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We want to help you understand local housing rules so that you can improve your quality of life in Bryan, College Station, and Brazos County, Texas. Here you will find explanations of local zoning codes, contact information for local government and city staff, and video conversations about local policies, links to resources, and best practices in housing policy.

Housing Rules in Bryan and College Station

There are always rules to follow when you live in a city. The rules in Bryan are different from those in College Station. We want to help people find and stay in their homes without getting in trouble. While we explain the housing rules of both cities in more detail below, please always ask the City when you have a question. You can always use our 4 step guide below: How to Talk to City Hall.

Bryan Housing Rules

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 
01:53 Understanding Manufactured and Modular Homes 
06:34 Regulations for Renting Out Rooms 
10:46 Adding Rooms and Home Modifications (including garage conversion, carport)
15:04 City’s View on Urban Development and Sprawl 
20:06 Incremental Approach to Densification 
23:36 Conclusion and Contact Information 

Read a summary of the conversation.

Contact info:

  • Development Services – 979-209-5030 planning@bryantx.gov
  • City Secretary (Council) – 979-209-5002 email
  • Code Enforcement – 979-209-5900 email

Zoning

Bryan zoning map

“Find your zoning” tutorial video

Contact info:

Zoning

Occupancy rules and districts

  • ROO – Restricted Occupancy Overlays
  • Over Occupancy – link to definition and information about High Occupancy zones
  • Shared Housing
  • City’s definition of family – A family is any number of persons occupying a single dwelling unit, provided that no such family shall contain more than four (4) persons unless all members are related by blood, adoption, guardianship, or marriage, are an authorized caretaker, or are part of a group home for disabled persons. When counting the number of unrelated persons in a single dwelling unit, a maximum of one (1) group of persons related by blood, adoption, guardianship, marriage, an authorized caretaker, or members of a group home for disabled persons shall be permitted, provided that all other persons shall each count as one (1) unrelated person. Guardianship shall include foster children, exchange students, or those in the process of securing legal custody of a person under the age of eighteen (18). Any asserted common law marriage must be subject to an affidavit of record under the Texas Family Code, as amended, or a judicial determination. The term family shall not be construed to mean a club, a lodge, or a fraternity/sorority house. Here is a list of defined terms in College Station’s Municode library.
  • Middle Housing zoning – “MH Middle Housing is a newly created zoning district that was adopted by the College Station City Council in October 2022. Zoning districts regulate how a specific property can be developed and used. Each zoning district includes standards for lot size, height, density, setbacks, and parking, among other requirements,” according to the City of College Station

How to Talk to City Hall

Speaking at a public meeting should not be your first interaction with local government. Below are the best steps to take beforehand so that you are an effective advocate for your neighborhood.

You can look up the phone number for different departments online. Don’t worry if you call the wrong one, they will make sure to get you to the right person!

Start with questions and try not to be mad. (Even when something frustrating is happening.) Make sure you are asking questions. Try to get as much information as you can to help you understand details. Ask for them to email you what they told you or get an email/phone number from them for future questions on that specific topic.

Once you fully understand the topic you are talking to City Hall about, then you can make sure your voice is heard by emailing your thoughts to Staff, Boards, Commissions, and Council.

It is important to include staff members in your email. Council usually has to send requests for ordinance changes, etc, to staff anyway. So it’s much faster to start with staff.

If you have thoughts on an item scheduled for consideration at a public meeting, you don’t have to wait to attend the meeting. You are able to send an email with your words to the City Secretary and the elected/appointed officials.

You are also able to call City Hall and ask that your verbal comment be noted in their report or presentation to the officials.

Once you have completed the first 3 steps, then you can consider attending a public meeting in-person. By this time you have built a relationship with City Hall and this will lay a foundation to support anything you share at the public meeting. Be sure to check the rules for speaker registration. Often, you must sign up to speak before the meeting begins and each city has different requirements.

You also have access to watch all public meetings live on TV or streaming on the City’s website.

If you are confused about anything from the meeting, you can always ask staff to explain it to you after. This can be done in-person or it can be an email or phone call the next day.

Housing Statistics for Bryan and College Station

The cost to rent or purchase a place to live is higher than ever. As this cost continues to increase rapidly, wages and income are struggling to keep up. There are a lot of great resources online to learn more!

  • BSC Realtors has great info about the cost to buy a home in Brazos County and they update it regularly.
  • The US Census has a quick facts page about Brazos County population and housing and population.

If you want more details you can find even more through the US Census data website.

Best Practices in Housing Policy

Bryan and College Station both work very hard to keep their housing ordinances up to date with the best information available. Below are four example best practices in the world of housing development that can help keep our community thriving.

empty lot in a neighborhoodBuilding homes on empty lots in existing neighborhoods helps to use existing infrastructure like roads and water lines to provide cost savings for future homeowners. This also allows people to find a home closer to the amenities and action in town.

example of narrower lotsOne way to help homebuyers save money is to allow them to purchase a smaller amount of land. 40 feet wide as a minimum lot size instead of 50 feet can make a big difference! Smaller lots mean less lawn to mow, water, and treat from ants – resulting in lower maintenance costs for the future!

Smaller homes are a great option for first-time homebuyers and empty nesters who want a neighborhood setting, but not extra bedrooms or yard.

If you look around town, you will mostly find single-family home neighborhoods and high-rise apartments. Not all residents desire these options, but they will be forced to fill up those units without other viable options. Encouraging the creation of 2-4 unit homes gives residents more options that fit their budget. With the right regulations, “missing middle housing” units can fit seamlessly into existing neighborhoods and appeal to a variety of ages and stages of life. Imagine that one day your home no longer suits your needs, but you love your neighborhood. With a variety of housing options in the neighborhood, you could simply move down the street! In addition, missing middle housing creates just enough density to enable highly demanded walkable neighborhoods with amenities.

To learn more about missing middle housing, watch our interview with local professional planner Lindsay Hackett.

Housing policy experts will often use the term ADU, or accessory dwelling unit, for a small home in your backyard. Often grandparents may live there (ie. granny flat) but the homeowner in the main house could also rent out the backyard unit to a young entrepreneur or a college student, someone who does not need an entire home for himself or herself. There are several ways to add a single unit of housing to a residential lot, but the main benefit is that the addition of housing does not change the look and feel of the neighborhood from the street (or streetscape). With the ability to rent out the backyard, that income could help with mortgage costs for the homeowner. One common concern in neighborhoods is absentee landlords, but in this situation, the main property owner is close by and can address any issues quickly, making the tenant feel much safer.

In our interview with policy experts at the Mercatus Center, we discussed how ADUs were beneficial to communities during the Covid pandemic. Watch that here.

To learn more about many other best practices in housing policy and housing affordability, check out these resources: