Mesquite, TX zoning districts
29 districts, 29 with a written citation. Each row says what the district permits by primary use.
Zoning in Mesquite is governed by the City of Mesquite Zoning Ordinance ("MZO"), codified as Appendix C of the Mesquite Code of Ordinances (hosted on Municode at library.municode.com/tx/mesquite) and administered by Mesquite Planning & Development Services. Districts are established across three articles: Part 2 - Residential Districts (Secs. 2-100 to 2-104), Part 3 - Nonresidential Districts (Secs. 3-100/3-101), and Part 4 - PD, Overlay & Form-Based Districts (Sec. 4-100 et seq., including the Downtown Mesquite Special Purpose District at 4-1600, the Traditional Neighborhood Mixed Residential district at 4-1500, and the Truman Heights and North Gus Thomasson form-based districts at 4-1000/4-1020). Permitted uses are set by SIC-code use schedules: residential Schedule 2-203 and nonresidential Schedule 3-203, supplemented by district-specific tables (Downtown Table 4-1605.01). Per Sec. 1-202 the official "Zoning Map of the City of Mesquite, Texas" (adopted Aug. 17, 1964, as amended) is the boundary authority. Note: Ordinance No. 5189 (ZTA 2025-03, adopted Aug. 18, 2025) repeals the Central Business (CB) district, though CB still appears on the live GIS layer.
How to read the permissions
By right — allowed without discretionary approval. Conditional use — allowed only with a specific approval. Not permitted — not allowed as a primary use. Not resolved — the ordinance does not settle it in a way we would state as fact.
These describe the district. A specific parcel can also be affected by overlays, corridors, flood zones and site conditions.
| District | Residential | Commercial | Industrial |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A
A - Multifamily Residential District
residential high
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-104 (A-Multifamily residential - apartment/condominium housing); Schedule 2-203 permits Multifamily Dwellings (P, A column; PD required if greater than 25 units per 2-501); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
A-1
A-1 - Multifamily Residential District (low density)
residential high
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-104.A (A-1 Multifamily - low density; max 12 units/acre per Sec. 2-501); multifamily dwellings by-right per Schedule 2-203 (A column = P); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
A-2
A-2 - Multifamily Residential District (intermediate density)
residential high
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-104 (A-Multifamily residential district family); multifamily dwellings by-right via Schedule 2-203 (A column applies to all A-districts). A-2 is an intermediate multifamily subtype not separately enumerated in current Sec. 2-104 (which names A-1 and A-3) or the 2-501 density table - grounded through the parent A-district; commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
A-3
A-3 - Multifamily Residential District (average-to-higher density)
residential high
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-104.B (A-3 Multifamily - average-to-higher densities; max 25 units/acre per Sec. 2-501); multifamily dwellings by-right per Schedule 2-203 (A column = P); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
AG
AG - Agricultural District
agricultural
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO (Appendix C) Part 2, Sec. 2-101 (AG-Agricultural) - established for semi-rural estate residential and retained agricultural uses; Schedule 2-203 permits single-family conventional dwellings (P) and crop production (P, min. 2-acre tract); retail/office/manufacturing not permitted in residential districts. | |||
|
C
C - Commercial District
commercial
|
Not permitted | By right | Conditional use |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.G (C-Commercial) - a wide variety of commercial uses with general application as a highway service district; retail/services by-right and some manufacturing conditional (C) per Schedule 3-203 (C column); residential not permitted. | |||
|
CB
CB - Central Business District
commercial
|
Not resolved | By right | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.E (CB-Central business) - commercial, business, service and public activities of a central business area; only one contiguous CB district permitted. Commercial by-right per the district purpose. RESIDENTIAL NULLED: Sec. 3-101.E (Ord. 5189 Exhibit B) describes only commercial/business/service/public activities and says nothing about residential, and the legacy CB use column of Schedule 3-203 was deleted by Ordinance No. 5189 (ZTA 2025-03, adopted 8-18-2025), so no residential entitlement can be grounded - the prior 'conditional' value was an unsupported guess on a repealed district and is set to null per cited-or-null discipline. CB persists only as a legacy zoning-map designation. | |||
|
CV
CV - Civic District
special
|
Not permitted | Conditional use | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.I (CV-Civic) - public, educational, institutional, cultural, recreational and similar uses of low-to-moderate intensity serving neighborhood/community focal points; limited commercial uses shown as conditional/bracketed in Schedule 3-203 (CV column); residential and manufacturing not permitted. | |||
|
D
D - Duplex Residential District
residential mid
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-103 (D-Duplex residential - higher-than-average density, small-lot single-family attached/duplex); Schedule 2-203 permits Duplex Two-family Dwellings (P, D column) and single-family detached (P); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
DM-C
DM-C - Downtown Mesquite-Core Subdistrict
mixed use
|
By right | By right | Conditional use |
| MZO Part 4, Sec. 4-1600 (Downtown Mesquite Special Purpose Zoning District) + Table 4-1605.01, DM-C (Core) - lively mixed-use center: General Retail (<5,000 sf), Office/Business/Professional Services, Eating Places and Bank = P; Mixed-Use Residential = P1 (permitted, prohibited on first floor) and Live Work Units = P (residential by-right); Cottage Industrial/Food Processing = P but capped at 10,000 sf (light/limited industrial). | |||
|
DM-E
DM-E - Downtown Mesquite-Edge Subdistrict
mixed use
|
By right | By right | Conditional use |
| MZO Part 4, Sec. 4-1600 + Table 4-1605.01, DM-E (Edge) - transition subdistrict: Mixed-Use Residential = P (residential by-right), Live Work = C; General Retail, Office, Eating Places, General-Service Hotel = P (commercial by-right); Office-Warehouse and Cottage Industrial = P (light industrial permitted, heavier manufacturing not). | |||
|
DM-MU
DM-MU - Downtown Mesquite-Mixed-Use Subdistrict
mixed use
|
By right | By right | Conditional use |
| MZO Part 4, Sec. 4-1600 + Table 4-1605.01, DM-MU (Mixed-Use) - blends residential and commercial: Single Family Detached = P, Townhomes = P, Mixed-Use Residential = P1, Live Work = P (residential by-right); General Retail and Office = P3 (permitted, CUP only for adaptive reuse from residential/adjacent to single family); Cottage Industrial = P3 (light/limited industrial). | |||
|
GR
GR - General Retail District
commercial
|
Not permitted | By right | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.B (GR-General retail) - convenience goods and personal services for surrounding neighborhoods; general merchandise/retail permitted by-right per Schedule 3-203 (GR column = P, e.g. Department Stores); residential and manufacturing not permitted. | |||
|
I
I - Industrial District
industrial
|
Not permitted | By right | By right |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.H (I-Industrial) - manufacturing uses free of objectionable influences or controllable by abatement devices; manufacturing permitted by-right (e.g., Fabricated Metal P*) and commercial/contractor uses permitted per Schedule 3-203 (I column); residential not permitted. | |||
|
LC
LC - Light Commercial District
commercial
|
Not permitted | By right | Conditional use |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101. Special trade contractors SIC 171-175 carry P* in the LC column (1793 Glass/Glazing does NOT — its P* sits in MU/C/I only, per column-position check of Schedule 3-203, Exhibit C to Ord. 5189).g., SIC 27 printing, 38x instruments, 39x misc.) conditional (C*); residential not permitted. (Top-level Building Contractors SIC 15 and Heavy Construction SIC 16 are P* only in the C and I columns, NOT LC.) | |||
|
MF
MF - unresolved multifamily code (not in current MZO)
residential high
Lower confidence — verify against the ordinance before relying on it.
|
Not resolved | Not resolved | Not resolved |
| No 'MF' district is defined in the current MZO; Mesquite's multifamily districts are the A-series (Sec. 2-104, A-1/A-2/A-3) and TNMR. 'MF' is likely a legacy multifamily zoning-map designation carried on the GIS layer; category inferred as multifamily by the conventional abbreviation but the code is not grounded in the ordinance, so permissions are null - unmapped lead. | |||
|
MU
MU - Mixed Use District
mixed use
|
By right | By right | Conditional use |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.D (MU-Mixed use) - established to allow central-area redevelopment that is orderly and responsive to adjacent land uses; retail/commercial by-right per Schedule 3-203 (MU column). Residential by-right: Schedule 3-203 (Exhibit C to Ord. 5189) 'ALL RESIDENTIAL USES' row = P in the MU column - 'Permits housing types set out in R-3, D, and A-3 Districts, when in compliance with... Part 2; Requires PD district for other types of housing.' Limited light manufacturing conditional (C*) in the MU column: SIC 27 Printing/Publishing, 384 Ophthalmic Goods, 386 Photographic Equipment, 387 Watches/Clocks, 391 Jewelry, 393 Musical Instruments, 394 Toys/Sporting Goods, 395/396 misc. manufacturing. | |||
|
NGTC
NGTC - North Gus Thomasson Corridor District
mixed use
|
Conditional use | By right | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 4, Sec. 4-1020/4-1022 (North Gus Thomasson Corridor) - a mixed-use form-based district (not an overlay) revitalizing a commercial corridor and reconnecting it to the Casa View Heights residential core; commercial by-right along the corridor, residential conditional. Operative uses set by the North Gus Thomasson Revitalization Code (Sec. 4-1023), not fully parsed here. | |||
|
O
O - Office District
office
|
Not permitted | By right | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.A (Office) - established to accommodate professional, management, research and similar offices; office/business services permitted by-right per Schedule 3-203 (O column); dwellings and manufacturing not permitted. | |||
|
PD
PD - Planned Development District
planned development
Lower confidence — verify against the ordinance before relying on it.
|
Not resolved | Not resolved | Not resolved |
| MZO Part 4, Sec. 4-101 (PD-Planned Development District) - permitted uses and development standards are fixed by the individual site-specific PD ordinance adopted for each tract; the base code grants no by-right entitlement, so tri-state cannot be determined from the code alone. | |||
|
R-1
R-1 - Single Family Residential District (lower-than-average density)
residential low
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-102.A (R-1, R-1A and R-2 Single family - lower-than-average density for larger homes); single-family detached dwellings by-right per Schedule 2-203 (R column = P); retail/office/industrial main uses not permitted. | |||
|
R-1A
R-1A - Single Family Residential District (lower-than-average density)
residential low
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-102.A (R-1, R-1A and R-2 Single family - lower-than-average density); single-family detached by-right per Schedule 2-203 (R column = P); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
R-2
R-2 - Single Family Residential District (lower-than-average density)
residential low
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-102.A (R-1, R-1A and R-2 Single family - lower-than-average density); single-family detached by-right per Schedule 2-203 (R column = P); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
R-2A
R-2A - Single Family Residential District (average density)
residential low
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-102.B (R-2A and R-3 Single family - average density for average-size homes); single-family detached by-right per Schedule 2-203 (R column = P); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
R-3
R-3 - Single Family Residential District (average density)
residential low
|
By right | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-102.B (R-2A and R-3 Single family - average density); single-family detached by-right per Schedule 2-203 (R column = P); commercial/industrial prohibited. | |||
|
SS
SS - Service Station District
commercial
|
Not permitted | By right | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 3, Sec. 3-101.F (SS-Service station) - established exclusively for full-service and self-service service stations for persons nearby or travelling through the city; service-station/convenience commercial by-right per Schedule 3-203 (SS column); residential and manufacturing not permitted. | |||
|
TH
TH - unresolved district code (not in current MZO)
special
Lower confidence — verify against the ordinance before relying on it.
|
Not resolved | Not resolved | Not resolved |
| No standalone 'TH' district found in the current MZO Parts 2-4 (the Truman Heights Neighborhood district is coded THN per Sec. 4-1002; townhouse dwellings elsewhere require a PD district per Schedule 2-203). 'TH' is likely a legacy zoning-map designation (possibly a truncated Truman Heights label or a legacy townhouse designation) - unmapped lead, permissions null. | |||
|
THN
THN - Truman Heights Neighborhood District
mixed use
|
By right | Conditional use | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 4, Sec. 4-1000/4-1002 (Truman Heights Neighborhood) - a mixed-use form-based district (not an overlay) integrating residential functions and supporting commercial services to increase buildable density; residential by-right within the residential core, supporting commercial conditional. Operative uses set by the Truman Heights Revitalization Code (Sec. 4-1003), not fully parsed here. | |||
|
TNMR
TNMR - Traditional Neighborhood Mixed Residential District
mixed use
|
By right | Conditional use | Not permitted |
| MZO Part 2, Sec. 2-104.C + Part 4, Sec. 4-1500 (Traditional Neighborhood Mixed Residential) - new/infill multifamily and mixed residential at a variety of densities and dwelling types, supporting commercial uses within a pedestrian shed; permitted building types incl. apartment, townhouse, duplex, single-family and mixed-use buildings per 4-1503. Residential by-right; commercial supporting uses conditional per the form-based district standards. | |||
Sources
- Mesquite Zoning Ordinance (Appendix C, Code of Ordinances), Municode: https://library.municode.com/tx/mesquite/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXCZOOR
- MZO Part 1 - General Provisions, Sec. 1-201/1-202 (Districts established) - fetched via Municode content API (clientId 3281, productId 11248): https://library.municode.com/tx/mesquite/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXCZOOR_PT1GEPR
- MZO Part 2 - Residential Districts, Secs. 2-100 to 2-104 (AG, R, D, A district establishment) and Sec. 2-203/2-302/2-501 (use schedule & standards): https://library.municode.com/tx/mesquite/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXCZOOR_PT2REDI
- MZO Part 4 - PD, Overlay & Form-Based Districts, Sec. 4-101 (PD), 4-1000/4-1002 (Truman Heights Neighborhood THN), 4-1020/4-1022 (North Gus Thomasson Corridor NGTC), 4-1500 (TNMR): https://library.municode.com/tx/mesquite/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXCZOOR_PT4PDOVDI
- Ordinance No. 5189 (ZTA 2025-03) - MZO Part 3 Nonresidential Districts, Sec. 3-101 Districts established and purpose (O, GR, LC, MU, CB, SS, C, I, CV) + Schedule 3-203: https://apps.cityofmesquite.com/city_secweb/ordinances/5189.pdf
- Schedule of Permitted Uses in Nonresidential Zoning Districts (MZO 3-203, columns O/GR/LC/CV/MU/SS/C/I), City of Mesquite: https://www.cityofmesquite.com/DocumentCenter/View/742/Schedule-of-Permitted-Uses-in-Nonresidential-Zoning-Districts
- Schedule of Permitted Uses in Residential Zoning Districts (MZO 2-203, columns AG/R/D/TNMR/A), City of Mesquite: https://www.cityofmesquite.com/DocumentCenter/View/741/Schedule-of-Permitted-Uses-in-Residential-Zoning-Districts
- Ordinance No. 5187 (ZTA 2025-02) - New MZO Sec. 4-1600 Downtown Mesquite Special Purpose Zoning District (DM-C/DM-MU/DM-E) + Table 4-1605.01 Permitted Uses: https://apps.cityofmesquite.com/city_secweb/ordinances/5187.pdf
- Codes & Ordinances / Zoning Ordinance index, City of Mesquite: https://cityofmesquite.com/1250/Zoning-Ordinance
Table verified against the sources above on 2026-07-19. Ordinances change, so check the current code before relying on any row for a decision.
Which district applies to your parcel?
This table describes the districts. To find out which one covers a specific address, and what else affects that site, run the address on the home page.