High-Density Multifamily and Apartment Zoning in the City of Dallas

The City of Dallas permits high-density apartment buildings primarily within the MF-4(A) Multifamily District, which allows up to 160 dwelling units per net acre, and the MU-3 Mixed Use District, which can have no maximum unit limit when specific affordable housing bonuses are met [Section 51A-4.116]. In the CA-1(A) Central Area District, the City of Dallas imposes no maximum dwelling unit density, allowing for the highest theoretical residential concentration in the municipality [Section 51A-4.124]. These high-density developments are frequently regulated by residential proximity slopes and must provide dedicated guest parking once the project exceeds 20 total units [Section 51A-4.301].

Multifamily Districts (MF-3 and MF-4)

The City of Dallas provides two primary residential districts intended for medium-to-high density apartment construction. The MF-3(A) Multifamily District is designated for midrise, medium-density dwellings, while the MF-4(A) Multifamily District is intended for highrise, high-density developments [Section 51A-4.116].

District Name	Density (Units per Net Acre)	Maximum Height	Maximum Lot Coverage
MF-3(A) Multifamily	90 units	90 feet	60%
MF-4(A) Multifamily	160 units	240 feet	80%

In these districts, the City of Dallas excludes aboveground parking structures from the calculation of lot coverage, though they are included in the 80% limit for the MF-4(A) Multifamily District [Section 51A-4.116].

Mixed Use and Multiple Commercial Districts

High-density apartments are also permitted in the City of Dallas under mixed-use classifications, which encourage a combination of residential, office, and retail uses. The MU-3 Mixed Use District is the most intense of these, specifically intended for high-density development [Section 51A-4.125].

MU-3 Category	Dwelling Units (Per Net Acre)	Max Floor Area Ratio (FAR)	Max Height
Base (No MUP)	50 units	3.2	135 feet
With 15% SAH Units	62 units	3.2	135 feet
With 20% SAH Units	No Maximum	3.2	180 feet

Under the City of Dallas Development Code, the "No Maximum" density in the MU-3(SAH) Mixed Use District applies when at least 20% of the total units are provided as Standard Affordable Housing (SAH) units [Section 51A-4.125].

Central Area and Urban Corridor Districts

The City of Dallas allows for significant residential density in its core business and transit-oriented corridors.

CA-1(A) Central Area District: This district has no maximum dwelling unit density, although the total intensity is limited by a Maximum Floor Area Ratio of 20.0 [Section 51A-4.124].
UC-3 Urban Corridor District: The City of Dallas requires a minimum density of 45 dwelling units per acre in the UC-3 district to support transit-oriented development [Section 51A-13.304].

Parking Requirements for High-Density Residential

For multifamily developments in the City of Dallas, the number of required off-street parking spaces depends on the total number of units and the provision of guest parking [Section 51A-4.301].

Number of Units	Parking Requirement	Guest Parking Requirement
1 to 20 units	No minimum required	N/A
21 to 199 units	0.5 space per dwelling unit	10% of total required spaces
200+ units	1.0 space per dwelling unit	15% of total required spaces

In high-density districts like MF-3(A) or MF-4(A), the City of Dallas permits off-street parking to extend to the front property line, provided it meets specific screening requirements [Section 51A-4.301].

Development Restrictions

Even in high-density districts, the City of Dallas applies the Residential Proximity Slope to limit the height of structures that are near lower-density residential sites.

Site of Origination: The slope originates from private property in R(A), D(A), TH(A), CH, MF-1, or MF-2 districts [Section 51A-4.412].
Angle of Projection: For high-density districts like MF-3(A) and MF-4(A), the slope is projected at a 45-degree angle (1 to 1 slope) and terminates at a horizontal distance of 50 feet from the site of origination [Section 51A-4.412].
Site Plan Review: Any development in the City of Dallas that is expected to generate 6,000 or more trips per day, or 500 trips per acre per day, must undergo a mandatory site plan review [Section 51A-4.803].

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