Zoning Report
San Antonio, TX Zoning
San Antonio regulates land use through a citywide Unified Development Code (UDC) administered by the Development Services Department. Based on the sources provided, the city uses a combination of base zoning districts, overlay districts, platting and permit review, and quasi-judicial relief through the Board of Adjustment. The source set confirms that zoning, land development, and permitting are centralized through the City’s Development Services system, but the research package only contains partial district and use detail rather than the full UDC use and dimensional tables.
Last researched May 2026
Zoning Districts in San Antonio, TX
R-3 Single-Family Residential
A small-lot residential district intended for specialized housing markets such as affordable housing, starter homes, and empty nester homes in areas with public facilities and services.
Allowed uses: single-family attached dwellings, single-family detached dwellings, townhouses, zero-lot line houses (cottages and garden homes)
R-2 Single-Family Residential
A small-lot residential single-family district in the same family as R-3 and R-1, intended to expand housing options for smaller-format residential development.
Allowed uses: single-family attached dwellings, single-family detached dwellings, townhouses, zero-lot line houses (cottages and garden homes)
R-1 Single-Family Residential
A small-lot residential single-family district intended to provide additional housing choices in serviced areas, similar in concept to R-2 and R-3.
Allowed uses: single-family attached dwellings, single-family detached dwellings, townhouses, zero-lot line houses (cottages and garden homes)
RM-4 / RM-5 / RM-6 Multifamily Districts
Residential multifamily districts referenced in the supplied ordinance excerpt as districts where a limited number of smaller R-3, R-2, and R-1 sized lots may be developed by right within a larger development.
Allowed uses: multifamily-style development context implied, limited number of R-3, R-2, and R-1 sized lots by right within qualifying developments
NC Neighborhood Commercial
Neighborhood-scale commercial district referenced in the mixed-use provisions of the supplied residential ordinance excerpt.
Allowed uses: NC land use within mixed-use development
C-1 Light Commercial
A light commercial district referenced in the mixed-use provisions of the supplied residential ordinance excerpt.
Allowed uses: C-1 land use within mixed-use development
Recent Zoning Changes
The current online UDC was updated March 24, 2026 and codified through Ordinance 2025--09-04-0580, effective September 4, 2025. The Municode site also lists at least one adopted but not yet codified ordinance from April 16, 2026 concerning detention facilities. The provided materials also include an older 2018 proposed ordinance for R-3, R-2, and R-1 districts, but that document should be treated cautiously because it is labeled proposed/updated rather than clearly shown as currently codified law.
Setbacks, Lot Size & Height Limits in San Antonio, TX
The supplied dimensional information is strongest for the R-3 district and much thinner for R-2 and R-1 because the excerpt cross-references the Building and Lot Dimensions Table without reproducing full numbers. As a result, only the values expressly stated in the source are listed here.
| District | Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| R-3 | minimum lot | three thousand (3,000) square feet — Mixed lot sizes may be permitted under stated criteria. |
| R-3 | minimum street frontage | twenty (20) feet |
| R-3 | minimum lot width | twenty (20) feet |
| R-3 | maximum building height | thirty-five (35) feet/three (3) stories |
| R-3 | minimum lot depth | seventy-five (75) feet |
| R-3 | minimum front setback | ten (10) feet |
| R-3 | maximum front setback | thirty-five (35) feet |
| R-3 | minimum side setback | five (5) feet — Source text appears garbled as 'five (5) feet.none.' and should be verified in current code. |
| R-3 | minimum rear setback | ten (10) feet — Garages and accessory dwellings-none, per supplied excerpt. |
| R-3 | maximum building cover | seventy (70) percent of the lot area — Stated as maximum building size per individual unit. |
| R-3 | required open space on lot | five hundred (500) contiguous square feet — Must be within the boundaries of the rear yard behind the rear of the building. |
| R-3 | front porch requirement | At least fifty (50) percent of the units shall have covered front porches of not less than fifteen (15) square feet — Porches may protrude beyond the front building line. |
| R-3 / R-2 / R-1 subdivisions | maximum subdivision size | thirty (30) acres — Includes lots, street right-of-way, easements and open space. |
| R-3 / R-2 / R-1 subdivisions | park/open space requirement | one (1) one half (1/2) acre for each seventy (70) units — All units must be within one (1) mile of the park/open space dedicated for those units; fee in lieu is not permitted in these subdivisions. |
| Mixed-use development tied to R-3 / R-2 / R-1 subdivision framework | commercial allocation | one-half (½) acre for each one hundred (100) units — May be dedicated to a 'NC' or 'C-1' land use. |
ADU, Rental & Special Use Rules in San Antonio, TX
Short-Term Rental (STR)
San Antonio has a dedicated STR permit process administered through Development Services. The city provides an STR permit page, an STR permit application, and an STR application/permits/enforcement FAQ in its documents portal.
- Apply for, renew, or cancel an STR permit through the city
- Use the city STR permit application form
- Review the city STR application, permits, and enforcement FAQ
- Do not assume STR operation is allowed without city permitting
Overlay Districts in San Antonio, TX
River Improvement Overlay Districts (RIO)
Historic river overlay districts intended to protect, preserve, and enhance the San Antonio River and its improvements.
Viewshed Districts
Overlay districts reviewed by the Office of Historic Preservation to protect important public views and visual context.
Historic preservation-related review areas
The OHP project review resources indicate that historic and design review overlays or districts may affect development in designated areas.
Airport Hazard Overlay District (AHOD)
Referenced in city open data as a zoning overlay tied to airport hazard areas.
Military Airport Overlay Zone (MAOZ)
Referenced in city open data as an overlay district affecting areas around military airports.
Military Lighting Overlay District (MLOD)
Referenced in related city open data content as a zoning overlay district.
San Antonio, TX Zoning FAQ
Are short-term rentals allowed in San Antonio, TX?
San Antonio has a dedicated STR permit process administered through Development Services. The city provides an STR permit page, an STR permit application, and an STR application/permits/enforcement FAQ in its documents portal.
What are the setback requirements in San Antonio, TX?
Setbacks vary by district. Examples — R-3: ten (10) feet; R-3: thirty-five (35) feet; R-3: five (5) feet; R-3: ten (10) feet. Always confirm the exact yard requirements for your district with San Antonio, TX.
What is the minimum lot size in San Antonio, TX?
Minimum lot size depends on the zoning district — R-3: three thousand (3,000) square feet; R-3: twenty (20) feet; R-3: seventy-five (75) feet.
How tall can buildings be in San Antonio, TX?
Height limits are set per district — R-3: thirty-five (35) feet/three (3) stories.
What zoning districts are in San Antonio, TX?
San Antonio, TX includes districts such as R-3 Single-Family Residential, R-2 Single-Family Residential, R-1 Single-Family Residential, RM-4 / RM-5 / RM-6 Multifamily Districts, NC Neighborhood Commercial, C-1 Light Commercial.
Have there been recent zoning changes in San Antonio, TX?
The current online UDC was updated March 24, 2026 and codified through Ordinance 2025--09-04-0580, effective September 4, 2025. The Municode site also lists at least one adopted but not yet codified ordinance from April 16, 2026 concerning detention facilities.
Common questions about San Antonio, TX zoning
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Deal-fit, approval path & risk flags for San Antonio, TX
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- Residential Permits - City of San Antonio — Confirmed Development Services role in issuing residential permits and the general permitting pathway.
- Sec. 35-310.05.a - “R-3”, “R-2”, and “R-1” Residential Single-Family. — Provided the main district purpose, allowed housing types, and detailed dimensional standards for R-3 plus partial information for R-2 and R-1.
- Zoning - City of San Antonio — Confirmed that property must be properly platted and zoned and that zoning verification is handled through official city resources.
- STR Permits - City of San Antonio — Confirmed the existence of a dedicated short-term rental permitting program.
- Board of Adjustment (BOA) - City of San Antonio — Confirmed BOA hearing role for variances and appeals.
- River & Viewshed Overlays - City of San Antonio — Confirmed RIO and viewshed overlay review by the Office of Historic Preservation.
- https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDDocsOnline/default.aspx?document=Form%2C%20Applications — Provided current application listings for STR permits, zoning and plan amendments, and other development service filings.
- Agenda_20260528190940446 — Provided recent Planning Commission activity and examples of subdivision, replat, and time-extension cases.
- Application Template_Pages 1 and 2 — Provided city-specific rules for nonconforming uses, termination, rebuilding, and registration requirements.
- River Improvement Overlay Districts (RIO) | City of San Antonio Open Data — Confirmed existence, mapping, and update history of the RIO overlay districts and referenced related overlay datasets.
- BOA Brochure — Provided BOA variance criteria, meeting cadence, and the six-month expiration note for approved requests if permit activity is not started.
- Unified Development Code | San Antonio, TX | Municode Library — Confirmed the current UDC supplement date, codification status, and an adopted but not yet codified 2026 ordinance.
This summary is AI-generated from public municipal sources and is not legal, engineering, or land-use advice. Always verify zoning with San Antonio, TX officials before making decisions.