San Antonio, TX Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Max density bonus
- 130% of base density (combined incentives)
- Open-space-only bonus
- 120% of base density
- Retail design bonus
- 30% increase in permitted building height
- Very-low income start factor
- Y = 1.20, +0.05 per 15% more units
- Minimum lot floor (R-6/RM-6)
- 4,200 square feet even with bonus
- Governing section
- UDC Sec. 35-360, Article III Zoning
Summary
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.
(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 conservation subdivision (see section 35-202 of this chapter).(b)Bonus Criteria.(1)An applicant may be granted a density bonus by establishing any of the incentive items as described in column (A) in Table 360-2 herein consistent with the standards described in columns (B) and (C) of Table 360-2.
Full Breakdown
Section 35-360 of the San Antonio Unified Development Code grants density bonuses as of right whenever an applicant meets the criteria in Table 360-2, without a separate variance hearing. Developers earn bonus credit by dedicating active or passive open space beyond the parks and open space minimums (at least one full acre), by retrofitting existing strip centers from surface to structured parking, by meeting the commercial center design criteria for superstores and shopping centers in the C-1, C-2 or C-3 districts, or by restricting units as affordable housing.
Combining open space with affordable housing incentives (rows D through F in Table 360-1) tops out at a 130 percent bonus over the base permitted dwelling units; open space or affordable housing alone (rows A, B, C) caps at 120 percent. Retail site design bonuses instead grant a 30 percent increase in permitted height. 05 per additional 5 percent. 2 acres of open space and the 20 percent bonus cap is applied. Minimum lot sizes can shrink to match the added density but never below the floors set in the code: 4,200 square feet in R-6/RM-6, 3,500 in R-5/RM-5, 2,800 in R-4/RM-4, 14,000 in R-20, and 31,000 in RE. Applicants pursuing a density bonus on a residential subdivision may pair it with a conservation subdivision under Sec. 35-202 to reduce lot sizes further.
Violations & Fines
Density bonus provisions sit in UDC Article III (Zoning), so noncompliance, such as building beyond the approved bonus density or occupying units before the required deed restrictions are recorded, triggers the general zoning penalty in Sec. 35-491(c)(2): a criminal fine of $100 to $2,000 per day, rising to a $200 minimum on a second conviction and $300 on a third, plus a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much extra density can a San Antonio developer earn under Sec. 35-360?
Can a density bonus reduce San Antonio's minimum lot sizes?
What triggers the highest 130 percent density bonus?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Antonio
Texas rules heatmap·Compare San Antonio to another location·View the Texas zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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