Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 42, art. III, div. 2, subpt. B — Shared Driveways | Houston Code of Ordinances (Supp. No. 93, Update 2: codified through Ordinance No. 2026-0732, adopted Aug. 19, 2026) — City of Houston

Houston Code of Ordinances § 42-145 General layout and arrangement for all shared driveways.

Sec. 42-145. - General layout and arrangement for all shared driveways. (a) A subdivision plat within the city may provide for a lot that takes access from a shared driveway within the same subdivision plat as the lot in accordance with the following requirements: (1) A shared driveway shall have a minimum width of 18 feet except as provided in section 42-146 of this Code; (2) No part of a shared driveway shall be more than 200 feet from a type 1 permanent access easement or a public street that is not an alley and that contains a roadway. The distance shall be measured along the centerline of the shared driveway starting from the intersection with the type 1 permanent access easement or the public street. (3) A shared driveway may be any length if all lots that take access from the shared driveway have frontage in the amount of the minimum lot width required by section 42-185 of this Code on a type 1 permanent access easement or a public street that is not an alley and that contains a roadway; [image omitted; see the official code] (4) The length of a driveway that connects to a shared driveway shall be 20 feet or less as measured from the edge of the shared driveway. The total length of the driveway and the shared driveway, excluding a garage building line, if any, may not exceed 200 feet; (5) Any parking space in a subdivision containing a shared driveway shall provide sufficient space for turning movements as depicted on the drawings of the space requirements for off street parking referenced in Section 3112.4.5 of the Construction Code; (6) A shared driveway containing a reverse curve shall have a centerline radius of 65 feet or more. A reverse curve within a shared driveway shall be separated by a tangent of 25 feet or more; and (7) A shared driveway that intersects with a major thoroughfare shall not provide gated vehicular access to the shared driveway unless the gate is set back 25 feet or more from the right-of-way of the major thoroughfare. (b) A shared driveway shall not intersect with a type 2 permanent access easement, a private alley, or connect to, or be the extension of, a shared driveway created by an adjacent subdivision. A shared driveway shall intersect with at least one type 1 permanent access easement or public street that is not an alley in accordance with the following requirements: (1) The shared driveway shall intersect with a public street that has a roadway; (2) The shared driveway shall intersect with a type 1 permanent access easement or a public street at a 90-degree angle except as needed to comply with item (3) of this subsection; and (3) The shared driveway shall be set back at least four feet from the boundary of the subdivision plat measured at the point of intersection with the public street. [image omitted; see the official code] (c) Intersections within a shared driveway shall comply with the following requirements: (1) Intersections shall be spaced a minimum of 65 feet apart measured from the closest edges of the shared driveway and shall not intersect at less than an 80-degree angle; and (2) A shared driveway with a width of 18 feet or more shall provide for a 10-foot turning radius at every 90-degree angle in the shared driveway and shall provide for a 15-foot turning radius at every angle less than 90 degrees but equal to or greater than 80 degrees in the shared driveway. [image omitted; see the official code] [image omitted; see the official code] (d) A subdivision plat containing a shared driveway shall provide a three-foot wide emergency access easement along each boundary of the subdivision plat that does not abut a public street. No objects or obstructions shall be placed within the emergency access strip except that a fence may be permitted if it provides for pedestrian gate access for emergency services. (e) Each garage entry door on each lot within a subdivision plat that takes access from a shared driveway shall be parallel to the length of the shared driveway allowing sufficient room for turnaround. The garage entry door may be perpendicular to the length of the shared driveway when the shared driveway complies with the following performance standards: (1) No more than six lots take access from the shared driveway and no more than one lot has a garage perpendicular to the length of the shared driveway; [image omitted; see the official code] (2) The shared driveway does not intersect a major thoroughfare or collector street; and (3) The shared driveway is less than or equal to 100 feet in length. (Ord. No. 2013-343, § 3(Exhs. A, B), 4-24-2013; Ord. No. 2015-639, § 20, 6-24-2015, eff. 7-24-2015; Ord. No. 2021-1037, § 20(Exh. I.46), 12-1-2021, eff. 4-1-2022; Ord. No. 2023-801, § 3(Exh. A), 9-27-2023, eff. 11-27-2023)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 42-146 Optional performance standards for reduction in shared driveway width.

Sec. 42-146. - Optional performance standards for reduction in shared driveway width. (a) A shared driveway may have a minimum width of 12 feet if the subdivision complies with all of the following performance standards: (1) No more than six dwelling units are proposed; (2) The maximum depth of the proposed subdivision does not exceed 150 feet from a public street where the shared driveway will have access; and (3) The garage must be set back an adequate distance allowing sufficient room for vehicular turn around. (b) A shared driveway shall have a minimum width of 16 feet if it complies with one of the following performance standards: (1) The shared driveway is equal to or less than 100 feet in length and contains no turns except those turns that are part of a "T" turnaround configuration that complies with the following performance standards: a. The "T" turnaround portion of the shared driveway has a minimum width of 16 feet; b. The length of each branch of the "T" turnaround extends exactly 16 feet from the centerline of the shared driveway; c. Not more than four lots take vehicular access from the "T" turnaround; and d. Each garage entry door is parallel to the shared driveway except for a garage entry door located within the "T" turnaround; or [image omitted; see the official code] (2) The shared driveway is greater than 100 feet in length and complies with the following performance standards: a. Each lot within the subdivision plat has frontage along a public street that is not an alley and takes vehicular access only from the shared driveway; or [image omitted; see the official code] [image omitted; see the official code] [image omitted; see the official code] [image omitted; see the official code] b. The shared driveway connects to two public streets and has no turns or curves. [image omitted; see the official code] (Ord. No. 2013-343, § 3(Exhs. A, B), 4-24-2013; Ord. No. 2023-801, § 3(Exh. A), 9-27-2023, eff. 11-27-2023)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 42-147 Construction over a shared driveway.

Sec. 42-147. - Construction over a shared driveway. A building or a portion of a building may be constructed over a shared driveway at each intersection of a shared driveway and a public street that is not an alley. A building constructed over a shared driveway shall: (1) Be set back not more than 20 feet from the intersection of the shared driveway and the public street and be not more than 30 feet in length as measured along the centerline of the shared driveway; [image omitted; see the official code] (2) Have an unobstructed overhead clearance of 14 feet or more in height above the shared driveway as measured from the highest point of the paving of the shared driveway under the building to the lowest point of the building above the shared driveway; [image omitted; see the official code] [image omitted; see the official code] (3) Provide for an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with the requirements of Construction Code and the Fire Code; and (4) Be constructed to a minimum fire resistance of one hour firewall construction standards in accordance with the Construction Code and the Fire Code. (Ord. No. 2013-343, § 3(Exhs. A, B), 4-24-2013)