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Permitted and Prohibited Uses in the LO-1: Limited Office District 1 of Dallas

Jurisdiction: Dallas•Code Version: March 2025

The LO-1: Limited office district 1 in the Municipality of Dallas is designed to accommodate office and limited service uses that primarily serve the needs of local neighborhoods and the building's own occupants. In Dallas, this district allows for a maximum floor area ratio of 1.0 and a maximum structure height of 70 feet or five stories. Uses in the LO-1: Limited office district 1 that are designated as "Limited" [L] are restricted to serving building occupants and cannot exceed 10 percent of the total floor area.

Allowed Main Uses in the LO-1 District

Main uses in the LO-1: Limited office district 1 of Dallas are categorized by their primary function. Some uses are permitted by right, while others require a Special Use Permit [SUP], Residential Adjacency Review [RAR], or are restricted as a Limited Use [L].

Office and Financial Uses

  • Office: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(G)].
  • Medical clinic or ambulatory surgical center: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(G)].
  • Financial institution without drive-in window: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(G)].
  • Financial institution with drive-in window: Permitted only by Special Use Permit [SUP] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(G)].
  • Alternative financial establishment: Permitted only by Special Use Permit [SUP] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(G)].

Institutional and Community Service Uses

  • Church, College, university, or seminary, and Convent or monastery: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(D)].
  • Child or adult care facility: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(D)].
  • Library, art gallery, or museum: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(D)].
  • Public school (other than open-enrollment): Requires Residential Adjacency Review [RAR] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(D)].
  • Private school or Open-enrollment charter school: Permitted only by Special Use Permit [SUP] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(D)].
  • Cemetery or mausoleum and Community service center: Permitted only by Special Use Permit [SUP] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(D)].

Retail and Personal Service Uses

The following uses are permitted in the LO-1: Limited office district 1 of Dallas only if they are contained within the building and primarily serve the occupants of that building (Limited Use [L]) [Section 51A-4.218].

  • Catering service [L]: Permitted with limitations [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(B)].
  • Dry cleaning or laundry store [L]: Permitted if 3,500 square feet or less [Section 51A-7.210(b)(11)].
  • General merchandise or food store [L]: Permitted if 3,500 square feet or less [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(J)].
  • Personal service uses [L]: Permitted with floor area limitations [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(J)].
  • Restaurant without drive-in or drive-through service [L]: Also requires Residential Adjacency Review [RAR] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(J)].
  • Business school: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(J)].

Utility and Transportation Uses

  • Electrical substation: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(L)].
  • Transit passenger shelter: Permitted by right [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(K)].
  • Police or fire station, Post office, and Radio/TV/microwave tower: Permitted only by Special Use Permit [SUP] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(L)].
  • Tower/antenna for cellular communication: Permitted as specified in Section 51A-4.212(10.1).

Prohibited Uses in the LO-1 District

Under the Dallas Development Code, any use not explicitly listed as permitted in a district is prohibited. In the LO-1: Limited office district 1, prohibited uses include, but are not limited to:

  • Industrial Uses: Most industrial activities, such as metal salvage, mining, and municipal waste incineration, are prohibited, with the exception of specific gas drilling or concrete/asphalt batching allowed via [SUP] [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(C)].
  • Lodging Uses: Traditional hotel and motel uses are prohibited (except for certain overnight general purpose shelters allowed under specific conditions) [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(E)].
  • Retail/Service Exclusions: Auto service centers, car washes, liquor stores, pawn shops, and theaters are not permitted in the LO-1 district [Section 51A-4.210].
  • Residential Main Uses: Single-family, duplex, and multifamily dwellings are not listed as permitted main uses in the LO-1: Limited office district 1, though college dormitories and fraternities are allowed [Section 51A-4.121(b)(2)(I)].

Development Standards for LO-1

The LO-1: Limited office district 1 in Dallas is governed by the following technical requirements for yard, lot, and space:

Standard Type Requirement in LO-1 District
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 1.0 [Section 51A-4.121(b)(4)(D)]
Maximum Height 70 feet [Section 51A-4.121(b)(4)(E)(ii)]
Maximum Stories 5 stories [Section 51A-4.121(b)(4)(H)(i)]
Maximum Lot Coverage 80% (includes aboveground parking) [Section 51A-4.121(b)(4)(F)]
Minimum Front Yard 15 feet [Section 51A-4.121(b)(4)(A)]
Minimum Side/Rear Yard 20 feet if adjacent to a residential district; 0 feet otherwise [Section 51A-4.121(b)(4)(B)]
Minimum Off-Street Parking None (unless in MD-1 or specialized use) [Section 51A-4.207(5)(C)]

Sections Cited

  • Section 51A-4.101
  • Section 51A-4.121
  • Section 51A-4.203
  • Section 51A-4.205
  • Section 51A-4.207
  • Section 51A-4.209
  • Section 51A-4.210
  • Section 51A-4.212
  • Section 51A-4.218

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