Zoning Overview

Zoning

Determining Land Use

 

What is Zoning?
Zoning is the city's tool that regulates land use, promotes orderly growth, and protects existing property owners by ensuring a convenient, attractive and functional community.  The City Council along with several city boards and commissions make decisions on how to zone property and other zoning matters.  
  
Why is Zoning Needed?
A city must have a blueprint to locate streets, parks and business and residential areas. Zoning is the city's tool that allows various land uses, promotes orderly growth and protects existing property owners by ensuring a convenient, attractive community.  City Council along with several city boards and commissions composed of citizen volunteers, make decisions on how to zone property and on other zoning matters.


Complete Zoning Ordinance: Click Here

City of Fort Worth Interactive Zoning Map: Click Here

Trinity Uptown District: Click Here

 

Near South Zoning District

The Near Southside is located just south of Downtown Fort Worth.  New form-based zoning standards and guidelines were adopted in 2007 for the Near Southside to help promote the area’s revitalization in a way that builds on its history and capitalizes on the district’s eclectic, mixed-use, human-scale character to create a competitive advantage in attracting new residents and businesses.

Near South District Design Standards and Guidelines

 

How Do I Change a Property's Zoning?


Every proposal to change the regulations of the zoning ordinance or the boundaries of a zoning district must be presented to the Zoning Commission. To initiate this process an application is filed with the Development Department and payment is made of the appropriate filing fee. The application is made by the owner of the property or an authorized agent, or may be initiated by the City of Fort Worth. 
 
Before land in the city of Fort Worth can be developed, it must be properly zoned and platted. Land outside the city limits but within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is subject to platting, but not to zoning.  Two separate commissions review zoning and platting requests:

> Zoning - Zoning Commission 
> Platting - City Plan Commission


The Zoning Commission, an advisory board to the City Council on all zoning matters, conducts public hearings on zoning requests and makes recommendations to the City Council. The City Council is the final approval authority for zoning. Plats are submitted to the City Plan Commission, which is the City’s final approval authority for platting.
 
 Who Can Apply for the Zoning Change?


An application for a change in zoning may be requested by the owner of the property involved, his attorney or by a person with written authority to act on the owner’s behalf. An application also may be filed by the city’s Department of Development upon recommendation of the Zoning Commission, Plan Commission, or Board of Adjustments or the City Council


Owner Initiated Zoning Changes

Property owners may initiate a rezoning request at any time by filing an application with the Planning and Development Department.

To receive consultation concerning the future land use designation of your property or on the appropriate zoning district for which to apply that is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan future land use please contact the Planning and Development Department's Zoning and Subdivision Review Team by calling 817-392-8000.


City Initiated Zoning Changes

The City Council adopted a policy, which established certain procedures whereby the City – at the request of affected property owners – might initiate zoning changes in accordance with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Under these procedures, the City will initiate a zoning change in response to a valid petition signed by property owners representing 50 percent or more of the parcels to be rezoned and 50 percent or more of the land area to be rezoned.


What is the process for petition based zoning changes?

Planning and Development staff meets with the interested neighborhood in an informational meeting to 1) review the existing zoning in the proposed petition area, 2) verify that the requested zoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and 3) review the requirements for the petition to be valid. After receipt of the petition, staff verifies 1) that the petition signatures represent 50 percent of the parcels and 50 percent of the land area within the petition boundaries according to the most recent TAD

records. Staff notifies the neighborhood representatives that the petition is valid and that a second neighborhood meeting to announce the results of the petition is required. After holding the meeting, staff initiates the rezoning application and submits it to the Planning and Development Department for the next available Zoning Commission Hearing.


Council Initiated Zoning Changes

Any interested Council member may request that the City Manager prepare a Mayor and Council communication (M&C) authorizing the City Manager to initiate one or more specific zoning changes. Planning staff verifies that the proposed changes are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, accompanies the City Council member at an informational meeting held in or near the area to be considered for rezoning, and briefs the full City Council on the proposed zoning changes at an appropriate pre-Council meeting. If the City Council indicates that it wishes to initiate the proposed zoning changes, then the City Manager places an appropriate M&C on the next regular City Council agenda. After the City Council approves the M&C, City staff prepares an appropriate rezoning application and schedules the case for the next available Zoning Commission public hearing.


Zoning Commission

The City Zoning Commission acts as an advisory board to the City Council in regard to zoning matters within the City of Fort Worth and has such other duties and powers as specified in Ordinance 5754.


MEETING TIME AND PLACE: Meets in Council Chamber every second Wednesday each month at 10:00 A.M. A working session is held immediately prior to the meeting and begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Pre-Council Chambers.


Requesting Variances from the Zoning Ordinance - Board of Adjustments

The Board hears and decides cases where it is alleged there is error in any requirement, decision, or determination made by the Building Official in the enforcement of the ordinances, and has the power to establish public notice and hearing to alter previous action in such matters. They have such powers as are specified in Ordinance No. 5756.


Members are considered to be officers of the City of Fort Worth. All decisions are final, subject only to review by the courts.


MEETING TIME AND PLACE: Meets in the Council Chamber on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:00 A.M.