscaping Rules: Water RestrictionsSome RestrictionsData Center Noise LimitsLight RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage TreesSignificant RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Weed OrdinancesSome RestrictionsHistoric Preservation: HCM Demolition ControlsSome RestrictionsHistoric Preservation: HPOZ RulesSignificant Restrictions

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Data Center Zoning & Siting in Nearby Cities

How other cities in Dallas County handle data center zoning & siting.

Irving, TX
Significant Restrictions