The City of Dallas will be holding public meetings on proposed zoning reforms.

Please see the meeting schedule at the bottom of the post.

Background

Many residents may remember that Dallas City Council passed an updated land-use plan back in September 2024 called ForwardDallas 2.0. The plan creates and defines “placetypes,” which dictate the ways that different types of land should be used, and acts as a guiding document for updating Dallas zoning laws. According to the City of Dallas website, “A placetype represents a holistic, larger scale vision for a community or place that incorporates a desired mix of land uses, design, and density.” In all, there are 12 placetypes defining different types of residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and other uses.

There was a lot of debate around the merits of ForwardDallas 2.0 prior to its passage. Kelly Dearmore wrote in the Dallas Observer “Contention over the plan pitted those favoring higher-density housing — meaning apartments — against homeowners in single-family residential areas who fear its effect on their neighborhoods and property values.”

Because the City Council passed ForwardDallas 2.0, the city must now update the zoning laws to conform to the ForwardDallas 2.0 land-use guidance.

Therefore, the City of Dallas Department of Planning & Development will hold public meetings to discuss the proposed zoning reforms.

Zoning Reform Info

Zoning Reform Website

https://www.dallaszoningreform.com/

Public Meeting Schedule

Thursday, June 12:
West Dallas Multipurpose Center (West) *
2828 Fish Trap Road, 75212
6 – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, June 13:
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library (Downtown Dallas)
1515 Young Street, 75201
12 – 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 24:
Cedar Crest Golf Course (South) *
1800 Southerland Ave, 75203
6 – 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 25:
Dallas College Eastfield Campus (East) *
3737 Motley Dr, Mesquite, TX 75150
6 – 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 26:
Churchill Recreation Center (North)
6906 Churchill Rec Way, 75230
6 – 7:30 p.m.

Meeting Agenda & Expectations

What will be covered at the meetings?
The Dallas Development Code Diagnostic Report will be presented which includes a look at our current development regulations and introduces new concepts to modernize it. You can review the Development Code Diagnostic Report here. 

What to expect at the meetings?
The same presentation will be presented at each meeting. There will be a 35-minute presentation followed by Q&A.

Meetings are family-friendly. Activity pages will be available for children. Meetings with * denote simultaneous interpretation will be available. Interpretation will be available at all meetings.

Why is this Important?
The Dallas Zoning Reform effort is an initiative to modernize the Dallas Development Code. The code was last updated in 1965.  Since then, the code has undergone numerous small changes and updates. The result of these changes has left the code in a state that is hard to navigate, unpredictable in its outcomes, and unruly to administer and enforce.

Zoning controls how our city develops by regulating land use, building placement and bulk/size, parking requirements, landscaping standards, sign regulations, and numerous other aspects of the built environment. These rules collectively determine our city can grow and evolve, directly shaping the physical character of our community and impacting everything from housing availability and transportation patterns to economic development and environmental sustainability.