Fort Worth | Townhouses to Apartments
Fort Worth Townhouses, Triplexes and Apartments: R1, R2, CR, C, D, UR, Planned Developments and SB 840
In Fort Worth three or more homes in one building is multifamily, and the City permits it as commercial construction. It is allowed by right in the CR, C and D districts, in UR, and since June 24, 2026 on most commercial land under SB 840. Attached townhouses on their own lots use R1 and R2. On a house lot, a triplex needs a Planned Development. This page gives each route's numbers. The Fort Worth overview gives the short version.
Fort Worth multifamily in six facts
- R2 Townhouse/Cluster allows attached townhouses at an average of 24 homes per acre with at least 15 percent open space. Source: Fort Worth zoning district summary
- CR, C and D allow three or more homes at 16, 24 and 32 per acre, with buildings up to 36 feet from slab to top plate and 48 feet in D beyond 250 feet of house districts. Source: Ordinance No. 23495-12-2018
- UR allows 40 homes per acre at three stories and 60 with a fourth-story bonus for buildings of eight or more units. Source: UR district text, November 2021
- Since June 24, 2026, multifamily and mixed-use housing is permitted in ER, E, FR, F, G and H with no density cap and one parking space per home. Source: Ordinance No. 28597-06-2026, Sec. 5.159
- A building of three or more homes on one lot is permitted as commercial construction. Source: City residential permit application
- In 2025 Fort Worth permitted 23 buildings of three or four homes (84 homes) and 105 buildings of five or more (3,348 homes). Source: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey 2025
What Counts as Multifamily
Ordinance No. 28525-05-2026 rewrote the definition in Sec. 9.101: a multifamily dwelling is "One or more buildings containing or aggregating three or more one-family dwelling units." The same definition now also covers "Multifamily Residential," the SB 840 term. The City's building permit form follows it: "Apartments (3 or more dwelling units on a lot) are Considered Commercial Construction." A duplex stays on the residential permit form.
The 2025 Building Permits Survey shows how Fort Worth housing is built. The City issued permits for 5,887 one-unit buildings, 59 two-unit buildings, 23 buildings of three or four units holding 84 homes, and 105 buildings of five or more units holding 3,348 homes. The Census groups three- and four-unit buildings together.
R1 and R2: Small Lots, Townhouses and Clusters
R1 Zero Lot Line/Cluster allows detached houses on 3,000 square foot lots and zero lot line or attached two-family homes on 2,500 square feet. Cluster housing means homes grouped around a shared drive or court. For cluster housing in R1, "A development plan shall be reviewed as a site plan," as rewritten in 2025.
R2 Townhouse/Cluster allows townhouses and rowhouses at an average of 24 homes per acre. A 2024 staff report reprints the applicant's comparison of the R2 standards: open space "15%," units per acre "24," maximum façade length "250 ft," front yard "None Required," a 5-foot interior side yard, 10 feet on both street sides of a corner lot, height "35 feet maximum," building separation "10 ft minimum," parking "2 Spaces per unit," "One Building per lot" and a minimum lot of "3,000 sq ft." The applicant, The Housing Channel, asked for a PD-R2 with "Cluster housing on a single lot," one parking space per unit and no minimum lot size, for tracts of 0.59 acres "with a maximum of 8 units" and 0.623 acres "with a maximum of 10 units." The Council approved it on November 12, 2024, by 11 to 0.
The 2026 infill platting rules help townhouse layouts on older blocks: lots may face an access easement or a lot owned by an owners' association, "shared access may be provided to more than two lots," and for "turned townhome lots" the end lot faces the public street. The lot size page covers those rules.
CR, C and D Multifamily Districts
Ordinance No. 23495-12-2018, adopted December 4, 2018, replaced Secs. 4.710 to 4.712 "to increase the top plate height and units per acre" and add design standards. The signed copy is a scanned image; VanPlex read it with OCR (software that turns a scan into text) and checked the figures below against the page images.
| Multifamily standard | CR | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Units per acre | 16 maximum | 24 maximum | 32 maximum |
| Open space | 60% minimum | 45% minimum | 35% minimum |
| Front yard | 20 ft | 20 ft | 20 ft |
| Rear yard | 5 ft | 5 ft | 5 ft |
| Side yard, interior lot | 5 ft | 5 ft | 5 ft |
| Side yard, corner lot street side | 20 ft | 20 ft | 10 ft |
| Setback next to a one- or two-family district | 3:1 or 2:1, 30 ft minimum | 3:1 or 2:1, 30 ft minimum | 3:1 or 2:1, 30 ft minimum |
| Height, slab to top plate | 36 ft | 36 ft | 36 ft; 48 ft beyond 250 ft of house districts |
Source: Ordinance No. 23495-12-2018, tables for "Multifamily Development" in Secs. 4.710, 4.711 and 4.712. The 3:1 rule is three feet of setback for each foot of height from slab to top of sill plate, or 2:1 of overall height, whichever is greater.
- Houses in these districts. "All one-family and two-family residential development may be developed under the property development standards of §§ 4.705 through 4.709," so a duplex on a C lot follows the B rules.
- Site plan first. In CR, "No permit shall be issued for construction, alteration or revision for multifamily development unless there has been a site plan approved by the planning and development director." The fee is $709 for a new "CR," "C" and "D" site plan and $355 for a revised one.
- Parking. "No parking or driveways shall be provided between a building and a public or private street." Multifamily needs "1 space per bedroom plus 1 space per 250 square feet of common areas, offices and recreation"; in a townhouse layout, "Two spaces per dwelling unit, located within a garage of the individual unit."
- Buffers. Next to a one- or two-family district, "A five-foot bufferyard and minimum six-foot screen fence shall be placed on the property line."
- Waivers. A waiver from the Multifamily Dwelling standards costs $709 for the first and $355 for each next one.
Two numbering slips: the signed ordinance heads the D district "Sec. 4.710 HIGH DENSITY MULTIFAMILY (“D”) DISTRICT," though its title and Section 3 amend Sec. 4.712. And the Board of Adjustment agenda of November 19, 2025 cites "Section 4.713(c)(2)(a)" for the D district, the number of the UR section. Sec. 4.712 is the D section; the other two numbers are errors.
UR Urban Residential
UR was rewritten in full by Ordinance No. 25190-11-2021, adopted November 9, 2021. Its text says UR provides "a residential density transition zone between low density single-family neighborhoods and higher density commercial areas." It lists seven building types: single-family detached, townhouse ("three or more attached dwelling units"), duplex, manor house (three to five units), garden apartment ("three to eight dwelling units"), cottage court ("five to nine detached dwelling units organized around an internal shared courtyard") and apartments. "A townhouse form is regarded as an apartment/ condominium when on one platted lot and not individually platted lots."
| UR standard | Value |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 0 ft minimum, 20 ft maximum |
| Rear yard, main building | 5 ft; 20 ft next to a one- or two-family district with a house |
| Side yard | 0 ft minimum, 20 ft maximum; 0 ft on a common lot line |
| Height | 3 stories, up to 14 ft per floor; 4 stories with one bonus |
| Density | 40 units per acre; 60 with the height bonus |
| Single-family lot | 5,000 sq ft maximum |
| Parking, townhouse | 2 per unit; 1 within 1,320 ft of a rail station |
| Parking, apartments | 1 per bedroom; 0.5 per bedroom near rail; plus 2 per 500 sq ft of office or social rooms |
Source: UR district text, November 2021, Secs. 4.713(d) and (e).
"A height bonus is applicable for multifamily buildings with 8 units or more," one story for putting all parking in a structure or for a public pocket park of 2,500 square feet to one acre. Next to a one- or two-family district, building parts "above 3 stories or 38 feet whichever is less" must stay under "a transitional height plane of 45 degrees," and multifamily needs "a five (5) foot bufferyard." Parking may be "off-site, on property within 500 feet," and on-street spaces along the lot can count "only when located fully out of the travel lanes."
Approvals. "A conceptual site plan must be submitted to the director or designee for review prior to submittal of permit applications." The Urban Design Commission may waive design standards through a Certificate of Appropriateness, a design approval that "shall expire if a building permit is not issued within 2 years." Changes to height, setbacks and bulk need a Board of Adjustment variance "after a recommendation from the Urban Design Commission." In August 2025 the Council rezoned 900 and 1001 E. Felix Street, a 0.40-acre corner lot, from B to UR for "five to seven side by side townhome style units with a rear access driveway."
Planned Developments on House Lots
No base district puts three or four homes on a one-family lot. Owners have used a Planned Development, a zoning district written for one site. Council records show "PD/A-5" districts for A-5 uses "plus three units on one lot" at 3247 S. Adams Street and 1010-24 W. Shaw Street, re-approved with a historic overlay on June 24, 2025, and "PD1104" for A-5 uses "plus four residential units on one lot" at 504 NW 25th Street, from case ZC-16-099. The route has limits: case ZC-22-194, an A-7.5 lot asking for a PD "plus triplex," was denied.
SB 840: Housing on Commercial Land
SB 840 (2025) created Local Government Code chapter 218. It requires covered cities to allow multifamily and mixed-use residential in "a zoning classification that allows office, commercial, retail, warehouse, or mixed-use use or development," with no rezoning. Fort Worth answered with Ordinance No. 28597-06-2026, adopted June 9, 2026 and in force June 24, 2026. It added "Multifamily Residential (Chapter 218 of the Loc. Gov’t Code)" and "Mixed-Use Residential" as permitted uses in ER, E, FR, F, G and H, and in listed form-based zones, under new Sec. 5.159. Mixed-use residential means a site where homes are "at least 65 percent of the total square footage."
| Site and zoning | District rules used | Main numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 acre zoned E or ER | R2 standards | 15% open space, no front yard, 5 ft side (10 ft on corners), 45 ft height |
| 1 acre or more zoned E or ER | UR standards | 0 to 20 ft front, 5 ft rear (20 ft next to houses), 45 ft height, urban forestry applies |
| Any size zoned F or FR | MU-1 standards | 0 to 20 ft street setbacks, 5 ft rear, 45 ft height |
| Any size zoned G | MU-2 standards | 0 to 20 ft street setbacks, 5 ft rear, 45 ft in the table |
| All of the above | Sec. 5.159 overrides | Unlimited units per acre; 1 parking space per home; height 45 ft or the commercial height if greater; setbacks no more than 25 ft |
Source: Ordinance No. 28597-06-2026, Sec. 5.159(C). The urban forestry rule for E and ER sites of one acre or more was added by the Council's amendment on June 9, 2026.
- Where it does not apply. New projects are "prohibited on land within" a district that allows heavy industrial use, "1,000 feet of an existing heavy industrial use," "3,000 feet of an airport or military base," or "An area designated as a clear zone or accident potential zone." Staff wrote that the Stockyards district "allows certain industrial uses and is not eligible."
- Approval. A project that meets the standards "shall be administratively approved by the Zoning Administrator," with no Council hearing. It still needs "A Multifamily Development Permit," a site plan approved by the director, "a subdivision plat approved by the Plan Commission," and "a map showing all land uses and businesses located within 1,000 feet."
- Historic areas. Projects "within a historic district or historic overlay shall follow the regulations and development standards of the historic district or historic overlay," which chapter 218 allows.
- Building conversions. Under SB 2477 an office, retail or warehouse building "constructed at least five years before" the conversion, with "at least 65 percent of each floor of the building fit for occupancy," may become housing. Setbacks, height and parking are "Limited to" what the building has, and "Units per Acre" is "Unlimited."
An early case. At 504 NW 25th Street, near the Stockyards, the owner asked to move from the four-unit PD to "E" Neighborhood Commercial so as "to develop a mixed-use project under the provisions of Senate Bill 840." Staff recommended approval, and the Council approved it on February 10, 2026, by 11 to 0.
Where City documents disagree. The ordinance table for G sites lists "Height 45 feet maximum," but G allows commercial buildings up to "12-story/120 ft. height." Sec. 5.159(C)(2) says that where the tables conflict, height is "45 feet or the highest height that would apply to an office, commercial, retail, or warehouse development constructed on the site, whichever is greater," matching Local Government Code 218.102, so the greater height controls. And the City's August 2025 briefing listed the I Light Industrial district among the districts that must allow SB 840 housing, while the adopted ordinance names only the commercial districts. The summary lists "warehousing" and "light manuf." among I uses, and also a "temp. batch plant." Chapter 218 covers a district that allows warehouse use unless it allows a heavy industrial use, which the statute defines by flammable or explosive materials, hazardous conditions or noxious odors, smoke or noise. VanPlex found no City document that decides which side of that line I falls on; ask Development Services before you plan housing on I land.
Best For
- ✓ A site already zoned CR, C, D or UR, where three or more homes need only a site plan and permits.
- ✓ A commercial lot zoned E, ER, F, FR, G or H outside airport and heavy industry buffers, under SB 840.
- ✓ An older office, retail or warehouse building of at least five years, converted under SB 2477 with its own parking.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ The site is within 3,000 feet of an airport or military base, or 1,000 feet of heavy industry.
- ✕ A CR, C or D plan puts parking between the building and the street.
- ✕ A triplex is planned on an A-5 or A-7.5 lot with no Planned Development.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → Distance surveys to airports, bases and heavy industrial sites, which the SB 840 permit requires.
- → Whether the site is in a historic overlay, whose rules control under Sec. 5.159(A)(5).
- → Water, sewer and impact fee charges with Development Services before you price the project.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Fort Worth overview and SB 840 and commercial land.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Fort Worth districts allow a triplex or fourplex?
How dense can a Fort Worth CR district apartment project be?
How many parking spaces does a Fort Worth apartment need?
What is a manor house in the Fort Worth UR district?
How tall can buildings be in the Fort Worth UR district?
Can I build apartments on commercial land in Fort Worth?
What rules apply to SB 840 housing on a small E-zoned lot in Fort Worth?
Can I convert an old Fort Worth office building to apartments?
Can I get a Planned Development for three or four units on a Fort Worth house lot?
What is cluster housing in Fort Worth R1 and R2?
Official sources (checked October 2026)
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