Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) District Setback Regulations
In the City of Dallas, the Clustered Housing (CH) district requires a 15-foot front yard setback when the property is adjacent to an expressway or thoroughfare, but otherwise has no minimum front yard requirement. Side and rear yard setbacks for the Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) district are 10 feet when the lot is adjacent to or across an alley from a zoning district other than a townhouse (TH or TH(A)) district; in all other cases, there is no minimum side or rear setback.
Yard, Lot, and Space Regulations
The City of Dallas Development Code defines specific requirements for the placement of structures within the Clustered Housing (CH) district. While the code provides a summary schedule of yard and space regulations, it explicitly states that in the event of a conflict between the summary chart and the specific district regulations text, the text of the district regulations shall control [SEC. 51A-4.410].
| Setback Location | Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) District Requirement |
|---|---|
| Front Yard (General) | No minimum setback |
| Front Yard (Adjacent to Expressway/Thoroughfare) | 15 feet minimum |
| Side Yard (Adjacent to TH/TH(A) District) | No minimum setback |
| Side Yard (Adjacent to Non-Townhouse District) | 10 feet minimum |
| Rear Yard (Adjacent to TH/TH(A) District) | No minimum setback |
| Rear Yard (Adjacent to Non-Townhouse District) | 10 feet minimum |
Detailed Front Yard Requirements
In the City of Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) district, the front yard must be open and unobstructed, with exceptions for items like fences and light poles as allowed by general provisions [SEC. 51A-4.401]. The specific minimum distance for the front yard depends on the location of the lot:
- Adjacency to High-Traffic Corridors: A minimum front yard of 15 feet is mandatory when the building site is adjacent to an expressway or a thoroughfare [SEC. 51A-4.115(4)(A)(i)].
- General Locations: In all other cases within the Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) district, there is no minimum front yard requirement [SEC. 51A-4.115(4)(A)(ii)].
Side and Rear Yard Requirements
The side and rear yard requirements for the Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) district are governed by the same criteria based on the zoning of the neighboring property:
- Abutting Townhouse Districts: If the property in the Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) district is adjacent to or directly across an alley from a Townhouse [TH-1(A), TH-2(A), or TH-3(A)] district, there is no minimum requirement for side or rear yards [SEC. 51A-4.115(4)(B)(ii)].
- Abutting Other Districts: If the Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) property is adjacent to or across an alley from any zoning district other than a Townhouse district, a 10-foot minimum setback is required for both side and rear yards [SEC. 51A-4.115(4)(B)(i)].
Height and Proximity Slope Considerations
Setbacks in the Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) district may also be effectively increased by the Residential Proximity Slope. If any portion of a structure in the Dallas Clustered Housing (CH) district exceeds 26 feet in height, that portion of the building may not be located above a proximity slope originating from certain more restrictive residential districts, such as Single Family [R(A)] or Duplex [D(A)] districts [SEC. 51A-4.115(4)(E)]. This requirement ensures that taller buildings do not loom over lower-density residential neighbors.
Sections Cited
- SEC. 51A-4.115. CLUSTERED HOUSING (CH) DISTRICT.
- SEC. 51A-4.401. MINIMUM FRONT YARD.
- SEC. 51A-4.410. SCHEDULE OF YARD, LOT, AND SPACE REGULATIONS.
- SEC. 51A-4.412. RESIDENTIAL PROXIMITY SLOPE.