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

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Use classification
Listed use, Subsection 3.02 Use Chart
Permitted by right
1 zoning district column (P)
SUP required
3 zoning district columns (S)
Parking, office area
1 space per 350 sq ft
Parking, data floor area
1 space per 5,000 sq ft
Violation fine
$200-$2,000 per day, Sec. 8.01.02

Summary

Frisco's Unified Development Code treats "Data Center" as its own zoning use, defined as a building or group of buildings that houses computers and related equipment for collecting, processing, storing or retrieving data. The Subsection 3.02 Use Chart marks the use S (Specific Use Permit required) in three district columns and P (permitted by right) in one, and Section 4.04.08(A)(18) sets its own off-street parking ratio.

Data center: One (1) parking space for each three hundred fifty (350) square feet of gross floor area devoted to office uses plus one (1) additional parking space for each five thousand (5,000) square feet of gross floor area devoted to data storage, processing and/or related uses.

Full Breakdown

The Frisco Zoning Ordinance defines Data Center in its definitions section as "a building or group of buildings primarily used to house computers and/or related equipment for the purpose of collection, processing, storage or retrieval of data." That definition places data centers inside the Subsection 3.02 Use Chart, the table that governs where every nonresidential use may locate. The Data Center row carries four symbols across the chart's district columns: three read S, meaning a Specific Use Permit approved by City Council is required before the use can operate in that district, and one reads P, meaning the use is permitted by right with no discretionary review. The chart's own legend defines both symbols: "S Indicates Specific Use Permit Required" and "P Indicates Permitted Use." A developer proposing a data center outside the by-right district must file an SUP application and win council approval before pulling a building permit.

Once sited, a data center still has to meet a use-specific parking formula rather than a flat ratio. Section 4.04.08(A)(18), part of the "Parking Requirement Based on Use" subsection, requires one parking space for every 350 square feet of gross floor area devoted to office functions, plus one additional space for every 5,000 square feet devoted to data storage, processing or related server-hall uses, a formula that recognizes how little staff space a large facility needs relative to its footprint. Subsection 1.05 requires that land and buildings conform to the permitted uses of the zoning district in which they sit, tying the use-table and parking rules together as enforceable zoning standards rather than guidance.

Violations & Fines

Operating a data center in a district where the Use Chart requires a Specific Use Permit, without first obtaining that SUP from City Council, is a zoning violation under Section 8.01.02. Each day the violation continues is a separate offense, punishable by a fine of $200 to $2,000; the minimum fine doubles for a second conviction of the same offense within 24 months and triples for the third and later convictions. The City may also sue to enjoin the violation instead of, or in addition to, seeking fines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a data center locate anywhere in Frisco?
No. The Subsection 3.02 Use Chart lists Data Center as its own use and marks it S, Specific Use Permit required, in three of the zoning district columns; only one column shows a straight P for permitted by right, so most sites need City Council SUP approval before construction.
What parking does Frisco require for a data center?
Section 4.04.08(A)(18) sets one parking space per 350 square feet of gross floor area used for offices, plus one additional space per 5,000 square feet used for data storage, processing or related server-hall functions, so parking scales with the office component rather than the whole building.
What is the legal definition of a data center under Frisco's code?
The Zoning Ordinance defines Data Center as "a building or group of buildings primarily used to house computers and/or related equipment for the purpose of collection, processing, storage or retrieval of data," the definition that triggers the Use Chart and parking rules covered above.
What happens if a data center opens without the required SUP?
It is a zoning violation under Section 8.01.02, treated as a separate offense for each day it continues. Fines run $200 to $2,000 per offense, double on a second conviction within 24 months and triple on a third, and the City can also sue to enjoin the use entirely.

Sources & Official References

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