A proposed zoning law is being taken to the Fort Worth city council because of various complaints from residents around TCU.

Dana Burghdoff, the Deputy Planning and Development director for the City of Fort Worth, said the proposal was developed after the city council received various complaints regarding the use of single family homes for renting to multiple people.

Burghdoff said people were complaining they were like “mini dormitories” or “mini fraternity houses.”

District 3 City Councilman Zim Zimmerman said the issue is there are people who have four and five bedroom homes in the area that lease to college students who sometimes have all-night parties.

“It’s almost like a fraternity house,” he said. “I’m just trying to protect the interest of my constituents in the area. We are trying to find some middle ground.”

There are two different ideas, the first being a citywide change for new construction, and the other being specific occupancy for single-family homes around TCU, Burghdoff said.

If this proposal is approved, the houses within “A” One Family zoning districts, which include houses surrounding TCU, would only be able to house three unrelated adults, according to the City of Fort Worth website.

Currently, five unrelated residents are allowed to live in a house.

According to the website, the city is also considering whether to have neighborhood associations choose to be involved in the restriction or to apply it throughout the district. They are also considering whether to grandfather the properties with more than three bedrooms that have a history of leases to more than three unrelated residents.

The next step in the process is to brief city council, which will take place in early August, Burghdoff said. The council will then decide whether to proceed or revise the proposal.

the109 Editor Karen Gavis contributed to this report.