McAllen planning staff outlines citywide UDC rezoning; 8,262 parcels rezoned so far, full roll‑out expected by June

Planning staff gave commissioners a detailed update on city-initiated rezoning triggered by the adoption of McAllen’s Unified Development Code (UDC), outlining changes to residential and commercial districts, how parking and accessory units will be treated, and the schedule for completing parcel-level updates.

The planner presenting said the UDC adoption "triggered the city-initiated rezoning" and described specific changes for R1: the minimum lot frontage will be 45 feet (down from 50), the minimum lot area remains 5,000 square feet, side setbacks that had been six feet are now five feet, and a 20-foot front setback will apply. The presenter added that additional dwelling units (ADUs) will be allowed in R1 by right depending on lot size, and that a property is generally limited to one water meter and one electrical meter unless an irrigation line is present.

On R2 zoning, staff said the new rules permit multiple housing types on a single lot — townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and bungalow courts — and allow multiple roof structures without automatically triggering a fire sprinkler requirement. Staff also explained parking dimension changes tied to alley access: parking spaces accessed from alleys must be 9 by 22 feet (instead of 9 by 18) to accommodate a 24-foot maneuvering aisle.

Commercial districts were also adjusted, staff said. C1 and C2 districts now have defined uses and revised parking formulas: restaurants will use square footage divided by 200 for parking calculations (previously divided by 100) and office/retail formulas are simplified to square footage divided by 500, which generally reduces parking minimums compared with prior standards.

Staff provided implementation context: there are 53,485 total parcels in McAllen, of which 8,262 have been rezoned to date (about 15%). The presenter said the city expects to complete the city-initiated rezoning phase with the City Commission at the first meeting in June (noted as June 1). On timing, staff told commissioners the full parcel-by-parcel review and implementation will take about three to four years and that planners must visit each site to confirm existing conditions and appropriate zoning adjustments.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about posting and notice. Staff said parcels subject to city-initiated rezonings will be published on the city website and in the newspaper; while formal legal-notice requirements have changed for this process, the city will post parcel lists online and in print to notify affected property owners. Staff also walked commissioners through how to use the UDC online (Control+F, table of contents, and the UDC tables beginning on page 35) to find use tables and parking requirements.

The workshop concluded without formal votes; staff recommended recess for items eligible for executive session and the workshop recessed and was closed.