Permitted and Prohibited Uses in the Dallas MO-1 Mid-Range Office District
The MO-1: Mid-range office district 1 in the Municipality of Dallas is designed to accommodate moderate-density office and limited service uses that serve the needs of building occupants and the surrounding community. While the district permits a wide array of professional office and institutional uses by right, many commercial and personal service uses are restricted to "limited" status or require a Specific Use Permit (SUP) [Section 51A-4.121].
Permitted Main Uses in the Dallas MO-1 District
Main uses in the MO-1: Mid-range office district 1 are categorized by their primary function. Many of these uses are allowed "by right," meaning they do not require special discretionary approval unless they trigger a residential adjacency review (RAR) [Section 51A-4.121].
Office and Professional Uses
- Office: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Medical Clinic or Ambulatory Surgical Center: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Financial Institution (without drive-in window): Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Medical or Scientific Laboratory: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
Institutional and Community Service Uses
- Child or Adult Care Facility: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Church: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Library, Art Gallery, or Museum: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Public School (other than open-enrollment): Allowed by right, though residential adjacency review (RAR) may apply [Section 51A-4.121].
- College, University, or Seminary: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Convent or Monastery: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Hospital: Allowed by right, but subject to residential adjacency review (RAR) [Section 51A-4.121].
Residential and Lodging Uses
- College Dormitory, Fraternity, or Sorority House: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.121].
- Single-Family Living: Allowed by right [Section 51A-4.209].
Retail and Personal Service Uses
The Dallas MO-1: Mid-range office district 1 permits several retail uses only as "limited" [L] uses. This means the use must be contained entirely within a building and cannot exceed 10 percent of the total floor area of that building [Section 51A-4.218].
- Dry Cleaning or Laundry Store: [L] Limited use only [Section 51A-4.121].
- General Merchandise or Food Store (3,500 SF or less): [L] Limited use only [Section 51A-4.121].
- Personal Service Uses: [L] Limited use only [Section 51A-4.121].
- Restaurant (without drive-in/through): [L] Limited use only, and subject to residential adjacency review (RAR) [Section 51A-4.121].
Uses Requiring a Specific Use Permit (SUP)
Certain uses are deemed potentially compatible with the MO-1: Mid-range office district 1 in Dallas but require an SUP to ensure they do not negatively impact the surrounding area [Section 51A-4.219].
| Use Category | Use Type Requiring SUP in MO-1 |
|---|---|
| Agricultural | Gas drilling and production |
| Industrial | Temporary concrete or asphalt batching plant |
| Institutional | Cemetery or mausoleum; community service center; halfway house; open-enrollment charter school |
| Lodging | Hotel or motel; extended stay hotel or motel |
| Office | Alternative financial establishment; financial institution with drive-in window |
| Recreation | Private recreation center, club, or area |
| Retail | Motor vehicle fueling station; theater |
| Utility | Electrical substation; radio, television, or microwave tower; sewage treatment plant |
Accessory Use Regulations
In the MO-1: Mid-range office district 1, accessory uses are generally permitted if they are customarily incidental to the main use. However, the Dallas Development Code explicitly prohibits or restricts certain accessory activities in this district [Section 51A-4.217].
Prohibited Accessory Uses
The following accessory uses are not permitted in the MO-1: Mid-range office district 1:
- Accessory outside display of merchandise [Section 51A-4.121].
- Accessory outside sales [Section 51A-4.121].
- Accessory pathological waste incinerator [Section 51A-4.121].
Restricted Accessory Uses
- Accessory Helistop: Permitted by Specific Use Permit (SUP) only [Section 51A-4.121].
- Accessory Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerator: Permitted by SUP only [Section 51A-4.121].
- Home Occupation: Permitted subject to strict area limitations (max 25% or 400 SF of the main structure) [Section 51A-4.217].
Development Standards for MO-1 in Dallas
The physical constraints for development in the MO-1: Mid-range office district 1 are stricter than those in the MO-2 district, specifically regarding height and number of stories [Section 51A-4.121].
| Standard Type | MO-1 District Requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum Building Height | 135 feet |
| Maximum Number of Stories | 10 stories |
| Maximum Lot Coverage | 80% (includes aboveground parking structures) |
| Minimum Front Yard Setback | 15 feet |
| Minimum Side/Rear Setback | 20 feet if adjacent to a residential district; 0 feet otherwise |
| Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) | 2.0 for office uses; 3.0 for all uses combined |
Off-Street Parking Ratios
The Municipality of Dallas mandates specific parking ratios for common uses in the MO-1: Mid-range office district 1 [Section 51A-13.402].
| Use Type | Minimum Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Office | 1 space per 333 square feet |
| Medical Clinic | 1 space per 200 square feet |
| Retail / Personal Service | 1 space per 200 square feet |
| Restaurant (Limited) | 1 space per 100 square feet |
Prohibited Uses
By omission, the Dallas Development Code prohibits most industrial, wholesale, and heavy commercial uses in the MO-1: Mid-range office district 1. Specifically, the following categories are largely excluded:
- Industrial Uses: Except for gas drilling (SUP) and temporary batching plants (SUP), all industrial processing, salvage, and manufacturing are prohibited [Section 51A-4.203].
- Wholesale and Distribution: All warehouse, freight, and distribution center uses are prohibited [Section 51A-4.213].
- Heavy Retail: Vehicle sales, truck stops, and pawn shops are prohibited [Section 51A-4.210].
Sections Cited
- Sec. 51A-4.121. OFFICE DISTRICTS.
- Sec. 51A-4.203. Industrial Uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.209. Residential Uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.210. Retail and Personal Service Uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.213. Wholesale, Distribution, and Storage Uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.217. Accessory Uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.218. Limited Uses.
- Sec. 51A-4.219. Specific Use Permit (SUP).
- Sec. 51A-13.402. REQUIRED PARKING.