Grapevine Moves to Align Zoning With New State Limits on Home Businesses and Manufactured Homes
The council and planning commission will consider calling a hearing Tuesday on zoning changes tied to three 2025 state laws, including one that took effect Sept. 1.
Grapevine is taking the first formal step toward rewriting parts of its zoning ordinance to match three laws passed by the Texas Legislature in 2025. The laws cover home-based businesses, building material rules and manufactured homes.
At a joint meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20, the City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission will consider calling a public hearing on case AM26-04, according to the posted agenda. The agenda describes it as “Legislative Updates for the 89th Texas Legislative Session.” It names House Bill 2464, Senate Bill 783 and Senate Bill 785. The joint regular meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 200 South Main Street. The council is called to order at 7 p.m. and goes straight into executive session.
Tuesday’s vote would only set a hearing. The agenda does not include draft language, so the exact wording Grapevine proposes is not yet public.
What the three laws say
Home businesses. According to the enrolled text of HB 2464, a city may not ban a “no-impact home-based business” or require a license or permit to run one. A business qualifies if its employees and clients stay within the property’s occupancy limit, it does not create on-street parking or a substantial increase in traffic, none of its activity is visible from the street, and it does not substantially raise noise. Cities may still enforce fire, building, health and noise codes. They may still bar home businesses that sell alcohol or illegal drugs, structured sober living homes and sexually oriented businesses. Homeowners’ association deed restrictions still apply. The bill passed the House 128-4 and the Senate 29-2.
Building materials. The enrolled SB 783 rewrote the list of exceptions to Section 3000.002 of the Government Code, the state’s limit on local building-material rules. It also changed how the State Energy Conservation Office adopts energy codes. Before adopting a new edition of the residential energy code, that office must now study its effect on housing attainability and calculate payback periods for any stricter requirements. It took effect Sept. 1, 2025.
Manufactured homes. Under the enrolled SB 785, a city with zoning must allow new HUD-code manufactured homes by right in at least one residential zoning classification and show those areas on its zoning map if it has one. A city cannot require a specific use permit for such a home unless it requires one for other homes in the same district. An installation application is considered granted unless the city denies it in writing within 45 days. Historic districts and deed restrictions set before Jan. 2, 2025, are protected. That law took effect Sept. 1, 2026.
Main Street in Grapevine, photographed in March 2018. Photo: diego_bf109 via Flickr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Other items Tuesday
The council will also consider calling a hearing on AM26-06, which deals with residential uses allowed in the medium-intensity part of the Transit District Overlay. Joint public hearings are set on several cases listed on the city’s active zoning cases page:
A 28,825-square-foot training facility at the Kubota campus, 1000 Kubota Drive.
A 33,880-square-foot building and battery storage pad at Sunbelt Rentals, 1035 Texan Trail.
A seasonal greenhouse with alcohol service and a winter vestibule at Hotel Vin and Harvest Hall.
Covered outdoor seating and off-premise alcohol sales at AJ’s on Main, 651 South Main Street.
A historic landmark designation for the Thompson House at 404 West Hudgins Street.
The consent agenda includes two sole-source purchases of winter-themed activities for the city’s Christmas festival, one of them a snow hill from Emergency Ice. Dock Line’s listing for the festival is 38th Annual Carol of Lights. Another consent item would amend the Police Reserve Officer Program to comply with Texas Commission on Law Enforcement requirements.
In closed session, the council is set to get legal advice on pending litigation, Muns, et al. v. Grapevine. It will also discuss real property described as “City facilities, Public Works and the 185 acres.” Any action would be taken in open session. Residents may speak for three minutes after filling out a Citizen Appearance Request form with the city secretary.
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