Urban Design Districts and Overlays

Any new development or alteration to the exterior of a building in an urban design district requires a Certificate of Appropriateness. Such alterations include, but are not limited to:

• Construction of a new structure
• Expansion of an existing structure
• Construction of a surface parking lot
• The installation and alteration of permanent signs, banners, window signs, and temporary signs
• Installation or alteration of awnings or canopies
• Installation or alteration of sidewalk areas, including the installation of trees, planters, and other items affecting the walkway area
• Lighting fixtures 

Certificate of Appropriateness applications must be submitted online via Accela Citizen Access. 

A completed COA application must be submitted with every request. Staff will consider your request incomplete without it.

• Floor plans

• Elevations of all building facades with public exposure (color drawings preferred, if feasible)

• Roof plan, with mechanical equipment and any applicable screening elements
• Legible notations regarding exterior dimensions, colors, and materials, on elevations.
• Location and type of outdoor light fixtures
• Color drawings of proposed sign(s)
• All measurements and dimensions included including floor height, building height, material percentages, and transparency/fenestration percentages

• Lot lines
• Building footprint (with dimensioned setbacks)
• Streets and legible street names
• Plan of existing and proposed structures, with structures adjacent to the property also shown
• Location of all easements such as utility and public access easements
• Location of parking areas, driveways, sidewalks, walkways, loading areas, walls or fences, utilities,lighting, signage, at grade mechanical units, dumpsters, and all other site improvements.

• Location and dimension of areas to be landscaped (including private property, adjoining right-of-way, and parking lot islands)
• Location, number, species, color, and size of all trees, shrubs, and groundcover; tree planting specifications; and location and coverage of irrigation system
• Locations and description of light posts and street furniture
• Locations of sidewalk and buffer strip

* For less complex projects, the Site Plan and Landscape Plan may be integrated into one drawing, provided all elements are clearly legible

• Parking count per unit (residential)
• Parking count per square footage of use (if non- residential)
• ADA parking

* Location of parking areas and driveways should be included on the site plan; stalls and maneuvering space should include dimensions

• Recorded Plat

Color drawings of proposed sign(s) showing the following:

• Type (cabinet, illuminated, etc.)
• Materials
• Method of illumination, if any
• Method of attachment
• Placement on facade
• Support structures, if any

• All Dimensions

Step 1: Case placed on Meeting Agenda

To have your case placed on the upcoming month's agenda, you must submit an application online via Accela Citizen Access by 5pm on the application deadline. Your application must be verified as complete in order to be considered for the upcoming month's agenda. If the application is incomplete it will be pushed to next month. Once staff has determined that your application is complete, your case will be placed on the next available UDC agenda if necessary. Staff will schedule a meeting with you to review the design and suggest any necessary modifications. Prior to the meeting staff will send the following:

Step 2: Notification

Courtesy notices are sent to applicants and neighborhood association contacts within 1/2 mile of the case property. Courtesy notices contain the following information:

• Courtesy Notice #1: Sent 10 days before the hearing, or when the caseload is placed on the Upcoming Cases Map. 
• Courtesy Notice #2: Sent 3 days before the hearing, or when the meeting agenda, staff reports, and docket are available on the Upcoming Cases Map.  

Step 3: The Meeting Agenda is posted to the City Calendar

Meeting agendas are available on the Urban Design Commission calendar page and the Upcoming Cases Map.

Step 4: Staff reports and docket posted to the Upcoming Cases Map

The staff reports for each case and the docket are posted to the Upcoming Cases Map three days before the meeting. 

Step 5: Commission Hearing

Urban Design Commission hearings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 10pm in Room 2020. 

To speak you may show up in person or participate remotely via Webex. The Webex registration link can be found on the Upcoming Cases Map, the meeting agenda, and the City Calendar. Attending the meeting via Webex is the only way to watch live. 

The meeting recording can be viewed on Fort Worth TV after the meeting. 

Step 6. Post Commission

Staff will send a decision letter stating the request and UDC decision to the applicants following the meeting. The meeting minutes will be posted sometime in the week following the meeting in the Past Decisions/ Annotated Agendas section. 

Near Southside is a vibrant, urban neighborhood located directly south of Downtown. Near Southside includes a diverse mix of medical institutions, small businesses (retail and restaurants), creative enterprises, and urban housing. The City partners with Near Southside Inc, a neighborhood redevelopment organization, to administer the Near Southside Development Standards and Guidelines. Zoning within the Near Southside begins with the prefix “NS-“.

• Near Southside Standards and Guidelines

Near Southside, Inc.

Near Southside, Inc. is the neighborhood redevelopment organization that is committed to making the Near Southside a vibrant, urban, mixed-use neighborhood. Applicants are encouraged to contact Near Southside Inc early in the development process and seek feedback/preliminary project review from the Near Southside Design Review Committee. 

The Berry/ University Form-Based Code District fosters mixed- use, walkable development adjacent to Texas Christian University. This district aims to encourage the growth and vitality of TCU, provide a transition in form and scale with the adjacent neighborhood, and promote transit-oriented development. 

District Design Guidelines

All properties within the Berry/University District are held to the Berry/ University Form-Based Code. 

District Guidelines

Camp Bowie Boulevard is a vibrant and thriving commercial corridor west of downtown Fort Worth. Over the last 100 years, the district has emerged as a linear hub for small retail businesses, local dining, and cultural experiences. The City partners with Camp Bowie District, Inc., a neighborhood redevelopment organization, to administer the Camp Bowie Boulevard Revitalization Code. Zoning along Camp Bowie that is subject to the form-based code beings with the prefix “CB-”. 

Camp Bowie, Inc. 

Camp Bowie District Inc. is a private, not-for-profit public improvement district created to revitalize Camp Bowie Boulevard. Applicants are encouraged to contact Camp Bowie District Inc early in the development process and seek feedback/preliminary project review by the Camp Bowie Design Review Committee. 

Panther Island, located just north of Downtown Fort Worth, offers a unique opportunity to create a dense, walkable, mixed-use neighborhood in the core of the central city. The Panther Island Form-Based Zoning Standards and Guidelines provide the development framework to complement the Central City Flood Control Project, spearheaded by Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) and in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Central City Flood Control Project aims to modernize flood protection infrastructure and increase developable land area adjacent to downtown. Zoning within the Panther Island District begins with the prefix “PI-”.

 Design District Guidelines 

The Trinity Lakes Development Code guides mixed-use and residential development around the Trinity Lakes TRE station and the Lakes of River Trails neighborhoods. The development code applies principles of urban design to encourage economic development within East Fort Worth and satisfy a growing residential market base. The opening of the Trinity Lakes TRE station has provided a unique opportunity for transit-oriented development in Tarrant County. Zoning within the Trinity Lakes District begins with the prefix “TL-”.

District Design Guidelines

The Fort Worth Stockyards Form-Based Code & Design Guidelines is a comprehensive development framework to guide growth and development within and around the Stockyards while preserving historic character and aesthetics. The Fort Worth Stockyards Form-Based Code has three sub-districts: the Historic District, the Transition District, and the Edge District. The Historic District is administered by the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission; the Transition and Edge Districts are administered by the Urban Design Commission. The Form-Based Code aims to preserve, recognize, and build off the district’s history as a major center for livestock trade, meat packing, and western heritage/culture. Zoning within the Stockyards Form-Based Code Districts begins with the prefix “SY-”.

Fort Worth Stockyards, Inc.

Fort Worth Stockyards, Inc. is a membership funded nonprofit organization committed to attracting new businesses and development to the district. Applicants are encouraged to contact Fort Worth Stockyards, Inc early in the development process and seek feedback/preliminary project review from the Stockyards Design Review Committee.

The I-35 Design Overlay District aims to ensure a high aesthetic quality of development along this fast-growing and influential highway corridor. The I-35 Standards and Guidelines maintain a high standard for development, create and maintain a sense of place, and preserve and promote the natural setting and features of the native landscape. This is achieved by focusing on three primary design elements: landscaping, lighting, and site planning.

District Design Standards

• I-35 Design Overlay District Standards & Guidelines(PDF, 6MB)

The Panther Island Peripheral Zone Overlay aims to promote development compatible with the vibrant urban waterfront district around Panther Island and Downtown. In addition to facilitating exceptional development, the Peripheral Zone Standards and Guidelines seek to preserve view corridors and protect natural waterfront features. The Peripheral Zone Overlay works in tandem with the Panther Island Form-Based Zoning Standards and Guidelines. 

District Design Guidelines

The Downtown Urban Design District has four character zones: Downtown Core, Greenway Neighborhood, Rock Island/Samuels Avenue Neighborhood, and Industrial Gateway. The Downtown Urban Design District is an overlay administered by the Downtown Design Review Board and the staff of Preservation and Design. Please visit the Downtown webpage for more information.