Dallas zoning reform plan aims to expand multi-family housing options
DALLAS - The city of Dallas is preparing to unveil a comprehensive plan to reform its zoning rules in an effort to expand housing options and increase multi-family and mixed-use developments across the city.
Dallas zoning overhaul
What we know:
City planners working on zoning changes for Dallas said that while the Dallas-Fort Worth area is the fastest-growing region in the country and is set to soon surpass Chicago in population, the city of Dallas is not capturing that growth. One goal of the Dallas zoning reform is to help change that by expanding where multi-unit housing and mixed-use developments are allowed.
Planners are also proposing to allow smaller homes on smaller lots to align with a new state law. According to planners, the zoning reform will encourage a wider range of housing options, modernize what they describe as "outdated zoning rules and old approaches," and balance the need for preservation with the need for development.
Neighborhood impact
What they're saying:
Dallas City Council members have expressed differing priorities over how zoning updates should take shape, weighing density against neighborhood preservation.
Councilman Chad West said the city needs to focus on expanding affordable options that appeal to younger residents.
"We are in a housing affordability crisis," West said. "If we want to be an economic leader in this country, we've got to provide housing for our workforce both for sale and for rent, it's at our doorstep, people will keep moving here, we have to make sure our zoning follows modern trends. That doesn't mean mow down single-family neighborhoods. We've got a lot of great single-family neighborhoods in my district. But it does mean considering what families in the next 5, 10, 20, 30 years are going to be looking for."
Other council members emphasized the need to safeguard existing single-family residential areas. Economic Development Committee Chair Jesse Moreno voiced concern over preserving neighborhood character during development.
"We need to ensure we are not building 3.5-story duplex next to single family," Moreno said. "When we start allowing one duplex and another then triplex and quadplex and dissolve character of neighborhood, want planners to visit neighborhood and not just rely on photos from developer."
Next Steps
The backstory:
The Dallas City Council approved a long-range land-use planning guide called "ForwardDallas" in 2024. However, ForwardDallas served only as a guidance document and did not alter the city's zoning laws. The newly drafted plan is designed to directly address and implement changes to those zoning regulations.
What's next:
The city will present the plan to the City Plan Commission on Thursday and release the document online.
Dallas officials will then gather public feedback during open houses beginning in December.
Planners anticipate the zoning changes will be adopted in August 2027.
The Source: FOX 4's Lori Brown gathered information in this article from statements and presentations made by Dallas city planners and Dallas City Council members during a Dallas Economic Development Committee meeting.