Off-Street Parking Standards for the MF-1(SAH) Multifamily District 1 Affordable

In the City of Dallas MF-1(SAH): Multifamily District 1 Affordable district, off-street parking requirements for residential projects are determined by the total number of units, with projects of 20 units or fewer requiring no off-street spaces. While standard commercial and office uses are prohibited in the City of Dallas MF-1(SAH) district, permitted institutional uses such as churches and schools must provide parking based on seating capacity or classroom counts once specific square footage or grade-level thresholds are met.

Residential Parking Requirements

Off-street parking for residential developments within the City of Dallas MF-1(SAH) district follows a tiered system based on the intensity of the project. For multifamily uses, the requirement scales upward as the number of units increases [Section 51A-4.301].

Use Category	Number of Units	Required Off-Street Spaces
Multifamily	20 units or fewer	None
Multifamily	21 to 199 units	0.5 space per dwelling unit
Multifamily	200 units or more	1 space per dwelling unit
Single-family	Any	None (Required only in R, D, and TH districts)
Duplex	Any	None (Required only in D and TH districts)

Guest Parking for Multifamily Projects

The City of Dallas requires specific guest parking allocations for larger multifamily developments in the MF-1(SAH) district. These spaces must be clearly marked for guest use at the walking gate or driveway entrance [Section 51A-4.301].

Total Residential Units	Required Guest Parking
20 to 99 units	10% of required parking spaces
100 units or more	15% of required parking spaces

Commercial and Institutional Parking Requirements

The City of Dallas MF-1(SAH) district is primarily residential; standard retail, office, and commercial service uses are prohibited [Section 51A-4.116]. However, certain institutional and community service uses are permitted and carry their own parking mandates [Section 51A-4.301].

Use Category	Requirement Threshold	Required Off-Street Spaces
Church	20,000 SF or less	None
Church	Over 20,000 SF	1 space per 4 fixed seats OR 1 space per 28 SF of sanctuary/auditorium area
Public or Private School	9th - 12th Grade	9.5 spaces per classroom
Public or Private School	Below 9th Grade	None
Short-term rental lodging	Any	None
Utility/Public Service	Any	None

Design and Location Standards

The City of Dallas imposes strict placement and design rules for parking within the MF-1(SAH) district to preserve the residential character of the neighborhood:

Placement: Required off-street parking for residential uses must be located behind a required front building line [Section 51A-4.301].
Grade Level: Off-street parking must be provided at or below ground level, except for mechanized parking specifically approved by the City of Dallas [Section 51A-4.301].
Surface and Drainage: Surface parking must be constructed of all-weather and drainable material approved by the building official [Section 51A-4.301].
Screening: If a parking lot in the City of Dallas MF-1(SAH) district abuts a single-family or duplex use, or a vacant lot in such a district, the owner must provide a screening wall or fence at least six feet in height [Section 51A-4.602].

Potential Parking Reductions

In the City of Dallas MF-1(SAH) district, developers may qualify for reductions in the total number of required off-street spaces through the following provisions:

Bicycle Parking: Required off-street parking may be reduced by one space for every six short-term bicycle parking spaces provided, or for every four long-term spaces. This reduction is capped at five percent of the total required parking [Section 51A-4.314].
Tree Preservation: The City of Dallas allows for a parking reduction of one space for each protected tree retained on-site that would otherwise have been removed for construction [Section 51A-4.312].

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