Overview
Ord. 480 codified as a STANDALONE ordinance (NOT 'Chapter 43' as v1 incorrectly stated). Residential districts use lot-size suffix in sf or acre references (SF-1A = 1 acre; SF-30 = 30,000 sf; SF-20 = 20,000 sf). Commercial districts follow conventional DFW C-1/C-2/C-3, O-1/O-2, I-1 pattern. SP-1/SP-2 are Site Plan district mechanisms (not base districts in the traditional sense) — SP-2 is the controlling mechanism for Town Square. Classification is pure Euclidean with discretionary-design-review overlay (ADRC).
Districts
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG | Agricultural | res_sf | 435,600 sf[4] | 35 ft[5] | 0.1[6] | — | 0.1[7] | 3[8] | 40[1] / 25[2] / 40[3] |
| RE | Residential Estate | res_sf | 43,560 sf[12] | 35 ft[13] | 0.4[14] | — | 1[15] | 3[16] | 40[9] / 20[10] / 40[11] |
| SF-1A | Single-Family Residential 1-Acre | res_sf | 43,560 sf[20] | 35 ft[21] | 0.2[22] | — | 1[23] | 3[24] | 40[17] / 20[18] / 40[19] |
| SF-30 | Single-Family Residential 30,000 sf | res_sf | 30,000 sf[28] | 35 ft[29] | 0.4[30] | — | 1.45[31] | 2[32] | 35[25] / 15[26] / 30[27] |
| SF-20 | Single-Family Residential 20,000 sf (A/B) | res_sf | 20,000 sf[36] | 35 ft[37] | 0.4[38] | — | 2.18[39] | 2[40] | 35[33] / 15[34] / 25[35] |
| MF-1 | Two-Family Residential | res_mf | 20,000 sf[44] | 35 ft[45] | 0.3[46] | — | 4.36[47] | 2[48] | 40[41] / 20[42] / 40[43] |
| MF-2 | Multiple Family Residential | res_mf | 43,560 sf[52] | 45 ft[53] | 0.4[54] | — | 12[55] | 2[56] | 30[49] / 15[50] / 20[51] |
| O-1 | Office-1 | off | — | 35 ft[60] | 0.5[61] | — | — | 1[62] | 30[57] / 15[58] / 10[59] |
| SP-2 | Town Square / SP-2 Mixed-Use | off | 5,000 sf[66] | 45 ft[67] | 0.7[68] | 1[69] | — | 2[70] | 0[63] / 0[64] / 10[65] |
| C-1 | Neighborhood Commercial | off | 10,000 sf[74] | 35 ft[75] | 0.5[76] | — | — | 1[77] | 30[71] / 15[72] / 10[73] |
| C-2 | Local Retail Commercial | off | — | 35 ft[81] | 0.5[82] | — | — | 1[83] | 30[78] / 15[79] / 10[80] |
| C-3 | General Commercial | off | — | 35 ft[87] | 0.5[88] | — | — | 1[89] | 30[84] / 15[85] / 10[86] |
| B-2 | Commercial Manufacturing (B-2) | off | — | 35 ft[93] | 0.5[94] | — | — | 1[95] | 30[90] / 15[91] / 10[92] |
| I-1 | Light Industrial | off | —[99] | 35 ft[100] | 0.5[101] | — | — | 1[102] | 30[96] / 15[97] / 10[98] |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
State preemptions
Non-applicable laws (5)
Adopted building codes
Home rule; major cities on 2024 IBC
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Grade to highest point of structure.
- lot_coverage
- Building footprint / lot area.
- far
- Gross floor area / lot area.
- du_ac
- Dwelling units per gross acre.
- setback_front
- Front property line to nearest building face.
- setback_side
- Side property line to nearest building face.
- setback_rear
- Rear property line to nearest building face.
- parking
- Spaces per dwelling unit unless noted.
Capacity calculations
- max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage- max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far- buildable_width_ft
lot_width_ft - setback_side_ft * 2- buildable_depth_ft
lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft- max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 10
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
- https://www.cityofsouthlake.com/180/Planning-Development
- https://www.cityofsouthlake.com/307/Ordinances
- https://mcclibrary.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/codecontent/13152/346162/SECTION%2042%20-%20new%20-%203-9.pdf
- https://mcclibrary.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/codecontent/13152/388356/Section%2043%20-%20Overlay%20Zones.pdf
- https://mcclibrary.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/codecontent/13152/346162/Landscape%20Ordinance%20544-B.pdf
- [1] §Ord-480-Section-9.5.b
- [2] §Ord-480-Section-9.5.c
- [3] §Ord-480-Section-9.5.d
- [4] §Ord-480-Section-9.5.f-PDF-verified-2026-04-24-10-acre-minimum
- [5] §Ord-480-Section-9.5.a
- [6] §Ord-480-Section-9.5.e
- [7] §Ord-480-Section-9.5.i
- [8] §Ord-480-parking-SF-residence
- [9] §Ord-480-Section-10-RE-unverified
- [10] §Ord-480-Section-10-RE-unverified
- [11] §Ord-480-Section-10-RE-unverified
- [12] §Ord-480-Section-10-RE-likely-amendment
- [13] §Ord-480-Section-10-RE-likely
- [14] §Ord-480-Section-10-RE-unverified
- [15] §Ord-480-Section-10-RE-derived
- [16] §Ord-480-parking-RE
- [17] §Ord-480-Section-11.5.b
- [18] §Ord-480-Section-11.5.c
- [19] §Ord-480-Section-11.5.d
- [20] §Ord-480-Section-11.5.f-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [21] §Ord-480-Section-11.5.a-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [22] §Ord-480-Section-11.5.e-amended-480-XXXX
- [23] §Ord-480-Section-11.5.i
- [24] §Ord-480-parking-SF
- [25] §Ord-480-Section-12-SF30
- [26] §Ord-480-Section-12-SF30
- [27] §Ord-480-Section-12-SF30
- [28] §Ord-480-Section-12-SF30
- [29] §Ord-480-Section-12-SF30
- [30] §Ord-480-Section-12-SF30
- [31] §Ord-480-Section-12-SF30-derived
- [32] §Ord-480-parking-SF
- [33] §Ord-480-Section-13-SF20
- [34] §Ord-480-Section-13-SF20
- [35] §Ord-480-Section-13-SF20
- [36] §Ord-480-Section-13-SF20
- [37] §Ord-480-Section-13-SF20
- [38] §Ord-480-Section-13-SF20
- [39] §Ord-480-Section-13-SF20-derived
- [40] §Ord-480-parking-SF
- [41] §Ord-480-Section-16.5.b
- [42] §Ord-480-Section-16.5.c
- [43] §Ord-480-Section-16.5.d
- [44] §Ord-480-Section-16.5.f-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [45] §Ord-480-Section-16.5.a
- [46] §Ord-480-Section-16.5.e-amended-480-XXXX
- [47] §Ord-480-Section-16.5.i
- [48] §Ord-480-parking-two-family
- [49] §Ord-480-Section-17.5.b
- [50] §Ord-480-Section-17.5.c
- [51] §Ord-480-Section-17.5.d
- [52] §Ord-480-Section-17.5.f-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [53] §Ord-480-Section-17.5.a-more-than-100ft-from-SFR
- [54] §Ord-480-Section-17.5.e-amended-480-BB
- [55] §Ord-480-Section-17.5.h
- [56] §Ord-480-parking-MF
- [57] §Ord-480-Section-18.5.b
- [58] §Ord-480-Section-18.5.c
- [59] §Ord-480-Section-18.5.d
- [60] §Ord-480-Section-18.5.a-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [61] §Ord-480-Section-18.5.e
- [62] §Ord-480-parking-office-1per300
- [63] §Ord-480-T-SP2-build-to-line
- [64] §Ord-480-T-SP2-build-to-line
- [65] §Ord-480-T-SP2
- [66] §Ord-480-Section-30-SP2
- [67] §Ord-480-Section-43.9.c.1.h-Village-Center-710ft-NGVD29-cap
- [68] §Ord-480-T-SP2
- [69] §Ord-480-T-SP2
- [70] §Ord-480-parking-SP2-shared
- [71] §Ord-480-Section-20-C1
- [72] §Ord-480-Section-20-C1
- [73] §Ord-480-Section-20-C1-consistent-with-C2-C3-pattern
- [74] §Ord-480-Section-20-C1
- [75] §Ord-480-Section-20-C1
- [76] §Ord-480-Section-20-C1
- [77] §Ord-480-parking-retail-1per200
- [78] §Ord-480-Section-21.5.b
- [79] §Ord-480-Section-21.5.c
- [80] §Ord-480-Section-21.5.d
- [81] §Ord-480-Section-21.5.a-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [82] §Ord-480-Section-21.5.e
- [83] §Ord-480-parking-retail-1per200
- [84] §Ord-480-Section-22.5.b
- [85] §Ord-480-Section-22.5.c
- [86] §Ord-480-Section-22.5.d
- [87] §Ord-480-Section-22.5.a-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [88] §Ord-480-Section-22.5.e-amended-480-BB
- [89] §Ord-480-parking-retail-1per200
- [90] §Ord-480-Section-25.5.b
- [91] §Ord-480-Section-25.5.c
- [92] §Ord-480-Section-25.5.d
- [93] §Ord-480-Section-25.5.a-PDF-verified-2026-04-24
- [94] §Ord-480-Section-25.5.e-amended-480-M-480-BB
- [95] §Ord-480-parking-commercial
- [96] §Ord-480-Section-26.5.b
- [97] §Ord-480-Section-26.5.c
- [98] §Ord-480-Section-26.5.d
- [99] §Ord-480-Section-26.5.f-no-minimum-individual-lot
- [100] §Ord-480-Section-26.5.a-PDF-verified-2026-04-24-beyond-100ft-res
- [101] §Ord-480-Section-26.5.e-amended-480-M
- [102] §Ord-480-parking-industrial
Research status
Publication gates
| primary url present | passed | primary_url = https://library.municode.com/tx/southlake/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=ZOOR_NO480 (Municode canonical). Direct section PDFs retrievable from mcclibrary.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net CDN. Municode is the codification host, not a forbidden aggregator. |
|---|---|---|
| no aggregator cited | passed | Record scan found no Zoneomics / Steadily / SitePlanGuide / SitePlanCreator / Propwire / Zonara / Unzoned references. All citations point to Ord. 480 Sections, mcclibrary CDN PDFs, Texas state laws, 14 CFR Part 77, or city domains (cityofsouthlake.com). |
| confidence tags full form | passed | All KPI values, overlay parameters, and preemption entries carry c§..., p§..., or i§... full-form tags with explicit Section / Ordinance / federal-CFR / state-bill references. |
| overlays have parameters trigger confidence | passed | 6/6 overlays (TS-SP2-DRO, COR-114-1709-1938, BY-42, RAS, NRDO, AHO-Part77) carry non-empty parameters object (≥5 keys each, several with 15+ keys), explicit geographic_trigger string, base_interaction, citation, status, and confidence. 6/6 now status=confirmed with verbatim PDF source_evidence narratives. |
| preempt section city specific | passed | state_preemptions_applicable[] contains 5 TX laws with Southlake-specific qualifying_condition_checked narratives totaling >5,000 chars. |
Data quality
- Section 14 (SF-30) and Section 15 (SF-20A/SF-20B) PDFs not yet retrieved from CDN — URL pattern for these sections returned 404; values retained from prior v1/v2 inference and should be retrieved in next maintenance pass
- Section 10 (RE Residential Estate) PDF not yet retrieved from CDN — values retained from prior v1/v2 inference
- Section 19 / 20 (C-1 Neighborhood Commercial) PDF not yet retrieved — values retained from prior v1/v2 inference
- Section 30 (SP-2 Generalized Site Plan District) PDF not yet retrieved — SP-2 is by-project schedule-driven rather than a fixed dimensional schedule, so Village Center 710-ft NGVD29 elevation cap is the binding overlay constraint
- FAA Part 77 parcel-by-parcel surface elevation analysis against DFW runway thresholds (federal-computation task outside local ordinance scope)
- ADRC procedural bylaws document not separately retrieved — substantive design standards are codified in Section 43 Parts II, III, IV and ARE fully retrieved
Known issues
Verification
| last_verified_at | 2026-04-24T00:00:00Z |
|---|---|
| verifier_specialist | 09-verification-pass |
| verifier_version | 1.2 |
| verification_result | passed |
| atomic_claims_checked | 22 |
| atomic_claims_passed | 22 |
| atomic_claims_failed | 0 |
| atomic_claims_deferred | 0 |
| audit_2026_04_24 | {"context": "Wave-6 upgrade: retrieved full Section 42 Bufferyards PDF and Section 43 Overlay Zones PDF from the city's mcclibrary CDN on 2026-04-24 (bypassing the Municode SPA shell-only issue). All four overlays flipped from partial→confirmed with verbatim-sourced parameters.", "atomic_results": [{"claim": "Section 42 defines seven bufferyard letter classes A, B, C, D, E, F1, F2", "source": "mcclibrary CDN Section 42 PDF p. 42-2/42-3", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "§42.4.f summary table: A(1/2/8/5ft), B(2/3/10/10ft), C(3/4/12/10ft), D(4/5/18/10ft), E(1/2/8/10ft/H1), F1(3/6/8/10ft/Fence-F1), F2(4/8/12/10ft/Fence-F2)"}, {"claim": "F1 = 8-ft opaque fence; F2 = 8-ft masonry wall", "source": "Section 42 PDF §42.7", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'Fences – F1: An 8' opaque fence meeting the material requirements in Section 39.2b. Masonry Wall – F2: An 8' masonry wall meeting the material requirements in Section 39.2b.'"}, {"claim": "I-1/I-2 adjacent to SF requires F2 bufferyard (8-ft masonry)", "source": "Section 42 PDF Table One p. 42-9", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "I-1 and I-2 rows show F2 for SF1A through SF20B adjacency columns."}, {"claim": "MF-1/MF-2 adjacent to SF requires F1 (8-ft opaque fence)", "source": "Section 42 PDF Table One p. 42-9", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "MF1 and MF2 rows show F1 for SF1A through SF20B adjacency columns."}, {"claim": "Corridor Overlay applies within 100 ft of SH 114, FM 1709, FM 1938 ROW", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.5", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'Corridor Overlay Zone includes the entirety of all properties which adjoin or are located within 100 feet of the future SH 114 ROW, the FM 1709 ROW, and FM 1938 ROW.'"}, {"claim": "Village Center bounded by SH 114, FM 1709, Carroll Avenue; height limited to 710 ft NGVD29 or underlying zoning", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.5, §43.9.c.1.h", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'Village Center...bounded by SH 114, FM 1709 and Carroll Avenue' and 'further limited in height to the underlying zoning district or maximum elevation of 710 feet (National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929), whichever is lower.'"}, {"claim": "50-ft building setback from SH 114, FM 1709, FM 1938 ROW in Corridor Overlay", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.9.c.2.a", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'All lots within the Corridor Zone shall maintain a minimum building setback of 50 feet adjacent to SH 114, FM 1709 and FM 1938 rights-of-way and the east ROW of Carroll Avenue.'"}, {"claim": "Residential Adjacency Standards apply within 400 ft of SFR; 4:1 slope envelope with 40-ft / 20-ft-height allowance", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.10, §43.13.a.8", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'No non-single family residential building may encroach in the area above a line having a slope of 4:1 from any single-family residential property. However, a structure may be built up to within 40 feet of the residential property line, provided that the structure is no greater than one story or 20 feet in height.'"}, {"claim": "Horizontal and vertical facade articulation 3x wall-height max, 15% offset, 25% continuation", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.9.c.1.d, §43.13.a.4, §43.19.d.1.c", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'No building facade shall extend greater than three (3) times the wall's height without having a minimum off-set of 15% of the wall's height, and such off-set shall continue for a minimum distance equal to at least 25% of the maximum length of either adjacent plane.'"}, {"claim": "Airport Overlay cross-references separate Airport Compatible Land Use Zoning Ordinance No. 479", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.1-43.2", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'The impacted areas are shown on the Airport Overlay Zone Map attached to the Airport Compatible Land Use Zoning Ordinance No. 479 adopted by the City.'"}, {"claim": "Reflective glass limited to 50% of any facade; 'reflective' defined as reflectance >10%", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.9.c.1.g, §43.19.d.1.f", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'No more than 50% of any facade may be reflective glass. For the purposes of this ordinance, reflective glass shall be defined as glass having a reflectance of greater than 10%.'"}, {"claim": "Pitched-roof trigger at 6,000 sf footprint (≤6,000 requires pitched; >6,000 may use pitched/parapet/mansard)", "source": "Section 43 PDF §43.9.c.1.b, §43.13.a.2", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'all structures having a 6,000 square feet or less footprint shall be constructed with a pitched roof as defined in Section 43.12 of this ordinance. Those structures having a footprint greater than 6,000 square feet shall be constructed with either a pitched, parapet, or mansard roof system.'"}, {"claim": "Section 9 AG Agricultural min lot 435,600 sf (10 acres), 0.10 du/ac", "source": "Section 9 PDF §9.5.f, §9.5.i", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "'The minimum area of a lot shall be four hundred thirty-five thousand six hundred (435,600) square feet' and 'The maximum number of dwelling units per acre shall be 0.10.'"}, {"claim": "SF-1A max lot coverage is 20% (NOT 40% as prior v1/v2 record)", "source": "Section 11 PDF §11.5.e amended by 480-QQQ & 480-XXXX", "result": "MATCH-CORRECTION", "evidence": "'All buildings shall have a maximum lot coverage not exceeding twenty percent (20%) of the lot area. (As amended by 480-QQQ & 480-XXXX)' — prior record had 0.4 which is wrong."}, {"claim": "SF-1A min floor area 2,000 sf; min lot width 100 ft; min lot depth 125 ft", "source": "Section 11 PDF §11.5.g, §11.5.h", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "Direct quote from §11.5.g and §11.5.h."}, {"claim": "MF-1 is Two-Family (not Townhouse/Multi-Family-1), 20,000 sf min lot, 4.36 du/ac", "source": "Section 16 PDF §16.5.f, §16.5.i", "result": "MATCH-CORRECTION", "evidence": "Title of Section 16 is 'MF-1 TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT'; §16.5.f 20,000 sf min lot; §16.5.i 4.36 du/ac. Prior record mis-labeled as townhouse/MF-1 at 5,000 sf and 9 du/ac — both wrong."}, {"claim": "MF-2 min lot 43,560 sf (1 acre), NOT 5,000 sf; tiered height 35 ft/45 ft by 100-ft SFR proximity", "source": "Section 17 PDF §17.5.f, §17.5.a", "result": "MATCH-CORRECTION", "evidence": "§17.5.f 'The minimum area of a lot shall be forty-three thousand five hundred sixty (43,560) square feet'; §17.5.a 35 ft within 100 ft of SFR / 45 ft beyond. Prior record 5,000 sf min was wrong."}, {"claim": "O-1 Office District is Section 18, not Section 21 as prior record indicated", "source": "Section 18 PDF title", "result": "MATCH-CORRECTION", "evidence": "PDF title reads 'SECTION 18 O-1 OFFICE DISTRICT'; §18.5 contains development regulations. Prior record cited Section 21 which is actually C-2."}, {"claim": "C-2 max floor area per structure 40,000 sf; C-3 max single-tenant 60,000 sf", "source": "Section 21 PDF §21.5.f; Section 22 PDF §22.5.f", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "Direct quotes from §21.5.f and §22.5.f."}, {"claim": "B-2 Commercial Manufacturing is Section 25; height stepback 20 ft within 100 ft of residential, 35 ft beyond", "source": "Section 25 PDF §25.5.a", "result": "MATCH", "evidence": "§25.5.a 'No building or structure which lies within one hundred (100) feet of any area zoned in a residential classification shall exceed one (1) story nor twenty (20) feet in height.'"}, {"claim": "I-1 Light Industrial is Section 26 (not 27); 5-acre contiguous district min (NOT 30,000 sf/lot); no individual lot minimum", "source": "Section 26 PDF §26.5.f amended by 480-PP", "result": "MATCH-CORRECTION", "evidence": "§26.5.f 'The minimum land area within a contiguous district boundary shall be five (5) acres. There shall be no minimum lot size for lots platted within this district.' Prior record 30,000 sf was wrong. Section number 26, not 27."}], "overall": "22/22 atomic claims MATCH; 0 DEFERRED. 11 verbatim PDF retrievals from mcclibrary CDN (Sections 9, 11, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26, 42, 43) flipped all overlays and 7 of 10 district schedules from partial to confirmed, plus surfaced and corrected multiple prior-record errors (SF-1A coverage, MF-1 mis-label, MF-2 min-lot, I-1 min-lot, section number reassignments). Verification result = passed (100%)."} |
| narrative_ref | narratives/southlake-tx/8bc3dca2-1e6b-4263-8aff-2f6512afbf45.json#09_verification_pass |
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