Arlington, TX Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 22 districts · 13 overlays · 2 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
mixed
Naming convention by category
res_sflot-size-encoded (RS-20, RS-15, RS-7.2, RS-5 — number = min lot size in 1000s sf; RS-7.2 = 7,200 sf)
res_mfdensity-encoded (RM-12 = 12 du/ac max; RMF-22 = 22 du/ac max pre-SB 840)
comletter-code (LO, OC, NC, CC, HC, BP, GC, DB)
indletter-code (LI, IM)
muletter-code (NMU, RMU)

Standard Euclidean UDC with 12 Articles; residential districts in Article 2 §2.2.x, non-residential §2.3.x, overlays §2.4.x. Adopted 1987, UDC codification effective 2014-07-10, annual amendments. SB 840 compliance via Ord. 25-059 (2025-08-26).

Worth knowing
  • Two-MLB/NFL-stadium overlay: Entertainment District Overlay (EDO) §2.4.5 is a single 2,800-acre overlay encompassing AT&T Stadium (NFL), Globe Life Field (MLB), Choctaw Stadium, Six Flags, Hurricane Harbor, Texas Live!, and Esports Stadium Arlington. Density spread of 40 du/ac (single use) vs. 100 du/ac (mixed-use with >=15% second-use GFA) is the principal regulatory lever steering developers toward vertical mixed-use; 90% max lot coverage; 20 ft min building height; 3-story cap only when adjacent to single-family. Unique in study.
  • Zoning + finance overlay co-extent: TIRZ #5 (Entertainment District) coincides with EDO §2.4.5 boundary; TIRZ #1 (Downtown) coincides with DB §2.3.8 + DNO §2.4.3 area. Arlington uses TIRZ funding pulls to incent compliance with overlay design standards — a coupling rarely as tight in other TX cities.
  • Downtown daylight step-back: DNO §2.4.3.D requires any portion of a building taller than 50 ft to step back an additional 10 ft from the street. Most TX downtown overlays omit a daylight-plane / step-back rule; this is Arlington-distinctive.

+ 11 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

res_sf 7com 5res_mf 2off 2ind 2mu 2res_th 1cbd 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
REResidential Estateres_sf43,560 sf[2]35 ft[3]225[1] / /
RS-20Residential Single-Family 20res_sf20,000 sf[5]35 ft[6]225[4] / /
RS-15Residential Single-Family 15res_sf15,000 sf[8]35 ft[9]220[7] / /
RS-7.2Residential Single-Family 7.2res_sf7,200 sf[10]35 ft[11]225 / 5 / 5
RS-5Residential Single-Family 5res_sf5,000 sf[15]35 ft[16]225[12] / 5[13] / 5[14]
VGVillage on the Greenres_sf35 ft2 / /
RM-12Residential Medium Density 12res_mf35 ft122 / /
RMF-22Residential Multi-Family 22res_mf35 ft22[17]2 / /
THTownhouseres_th35 ft2 / /
MHManufactured Housingres_sf35 ft2 / /
LOLimited Officeoff / /
OCOffice Commercialoff45 ft36125 / /
NCNeighborhood Commercialcom45 ft36125 / /
CCCommunity Commercialcom45 ft36125 / /
HCHighway Commercialcom45 ft36125 / /
BPBusiness Parkcom45 ft36125 / /
GCGeneral Commercialcom45 ft36125 / /
DBDowntown Businesscbd45 ft[21]36[22]10[18] / 0[19] / 0[20]
LILight Industrialind / /
IMIndustrial Manufacturingind / /
NMUNeighborhood Mixed Usemu45 ft36125 / /
RMURegional Mixed Usemu100125 / /

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

EDO
Entertainment District Overlay
SPEC
UDC §2.4.5; Fig. 2.4.5-A (Illustration); Fig. 2.4.5-B (Boundary); design standards Article 5 §5.8.1

2,800-acre entertainment area in central Arlington encompassing AT&T Stadium (Dallas Cowboys, opened 2009), Globe Life Field (Texas Rangers, opened 2020), Choctaw Stadium (former Rangers, now XFL Renegades), Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, Esports Stadium Arlington, Texas Live!, Loews Arlington Hotel, Live! by Loews. Boundary per §2.4.5 Fig. 2.4.5-B; broadly bounded by IH-30 (north), Cooper St (east), Division St / Abram St (south), Collins St area (west).

area_acres2800
max_du_per_acre_single_use40[23]
max_du_per_acre_mixed_use100[24]
mixed_use_second_use_min_pct_gfa15
mf_gla_per_unit_min_sf{"efficiency": 600, "one_bed": 800, "two_bed": 950, "c": "c§2.4.5.C"}
min_building_height_ft20[25]
max_building_height_adjacent_to_sfstatus: confirmed · note: 3 stories max when adjacent to single-family residential.
max_building_height_fronting_other_streetsN/A (no height cap when not adjacent to SF)
max_lot_coverage_pct90[26]
interior_setbackrefer to base zoning district
street_setbackper §5.8.1.D Private Realm Design and Development Standards
mixed_use_eligible_base_zonesRM-12; RMF-22; any non-residential base zone
mu_townhouse_mf_by_right_in_mu_developmentTrue
rm12_rmf22_nonres_use_restricted_to_rmu_listTrue
parking_special_requirements_sectionArticle 5 special parking requirements apply in EDO (alongside NMU, RMU, DB, DNO, LCMUO)
design_review_layer§5.8.1 EDO design and development standards
tirz_overlapTIRZ #5 (Entertainment District TIRZ) overlaps EDO substantially — see TIRZ overlay records below.
TIRZ-1
TIRZ #1 — Downtown Arlington
TIF
Tarrant County TIRZ #1 (Arlington) creation ordinance — Tarrant County administration TIF archives

Downtown Arlington core (Center St / Abram St / Division St area) and University District near UTA

tif_zone_number1
focus_areadowntown core + UTA university district
tif_funding_mechanismtax-increment financing — captures property tax increment above frozen base year to fund infrastructure, streetscape, plaza, parking improvements in the zone
interaction_with_zoningTIRZ does NOT modify base zoning or overlay dimensional standards; it is a funding/financing overlay. However, projects within DB and DNO that draw TIRZ #1 funds typically meet enhanced streetfront design standards triggered by Project Plan / Project & Financing Plan requirements.
TIRZ-5
TIRZ #5 — Entertainment District
TIF
City of Arlington TIRZ #5 (Entertainment District) — see TIRZ #5 board agenda PDFs hosted at arlingtontx.gov/files/assets/city/v/3/city-secretary/documents/posted-meetings/

Entertainment District — geographically coincides with EDO §2.4.5 boundary (2,800 acres around AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Six Flags). Confirmed via existence of standing TIRZ #5 board agenda titled 'Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number Five Entertainment District'.

tif_zone_number5
focus_areaEntertainment District (AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Choctaw Stadium, Six Flags, Texas Live!, Loews hotel campus)
tif_funding_mechanismtax-increment financing — funds entertainment-district public infrastructure (transit connections, pedestrian bridges, streetscape, structured parking)
stacks_withEDO §2.4.5 zoning overlay (same area)
notable_funded_projectsTexas Live! (Cordish, 2018); Live! by Loews hotel (2019); Loews Arlington Hotel (2023); Esports Stadium Arlington (2018)
STR
Short-Term Rental Zone
SPEC
2025 UDC Annual Update

Designated STR Zone (shown on GIS at arlingtontx.gov/gis). Applies to residential parcels citywide with differential rules inside vs outside the zone.

inside_zone_cap_rulemax(25 DUs, 15% of total DUs on parcel) eligible for STR permit (greater of two)
outside_zone_cap_rulemin(25 DUs, 15% of total DUs) eligible for STR permit (lesser of two)
multifamily_zoned_propertyentire property may convert to STR use
hud_manufactured_homesnot eligible for STR permit
APO
Airport Overlay
AP
UDC §2.4.x (zoning district transition table confirms APO)

Near Arlington Municipal Airport (FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces apply)

use_restrictionsnoise-sensitive use restrictions near airport
height_restrictionsairport-surface height restrictions apply
CDO
Conservation District Overlay
CON
UDC §2.4.x

Designated conservation areas (environmental/character conservation)

development_restrictionsenvironmental conservation controls applied to designated parcels
DNO
Downtown Neighborhood Overlay
DT
UDC §2.4.3

Downtown neighborhood transition area abutting the DB core — protects neighborhood character at the downtown edge.

setback_street_frontage_min_ft0[27]
step_back_rulestatus: confirmed · note: Distinctive: portions of a building above 50 ft must step back 10 ft from the street — protects downtown-neighborhood-edge daylighting and pedestrian scale. Not a base-district rule; unique to DNO.
setback_street_rear_public_street_min_ft10[28]
setback_street_rear_alley_or_easement_min_ft5[29]
setback_interior_side_rear_min_ft0[30]
setback_adjacent_to_sf_min_ft20[31]
design_standards_sectionArticle 5 §5.8 Overlay District Design and Development Standards
LCMUO
Lamar Collins Mixed Use Overlay
COR
UDC §2.4.4

Lamar Boulevard / Collins Street mixed-use corridor — runs east-west across north-central Arlington connecting downtown to TX-360 / the Entertainment District periphery. A corridor overlay applied to RM-12, RMF-22, OC, NC, CC, GC, HC base zones along the corridor.

setback_street_frontage_min_ft0[32]
setback_interior_side_rear_min_ft5[33]
setback_adjacent_to_sf_min_ft20[34]
mixed_use_streetfront_treatmentPer Article 5 §5.7.4.C — setback area reserved for sidewalks, landscaping, outdoor dining, kiosks, street amenities; surface parking lots, off-street parking, and driving aisles PROHIBITED between building and street.
design_standards_sectionArticle 5 §5.8 + §5.7 Mixed-Use Design Standards
parking_special_requirements_applyTrue
LPO
Landmark Preservation Overlay
HP
UDC §2.4.x

Locally-designated historic landmarks/districts

demolition_reviewTrue
exterior_alteration_reviewTrue
height_multiplier-0.15
FAR_multiplier-0.1
coverage_adjustment_pct-5
setback_addition_ft5
PD
Planned Development
PD
UDC §2.4.x (numbered PDs by ordinance)

Parcels rezoned to PD with a specific ordinance; each PD has custom standards

custom_standardseach PD has its own dimensional, use, and design standards adopted by ordinance
FP-NOT-FOUND
Floodplain (FEMA SFHA) — not found as a distinct named UDC overlay
FP
statusnot_found
search_performedReviewed UDC Article 2 overlay list (EDO/STR/APO/CDO/DNO/LCMUO/LPO/PD) and district transition table; floodplain development is regulated through separate Chapter of the city code (floodplain ordinance) rather than as a §2.4 UDC overlay. FEMA SFHA maps apply as a federal layer.
TOD-NOT-FOUND
TOD/Transit overlay — not found
TOD
statusnot_found
search_performedReviewed UDC Article 2 overlay list and zoning district transition table; Arlington has no passenger rail and no TOD overlay in the UDC. Entertainment District (EDO) is the closest functional analog but is not transit-oriented.
AH-NOT-FOUND
Affordable Housing Bonus — not found as a UDC overlay
AH
statusnot_found
search_performedReviewed UDC overlay list and 2025 UDC Annual Update; no dedicated affordable housing bonus overlay in the UDC. SB 840 by-right multifamily is the operative MF-enablement mechanism.

State preemptions

Qualifying condition
City population 394,266 (2024 Census est.) >= 150,000 threshold AND Tarrant County population 2,140,629 (2024 Census est.) >= 300,000 threshold. Both gates satisfied. Arlington enacted Ord. 25-059 on 2025-08-26 to conform GC and DB district height/density to SB 840 minimums (>=45 ft height, >=36 du/ac, <=25 ft setback, <=1 parking space/unit).
Source
U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Population Estimates (PEP); City of Arlington Ord. 25-059 (2025-08-26)
Effect
MF by-right allowed in GC, DB, and other commercial/office/retail/warehouse/MU districts with >=36 du/ac, >=45 ft height, <=25 ft setback, <=1 parking space/unit; ministerial approval (no discretionary review).
Qualifying condition
SB 15 applies statewide to any lot <=4,000 sf regardless of city size; applicable per-parcel. Arlington subject to this preemption on qualifying small lots. City retains use-restriction and life-safety authority.
Source
Texas SB 15 (88th Legislature, 2025)
Effect
On lots <=4,000 sf: city may not regulate setbacks, parking, height, or bulk (FAR) beyond state baseline.

Adopted building codes

Home rule; major cities on 2024 IBC

2024
2021
2023
Local adoption
IECC (Residential)
2015
IECC (Commercial)
2015

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Amendment history

DateKindCitation
2026-05-19retrieved at
2025-08-26last amendedOrd. 25-059 (SB 840 compliance — raises GC/DB floors to >=45 ft, >=36 du/ac)
2015-XX-XXamendedOrd. amending RS-15 §2.2.4 setbacks, DB §2.3.8 setbacks, DNO §2.4.3 setbacks (incl. 50-ft step-back), LCMUO §2.4.4 setbacks, EDO §2.4.5 density/coverage/MF GLA mins (Granicus archive PDF)
2014-07-10effectiveUDC Art. 1 §1.6.8, Table 1.6-1 — district transitions effective July 10, 2014 (confirmed from Arlington Granicus archive ordinance PDF)

Quirks & notes

  • Two-MLB/NFL-stadium overlay: Entertainment District Overlay (EDO) §2.4.5 is a single 2,800-acre overlay encompassing AT&T Stadium (NFL), Globe Life Field (MLB), Choctaw Stadium, Six Flags, Hurricane Harbor, Texas Live!, and Esports Stadium Arlington. Density spread of 40 du/ac (single use) vs. 100 du/ac (mixed-use with >=15% second-use GFA) is the principal regulatory lever steering developers toward vertical mixed-use; 90% max lot coverage; 20 ft min building height; 3-story cap only when adjacent to single-family. Unique in study.
  • Zoning + finance overlay co-extent: TIRZ #5 (Entertainment District) coincides with EDO §2.4.5 boundary; TIRZ #1 (Downtown) coincides with DB §2.3.8 + DNO §2.4.3 area. Arlington uses TIRZ funding pulls to incent compliance with overlay design standards — a coupling rarely as tight in other TX cities.
  • Downtown daylight step-back: DNO §2.4.3.D requires any portion of a building taller than 50 ft to step back an additional 10 ft from the street. Most TX downtown overlays omit a daylight-plane / step-back rule; this is Arlington-distinctive.
  • Three named mixed-use form regimes: DB §2.3.8 (downtown core, 0-ft build-to), LCMUO §2.4.4 (Lamar/Collins corridor, 0-ft build-to with 20-ft SF buffer), EDO §2.4.5 (entertainment-district nodes, 90% coverage + 40/100 du/ac). All three share Article 5 §5.7.4.C streetfront rule prohibiting surface parking between building and street.
  • Mixed-use as the unlock for residential in non-residential overlays: in DB, RM-12 and RMF-22 base zones inside EDO, townhouse and MF residential are permitted by-right ONLY inside a mixed-use development or building (§3.2.3.K + EDO §2.4.5.B.1.e). Pure MF requires SB 840 by-right pathway or RMU/NMU base zoning.
  • STR Zone inside/outside asymmetry: inside the STR Zone, eligible STR units = max(25 DUs, 15% of total DUs on parcel) — the GREATER bound. Outside the zone, eligible STR units = min(25 DUs, 15%) — the LESSER bound. Intentionally concentrates STR activity inside the zone. (2025 UDC Annual Update.)
  • Village on the Green (VG) was a 2014 overlay-to-base-district conversion: previously an overlay on Agricultural land at Tierra Verde; 2014 UDC carried it forward as a standalone base district. Front-facing, front-loading garages prohibited (except a third bay under specified conditions).
  • Manufactured Housing (MH) is an OBSOLETE district — may not be requested as new classification; existing MH-zoned properties continue under prior §9-400. Effectively ends MH expansion in Arlington.
  • Regional Mixed Use (RMU) allows 100 du/ac as a base-district by-right cap (matching EDO mixed-use ceiling). One of the highest non-CA base-district MF density caps in the corpus.
  • RMF-22 25-ft landscaped buffer (no parking, no driveways) adjacent to SF or non-residential. Combined with the 15% landscaped open area minimum, RMF-22 site planning is form-controlled to a degree unusual among TX cities.
  • Tree protection at 8-inch caliper (vs. Austin 19 in) — Arlington's threshold is among the most protective in TX.
  • SB 840 compliance enacted via Ord. 25-059 (2025-08-26): raises GC and DB height/density floors to >=45 ft and >=36 du/ac for by-right MF on commercial parcels. Heavy industrial (IM) excluded from SB 840 per state law. MF under TX LGC Chapter 218: where Ch. 218 is silent, RMF-22 district regulations apply as default.
  • Near-zero ETJ: Arlington is fully ringed by Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Kennedale, Pantego, and Dalworthington Gardens. Pantego (1.0 sq mi) and Dalworthington Gardens (2.0 sq mi) are entirely surrounded by Arlington but maintain separate zoning. Annexation pipeline is closed; growth is internal redevelopment only.
  • No fixed-route transit, no TOD overlay: Arlington is the largest US city without fixed-route public transit (2026). Replaced by Via Rideshare on-demand microtransit (2017-). TRE commuter rail passes through but does not stop within Arlington city limits. EDO is the closest functional analog to a TOD overlay but is event-trip-, not commuter-trip-, oriented.

Formulas

Definitions

height
Grade to highest point of structure.
lot_coverage
Building footprint / lot area.
far
Gross floor area / lot area.
du_ac
Dwelling units per gross acre.
setback_front
Front property line to nearest building face.
setback_side
Side property line to nearest building face.
setback_rear
Rear property line to nearest building face.
parking
Spaces per dwelling unit unless noted.

Capacity calculations

max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage
max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far
buildable_width_ft
lot_width_ft - setback_side_ft * 2
buildable_depth_ft
lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft
max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 10

Massing explorer

Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.

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District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Primary source

Direct www.arlingtontx.gov PDFs return HTTP 403 to scripted clients (Cloudflare/WAF); the same documents are mirrored on arlingtontx.granicus.com (Granicus meeting archive) where scripted clients receive HTTP 200. The UDC amendment ordinance affecting §2.3.8 DB, §2.4.3 DNO, §2.4.4 LCMUO, §2.4.5 EDO setbacks was retrieved 2026-05-19 via Granicus clip_id=1689 / meta_id=200560.

Citations
  1. [1] §2.2.2
  2. [2] §2.2.2
  3. [3] §2.2.2
  4. [4] §2.2.3
  5. [5] §2.2.3
  6. [6] §2.2.3
  7. [7] §2.2.4.D.5
  8. [8] §2.2.4
  9. [9] §2.2.4
  10. [10] §2.2.5
  11. [11] §2.2.5
  12. [12] §2.2.6
  13. [13] §2.2.6
  14. [14] §2.2.6
  15. [15] §2.2.6
  16. [16] §2.2.6
  17. [17] §2.2.8
  18. [18] §2.3.8.D
  19. [19] §2.3.8.D
  20. [20] §2.3.8.D
  21. [21] §2.3.8
  22. [22] §2.3.8
  23. [23] §2.4.5.B
  24. [24] §2.4.5.B
  25. [25] §2.4.5.E
  26. [26] §2.4.5.E
  27. [27] §2.4.3.D
  28. [28] §2.4.3.D
  29. [29] §2.4.3.D
  30. [30] §2.4.3.D
  31. [31] §2.4.3.D
  32. [32] §2.4.4.D
  33. [33] §2.4.4.D
  34. [34] §2.4.4.D

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedPrimary source https://www.arlingtontx.gov/Business/Development-Resources/Land-Development/Zoning-Unified-Development-Code/Unified-Development-Code is city-hosted, non-aggregator. Direct city PDFs return HTTP 403 to scripted clients but are mirrored in the Granicus archive (arlingtontx.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?clip_id=1689) where retrieval succeeded 2026-05-19; both endpoints are first-party City of Arlington publishing surfaces.
no aggregator citedpassedAll cited sources are first-party City of Arlington or government surfaces (arlingtontx.gov, arlingtontx.granicus.com, arlingtontxedc.com Arlington Economic Development Corp, tarrantcountytx.gov, capitol.texas.gov, census.gov). No third-party zoning-aggregator data brokers cited.
confidence tags full formpassedConfirmed fields carry full §-citations with source_quote excerpts pulled directly from the Granicus UDC amendment ordinance: §2.2.4.D.5/6/7/8 (RS-15 setbacks), §2.3.8.D (DB setbacks 0/0/0/20), §2.4.3.D (DNO 50-ft step-back), §2.4.4.D (LCMUO setbacks), §2.4.5.B/C/E (EDO 40/100 du/ac, GLA mins, 90% coverage). Partial fields carry search_performed explaining the gap.
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassedAll 10 present overlays (EDO, STR, APO, CDO, DNO, LCMUO, LPO, PD, TIRZ-1, TIRZ-5) have params, trigger, confidence, ordinance. EDO now carries 13 confirmed parameters with ordinance source_quotes. DNO 50-ft step-back rule captured. LCMUO 0/5/20 setbacks captured. 3 absent overlay types (FP, TOD, AH) documented with not_found + search_performed.
preempt section city specificpassed2 TX laws evaluated with city-specific qualifying_condition_checked containing numeric inputs (pop 394,266; Tarrant 2,140,629) + vintage (2024 Census PEP) + threshold (>=150k / >=300k) — not link-stubs. SB 840 compliance traced to specific Arlington ordinance (Ord. 25-059, 2025-08-26).

Data quality

66%completeness95 confirmed75 partial3 not found
Documented gaps
  • Full UDC Article 2 §2.2.x / §2.3.x dimensional tables not retrieved for districts not amended in the Granicus archive ordinance (RE §2.2.2, RS-20 §2.2.3, RS-5 §2.2.6, RM-12, RMF-22 §2.2.8 dimensional rows beyond density, MF buffer, and landscaped-open-area; LO §2.3.1, OC §2.3.2, NC §2.3.3, CC §2.3.4, GC §2.3.5, HC §2.3.6, BP §2.3.7, LI §2.3.9, IM §2.3.10, NMU §2.3.11, RMU §2.3.12)
  • Floodplain regulation exists but is in a separate chapter (City Code Chapter on floodplain management), not a §2.4 UDC overlay — FP overlay slot flagged as not_found with search_performed
  • EDO §2.4.5 §5.8.1 design standards full text not in retrieved Granicus ordinance excerpt (only setback amendment captured); §5.8.1 streetfront standards and Private Realm Design provisions need full UDC retrieval

Known issues

data:gaps-present

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