Drive-Through and Drive-In Business Regulations in the City of Dallas
In the City of Dallas, drive-through and drive-in businesses are primarily permitted within retail, commercial, and industrial zoning districts, though most require a Specific Use Permit (SUP) or a Development Impact Review (DIR). The Dallas Development Code classifies these businesses into categories such as restaurants with drive-through service, financial institutions with drive-in windows, and convenience stores with drive-throughs, each subject to distinct "stacking" requirements to manage traffic flow. Notably, in the City of Dallas's specialized Form Districts (Article XIII), drive-through facilities are strictly limited and generally require an SUP unless fully contained within a parking structure.
Districts Permitting Drive-Through and Drive-In Uses
The Dallas Development Code (Ordinance No. 19455) regulates drive-through uses based on the specific type of business activity. The following table outlines where these specific uses are allowed across the various zoning districts in the City of Dallas.
Permissions Table for Drive-Through Businesses
| Use Type | Districts Permitted by Right (often with DIR/RAR) | Districts Permitted by SUP Only |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant with Drive-In or Drive-Through | CR, RR, CS, Industrial, Mixed Use, Multiple Commercial [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(25)(B)] | Central Area Districts [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(25)(B)] |
| Financial Institution with Drive-In Window | MO(A), GO(A), CR, RR, CS, Industrial, Central Area, Mixed Use, Multiple Commercial [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(B)] | LO(A) Districts [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(B)] |
| Convenience Store with Drive-Through | None | CR, RR, CS, IR, IM, MU-2, MU-3, Multiple Commercial [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(9.1)(B)] |
| Dry Cleaning or Laundry Store | Retail, CS, Industrial, Central Area, Mixed Use, Multiple Commercial (No drive-through allowed in UC districts) [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(11)(B)] | N/A |
| Form Districts (Mu, Ss, Gc) | None | All permitted development types in Article XIII [Sec. 51A-13.306(c)(9)] |
Specific Use Regulations and Restrictions
Restaurants with Drive-Through Service
In the City of Dallas, a restaurant with drive-in or drive-through service must undergo a Development Impact Review (DIR) in the Community Retail [CR], Regional Retail [RR], Commercial Service [CS], industrial, mixed use, and multiple commercial districts [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(25)(B)]. If a food store or general merchandise store under 10,000 square feet in the City of Dallas provides drive-in or drive-through service, the Dallas Development Code reclassifies that business as a "Convenience store with drive-through" [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(13)(E)(ii)].
Financial Institutions with Drive-In Windows
Financial institutions providing drive-in service in the City of Dallas are subject to Residential Adjacency Review (RAR) if located in Commercial Service [CS] or industrial districts [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(B)]. In high-density districts like Office [MO(A), GO(A)] or Central Area districts, a DIR is mandatory to ensure the drive-in facility does not negatively impact urban traffic patterns [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(B)].
Form Districts (Article XIII)
Within the City of Dallas's Walkable Urban Mixed Use [WMU], Walkable Urban Residential [WR], and Residential Transition [RTN] districts, drive-thru facilities are generally restricted. They are only permitted by SUP [Sec. 51A-13.306(c)(9)]. However, a business in the City of Dallas may establish a drive-thru without an SUP if it is located within the ground story of a parking structure and all vehicle stacking spaces are completely contained within that structure [Sec. 51A-13.306(c)(9)].
Technical Stacking Standards
The City of Dallas requires a minimum number of "stacking spaces" for drive-through lanes to prevent traffic from overflowing into public rights-of-way. Stacking spaces must be at least eight feet wide and 18 feet long [Sec. 51A-4.304(c)(2)].
Stacking Space Requirements by Business Type
| Business Type | Stacking Requirement in the City of Dallas |
|---|---|
| Financial Institution (1 window) | 5 spaces [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(E)] |
| Financial Institution (2 windows) | 10 spaces [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(E)] |
| Financial Institution (3 windows) | 15 spaces [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(E)] |
| Financial Institution (4 windows) | 18 spaces [Sec. 51A-4.207(b)(3)(E)] |
| Restaurant (1 window) | 6 spaces [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(25)(E)] |
| Restaurant (2 windows) | 8 spaces [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(25)(E)] |
| Car Wash (Single unit) | 3 spaces per bay [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(6)(E)] |
| Car Wash (Tunnel) | 25 spaces [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(6)(E)] |
Prohibited Drive-Through Facilities
The City of Dallas prohibits drive-in or drive-through facilities for certain uses in specific areas to preserve pedestrian character. For example, dry cleaning or laundry stores in the City of Dallas's Urban Corridor [UC] districts are permitted by right but are explicitly forbidden from having drive-in or drive-through facilities [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(11)(B)]. Additionally, any remote order station for a restaurant in the City of Dallas must be set back at least 27 feet from any street that allows direct access to the station [Sec. 51A-4.210(b)(25)(E)].
Sections Cited
- Sec. 51A-4.207. OFFICE USES.
- Sec. 51A-4.210. RETAIL AND PERSONAL SERVICE USES.
- Sec. 51A-4.304. OFF-STREET STACKING SPACE REGULATIONS.
- Sec. 51A-13.306. USES. (Form Districts)