How Multifamily Approvals Work in Fort Worth

Fort Worth multifamily development follows the city's standard zoning and Planned Development process on most sites, with the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone program available as a separate incentive in designated areas. Texas Senate Bill 840 added an administrative path across several of the city's own commercial and industrial districts, starting in September 2025.

Texas Senate Bill 840 in Fort Worth

Senate Bill 840, codified at Texas Local Government Code Chapter 218, took effect September 1, 2025, and applies to Fort Worth as a municipality of more than 150,000 residents in a county of more than 300,000 (Section 218.002). City Council adopted Resolution No. 6150-08-2025 on August 26, 2025, affirming compliance, and the city's own update to its zoning ordinance states that mixed use residential and multifamily use must be allowed in the city's ER, E, FR, F, G and I zoning districts without rezoning, for a project that meets SB 840's density, height, setback and parking terms; a qualifying conversion of an existing office, retail or warehouse building also moves to administrative approval, without the Urban Design Commission or Downtown Design Review Board review a Planned Development site plan otherwise requires.

The Planned Development zoning process

Outside SB 840's path, a Fort Worth multifamily site commonly rezones through a Planned Development (PD) district, which pairs residential, commercial or mixed uses with a site plan the city reviews alongside the zoning case. An optional pre-development conference precedes filing. The Zoning Commission holds a public hearing and forwards a recommendation to City Council; City Council holds its own public hearing the following month and renders the final decision to approve or deny. Notice of the City Council hearing is posted on the property and published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram at least 15 days before the meeting.

Neighborhood Empowerment Zones

Fort Worth's Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) program, most recently revised under a policy the city adopted February 11, 2025, offers a multifamily development project a municipal property tax abatement and fee waivers; the waiver of water and wastewater impact fees is no longer available under the current policy. A multifamily applicant pays a certification fee of one half of 1 percent of the project's capital investment, with a 200 dollar minimum and a 2,000 dollar maximum.

Questions

Does SB 840 apply across all of Fort Worth?

No. It applies only where a site sits in one of the city's qualifying commercial or industrial districts, named in the city's own zoning ordinance update as the ER, E, FR, F, G and I districts, and only to a project meeting SB 840's density, height, setback and parking terms.

Does a Fort Worth Planned Development still need a City Council vote?

Yes. The Zoning Commission recommends, and City Council holds its own public hearing the following month and renders the final approval or denial.

What does NEZ designation offer a multifamily project?

A municipal property tax abatement and fee waivers under the policy the city adopted February 11, 2025; the water and wastewater impact fee waiver that NEZ once offered is no longer available.

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