MU-1: Mixed Use District 1 Regulations in Dallas

The Dallas MU-1 Mixed Use District is a medium-density zoning designation intended to facilitate the development of a combination of residential, office, and retail uses on a single site or contiguous building sites. In the Dallas MU-1 Mixed Use District, developers can achieve a maximum dwelling unit density of 25 units per net acre and a maximum building height of 120 feet if the project qualifies as a "Mixed Use Project" incorporating residential and other specified uses [Section 51A-4.125].

Main Uses Permitted in the Dallas MU-1 District

Main uses in the Dallas MU-1 Mixed Use District are categorized by their permission status: permitted by right, permitted by right as a limited use [L], requiring a Specific Use Permit [SUP], requiring Residential Adjacency Review [RAR], or requiring Development Impact Review [DIR] [Section 51A-4.105].

Residential and Lodging Uses

• Permitted by Right: Single family, Duplex, Multifamily, Retirement housing, Residential hotel, and Short-term rental lodging [Section 51A-4.125].
• Conditional/Limited:
  • College dormitory, fraternity, or sorority house.
  • Group residential facility (subject to spacing requirements).
  • Handicapped group dwelling unit (subject to spacing requirements).
  • Hotel or motel [RAR or SUP].
  • Extended stay hotel or motel [SUP].

Office and Professional Uses

• Permitted by Right: Office, Medical clinic, and Ambulatory surgical center [Section 51A-4.125].
• Conditional/Limited:
  • Financial institution without drive-in window.
  • Financial institution with drive-in window [DIR].
  • Alternative financial establishment [SUP].

Retail and Personal Service Uses

• Permitted by Right: General merchandise or food store (3,500 sq. ft. or less), Furniture store, and Business school [Section 51A-4.125].
• Conditional/Limited:
  • Alcoholic beverage establishments [SUP].
  • Ambulance service [RAR].
  • Animal shelter or clinic without outside runs [RAR].
  • Auto service center [RAR].
  • Car wash [RAR].
  • Commercial amusement (inside) [SUP may be required].
  • Dry cleaning or laundry store.
  • General merchandise or food store (greater than 3,500 sq. ft.) [SUP required if over 100,000 sq. ft.].
  • Mortuary, funeral home, or commercial wedding chapel.
  • Motor vehicle fueling station.
  • Nursery, garden shop, or plant sales.
  • Restaurant without drive-in or drive-through service [RAR].
  • Restaurant with drive-in or drive-through service [DIR].

Institutional and Community Service Uses

• Permitted by Right: Church, Convent or monastery, Foster home, and Library, art gallery, or museum [Section 51A-4.125].
• Conditional/Limited:
  • Cemetery or mausoleum [SUP].
  • Child or adult care facility.
  • College, university, or seminary.
  • Community service center [SUP].
  • Convalescent and nursing homes [RAR].
  • Hospital [SUP].
  • Public school [RAR] or Private school [SUP].

Industrial, Agricultural, and Wholesale Uses

• Agricultural: Crop production is permitted by right [Section 51A-4.125].
• Wholesale/Recycling:
  • Recycling buy-back center.
  • Recycling collection center.
  • Recycling drop-off container.
• Conditional:
  • Gas drilling and production [SUP].
  • Temporary concrete or asphalt batching plant [SUP].
  • Mini-warehouse [SUP].

Prohibited Uses in the Dallas MU-1 District

Any use not specifically listed as a permitted use in Section 51A-4.125 is prohibited in the Dallas MU-1 Mixed Use District. Additionally, the code explicitly prohibits the following accessory uses within this district [Section 51A-4.125]:

1. Private stable: Not permitted as an accessory use.
2. Accessory medical/infectious waste incinerator: Strictly prohibited.
3. Industrial (Outside): Not listed as a permitted category.
4. Adult business uses: Only allowed by SUP in specific configurations (e.g., adult motion picture theater) but generally restricted from the base MU-1 allowances [Section 51A-4.221].

Technical Standards for Mixed Use Projects (MUP)

To obtain density and height bonuses, a development in the Dallas MU-1 Mixed Use District must meet "Mixed Use Project" (MUP) criteria, requiring a specific mix of floor area across different use categories [Section 51A-4.125].

Use Category	Minimum % of Total Floor Area for MUP
Lodging	15%
Office	15%
Residential	15%
Retail and Personal Service	10%

Density, FAR, and Height Limits

Technical limits in the Dallas MU-1 Mixed Use District vary based on whether the project is a standard development or a qualified MUP [Section 51A-4.125].

Regulation	Base (No MUP)	MUP with 2 Categories	MUP with 3+ Categories
Max Density (Units/Net Acre)	15	20	25
Max Floor Area Ratio (FAR)	0.8	0.9 (no Res) / 1.0 (with Res)	1.0 (no Res) / 1.1 (with Res)
Max Height (Feet)	80 ft	90 ft (with Retail)	120 ft (with Residential)
Max Lot Coverage	80%	80%	80%

Sections Cited

• Sec. 51A-4.101: New Zoning Districts Established
• Sec. 51A-4.105: Interpretation of District Regulations
• Sec. 51A-4.125: Mixed Use Districts
• Sec. 51A-4.200: Use Regulations
• Sec. 51A-4.221: Sexually Oriented Businesses