Waco, TX Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted use
- By right in R-E, R-1A, R-1B districts
- No special permit
- Not on the special-use list
- Definition source
- Chapter 28, Sec. 28-1 definitions
- Includes
- Livestock, poultry, viticulture, silviculture, wildlife management
- Zoning penalty
- Up to $2,000 per day, Sec. 1-14(b)(12)
Summary
Waco's zoning code lists 'agricultural operations' as a use permitted by right, not by special permit, in the R-E, R-1A and R-1B single-family districts. Chapter 28's definitions section defines the term broadly: cultivating soil, raising livestock or poultry (including veterinary services), viticulture, silviculture, wildlife management, and crop rotation all qualify, so property owners in these low-density zones can farm without a special-use hearing.
The permitted uses in the R-E district are:
(1)Single-family dwellings, detached.(2)Public uses, such as parks, libraries, buildings and municipal zoos.(3)Schools including public and private schools, elementary and secondary schools, preschools, kindergartens, nursery schools, and special schools, provided the use meets all setback, lot size and other development requirements applicable.(4)Houses of worship, convents, rectories, parsonages and parish houses.(5)Golf courses.(6)Agricultural operations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 88).
Full Breakdown
The R-E single-family residence district, Waco's lowest-density zoning classification, is described in Sec. 28-271 as intended for a 'semirural environment' that does not require a full range of urban services. Consistent with that purpose, Sec. 28-272(6) lists 'agricultural operations' as item six in the permitted-use list for R-E, alongside single-family dwellings, schools, houses of worship and golf courses. The same use appears again by right in the R-1A district (Sec. 28-297(13)) and the R-1B district (Sec. 28-322(13)), so the permission is not confined to a single zone.
Chapter 28's general definitions section, Sec. 28-1, spells out exactly what counts: cultivating the soil; producing crops or vegetation for human food, animal feed, livestock forage, wildlife-management forage, seed, or fiber; floriculture; viticulture; horticulture; silviculture; wildlife management; raising or keeping livestock or poultry, including veterinary services; and planting cover crops or leaving land idle to participate in a government program or normal crop or livestock rotation. Because 'agricultural operations' is a permitted use rather than a special use, a property owner in R-E, R-1A or R-1B does not need to file an application, attend a commission hearing, or obtain a special permit under Sec.
before starting the activity. Larger-footprint changes tied to the operation, such as new structures, parking, or site grading, still fall under the separate development-plan and site-work permit rules in Sec. 28-171 et seq.
Violations & Fines
Using land in the R-E, R-1A or R-1B district for a use that is not permitted, special, or a lawful nonconforming use exceeds the authority granted by Sec. 28-251, and each day of an unauthorized use is a separate offense. Waco's general penalty provision, Sec. 1-14(b)(12), sets fines up to $2,000 for zoning code violations, layered on top of any required site-work or development-plan permit enforcement by the building official.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I raise livestock on residential property in Waco?
Does Waco require a permit to farm on R-E zoned land?
What activities count as 'agricultural operations' under Waco's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waco
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Waco to another location·View the Texas right to farm overview
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