Imagine you’re a Fort Worth landlord walking a rental between tenants. You hear about new state law changes and wonder: do they help you add units, ease parking, or shrink front yards, or just add red tape?
In 2025, two Texas laws, SB 15 and SB 840, together with the city’s existing ordinances, rules, and regulations, shape what you can build, where, and how.
Your path runs through the right zoning district, the official zoning map, and the City’s development standards and design standards, plus the practical steps at City Hall for permits, approval, and public hearings before the zoning commission and City Council.
This guide translates it for landlords, developers, and businesses planning projects in Fort Worth’s districts and neighborhoods.
Key Takeaways
- ADUs in Fort Worth: Habitable accessory buildings on residential lots in a residential district; follow side and rear yard setback (required yards), not a separate dwelling unit; no blanket 800-sf FAR/coverage exemption.
- Parking (SB 840): For mixed-use or multifamily in commercial zones, the city can’t require >1 space/unit, can’t mandate garages, and setbacks/buffers are ≤25 ft (exceptions apply).
- Parking (SB 15): For small-lot single-family homes in qualifying new subdivisions, the city can’t require more than one space/unit, covered parking, or setbacks exceeding 15'/10'/5'.
- Parking elsewhere: Fort Worth’s baseline table still governs (e.g., 1–4 spaces per dwelling in some residential districts, plus multifamily formulas).
- Lot size (SB 15): Minimum lot size is 3,000 sq ft (30'×75') for one family in specific new subdivisions on unplatted land ≥5 acres, not a blanket lot-split rule.
- Setbacks cap (SB 840): The 25-ft cap applies only to mixed-use/multifamily in commercial contexts, not all housing types or different types of projects.
- Evictions (SB 38): Signed June 20, 2025; effective January 1, 2026, streamlines evictions and removal of unauthorized occupants; not a zoning bill.
1) ADUs: Income Add-on—Within Rules
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a small home located behind or beside your main house. In Fort Worth, it is considered an accessory building, which must fit within the required yards, including side lines and rear yard setbacks, for your zoning district. Additionally, it cannot be used as a separate main dwelling unit.
There is no blanket rule allowing ADUs up to 800 sq ft to ignore floor-area or lot-coverage limits. Always refer to current ordinances and staff guidelines, and check the official zoning map for your property before implementing a design.
Parking usually follows your district standards and nearby one-family/single-family rules, unless your project falls under SB 840 (mixed-use/multifamily in commercial areas) or SB 15 (qualifying small-lot subdivisions), where parking can be capped at one space per unit.
Ensure that access (driveways/alleys) and infrastructure (water, sewer, electric) can support the construction. For landlords, an ADU can add rentable space and raise property value, sometimes with limited new parking spaces.
Watch for supplemental standards, possible overlay districts, landscaping/urban forestry (tree-preservation) rules, and any restrictions tied to safety, public health, and fit with surrounding neighborhoods.
2) Parking: Real Relief, but Targeted
Starting September 1, 2025, two state laws set automatic parking caps.
SB 840: if your project is mixed use (shops + homes, ≥65% residential) or multifamily (3+ units) on a site that already allows commercial uses, the city can’t require more than one parking space per dwelling unit, can’t force a garage, and can’t make you keep more than 25 feet of open space (setbacks/buffers).
SB 15: for new single-family neighborhoods on ample raw land (unplatted land of 5+ acres) becoming residential lots, the city can’t require more than one space per home, can’t require covered parking, and setbacks max out at 15' front / 10' rear / 5' sides.
Everywhere else, the standard rules still apply; check your zoning district, district standards, any overlay districts, and supplemental standards to see what’s required on your site.
3) Lot Size and Setbacks: Read the Fine Print
SB 840 (setbacks/buffers): For mixed-use or multifamily developments on commercial sites, the required space around buildings (setbacks/buffers) is capped at 25 feet, or less if the base development standards already allow less.
SB 15 (minimum lot size, yards, parking): In big cities, new neighborhoods on unplatted land 5+ acres must allow single-family lots as small as 3,000 sq ft (about 30' wide by 75' deep). It also limits the size of required yards and parking for small lots (≤4,000 sq ft), but this does not allow you to split lots in existing platted districts automatically.
Local exceptions still apply: Overlay districts, historic areas, and airport influence zones, plus certain agreements, can change design standards, sign regulations, or access management. Always check the latest ordinances, department bulletins, and adopted amendment updates before you plan.
4) Strategy for Landlords and Small Developers
1) First, audit the subject property, confirm the zoning district, reference the official zoning map, note overlay districts, and verify district standards, design standards, sign regulations, and supplemental standards;
2) Next, classify the project, ADU in a residential district follows accessory rules, required yards, and the parking table unless SB 840 or SB 15 applies; a small-lot subdivision on ≥5 acres of unplatted land uses SB 15 (minimum lot size plus setback/parking relief); multifamily or mixed use on a commercial site or a commercial-to-residential conversion may use SB 840 (housing by right in many districts, ≤1 space per unit, capped setbacks/buffers);
3) Then, coordinate at city hall with the Development Services department on permits, building permit submittals, and any public hearings before the zoning commission/city council (the approving authority);
4) After that, test feasibility; fewer required parking spaces can add amenities, landscaping, or bigger buildings, but verify access and infrastructure capacity for residents and businesses.
5) Also, mind timing, SB 15 and SB 840 took effect September 1, 2025, and earlier submittals may follow older regulations;
6) Finally, document and confirm, keep files that reference the right ordinances, staff guidance, and authority under state law, get staff approval before you build, and remember unpermitted construction is subject to enforcement.
What Fort Worth’s 2025 Rules Mean for You
SB 15 and SB 840 open real opportunities, but only where they apply. Classify your project (ADU, small-lot single family, or mixed use/multifamily), verify your zoning district on the official zoning map (including any overlays and district standards), and file under the current rules (effective September 1, 2025).
Done right, you can add units/income, cut required parking, and use your land smarter, while meeting public health and safety requirements.
Ready to act? Turn your idea into approved plans and cash flow. Contact Red Team Real Estate today for a fast zoning audit, clear permit path, and ROI-focused site plan, so you build the right thing, in the right place, at the right time.
FAQ
1) What does SB 38 change for landlords?
It modernizes Texas eviction procedures and provides faster paths to remove unauthorized occupants/squatters. Signed June 20, 2025; effective January 1, 2026. It does not change development or building permit processes.
2) Does zoning affect squatters or evictions?
No. Zoning controls use and form to protect public health and safety; evictions run under the Texas Property Code (and, starting 2026, SB 38’s amendments).
3) Can I split my current lot down to 3,000 square feet now?
Not necessarily. SB 15’s 3,000-sf minimum lot size applies to proposed projects in new subdivisions on unplatted land of at least 5 acres. Existing platted neighborhoods still follow current ordinances unless the city adopts an amendment.
4) Is parking now always one space per unit?
Only for the situations covered by SB 840 (mixed-use or multifamily in commercial zones) and SB 15 (qualifying small-lot residential subdivisions). Otherwise, the City’s standard parking regulations still apply.
Additional Resources
What Can a Landlord Look for During a Rental Inspection? Key Items to Check in Dallas
Rent Increases in Dallas: What's Legal, What's Fair, and How to Respond
