Austin TOD districts: the nine, and why a station area plan rezones your land

Last verified August 7, 2026 against the Austin Land Development Code · Kimbrough Gray · KiliGray Homes

Austin has nine transit oriented development districts, classified as neighborhood center, town center, regional center or downtown according to location and density. Until Council adopts a station area plan a TOD district functions as an overlay and property keeps its base zoning. Adoption of that plan is itself a rezoning to a TOD base district.

Applies to: Property within one of the nine established TOD districts. The division supersedes other requirements of Title 25 to the extent of conflict, so base zoning is not the whole answer on a TOD site.

A TOD district is two different things depending on timing

This is the part that decides what actually applies to a site, and it is easy to miss. §25-2-766.05 splits the life of a TOD district in two:

Before Council adopts a station area plan, the TOD district functions as an overlay. Property keeps its base district zoning and is additionally subject to the initial district regulations in Subpart B.
When Council adopts the station area plan, that approval is a rezoning of the property to a TOD base district. After that, the initial district regulations stop applying.

So the same line on the same map means two materially different things, and which one you are in is a question of whether a plan has been adopted — not of where the property sits.

Like the Waterfront Overlay, this division also supersedes other requirements of Title 25 to the extent of conflict. Base zoning is not the last word on a TOD site.

The nine districts

§25-2-766.04 establishes and classifies nine TOD districts. Several are places a Central or East Austin buyer will recognize immediately:

TOD district	Classification
Convention Center	Downtown
Plaza Saltillo	Neighborhood center
Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.	Neighborhood center
Lamar Blvd. / Justin Lane	Neighborhood center
Northwest Park and Ride	Town center
North IH-35 Park and Ride	Town center
Oak Hill	Town center
Highland Mall	Town center
South IH-35 Park and Ride	Town center

From §25-2-766.04(A). Council may add districts by amending the section and Appendix D. The most recent source ordinance on this section dates from 2007 — confirm the list is current before relying on it.

The density and height figures below are descriptions, not entitlements. §25-2-766.02 characterises each district type — "average density is approximately 15 to 25 dwelling units for each acre", "typical building height is one to six stories". Those describe what a district of that kind looks like. They do not tell you what you may build. The binding rules are the Subpart B regulations at §§25-2-766.11 to 766.14, which this page does not carry.

Classification	Located at	Average density	Typical height
Neighborhood center	The commercial center of a neighborhood	~15–25 units/acre	1–6 stories
Town center	A major commercial, employment or civic center	~25–50 units/acre	2–8 stories
Regional center	A juncture of regional transportation lines, or a major commuter or employment center	>50 units/acre	3–10 stories
Downtown	A highly urbanized area	>75 units/acre	6+ stories

From §25-2-766.02. Descriptive characterisations of each district type — not permitted densities or heights. Note that no district is currently classified as a regional center.

Three zones, measured from the station platform

A TOD district may be divided into zones of varying intensity, and the distances are measured from the edge of the station platform:

Gateway zone — the area immediately around the platform, typically about 300 to 500 feet from its edge. Buildings orient toward the platform with ground-floor pedestrian-oriented uses and employment or residential above. Highest density and height in the district.
Midway zone — from the outer edge of the gateway zone out to roughly 1,000 to 1,500 feet from the platform. Predominantly residential, though retail and office are possible, with a variety of building types.
Transition zone — the periphery. Intensity is set to be compatible with existing or anticipated adjacent development. Lowest density and height in the district.

The logic is a gradient outward from transit. Where your site falls on it matters more than which district it is in.

Where the lines actually fall is not in the code. Initial boundaries and zones are set out in Appendix D. Final boundaries and zones come from the ordinance adopting the station area plan. The official maps are on file with the director, who is the person authorized to resolve uncertainty about a boundary. If your site is near an edge, that determination is the answer — not a reading of this section.

What this page does not cover

Two further groups of sections carry the parts that decide a project:

Subpart B — Initial District Regulations (§§25-2-766.11 to 766.14): applicability, use regulations, site development regulations and parking regulations. These are what apply while the district is still an overlay.
Subpart C — Station Area Plan (§§25-2-766.21 to 766.23): preparation, adoption and amendment of the plan whose adoption rezones the land.

Neither has been transcribed here. If you are evaluating a specific TOD site, those are where the operative numbers live.

One further exclusion, in §25-2-766.01(B): the division does not apply to property governed by a development plan approved by a special board of review under Texas Natural Resources Code §§31.161 to 31.167.

Common questions

What are Austin's TOD districts?

Nine transit oriented development districts are established by §25-2-766.04 — Convention Center (downtown), Plaza Saltillo, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Lamar Blvd./Justin Lane (neighborhood center), and Northwest Park and Ride, North IH-35 Park and Ride, Oak Hill, Highland Mall and South IH-35 Park and Ride (town center).

Does a TOD district replace my base zoning in Austin?

Not at first. Until Council approves a station area plan the TOD district functions as an overlay and the property retains its base district zoning. Approval of the station area plan is itself a rezoning of the property to a TOD base district.

How many units per acre does Austin TOD zoning allow?

The densities in §25-2-766.02 are descriptions of district types, not entitlements — approximately 15 to 25 units per acre for a neighborhood center, 25 to 50 for a town center, more than 50 for a regional center and more than 75 for a downtown TOD district. What may actually be built comes from the Subpart B regulations.

What is a gateway zone in an Austin TOD district?

The area immediately surrounding the station platform, typically about 300 to 500 feet from the platform edge. It carries the highest density and building height in the district, with buildings oriented toward the platform and ground floor pedestrian oriented uses.

Does TOD zoning override other Austin code requirements?

Yes, to the extent of conflict. §25-2-766.01(A) states that the division supersedes other requirements of Title 25.

Who decides whether my property is inside an Austin TOD district?

The director. Initial boundaries are in Appendix D and final boundaries come from the station area plan ordinance, but the official maps are on file with the director, who resolves uncertainty regarding a district boundary.

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We do this research ourselves on every project we take on — zoning, floodplain, watershed, trees, whether it is a legal lot. Send us an address and we will run it and tell you what we find. It works the same whether you own a vacant lot, a house you are thinking of adding a unit to, or a house you are thinking of replacing. No charge and no strings, and if it is a bad lot we will say so.

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We are homebuilders, not the City of Austin. This page explains how we read the code in practice — it is not legal advice and it is not an official determination. Always confirm with Austin Development Services before you rely on it for a project. The authoritative text is the Austin Land Development Code; permitting questions go to Austin Development Services Department.