NO(A): Neighborhood Office District Zoning Guide for Dallas

Dallas Municipality establishes the NO(A): Neighborhood Office District to accommodate office and specific complementary retail uses that serve local neighborhood needs. This district is designed to maintain a scale and character compatible with adjacent single-family, duplex, and townhouse neighborhoods, limiting building heights to a maximum of 35 feet and a total of two stories [Section 51A-4.121].

Allowed Main Uses in the NO(A) District

The Dallas Development Code allows various uses in the NO(A) District, categorized by their primary function. Some uses are permitted "by right," while others require a Specific Use Permit [SUP] or are subject to Residential Adjacency Review [RAR] [Section 51A-4.121].

Office and Professional Uses

Medical clinic or ambulatory surgical center: Permitted by right.
Office: Permitted by right.
Financial institution without drive-in window: Permitted by right.

Institutional and Community Service Uses

Church: Permitted by right.
Child or adult care facility: Permitted by right.
Library, art gallery, or museum: Permitted by right.
Public school (other than open-enrollment charter): Subject to Residential Adjacency Review [RAR].
Open-enrollment charter school or private school: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].
Community service center: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].
Cemetery or mausoleum: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].

Retail and Personal Service Uses

Personal service use: Limited to 1,000 square feet or less in floor area.
Business school: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].
Restaurant without drive-in or drive-through service: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].

Recreation and Agricultural Uses

Crop production: Permitted by right.
Country club with private membership: Permitted by right.
Public park, playground, or golf course: Permitted by right.
Private recreation center, club, or area: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].

Utility and Transportation Uses

Transit passenger shelter: Permitted by right.
Tower/antenna for cellular communication: Permitted by right.
Local utilities: Subject to SUP or RAR requirements depending on size [Section 51A-4.212].
Electrical substation: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].
Police or fire station: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].
Radio, television, or microwave tower: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP].
Transit passenger station or transfer center: Requires a Specific Use Permit [SUP] or City Council resolution.

Prohibited and Restricted Uses

Dallas Municipality explicitly prohibits or heavily restricts certain activities within the NO(A) District to protect residential integrity [Section 51A-4.121].

Explicitly Prohibited Main Categories

Commercial and business service uses: None permitted.
Lodging uses: None permitted.
Wholesale, distribution, and storage uses: None permitted (except for small-scale recycling drop-off).

Prohibited Accessory Uses

The following accessory uses are strictly forbidden in the NO(A) District:

Accessory community center (private).
Accessory helistop.
Accessory medical/infectious waste incinerator.
Accessory outside display of merchandise.
Accessory outside sales.
Accessory pathological waste incinerator.
Amateur communication tower.

Development Standards and Technical Requirements

Development within the NO(A) District must adhere to specific spatial and density limitations to ensure neighborhood compatibility.

Standard	Requirement
Front Yard Setback	15 feet [Section 51A-4.121(a)(4)(A)]
Side and Rear Setback	20 feet if adjacent to or across an alley from a residential district; 0 feet otherwise [Section 51A-4.121(a)(4)(B)]
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)	0.5 maximum [Section 51A-4.121(a)(4)(D)]
Maximum Height	35 feet for structures with gable, hip, or gambrel roofs; 30 feet for all other structures [Section 51A-4.121(a)(4)(E)]
Maximum Lot Coverage	50% (includes aboveground parking structures) [Section 51A-4.121(a)(4)(F)]
Maximum Stories	2 stories above grade [Section 51A-4.121(a)(4)(H)]

Additional Restrictions

Visual Intrusion: No portion of a balcony or opening facing a residential district may penetrate the residential proximity slope [Section 51A-4.121(a)(8)(B)].
Equipment Areas: Garbage collection and mechanical equipment areas must be located at least 20 feet from the nearest residential building site [Section 51A-4.121(a)(8)(C)].
Parking Screening: Surface parking lots must be screened from the street. Side and rear yards must be screened if they abut a residential district [Section 51A-4.121(a)(8)(D)-(E)].

Sections Cited

SEC. 51A-4.121. OFFICE DISTRICTS.
SEC. 51A-4.200. Use Regulations.
SEC. 51A-4.212. UTILITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE USES.
SEC. 51A-4.207. OFFICE USES.
SEC. 51A-4.301. OFF-STREET PARKING REGULATIONS.