Setback Requirements for MO-2: Mid-range Office District 2 in Dallas

In the Dallas MO-2: Mid-range office district 2, developments must maintain a minimum front yard setback of 15 feet, with an additional 20-foot setback required for building portions exceeding 45 feet in height. Side and rear yard setbacks are generally not required unless the property is adjacent to or directly across an alley from specific residential districts, in which case a 20-foot minimum setback applies [Section 51A-4.121].

MO-2 District Yard Standards Table

The following table outlines the specific yard requirements for the MO-2: Mid-range office district 2 within the City of Dallas.

Regulation Type	Requirement
Minimum Front Yard	15 feet [Section 51A-4.121(c)(4)(A)(i)]
Urban Form Setback	Additional 20 feet for portions of a structure over 45 feet in height [Section 51A-4.121(c)(4)(A)(ii)]
Minimum Side/Rear Yard (Residential Adjacency)	20 feet when adjacent to or across an alley from R, R(A), D, D(A), TH, TH(A), CH, MF, or MF(A) districts [Section 51A-4.121(c)(4)(B)(i)]
Minimum Side/Rear Yard (General)	No minimum [Section 51A-4.121(c)(4)(B)(i)(bb)]
Tower Spacing Setback	Additional 1 foot for every 2 feet in height above 45 feet (maximum total 30 feet) [Section 51A-4.121(c)(4)(B)(ii)]

Front Yard Setback Requirements

The City of Dallas requires that all structures in the MO-2: Mid-range office district 2 adhere to a standard 15-foot minimum front yard setback [Section 51A-4.121].

To prevent a "canyon effect" on city streets and maintain appropriate scale, Dallas implements an Urban Form Setback for the MO-2: Mid-range office district 2. Any portion of a building that rises higher than 45 feet above the ground must be set back an additional 20 feet from the standard front yard line [Section 51A-4.121].

Side and Rear Yard Setback Requirements

Setback requirements for the side and rear of a property in the MO-2: Mid-range office district 2 are primarily determined by the zoning of neighboring lots.

Residential Adjacency

A 20-foot minimum side and rear yard is mandatory in the MO-2: Mid-range office district 2 if the property is adjacent to, or separated only by an alley from, any of the following residential districts:

Single Family Districts [R or R(A)]
Duplex Districts [D or D(A)]
Townhouse Districts [TH or TH(A)]
Clustered Housing Districts [CH]
Multifamily Districts [MF or MF(A)]

In all other cases where the MO-2: Mid-range office district 2 property does not border these residential zones, there is no minimum side or rear yard requirement [Section 51A-4.121].

Tower Spacing and High-Rise Components

For taller structures in the MO-2: Mid-range office district 2, Dallas requires additional spacing for portions of the building above 45 feet in height. Specifically, for every two feet of height over 45 feet, the building must provide one additional foot of side and rear yard setback. This increased requirement is capped at a total side or rear yard setback of 30 feet [Section 51A-4.121].

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