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Planning & Zoning

Current Planning

Staff contact: Rachel Roberts, Planning & Development Director

Zoning 

What is Zoning? (Video)

  • Zoning is the set of rules and regulations that control how real property can be used.  It covers a wide range of elements related to development, such as land use (e.g., residential or commercial), building form (height and size), building placement, site infrastructure (e.g., landscaping, parking, etc.), and site access.
  • Zoning divides a city into zoning districts, with each district having a specific set of regulations. When shown on a zoning map, each district type has an assigned color, for example, SF 7.2 residential is shown on Crowley’s zoning map as yellow, and Industrial is shown as purple.
  • Find your property on the zoning map to see what zoning district your property is in. 
  • How do I find my zoning? (Video)

If you are buying or selling a property, you may want to request a zoning verification letter to confirm the zoning. Zoning verification letters have a research fee of $15 per hour. Most verification letters take no more than an hour to research.

Zoning regulations

The City of Crowley’s zoning ordinances is codified and available online through Municode.

Specific Use Permits

Certain land uses, because of their nature and location, are not appropriate for categorizing into specific zoning districts. These uses may be suitable in some locations but not in others within the same zoning district. To provide for the proper handling and location of such specific uses, the City of Crowley provides a process for obtaining a specific use permit; the permit authorizes a specific use at a specific location. This procedure for approval of a specific use permit includes a public hearing. The City Council must approve an ordinance for the specific use to be granted, and the ordinance may provide for certain restrictions and standards for operation for the grantee.

Requesting a rezoning or specific use permit

Site plan review (zoning review for new construction)

Plats

The Planning & Zoning Commission deadline schedule is available here.

Comprehensive planning 

Master Thoroughfare Plan

Variances

State law considers municipal zoning regulations to be reasonable but also recognizes that there may be some special circumstances when the zoning regulations cannot on a specific property due to conditions inherent to the property itself. A variance allows a waiver from certain requirements of the zoning ordinance when literal enforcement of the ordinance would create an unnecessary hardship. The hardship cannot be the result of the property owner’s actions but instead must be due to the unique characteristics of the property that prevent it from being developed or use like other property in the same zoning district.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment may not grant a variance unless the following are found to be true:

  • Special conditions and circumstances exist which are peculiar to the land, structure, or building involved and which are not applicable to other lands, structures, or buildings in the same district;
  • The literal interpretation of the provisions of this chapter would deprive the applicant of rights commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same district under the terms of this chapter;
  • The special conditions and circumstances do not result from the actions of the applicant;
  • Granting the variance requested will not confer on the applicant any special privilege that is denied by this chapter to other lands, structures, or buildings in the same district;
  • The reasons set forth in the application justify the granting of the variance, and that the variance is the minimum variance that will make possible the reasonable use of the land, building, or structure; and
  • The granting of the variance will be in harmony with the general purpose and intent of this chapter, and will not be injurious to the neighborhood, or otherwise detrimental to the public welfare.

Before making a decision on whether to grant a variance, the Zoning Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing and consider the evidence presented. The burden of proof is on the applicant to show that there is a hardship.

Special Exceptions

Special exceptions allow exceptions to the zoning ordinance for specified uses. The permitted special exceptions are:

  • Sharing of off-street parking by two or more uses
  • Off-site parking
  • Reduction of required parking by between 11 percent and 50 percent
  • Antenna facilities that do not meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance
  • Additional height over 60 feet

Before making a decision on whether to grant a special exception, the Zoning Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing and consider the evidence presented. The burden of proof in showing that a special exception is warranted is on the applicant.

GIS

Note: Crowley does not maintain parcel files, but they are available through the Tarrant Appraisal District. Public infrastructure is being mapped but is not yet updated and available to the public. 

For PDF copies of water and sewer maps, please contact the Public Works department.

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