Zoning › Texas › McLennan County › Waco

Waco, TX Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 21 districts · 7 overlays · 3 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
alpha-tier

Waco uses an alpha-numeric tier system: R-E largest SF lots, then R-1A/R-1B/R-1C at decreasing lot sizes, R-2 two-family, R-3A through R-3E multifamily at increasing density tiers (7.26 → 13 → 25 → 32 → 40 du/ac). C-1 through C-5 commercial tiers, M-1 through M-3 industrial. Separate special districts (Brazos River Corridor, College/University Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Conservation, Airport Overlay, West End, Downtown) act as overlays on top of base districts per §28-797, §28-880.5, and similar. NOT inverse — higher R-3 letter = higher density.

Worth knowing
  • R-3E Multiple-Family district has NO HEIGHT LIMIT per §28-500 ('there shall be no height limit in the R-3E district'). Combined with 40 du/ac density floor (1,089 sf/unit per §28-499), R-3E is the most permissive residential envelope. Matches the Bakersfield R-6 / C-C pattern of no-max residential districts.
  • C-4 Central Commercial has NO MINIMUM LOT AREA, NO MINIMUM LOT WIDTH, and NO HEIGHT LIMIT per §§28-674 and 28-675. C-4 is the downtown-core base district, typically paired with the Downtown overlay (Division 28) for form/design standards. This creates an unlimited-height permissive envelope with overlay-driven form controls — the Waco analog to Austin's CBD or Bakersfield's C-C.
  • Baylor University dominance — 17,000 students, largest employer. Explicitly recognized via the College and University Neighborhoods overlay (Division 24), which adds institutional compatibility standards to base residential districts adjacent to campus. Division 24 section text was rate-limited this pass — parameter specifics pending browser retrieval.

+ 9 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

res_sf 5res_mf 5com 4off 3ind 3cbd 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
R-ESingle-Family Residence (Estate)res_sf40,000 sf[4]35 ft[5]——1.09[6]—35[1] / 25[2] / 50[3]
R-1ASingle-Family Residenceres_sf12,000 sf[10]35 ft[11]——3.63[12]—30[7] / 10[8] / 30[9]
R-1BSingle-Family Residenceres_sf6,000 sf[16]35 ft[17]——7.26[18]—25[13] / 5[14] / 25[15]
R-1CSingle-Family Residenceres_sf7,000 sf[22]35 ft[23]——6.22[24]—25[19] / 6[20] / 25[21]
R-2Two-Family and Attached Single-Family Residenceres_sf6,000 sf[28]35 ft[29]——14.52[30]—25[25] / 5[26] / 25[27]
R-3AMultiple-Family Residence (Low Density)res_mf6,000 sf[34]35 ft[35]——7.26[36]—25[31] / 5[32] / 25[33]
R-3BMultiple-Family Residence (Medium-Low Density)res_mf3,360 sf[37]35 ft[38]——13[39]—— / — / —
R-3CMultiple-Family Residence (Medium Density)res_mf1,740 sf[40]35 ft[41]——25[42]—— / — / —
R-3DMultiple-Family Residence (Medium-High Density)res_mf1,360 sf[43]35 ft[44]——32[45]—— / — / —
R-3EMultiple-Family Residence (High Density)res_mf1,089 sf[46]-1 ft[47]——40[48]—— / — / —
O-1Officeoff——————— / — / —
O-2Office-Residenceoff——————— / — / —
O-3Office-Limited Commercialoff——————— / — / —
C-1Community Commercial—No Alcoholcom10,000 sf[52]35 ft[53]——25[54]—20[49] / 0[50] / 0[51]
C-2Community Commercialcom——————— / — / —
C-3General Commercialcom——————— / — / —
C-4Central Commercialcbd—[55]-1 ft[56]————— / — / —
C-5Service Commercialcom——————— / — / —
M-1Office and Restricted Industrialind——————— / — / —
M-2Light Industrialind——————— / — / —
M-3General Industrialind——————— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

BRC
Brazos River Corridor
ENV-COR
Chapter 28, Article IV, Division 23 (§§28-796 through 28-816) · c§28-796 through c§28-816
CUN
College and University Neighborhoods
INS
Chapter 28, Article IV, Division 24 · p§28-Div24
NCD
Neighborhood Conservation
HP-NC
Chapter 28, Article IV, Division 25 · p§28-Div25
AO
Airport Overlay
AICUZ-APT
Chapter 28, Article IV, Division 26 (§§28-862 through 28-875) · c§28-862 through c§28-875
WE
West End
DT-COR
Chapter 28, Article IV, Division 27 · p§28-Div27
DT
Downtown District
DT
Chapter 28, Article IV, Division 28 (§§28-880.2 through 28-880.17) · c§28-880.2 through c§28-880.17
FP-FEMA
Floodplain (FEMA adoption)
FP
Chapter 15 (Flood Damage Prevention) — separate from Chapter 28 Zoning; applied per FEMA FIRM panels · p§Ch.15

State preemptions

TX-SB840applies
Qualifying condition
TX SB 840 applies to cities with population ≥150,000 located in counties with population ≥300,000. Waco city population is 145,000 per 2020 Census / ACS estimates and McLennan County population is approximately 260,000 (2020 Census: 260,579). Numeric check: city pop 145,000 < 150,000 threshold AND county pop 260,000 < 300,000 threshold. BOTH thresholds fail — Waco does NOT meet the SB 840 qualifying population criteria based on core Census inputs. HOWEVER: the Texas state-preemptions roster explicitly lists Waco (McLennan County) as a qualifying city, likely because SB 840 uses most-recent vintage estimates (2023-2024 ACS 5-year or Census PEP 2024) which may push Waco's city population above 150k (Waco has been growing ~1.5%/yr; 2024 estimates typically cited as 147-148k, still below 150k). McLennan County 2024 PEP estimates fall in the 265-275k range, still below 300k. Status: under_review pending primary-data re-pull from Census PEP vintage 2024 for both city and county. If 2024 PEP shows either threshold crossed, SB 840 applies; if not, Waco is exempt.
Retrieval issue
Census PEP vintage 2024 not re-pulled this pass; state-file notes 'Verify county population for border cases' — Waco/McLennan is a BORDER CASE on both axes. Under_review until 2024 PEP both-threshold verification. Primary-data atom for verification pass: fetch api.census.gov PEP V2024 for FIPS 48-48276 (Waco city) and FIPS 48-309 (McLennan County).
TX-SB15applies
Qualifying condition
TX SB 15 applies statewide to lots ≤4,000 sf. Waco has several district categories that permit 4,000-sf lots and smaller: R-1C zero-lot-line attached/detached single-family at 4,000 sf/unit (§28-349); R-2 zero-lot-line at 4,000 sf and small-lot SF at 3,000 sf (§28-374); R-3A zero-lot-line at 4,000 sf (§28-399); R-3B multifamily at 3,360 sf/unit (§28-424); R-3C at 1,740 sf/unit (§28-449); R-3D at 1,360 sf/unit (§28-474); R-3E at 1,089 sf/unit (§28-499). All of these have lots sized ≤4,000 sf that qualify for SB 15 treatment.
TX-HB2127-preemptionapplies
Qualifying condition
Texas HB 2127 (effective 2023-09-01) broadly preempts municipal ordinances that go beyond state law in labor, agriculture, natural resources, and other fields. For zoning specifically, HB 2127 does NOT preempt zoning ordinances (local authority over zoning is expressly preserved under Local Government Code Chapter 211 and 212). A Travis County district court ruled HB 2127 unconstitutional (August 2023); appeal proceedings ongoing. Waco's Chapter 28 zoning is not directly affected by HB 2127; downstream effects on building-code supplements, tree-preservation ordinances, or environmental controls outside Chapter 28 may be preempted.
Retrieval issue
HB 2127 appellate status not fetched this pass.
Non-applicable laws (2)
TX-ADU-no-preemptionnot_applicable
Qualifying condition
Texas has no ADU preemption statute comparable to CA AB 68/SB 9. ADU permission is governed entirely by local ordinance. Waco's Chapter 28 does not have a standalone ADU by-right provision; accessory dwellings are regulated as accessory structures subject to base district standards, special permit processes, and R-1B small-lot and R-1C zero-lot-line provisions for lot-line adjacencies.
TX-HB3699-short-term-rentalnot_applicable
Qualifying condition
HB 3699 (89th Legislature) was considered in Texas but did not pass as broad statewide STR preemption. Waco may regulate STRs locally under Chapter 28 use lists and special-permit provisions. No statewide STR zoning preemption applicable to Waco at this time.

Adopted building codes

Home rule; major cities on 2024 IBC

IBC
2012 (state min)
IRC
2021
NEC
2023
IFC
Local adoption
IECC (Residential)
2015
IECC (Commercial)
2015

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Quirks & notes

  • R-3E Multiple-Family district has NO HEIGHT LIMIT per §28-500 ('there shall be no height limit in the R-3E district'). Combined with 40 du/ac density floor (1,089 sf/unit per §28-499), R-3E is the most permissive residential envelope. Matches the Bakersfield R-6 / C-C pattern of no-max residential districts.
  • C-4 Central Commercial has NO MINIMUM LOT AREA, NO MINIMUM LOT WIDTH, and NO HEIGHT LIMIT per §§28-674 and 28-675. C-4 is the downtown-core base district, typically paired with the Downtown overlay (Division 28) for form/design standards. This creates an unlimited-height permissive envelope with overlay-driven form controls — the Waco analog to Austin's CBD or Bakersfield's C-C.
  • Baylor University dominance — 17,000 students, largest employer. Explicitly recognized via the College and University Neighborhoods overlay (Division 24), which adds institutional compatibility standards to base residential districts adjacent to campus. Division 24 section text was rate-limited this pass — parameter specifics pending browser retrieval.
  • Brazos River Corridor (BRC) overlay was Waco's first overlay district, created 1986 (§§28-796 through 28-816 — 21 subsections). It adds site development, tree/landscape, outdoor lighting (downward-facing to protect migratory wildlife and pedestrian safety), drainage, lot coverage, and boating-safety standards on top of base districts within the corridor. Extends along the Brazos River to where 19th Street crosses the Bosque River; touches all council districts except District 3.
  • Downtown District overlay (Division 28, §§28-880.2 through 28-880.17) is a mixed-use form-district on top of C-4 base. Includes Magnolia/Silos area along the Brazos revitalization corridor. Building design, infill standards, parking relief, and public-space requirements are layered on C-4's no-minimum/no-max base envelope.
  • Dual-river floodplain complexity — Waco sits at the confluence of the Brazos River and the Bosque River with substantial FEMA SFHA coverage. Flood regulation is in Chapter 15 (Flood Damage Prevention), NOT in Chapter 28 zoning. This is a Chapter 28 overlay absence to be aware of: 'floodplain overlay' is not a Chapter 28 overlay district — the flood regulatory home is in Chapter 15.
  • TX SB 840 Waco border case — Waco city pop (2020: 138,486; 2023 ACS est: ~145k) and McLennan County pop (2020: 260,579) are BOTH within 10% of the SB 840 qualifying thresholds (150k city AND 300k county). Census PEP 2024 re-pull required to settle applicability. State preemption roster lists Waco as qualifying but primary-data arithmetic is ambiguous this pass.
  • Airport Overlay (§§28-862 through 28-875) protects Waco Regional Airport (ACT) environs via 14-section regulatory regime including noise zones, compatible land uses table, and adopted overlay zone map. Airport is municipal, not military — AICUZ framework inapplicable, FAA Part 77 airspace protection via local implementation.
  • Waco has SIX Chapter 28 Article IV overlay/special districts: Brazos River Corridor (Div. 23), College and University Neighborhoods (Div. 24), Neighborhood Conservation (Div. 25), Airport Overlay (Div. 26), West End (Div. 27), Downtown (Div. 28). These are in-code overlays. Flood regulation is separately in Chapter 15.
  • C-1 Community Commercial — NO ALCOHOL is the only Texas district-split of this kind observed: the city separates commercial zoning between C-1 (alcohol prohibited per §28-599) and C-2 (alcohol permitted). Dry-zone-by-zoning is a Waco quirk rooted in Baptist-heritage policy context (city is headquarters of Baylor University and historic dry-leaning).
  • C-1 rear setback scales with height when abutting R-1A/R-1B/R-1C (§28-603: 'one foot for each two feet, or fraction thereof, by which the principle structure exceeds 25 feet' in addition to the baseline 25 ft). This is an explicit height-stepped setback rule — unusual in Texas Euclidean codes.
  • elaws.us mirror is rate-limited (5-minute IP cooldown after ~15 rapid fetches). Municode library.municode.com is a JS SPA that returns shell-only HTML to scripted WebFetch. Structured dimensional data for commercial/industrial districts and full overlay parameter tables require either rate-limit reset, browser-assisted retrieval, or municipal staff contact.

Formulas

Definitions

height
Measured per §28-903 exceptions; residential districts capped at 2½ stories or 35 ft, whichever more restrictive
lot_coverage
Building footprint / lot area
setback
Distance from property line to structure; most districts have adjacency-dependent rear setbacks when abutting R-1/R-2
density
Expressed as SF per dwelling unit in multifamily districts; range 6,000 sf/unit (R-3A, 7.26 du/ac) to 1,089 sf/unit (R-3E, 40 du/ac)
lot_area_per_unit
Lot area divided by number of units (residential)

Capacity calculations

r3a_du_ac
6,000 sf/unit = 7.26 units/acre
r3b_du_ac
3,360 sf/unit = 13 units/acre
r3c_du_ac
1,740 sf/unit = 25 units/acre
r3d_du_ac
1,360 sf/unit = 32 units/acre
r3e_du_ac
1,089 sf/unit = 40 units/acre
adjacency_rear_setback_rule
C-1, C-2, and O districts require 15 ft rear/side when abutting R-3 or O, 25 ft when abutting R-1/R-2 (§28-603)
height_adjacency_rule_c1
Additional setback 1 ft per 2 ft of structure height above 25 ft adjacent to R-1A/R-1B/R-1C (§28-603)
max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage (lot_coverage not set in most district provisions — bulk controlled via density + setbacks + height rather than FAR)

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.

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Setbacks (F / S / R)
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Parking
— /unit
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Max density
— du/ac
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Min lot size
— sf
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District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Primary source
Chapter 28 — Zoning, Waco Code of Ordinances
Base Ord. No. 1986-49 codified 1986-09-16; amended periodically through 2024 supplement · retrieved 2026-04-19
Citations
  1. [1] §28-276
  2. [2] §28-276
  3. [3] §28-276
  4. [4] §28-274
  5. [5] §28-275
  6. [6] i
  7. [7] §28-301
  8. [8] §28-301
  9. [9] §28-301
  10. [10] §28-299
  11. [11] §28-300
  12. [12] i
  13. [13] §28-326
  14. [14] §28-326
  15. [15] §28-326
  16. [16] §28-324
  17. [17] §28-325
  18. [18] i
  19. [19] §28-351
  20. [20] §28-351
  21. [21] §28-351
  22. [22] §28-349
  23. [23] §28-350
  24. [24] i
  25. [25] §28-376
  26. [26] §28-376
  27. [27] §28-376
  28. [28] §28-374
  29. [29] §28-375
  30. [30] i
  31. [31] §28-401
  32. [32] §28-401
  33. [33] §28-401
  34. [34] §28-399
  35. [35] §28-400
  36. [36] §28-399
  37. [37] §28-424
  38. [38] §28-425
  39. [39] §28-424
  40. [40] §28-449
  41. [41] §28-450
  42. [42] §28-449
  43. [43] §28-474
  44. [44] §28-475
  45. [45] §28-474
  46. [46] §28-499
  47. [47] §28-500
  48. [48] §28-499
  49. [49] §28-603
  50. [50] §28-603
  51. [51] §28-603
  52. [52] §28-601
  53. [53] §28-602
  54. [54] i
  55. [55] §28-674
  56. [56] §28-675

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassed
no aggregator citedpassed
confidence tags full formpassed
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassed
preempt section city specificpassed

Data quality

62%completeness40 confirmed18 partial8 inferred
Documented gaps
  • R-3B/R-3C/R-3D height and yard sections (§§28-425/426, 28-450/451, 28-475/476) were rate-limited — density confirmed but height and setbacks partial.
  • C-2 (Community Commercial), C-3 (General Commercial), C-5 (Service Commercial) full dimensional text not retrieved.
  • Office district trio O-1/O-2/O-3 dimensional text not retrieved.
  • Industrial trio M-1/M-2/M-3 dimensional text not retrieved.
  • C-4 yard setback section (§28-676) rate-limited (C-4 expected to have minimal setbacks matching its no-height / no-minimum-lot pattern, but value is unverified).
  • College and University Neighborhoods overlay (Division 24) parameter specifics not retrieved — Baylor-specific compatibility standards pending.
  • Neighborhood Conservation (Division 25) parameter specifics not retrieved.
  • West End (Division 27) parameter specifics not retrieved.
  • Downtown District section text (§§28-880.2 purpose, 28-880.6 uses, 28-880.7 building design, 28-880.9 parking) rate-limited — TOC structure confirmed, parameter specifics pending.
  • Airport Overlay §§28-862 through 28-875 — purpose statement, noise zone thresholds, compatible land uses table, and overlay map specifics rate-limited.
  • Brazos River Corridor parameter specifics for §§28-812 materials, §28-813 landscape, §28-814 environmental guidelines subsections rate-limited.
  • Chapter 15 Flood Damage Prevention cross-reference — floodplain-overlay parameters live in Chapter 15, not Chapter 28 — not retrieved this pass.
  • TX SB 840 qualifying condition requires Census PEP 2024 re-pull for Waco city (FIPS 4848276) and McLennan County (FIPS 48-309) — border-case determination pending.
  • FAR and lot coverage percentages not stated in retrieved sections (consistent with Waco controlling bulk via density + setbacks + height rather than FAR).
  • Parking ratios by land use not retrieved — Chapter 28 likely has a separate parking section (estimated §28-700-ish range) not fetched.

Known issues

data:gaps-present

Verification

last_verified_at2026-04-19T00:00:00Z
verifier_specialistverification-pass
verifier_version1.0
verification_resultpassed
atomic_claims_checked52
atomic_claims_passed51
atomic_claims_failed1
failed_claimsreason: Waco (city) 2020 pop 138,486 and McLennan (county) 2020 pop 260,579 are both BELOW the SB 840 thresholds (150k city AND 300k county). State roster lists Waco as qualifying (likely using 2023-2024 estimates). Primary-data arithmetic is ambiguous without 2024 PEP re-pull. Marked applies=true with under_review because roster vs. primary-data split is a FM-9 risk.
narrative_refnarratives/waco-tx/waco-2026-04-19-v2.json

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