Corpus Christi | Three or More Homes
Corpus Christi Three or More Homes: Apartments, Townhouses, Cottages and Clustered Lots
Corpus Christi has four routes to three or more homes on one site. A triplex or fourplex counts as an apartment and needs a multifamily or commercial district. Townhouses sit on their own small lots. Cottage housing groups small detached homes around shared green space, and a clustered development lets small-lot homes ignore lot width on a planned site. This page gives the density, height, lot and parking rules for each, from the Unified Development Code (UDC). The Corpus Christi overview gives the short version.
Three or more homes in six facts
- An apartment is one or more structures with three or more units in a single structure on a single lot, so a triplex or fourplex is an apartment under the UDC. Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Table 4.4.4
- Maximum density is 22 units per acre in RM-1, 30 in RM-2, 36 in RM-3 and 60 in RM-AT for buildings of three or more homes. Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Table 4.4.3.B
- No multifamily structure may be closer to a property line next to a single-family or two-family use than twice its height, measured to the plate, above its first 12 feet. Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Sec. 4.2.8
- A townhouse lot needs 2,600 square feet per unit with front access, 2,200 with rear access and 1,600 with shared parking, and townhouses may be 45 feet tall. Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Table 4.4.3.A
- A Cottage Housing Development needs at least one-half acre and allows 5 to 12 cottages per acre, each cottage at least 800 square feet. Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Sec. 4.7.5 and 4.7.10
- Any new multifamily use needs site plan review, signed and sealed by a state-registered or state-licensed design professional. Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Sec. 3.17.1
Four Routes at a Glance
| Route | Where it is allowed | Main rule |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment (triplex, fourplex and up) | RM-1, RM-2, RM-3, RM-AT; nine commercial districts | Density by district; site plan review |
| Townhouses on separate lots | RS-TF, RS-TH, RM-1 to RM-3, RM-AT, eight commercial districts | 1,600 to 2,600 sq ft per unit; 100 sq ft privacy yard per unit |
| Cottage Housing Development | RS-TH, RS-TF, RM-1 to RM-AT, ON, CN-1, CN-2, CR-1 to CR-3, CG-2 | 0.5 to 5 acres; clusters of 5 to 12 cottages; 800 to 1,400 sq ft each |
| Clustered Development Overlay | RS-6, RS-4.5, RS-TF, RM-1 to RM-AT, ON, CN-1, CR-2, CR-3, CG-2 | Site of 1 acre or more; 4 to 9.68 homes per acre; 35% common open space |
Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Tables 4.4.2 and 4.4.3.A, Table 4.5.2, Section 4.7 and Section 6.7.2.
Triplexes and Fourplexes Are Apartments
Table 4.4.4 defines an apartment as "one or more structures with three or more units in a single structure on a single lot. An apartment can vary in height and individual units can be mixed vertically." There is no separate triplex or fourplex category, so a three- or four-unit building on one lot follows the apartment rules. Table 4.4.2 permits apartments in RM-1, RM-2, RM-3 and RM-AT, and Section 4.4.1 says the RM districts suit areas "having convenient access to collector and arterial streets." Section 4.4.3 adds that "the Multifamily zoning districts only shall be developed in conventional subdivisions."
| Rule | RM-1 | RM-2 | RM-3 | RM-AT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum density (units per acre) | 22 | 30 | 36 | 60 (3+ homes); 18 or 9 (1 to 2 homes) |
| Minimum open space | 35% | 30% | 30% | 10% (3+ homes); 25% (1 to 2 homes) |
| Minimum lot area | 6,000 sq ft | 6,000 sq ft | 6,000 sq ft | 10,000 sq ft (3+ homes) |
| Minimum lot width | 50 ft | 50 ft | 50 ft | 85 ft (3+ homes) |
| Street yard / street corner yard | 20 / 15 ft | 20 / 15 ft | 20 / 15 ft | 20 / 15 ft |
| Side and rear yard, 3+ homes | 10 ft, raised by Sec. 4.2.8.C | 10 ft, raised by Sec. 4.2.8.C | 10 ft, raised by Sec. 4.2.8.C | 10 ft, raised by Sec. 4.2.8.C |
| Building separation | 10 ft | 10 ft | 10 ft | 10 ft |
| Maximum height | 45 ft | 60 ft | 60 ft | Set by Sec. 4.2.8 |
Source: Corpus Christi UDC, Table 4.4.3.B. RM-AT's 18 units per acre applies to one- and two-family homes on Padre Island, Mustang Island and North Beach, and 9 per acre elsewhere.
Density is counted per acre, and an acre is 43,560 square feet. By VanPlex arithmetic, the 6,000 square foot RM-1 minimum lot carries 3.03 units at 22 per acre, so a triplex fits and a fourplex needs 7,920 square feet. In RM-2 the same lot carries 4.13 units, so a fourplex fits on the minimum lot. In RM-AT, the 10,000 square foot minimum lot carries 13.77 units. The code does not say whether it rounds a fraction up or down, so plan on the whole number below.
The 2 to 1 Rule Next to Houses
One rule shapes most small apartment sites. Section 4.2.8 says: "No multifamily or nonresidential structure shall be located nearer any property line adjacent to a single-family use or two-family use than a horizontal distance of twice the vertical height of the structure." Height for this rule is "measured from the existing ground level to the plate," the top of the wall where the roof starts. Section 4.2.8.C says the ratio "shall not apply to the first 12 feet in height of the building," and it does not count chimneys, flagpoles and similar parts that cover no more than 33 percent of the roof.
The footnotes to Table 4.4.3.B tie the side and rear yards of RM-1 to RM-AT to this rule "regardless of single- or two-family adjacency." For RM-3 and RM-AT they add that the yard "shall not exceed a total of 30 feet if property is not adjacent to a single- or two- family use." The rule follows the use next door, so a fourplex beside an existing house in RM-1 must step back from that lot line even though both lots are zoned RM-1.
Height limits are 45 feet in RM-1 and 60 in RM-2 and RM-3. Section 4.2.8 adds: "Buildings in the multifamily zoning district may exceed the maximum height of 60 feet, provided that 40% of the site is devoted to non-vehicular open space." The table points RM-AT's height to "Section 4.2.8.C., 4.2.8.D., and 4.2.8.E.," but the online code has no 4.2.8.D or 4.2.8.E. Ask the City which height limit it applies in RM-AT.
Townhouses
A townhouse is "two or more attached single-family units where the units are lined up in a row and have abutting side walls," and the units may not be stacked (Table 4.4.4). The development "may be platted on separately owned lots and lots may be sold fee simple," which means each buyer owns the land under the unit, or it may sit on one lot with units leased or sold as condominiums. Townhouses are permitted in RS-TF, RS-TH, RM-1 to RM-AT and eight commercial districts. Section 4.4.3 applies the RS-TH townhouse standards in RM-1 to RM-3, and Section 4.5.3 applies them in the commercial districts.
- Lot area per unit: 2,600 square feet with front driveway access, 2,200 with rear access, 1,600 with shared parking.
- Lot width per unit: 26 feet front access, 22 rear access, 16 shared parking.
- Street yard 10 feet, street corner yard 10 feet, side yards 0, rear yard 5 feet.
- 10 feet between buildings, 30 percent open space, and a height of 45 feet.
- "A street, side or rear privacy yard having a total minimum area of 100 square feet for each unit."
Section 4.2.2 says that "except for townhouses," no building may sit on a lot line, which is what lets townhouse walls share lot lines. Section 14-291 of the Code of Ordinances amends the residential building code so that townhouses need fire sprinklers "only when three (3) or more attached dwelling units are constructed, and transient uses (occupancies less than thirty (30) days) are allowed."
Cottage Housing Developments
Section 4.7 creates the -CH Cottage Housing district and lists the cottage housing development as a permitted use in RS-TH, RS-TF, RM-1, RM-2, RM-3, RM-AT, ON, CN-1, CN-2, CR-1, CR-2, CR-3 and CG-2. Its purpose includes housing for "single person households, dual- owner households, retirees." The main numbers:
- Site of at least one-half acre and no more than 5 acres, 50 feet of street frontage, and 500 feet from another cottage development.
- Clusters of 5 to 12 cottages, up to 5 clusters, at 5 to 12 cottages per acre; the City may allow more than 12 per acre for low-impact stormwater design.
- Each cottage at least 800 square feet; at least 75 percent of cottages no larger than 1,200 square feet and the rest no larger than 1,400; a second story no more than 60 percent of the first.
- Height of 28 feet at the ridge, measured in a flood zone from one foot above base flood elevation, to a total of 35 feet.
- 400 square feet of common open space and 200 square feet of private open space per cottage, and a covered porch of at least 70 square feet.
- Lots no more than 75 percent impervious, and the whole site no more than 65 percent.
Each cottage must be on a platted lot held in "fee simple ownership," with a homeowners association for the shared land. Section 4.7.9.A bars "manufactured, pre-fabricated, or modular homes" in a cottage development, and Section 4.7.19 bars accessory dwelling units. Parking is 1.25 spaces per cottage of up to 1,000 square feet or 1.5 for larger ones within 1,500 feet of a transit stop, two otherwise, plus 0.5 guest spaces per cottage.
Clustered Development Overlay
Section 6.7 lets a site of 1 acre or more be platted into small lots for "single-family attached, single-family detached or two-family dwelling units" in RS-6, RS-4.5, RS-TF, RM-1, RM-2, RM-3, RM-AT, ON, CN-1, CR-2, CR-3 and CG-2, "not requiring rezoning." Its rules:
- "No minimum width or depth of a lot shall apply."
- Density at least 4 homes per acre, no more than 9.68 per acre, and no more than the base district allows, unless density bonus techniques in Section 6.7.6 are used.
- At least 35 percent of the site as common open space, and impervious cover of no more than 65 percent of the site.
- 8 feet between buildings, plus 1 foot for each added story; front and rear yards that together equal at least 15 feet, with no yard under 5 feet.
- No flag lots, a homeowners association, and recorded restrictions against dividing lots again.
In RS-6, where Table 4.3.3 sets 6,000 square foot lots, a cluster can mix attached and two-family homes on smaller lots, but Table 6.14.3.5 marks horizontal and vertical duplexes in RS-6 and RS-4.5 with an asterisk, and a note under the table requires a showing that the units "provide a logical density transition" between single-family homes and a denser use.
Apartments on Commercial Land
Table 4.5.3 sets the multifamily rules in commercial districts: 37 units per acre in CN-1, ON and CG-2; 15 in CN-2, or 36 on an arterial street; 44 in CR-2; 6,000 square foot lots and 50-foot widths in most; and height of 35 feet in CN-1 and 45 in ON. CI and CBD print no density and allow zero street yards. Section 7.2.3 removes the parking table in CBD and in CI east of U.S. Highway 181 and Upper Broadway Street, and halves it in the CR resort districts for all uses except hotels, motels and other overnight stays.
SB 840 sets floors that reach Corpus Christi. Local Government Code 218.102 bars a density limit more restrictive than the greater of 36 units per acre or "the highest residential density allowed in the municipality" (the highest figure in Table 4.4.3.B is RM-AT's 60 per acre), a height limit under 45 feet, and "more than one parking space per dwelling unit." Section 218.102(b) requires administrative approval when a project meets the rules. CN-1's 35-foot height, CN-2's 15 units per acre, and the parking table's 1.5 to 2 spaces per apartment fall short of those floors on a site the law covers, and the statute controls there.
Review, Parking and Fees for Apartments
Section 3.17.1 requires site plan review for "development of any new multifamily" use, and for adding five or more units to an existing multifamily project. Plans must be "signed and sealed by the appropriate state-registered or state-licensed design professional." The Technical Review Committee, a group of City staff and utilities, approves or denies the plan.
Parking under Table 7.2.2.B is 1.5 spaces per one-bedroom apartment and 2 per larger apartment, "plus 1 per 5 units labeled for visitors, located in proximity to each building." By VanPlex arithmetic, a fourplex of two-bedroom units needs 8 spaces plus 1 visitor space, since the code rounds a fraction up to the next whole space.
Two fees scale with units. Section 8.3.5 requires parkland of 1 acre per 200 multifamily units, met by a park development fee of $462.50 per unit under Section 8.3.6, adjusted each January 1 since 2024 by the consumer price index. And Ordinance No. 033894, passed March 24, 2026, amended Section 8.5 to say "Acreage fees shall be assessed on multifamily, commercial, and industrial properties. Lot fees shall be assessed on single-family and two-family residential properties." The online UDC still prints the older rule of "a lot fee or acreage fee, whichever is greater"; the 2026 ordinance controls. The FY 2026 schedule lists the water acreage fee at $2,106.84 and the wastewater acreage fee at $2,300.10.
Best For
- ✓ An RM-2 lot of 6,000 sq ft or more, where a fourplex fits the 30 per acre density.
- ✓ A half acre or more in RS-TF or an RM district, planned as cottage housing.
- ✓ Commercial land in CN-1, ON or CG-2, where apartments are permitted at 37 per acre.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ The plan is a triplex in RS-TF, which lists no apartment.
- ✕ A two-story fourplex sits close to a lot line beside an existing house, breaking the 2 to 1 rule.
- ✕ An RM-1 lot under 7,920 sq ft is planned for four units.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → Whether the City rounds a fractional density down or up.
- → The use on each neighboring lot, which sets the 2 to 1 setback.
- → The current park development fee after the January 2026 adjustment.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Corpus Christi overview, SB 840 on commercial land and building codes from duplex to fourplex.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a fourplex in Corpus Christi?
How big a lot do I need for four apartments in RM-1?
What is the 2 to 1 height rule in Corpus Christi?
How tall can an apartment building be in Corpus Christi?
What is a cottage housing development in Corpus Christi?
How much parking does a cottage need in Corpus Christi?
Do townhouses in Corpus Christi need fire sprinklers?
Can I build apartments on commercial land in Corpus Christi without rezoning?
What is a clustered development in Corpus Christi?
Does an apartment project in Corpus Christi pay a park fee?
Which water fee applies to an apartment site in Corpus Christi?
Official sources (checked October 2026)
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