Chapter 4 District Regulations

Article 1. General

4.100 Districts Established

In order to regulate and restrict the location of trades and industries and the location of buildings erected, reconstructed, altered or enlarged for specified uses, to regulate and restrict the height and bulk of buildings hereafter erected, reconstructed, altered or enlarged, to protect and preserve places and areas of historical and cultural importance and significance, to regulate and determine the area of yards and other open spaces and to regulate and limit the density of population, the City of Fort Worth is hereby divided into districts that are grouped in classes for convenience of reference as follows.

  1. Special Purpose Districts
    1. Agricultural (“AG”) District
    2. Community Facilities (“CF”) District
    3. Historic Preservation Overlay Districts (“HSE”, “HC”, “DD”)
    4. Planned Development (“PD”) District
    5. Conservation (“CD”) Overlay District
    6. Manufactured Housing (“MH”) District
  2. Residential Districts
    1. One-Family, (“A-2.5A) District
    2. One-Family, (“A-43”) District
    3. One-Family, (“A-21”) District
    4. One-Family, (“A-10”) District
    5. One-Family, (“A-7.5”) District
    6. One-Family, (“A-5”) District
    7. One-Family Restricted (“AR”) District
    8. Two-Family (“B”) District
    9. Zero Lot Line/Cluster (“R1”) District
    10. Townhouse/Cluster (“R2”) District
    11. Low Density Multifamily (“CR”) District
    12. Medium Density Multifamily (“C”) District
    13. High Density Multifamily (“D”) District
  3. Commercial Districts
    1. Neighborhood Commercial Restricted (“ER”) District
    2. Neighborhood Commercial (“E”) District
    3. Low Intensity Mixed-Use (“MU-1”) District
    4. Low Intensity Greenfield Mixed-Use (“MU-1G”) District
    5. General Commercial Restricted (“FR”) District
    6. General Commercial (“F”) District
    7. Intensive Commercial (“G”) District
    8. Central Business (“H”) District
    9. Trinity Uptown ("TU") District
  4. Industrial Districts
    1. Light Industrial (“I”) District
    2. High Intensity Mixed-Use (“MU-2”) District
    3. High Intensity Greenfield Mixed-Use (“MU-2G”) District
    4. Medium Industrial (“J”) District
    5. Heavy Industrial (“K”) District
  5. Inactive Districts
    1. Flood Plain (“O1”) District
    2. Flood Plain (“O2”) District
    3. Multifamily Highrise (“DHR1”) District
    4. Multifamily Highrise (“DHR2”) District
    5. Planned Commercial (“EP”) District
    6. Office Midrise (“OM”) District
    7. Industrial Park (“IP”) District

4.101 District Hierarchy

References in this Zoning Ordinance to more or less restrictive zoning districts refer to the base zoning districts established above and represent a progression from the “A” District as the most restrictive base zoning district to the “K” District as the least restrictive base zoning district.  Special purpose and inactive districts are not included in the zoning district hierarchy.


4.102 District Maps

  1. Maps Incorporated
    The districts described above and the boundaries of such districts are shown upon the maps attached hereto and made a part of this Zoning Ordinance, being designated as the “District Maps” and said maps and all the notations, references and other information shown thereon shall be as much a part of this Ordinance as if the matters and information set forth by said map were all fully described herein.   The District Maps are available in the Planning and Development Department.
  2. Boundaries of Districts
    Where uncertainty exists with respect to the boundaries of the various districts, as shown on the map accompanying and made a part of this Ordinance, the following rules shall apply:
    1. The district boundaries are either streets or alleys unless otherwise shown, and where the districts designated on the map accompanying and made a part of this Ordinance are bounded approximately by the street or alley lines, the centerline of said street or alley shall be construed to be the boundary of such district.
    2. Where the district boundaries are not otherwise indicated and where the property has been or may hereafter be divided into blocks and lots, the district boundaries shall be construed to be lot lines, and where the districts designated on the map accompanying and made a part of this Ordinance are bounded approximately by lot lines, said lot line shall be construed to be the boundary of such districts unless said boundaries are otherwise indicated on the map.
    3. In unsubdivided property, the district boundary lines on the map accompanying and made a part of this Ordinance shall be determined by use of the scale contained on such map, unless dimensions are shown.
  3. Omitted Land
    If, because of error or omission in the District Maps, any property in the City of Fort Worth is not shown as being in a zoning district, or if for any other reason the zoning cannot be properly determined on any property in the City of Fort Worth, such property shall be classified as “AG” Agricultural until changed by amendment
  4. Initial Zoning
    In the case of property annexed to the City without a specific action designating zoning districts for the property, the property shall be classified as “AG” Agricultural until changed by amendment.

4.103 Compliance with District Standards

Except as specifically authorized to the contrary in this Ordinance, the following regulations shall apply in all districts:
  1. No building permit, Certificate of Occupancy or other permit shall be issued, nor shall any use be made of land or any building or structure within the City of Fort Worth unless such land is located in a district.
  2. No building or structure shall be erected, reconstructed, altered or enlarged nor shall any building or structure or land be used for any purpose other than is permitted hereafter in the district in which such building, structure or land is located, and no building, structure or land shall be used and no Certificate of Occupancy or building permit shall be issued for any use or purpose prohibited by ordinance or by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America or of the State of Texas.
  3. No building or structure shall be erected, reconstructed, altered or enlarged to exceed the height or bulk limit established for the district in which such building is located.
  4. No lot area shall be so reduced or diminished that the yards or other open spaces shall be smaller than prescribed by this Ordinance, nor shall the density of population be increased in any manner except in conformity with the area regulations herein established.
  5. No building permit shall be issued for any building or structure unless such building or structure is located on a platted lot or lots which have been described by an instrument recorded in the county deed records in accordance with Chapter 212, Texas Local Government Code, and the lot or lots front upon a legally established street or private access easement.
  6. In addition, no building permit shall be issued for any building on land composed of a fractional part of any lot, or a lot and a fractional part of any adjacent lot, or the fractional parts of two adjacent lots.
  7. Every dwelling hereafter erected, reconstructed, altered or enlarged shall be located on a lot of record unless:
    the dwelling is an integral part of a Unified Residential Development (see ‘6.506 Unified Residential Development’ ); or
    the lot is described by metes and bounds by an instrument recorded in the County Deed Records before October 1, 1940, or the date of annexation, whichever is later; or
    the lot qualifies for a dwelling permit by other provisions of this Ordinance.
  8. No yard or other open space provided about any building or structure for the purpose of complying with the provisions of these regulations shall be considered as providing a yard or open space for any other building or structure; provided further that no yard or open space on an adjacent property shall be considered as providing a yard or open space on a lot whereon a building is to be erected.