Guide to the A(A): Agricultural District in the Municipality of Dallas
The A(A): Agricultural District serves as a temporary classification for newly annexed territory in the Municipality of Dallas, primarily accommodating farming, ranching, and gardening activities until urban services are available. This district requires a substantial minimum lot area of three acres for residential uses and imposes a strict 24-foot height limit on all structures to preserve its open, rural character. While many agricultural uses are permitted by right, most institutional and utility uses require a Specific Use Permit (SUP) to ensure compatibility with future urban growth [Section 51A-4.111].
Purpose of the A(A): Agricultural District
The Municipality of Dallas established the A(A): Agricultural District for fringe areas currently used for agricultural purposes where urban services are not yet provided. The regulations are designed to allow these lands to continue their current agricultural utility in a manner that supports the orderly growth of the city. It is anticipated that as the Municipality of Dallas develops, land within the A(A): Agricultural District will eventually be rezoned to more intensive urban categories [Section 51A-4.111(1)].
Development Standards for the A(A) District
The A(A): Agricultural District is characterized by low-density development and significant open space requirements. The following table outlines the technical yard, lot, and space regulations for the A(A): Agricultural District in the Municipality of Dallas:
| Regulation | Standard |
|---|---|
| Minimum Front Yard | 50 feet |
| Minimum Side Yard | 20 feet |
| Minimum Rear Yard (Single Family) | 50 feet |
| Minimum Rear Yard (Other Permitted Structures) | 10 feet |
| Maximum Structure Height | 24 feet |
| Minimum Lot Area for Residential Use | 3 acres |
| Maximum Lot Coverage (Residential) | 10% |
| Maximum Lot Coverage (Nonresidential) | 25% |
| Maximum Number of Stories | No maximum |
| Maximum Dwelling Unit Density | No maximum |
Aboveground parking structures are included in lot coverage calculations, whereas surface parking lots and underground structures are not [Section 51A-4.111(4)].
Permitted Land Uses in the A(A) District
Land uses in the A(A): Agricultural District are categorized by their level of permission: those permitted by right, those requiring a Specific Use Permit (SUP), and those requiring Residential Adjacency Review (RAR).
Agricultural and Residential Uses
The primary focus of the A(A): Agricultural District is on low-intensity agricultural and residential activities:
- Permitted by Right: Animal production (on at least three acres), commercial stable, crop production, single family dwellings, and college dormitories/fraternity/sorority houses [Section 51A-4.111(2)].
- Restricted Use: Handicapped group dwelling units are permitted subject to the spacing and density requirements defined in the Municipality of Dallas code [Section 51A-4.209(3.1)].
Institutional and Community Service Uses
- Permitted by Right: Child or adult care facilities, churches, colleges/universities, and convent/monasteries.
- Permitted by SUP: Cemeteries, community service centers, convalescent and nursing homes, foster homes, hospitals, libraries, museums, and private schools.
- Permitted by RAR: Public schools (unless they are open-enrollment charter schools, which require an SUP) [Section 51A-4.111(2)(D)].
Commercial, Retail, and Industrial Uses
Most commercial and industrial activities are restricted in the A(A): Agricultural District to prevent premature urban sprawl:
- Permitted by Right: Nursery or garden shops and plant sales.
- Permitted by SUP: Gas drilling and production, mining, organic compost recycling facilities, temporary concrete or asphalt batching plants, drive-in theaters, and animal shelters with outside runs [Section 51A-4.111(2)].
- Prohibited: Lodging uses, office uses, and most wholesale or distribution uses are entirely prohibited in the A(A): Agricultural District [Section 51A-4.111(2)].
Utility and Public Service Uses
- Permitted by Right: Transit passenger shelters and tower/antennas for cellular communication.
- Permitted by SUP: Electrical substations, police or fire stations, radio/TV transmitting stations, sanitary landfills, sewage treatment plants, and water treatment plants [Section 51A-4.111(2)(L)].
Accessory Use Restrictions
In the A(A): Agricultural District, accessory uses are generally permitted if they are customarily incidental to the main use. However, the Municipality of Dallas imposes specific prohibitions for this district:
- Prohibited Accessory Uses: Private community centers, accessory outside display of merchandise, accessory outside sales, and accessory pathological waste incinerators.
- SUP Required: Accessory helistops and accessory medical/infectious waste incinerators require a Specific Use Permit [Section 51A-4.111(3)].
Sections Cited
- Sec. 51A-4.111. AGRICULTURAL [A(A)] DISTRICT.
- Sec. 51A-4.201. Agricultural uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.209. Residential uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.212. Utility and public service uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.213. Wholesale, distribution, and storage uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.217. Accessory uses.