MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 Zoning Regulations in the City of Dallas

The MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 in the City of Dallas is a medium-density classification designed to facilitate a blend of retail, office, hotel, and multifamily residential uses on single or contiguous building sites. Developments in the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 must adhere to specific technical standards, including a 15-foot minimum front yard setback and a base floor area ratio (FAR) of 1.6, which may be increased through the inclusion of residential components or "Mixed Use Project" (MUP) status.

Permitted Main Uses

In the City of Dallas, the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 permits a wide variety of activities. Uses followed by [L] are limited, [SUP] require a Specific Use Permit, [RAR] require Residential Adjacency Review, and [DIR] require Development Impact Review [Section 51A-4.105].

Residential and Lodging Uses

Residential: College dormitory, fraternity, or sorority house; duplex; group residential facility [Section 51A-4.209(3)]; handicapped group dwelling unit [Section 51A-4.209(3.1)]; multifamily; residential hotel; and retirement housing [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(I)].
Lodging: Extended stay hotel or motel [SUP]; hotel or motel [RAR or SUP]; overnight general purpose shelter [subject to Section 51A-4.205(2.1)]; and short-term rental lodging [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(E)].

Commercial, Retail, and Personal Service Uses

Retail and Personal Service: Alcoholic beverage establishments; ambulance service [RAR]; animal shelter or clinic without outside runs [RAR]; auto service center [RAR]; business school; car wash [RAR]; commercial amusement (inside) [SUP may be required]; commercial amusement (outside) [SUP]; commercial parking lot or garage [RAR]; convenience store with drive-through [SUP]; dry cleaning or laundry store; furniture store; general merchandise or food store (various sizes, some requiring SUP); household equipment and appliance repair; liquor store; mortuary, funeral home, or commercial wedding chapel; motor vehicle fueling station; nursery, garden shop, or plant sales; paraphernalia shop [SUP]; pawn shop; personal service uses; restaurant without drive-in/through [RAR]; restaurant with drive-in/through [DIR]; swap or buy shop [SUP]; and theater [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(J)].
Office: Alternative financial establishment [SUP]; financial institution without drive-in window; financial institution with drive-in window [DIR]; medical clinic or ambulatory surgical center; and general office [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(G)].
Commercial and Business Service: Catering service; custom business services; electronics service center; labor hall [SUP]; and medical or scientific laboratory [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(B)].

Civic, Utility, and Institutional Uses

Institutional/Community Service: Child or adult care facility; church; college, university, or seminary; convent or monastery; foster home; and library, art gallery, or museum [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(D)].
Transportation: Transit passenger shelter and transit passenger station or transfer center [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(K)].
Utility and Public Service: Commercial radio/television transmitting station; electrical substation; local utilities; police or fire station; post office; and tower/antenna for cellular communication [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(L)].

Industrial and Fabrication Uses

Industrial: Gas drilling and production [SUP] and temporary concrete or asphalt batching plants [SUP] [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(C)].
Wholesale/Storage: Mini-warehouse [SUP] and various recycling collection/drop-off facilities [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(M)].

Prohibited Uses in the MU-2 District

The City of Dallas prohibits any use in the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 that is not explicitly listed as a permitted main use or a valid accessory use.

Specific Accessory Prohibition: The City of Dallas expressly prohibits "Private stable" as an accessory use within the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 [Section 51A-4.125(e)(3)(A)].
Industrial Exclusion: With the exception of gas drilling and temporary batching plants (which require an SUP), no other industrial uses, such as manufacturing or salvage yards, are permitted in the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 [Section 51A-4.125(e)(2)(C)].
Signage: Detached non-premise signs are generally prohibited [Section 51A-7.306].

Technical Development Standards

Development within the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 and MU-2(SAH) variants must comply with the following dimensional and density requirements.

Yard and Space Requirements

Regulation Type	Standard
Minimum Front Yard	15 feet [Section 51A-4.125(e)(4)(A)]
Minimum Side/Rear Yard	20 feet if adjacent to or across an alley from a residential district; 0 feet in all other cases [Section 51A-4.125(e)(4)(B)]
Maximum Lot Coverage	80% (includes aboveground parking structures) [Section 51A-4.125(e)(4)(F)]
Maximum Height (Base)	135 feet [Section 51A-4.125(e)(4)(E)(ii)]
Maximum Height (with Retail MUP)	180 feet [Section 51A-4.125(e)(4)(E)(ii)]

Density and Floor Area Ratio (FAR)

The City of Dallas provides density and FAR bonuses for developments that qualify as a "Mixed Use Project" (MUP) or provide affordable housing (SAH).

Category	Base (No MUP)	MUP (2 Categories)	MUP (3+ Categories)
Max Dwelling Units (per acre)	50	75	100
Max FAR (Total Development)	1.6	1.8 to 2.0*	2.0 to 2.25*

*Note: Higher FAR values in the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2 are typically unlocked by including a residential component in the mix of uses [Section 51A-4.125(e)(4)(D)].

Mixed Use Project (MUP) Requirements

To qualify for the MUP bonuses in the MU-2: Mixed Use District 2, a development must contain two or more of the following categories, and those uses must exceed the following minimum percentages of the total floor area:

Lodging: 10%
Office: 15%
Residential: 10%
Retail and Personal Service: 5% [Section 51A-4.125(b)]

Sections Cited

Section 51A-4.105: Interpretation of District Regulations
Section 51A-4.125: Mixed Use Districts
Section 51A-4.205: Lodging Uses
Section 51A-4.209: Residential Uses
Section 51A-7.306: Detached Non-Premise Signs Prohibited Generally