Pasadena, Texas | Parking, Setbacks and Height
Pasadena, Texas Parking, Setbacks and Height: Building Lines, Side Yards, Fences and Driveways
In Pasadena, Texas the rules on where a building sits come from Chapter 9, Article IV of the Code of Ordinances, the building lines on recorded plats, and the townhouse, patio home and multifamily rules. Parking comes from a table the City adopted in 1995 and posts as a PDF. This page puts the numbers side by side so you can test a site plan against them. The Pasadena overview gives the short version.
Pasadena, Texas parking and setbacks in six facts
- The City parking table asks for two spaces per dwelling unit for single-family, two-family, townhouse and condominium homes, and two per apartment plus one guest space per 10 units. Source: City of Pasadena, Off-Street Parking Ordinance (PDF)
- No building may be permitted within 25 feet of the front property line or of the planned right-of-way of a street in the major street plan. Source: Pasadena Code, Sec. 9-76(a)
- A single or duplex residential building must stay at least 5 feet from every property line, and more may be required for drainage. Source: Pasadena Code, Sec. 9-76(b)
- On new plats, living space sits 20 feet from a minor street and a front-loaded garage 25 feet, with a 15-foot street side yard on corner lots. Source: Pasadena Code, Appendix A, Sec. 24
- A residential fence may be 7 feet tall, but in front of the front building line it may be only chain link, wrought iron or picket, and 4 feet tall. Source: Pasadena Code, Sec. 9-3
- Patio homes may be no taller than 36 feet, and multifamily buildings no taller than three stories. Source: Pasadena Code, Appendix C and Sec. 9-2.1
The Parking Table
Sec. 9-7 says "The city hereby adopts the minimum off-street parking requirements, a copy of which is attached to the original of Ordinance No. 95-86 and marked Exhibit "A."" It adds: "No certificate of occupancy or building permit shall be issued which provides less than the minimum standards hereby adopted." The exhibit is not printed in the municode text. The Planning Department posts it inside its Off-Street Parking Ordinance PDF, and these are its residential rows.
| Type of occupancy | Spaces |
|---|---|
| Single family residential | 2 per dwelling unit, may be in a garage |
| Two family residential | 2 per dwelling unit, may be in a garage |
| Patio home | 2 per dwelling, not counting the garage |
| Townhouse or condominium | 2 per dwelling unit plus 1 guest stall per 10 units, may be in a garage or parking area |
| Apartment | 2 per dwelling (1.8 if the balance is landscape area) plus 1 per 10 units for guests |
| Mobile home on a private lot | 2 per dwelling, may be in a garage |
| Group residential or rooming house | 2 per dwelling unit plus 1 per 2 beds |
Source: City of Pasadena, Off-Street Parking Ordinance, Exhibit "A," pages 1 and 2, adopted by Sec. 9-7 of the Code of Ordinances.
The exhibit's notes add four rules: "any fractional spaces shall require additional space," off-site spaces "will be reviewed on an individual basis," variances follow Sec. 9-79, and uses not listed take "the category most closely associated by industry." For apartments, Sec. 9-2.1 lets the two spaces per unit drop to 1.8 "if the square footage that would have been in parking is constructed as additional parking lot planters," and says guest and handicapped parking "shall not be reduced." Sec. 9-2 adds "at least one (1) enclosed vehicular garage for every four (4) units" and bars multilevel parking.
Three rules put parking outside the garage. Appendix A asks every new residential lot for "a driveway of such design to accommodate two (2) vehicular off-street parking spaces exclusive of any garage." Appendix C asks the same of every patio home, with a driveway no wider than 25 feet. Appendix B requires two parking places per townhouse lot, on the lot or in a common area within 200 feet along a walkway.
Driveways and Parking Areas
Sec. 9-7.1 requires a scaled drawing of any new parking area, approved by the building official before the permit. A one- or two-family parking area is paved with 3½ inches of 2500 PSI concrete with wire mesh and expansion joints at no more than 12½ feet, or 1½ inches of asphalt on a 6-inch compacted base. A multifamily lot uses 5½ inches of reinforced concrete. "All off-street parking shall be setback a minimum of five (5) feet from the property line," and "No residential or commercial driveway shall be permitted to be constructed as the continuation of a dead end street." The permit fee is $20 for a one- or two-family parking area.
Driveways onto public streets follow Sec. 32-33, and the director of public works and the traffic director must both approve each one. An opening is at least 10 feet wide; it may be up to 20 feet on a lot with 30 to 50 feet of frontage and 35 feet on a lot with 50 feet or more. Two driveways must be 20 feet apart, and no driveway may open within 35 feet of a street intersection. Appendix A bars rear and side driveway access to major thoroughfares and collector streets.
For a multifamily site, Sec. 9-2 bounds parking and drives with concrete curbs and keeps them 10 feet from any residential building, and access to the parking areas "shall be off of the public streets and alleys." The City's Multi-Family Ordinance checklist gives each space a "minimum 8.5' width and 18' depth."
Front Building Lines
A building line is the line a building may not cross toward the street. Sec. 9-76(a) bars a permit for any building "within twenty-five (25) feet of" the "property line on the front side of the property," or the "existing or ultimate proposed future right-of-way lines" of a street in the major street plan. The ultimate right-of-way is the width the City plans for a street, which can be wider than today's street. Sec. 9-77 bars building in front of a building line shown on a recorded plat, "except that permits may be issued for the construction or erection of a building or a structure up to a distance of twenty (20) feet from the right-of-way line in the 700 and 800 blocks of Center Street."
For new plats, Appendix A, Sec. 24 sets the lines a plat must show. On a minor street, "The front setback to the livable area or a side loaded garage shall be twenty (20) feet from the right-of-way of a public street," and a garage entered from the front sits 25 feet back. On a corner lot the street side yard is 15 feet, or 20 feet to a front-loaded garage. Lines on collector streets and major thoroughfares follow Ordinance No. 77-130 and Article IV. For plats recorded earlier, the plat's lines or Article IV apply, and where a plat shows no corner side line, "a setback of fifteen (15) feet shall be required."
Side and Rear Setbacks
| Building | Front | Side and rear | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any building | 25 ft from the front property line or planned right-of-way | Not across an easement | Sec. 9-76(a), (e) |
| House or duplex | Plat building line; 20 ft to living space on a minor street in new plats | 5 ft from every property line | Sec. 9-76(b); App. A Sec. 24 |
| Garage or shed | Same as the house | 5 ft from side and rear lot lines | Sec. 9-78 |
| Private shop on a home lot | Same as the house | 25 ft from side and rear lines | Sec. 9-78 |
| Townhouse | 6 ft fronting an access street | None between units; 10 ft siding a street, drive or plat edge | App. B Sec. 2 |
| Patio home | 20 ft (25 ft front-loaded garage) | 10 ft between homes; rear 8 ft or 16 ft | App. C |
| Manufactured home on a private lot | Plat line, or 25 ft if none | 10 ft each side; 8 ft rear | Sec. 21-20 |
| Multifamily next to a residential lot | Plat line and 25 ft | 10, 25, 50 or 100 ft by size and stories | Sec. 9-2.1(10) |
Source: Pasadena Code of Ordinances on municode, Supplement 33 Update 1 (Secs. 9-76 to 9-78, Sec. 9-2.1, Sec. 21-20, Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C).
Sec. 9-76(b) keeps "a single or duplex residential building or structure" at least 5 feet from any property line and says "Additional setbacks may be required to provide adequate drainage and obtain a maintainable side slope." Sec. 9-76(e) bars a permit "across an easement," and Sec. 9-76(g) allows "a maximum five (5) feet of elevated grade around the structure" where a building is raised to meet floor elevation rules. Swimming pools and their decking stay 5 feet from the property line under Sec. 9-60.
Appendix A adds side yard rules for new plats: "A minimum side yard separation of ten (10) feet shall be maintained between the foundations of residences." If one side yard is under 5 feet, the other must be at least 10. Where a side yard is 3 feet or less, the plat needs a 5-foot maintenance easement on the next lot, the short-side wall has no openings, and no roof or gutter may cross the line. For multifamily sites, Sec. 9-2.1 sets the distance from an adjoining residential lot by size and height: 10 feet for a one-story complex of 3 to 49 units, 25 feet for a one-story complex of 50 to 200, 50 feet for two stories and 100 feet for three.
Height, Coverage and Open Space
- Patio homes. "No patio home shall exceed thirty-six (36) feet in height," and lot coverage, counting buildings, garages and the parking driveway, may not exceed 50 percent (Appendix C).
- Multifamily. A roof line "not to exceed three (3) stories" (Sec. 9-2.1); buildings on no more than 45 percent of the site, at least 35 percent open space, and a floor area ratio of 0.40 (Sec. 9-2).
- Townhouses. At least 20 percent of the gross site as common open space (Appendix B).
- Carports. A frame "not be less than eight (8) feet nor more than twelve (12) feet above grade" (Sec. 9-76).
The code sections read for this guide set no height in feet for a detached house, a duplex or a townhouse. Those homes are built to the 2024 International Residential Code under Sec. 9-62, and recorded deed restrictions may set their own limits. Garages, shops and barns over 1,200 square feet follow commercial building standards under Sec. 9-60.
Fences
Sec. 9-3 requires a permit to build, enlarge, alter or move a fence or wall, except barbed wire, minor repair, or a replacement in the same place and material. For homes, "The maximum allowable height shall be seven (7) feet, unless prohibited by subdivision deed restrictions." "Any fence placed forward of the front residential building setback line shall be chain link, wrought iron, or picket fence only and shall have a maximum allowable height of four (4) feet." A residential fence permit is $40 including the application fee.
Drainage limits apply too. No fence may stand within 5 feet of "an open drainage channel, ditch, swale or bayou," measured from the top of the bank, or where drainage must flow under the fence (Sec. 9-3). No fence may stand in the drainage easements "of the city or on or inside the drainage easements of Harris County, TxDOT or the Harris County Flood Control District located within the city" (Sec. 9-6). Electric fences are banned (Sec. 9-5). Multifamily sites need an opaque fence of 7 feet, or 8 feet next to a residential lot (Sec. 9-4), and patio home lots need opaque fences at least 7 feet high (Appendix C).
Variances From Chapter 9
Under Sec. 9-79, "The building official, with city council approval, may authorize a variance from articles of this chapter when, in their opinion, undue hardship will result from requiring strict compliance." The findings are special conditions on the land, a substantial property right at stake, no harm to public health or nearby property, no effect that blocks orderly development of other land, and "a favorable recommendation" from the city traffic director. "Pecuniary hardship to those seeking the variance, standing alone, shall not be deemed to constitute undue hardship."
City Council acts on these by ordinance. Its agenda of April 1, 2025 listed Ordinance 2025-070, "approving a variance from Chapter 9, Buildings and General Building Regulations, Article IV, Setback Requirements, Section 9-76(b)," for an existing one-story single family dwelling and a proposed attached garage that reach into the 5-foot setback. The Planning Department fee schedule lists a variance request at $400 per variance.
Where the Setback Rules Disagree
Sec. 9-76(a) bars buildings within 25 feet of the front property line, while Appendix A puts the front line for living space 20 feet from a minor street, and Appendix C does the same for patio homes. Appendix A, Sec. 3 says that where another City rule is "higher or more restrictive, the latter shall control." Ask the Planning Department which front line it applies to your plat before you draw the house.
Best For
- ✓ A lot wide enough for 5-foot side setbacks and a two-car driveway outside the garage.
- ✓ A plan that keeps all parking 5 feet from the property line.
- ✓ A corner lot with room for the 15-foot street side yard.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ The design counts garage spaces as the two driveway spaces on a new lot.
- ✕ A fence or building sits in a drainage easement or within 5 feet of a ditch.
- ✕ A two- or three-story apartment building sits close to a house lot.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → The plat building lines and easements, from the recorded plat.
- → Whether your street is in the major street plan with a wider future right-of-way.
- → Any height, fence or setback rule in the deed restrictions.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Pasadena overview, parking and building lines in Houston, and building codes from duplex to fourplex.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Official sources (checked October 2026)
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