Zoning Codes are regulations of property developments with restrictions on use, size, shape, height, and other details. New York City has different Zoning Districts, each with unique regulations. There are three primary zoning categories: M for Manufacturing Districts, C for Commercial Districts, and R for Residential Zoning Districts.
New York City Residential zoning codes are sometimes very complicated and quite convoluted. This article is an overview of the different residential zoning districts in New York City. We are only looking at some basic details. This article is not an in-depth analysis.
I am Jorge Fontan, an architect in New York and owner of Fontan Architecture, a Manhattan-based architecture firm.
Residential Zoning Districts Introduction
Let’s start with one simple fact: NYC Zoning is complicated. The easiest way to understand Zoning is to break it down into its basic concepts.
In NYC, Zoning Districts that begin with the letter R are Residential Zoning districts. All Residential Zoning Districts have a number 1 through 10 after the R. These numbers reference the district’s development magnitude and density. For example, R10 is a high-density district with high-rise residential skyscrapers, whereas R1 is a low-density district with single-family detached houses. Below is an outline of the different zones and their general features.
Floor Area Ratio
One of the most important zoning concepts you must understand is Floor Area Ratio or FAR. First, this is pronounced F.A.R., as in you say the letters, but everyone writes it as FAR.
FAR is a regulation that determines the maximum floor area of a building in proportion to the size of the property.
Allowable building square footage = Property size x FAR
If a property is 10,000 square feet and has an FAR of .5, the property can have a 5,000-square-foot development.
Allowable building square footage = 10,000 x .5
Allowable building square footage = 5,000
If a property is 10,000 square feet and has an FAR of 12, the property can have a 120,000-square-foot development.
Allowable building square footage = 10,000 x 12
Allowable building square footage = 120,000
We have another post you can read with a further Explanation of Zoning FAR if you are interested.
NYC Residential Zoning Districts
R1 Zoning
R1 Zoning is a low-density single-family residential zoning district that only allows the development of single-family houses. R1 is somewhat suburban-looking and is only in a few areas of New York City. These districts typically have large properties and large homes. These zones have relatively large properties with yards. You will normally see lots of trees and grass in these neighborhoods. There are three types of R1 zones.
R1-1
R1-1 Zoning has the largest properties. The properties are a minimum of 9,500 square feet and have large yards and typically large houses surrounded by open space and lots of grass. R1-1 Zoning is mapped in Riverdale Bronx and parts of Staten Island. Front Yards are a minimum of 20 feet, The rear yards are a minimum of 30 feet, and the side yards combined are 35 feet. The heights of the homes are restricted by what is called a sky exposure plane. All R1 zones only allow single-family detached homes.
Lot Width Minimum – 100′
Lot Area Minimum – 9,500 square feet (Largest lot requirement in NYC)
FAR – .5
R1-2
R1-2 Zoning is similar to R1-1 except the minimum property size is 5,700 square feet. These zones also have smaller side yard requirements. The side yards are 20 feet combined. The Fieldston Road area in Riverdale, Bronx, is primarily R1-2 and a perfect example of the character of such neighborhoods.
Lot Width Minimum – 60′
Lot Area Minimum – 5,700 square feet
FAR – .5
R1-2A
R1-2A Zoning is similar to R1-2, but in R1-2A, the height of the home “building height” is restricted to 35 feet measured at the roof ridge (high point of roof), and the low point “perimeter wall height” is restricted to 25 feet. Also, in this zone, the front yard has to be at least as deep as the neighbor’s yard, with a minimum of 20 feet. The house can cover a maximum of 30% of the property. The area in Queens directly West of Flushing Meadow Park is an example of a neighborhood with R1-2A zoning.
Lot Width Minimum – 60′
Lot Area Minimum – 5,700 square feet
FAR – .5
R2 Zoning
R2 Zoning only allows single-family detached houses with yards on all four sides. The properties and homes in R2 are smaller than those in R1 the minimum property lot size is 3,800 square feet with a minimum property width of 40 feet. Front Yards are a minimum of 15 feet. The rear yards are a minimum of 30 feet. The side yards combined are 13 feet. R2 is in City Island in the Bronx and some parts of Queens. R2 Zoning also has contextual zones of R2A and R2B.
Here is a more detailed analysis of R2 Zoning in NYC.
R2
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – .5
R2A
R2A Zoning restricts the “building height” to 35 feet measured at the roof ridge, the highest point of the roof. It also limits the perimeter wall height to 21 feet, measured at the roof’s eave / low point.
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – .5
R2X
R2x zoning Is similar to R2A except that R2X permits properties of a minimum of 30 feet wide and property lots with a minimum of 2,850 square feet. This Zoning also allows an Attic Allowance, a square footage bonus for attic areas under a pitched roof.
Lot Width Minimum – 30′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,850 square feet
FAR – .5 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R3 Zoning
R3 Zoning allows for one and two-family homes that can be detached, semi-detached, or attached. Meaning the houses can share a wall between the houses. When built in pairs, they are “semi-detached,” whereas, in groups, they are “attached” homes. R3 has the subdistricts R3-1, R3-2, and contextual zones R3A and R3X. R3 Zoning is common in Staten Island, The Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn.
R3-1
R3-1 Zoning has different requirements for detached or semi-detached houses. The detached homes, with yards on all four sides, need property lots to be at least 40 feet wide with a total lot area of 3,800 square feet. The semi-detached properties must only be 18 feet wide and have a 1,700 total lot area. The semi-detached houses are built in pairs rather than in larger groups.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – .5 (Plus Attic Allowance)
Semi-Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – .5 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R3-2
R3-2 Zoning is the same as R3-1 Zoning, except it allows attached houses, which are built in groups greater than two and have no requirement for a side yard.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – .5 (Plus Attic Allowance)
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – .5 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R3A
R3A zoning has single and two-family detached houses but only requires a 25-foot-wide property. In the R3A district, houses can be built up to a side lot property line, but the house must be at least 8 feet from the neighbor’s home.
Lot Width Minimum – 25′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,375 square feet
FAR – .5 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R3X
R3X Zoning has single and two-family detached houses but only requires a 35-foot-wide property. R3A allows detached houses to be built within 2 feet of a side property line, but the house must be at least 8 feet from the neighbor’s home.
Lot Width Minimum – 35′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,325 square feet
FAR – .5 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R4 Zoning
In NYC, R4 Zoning allows any residence type: single-family homes, two-family homes, and small multifamily residential (anything over two families is considered multifamily in this context). R4 Zoning is common in The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and some of Staten Island.
R4
In NYC, R4 Zoning has different requirements for detached or semi-detached houses. The detached buildings, with yards on all four sides, need property lots to be at least 40 feet wide with a total lot area of 3,800 square feet. The semi-detached properties must only be 18 feet wide and have a 1,700 total lot area. The semi-detached houses are built in pairs, not in larger groups. R4 is similar to R3-1 except that R4 Zoning allows larger square footage of homes and small multifamily buildings.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – .75 (Plus Attic Allowance)
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – .75 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R4 Infill
R4 Infill Zoning is an optional zoning regulation in some R4 districts. These requirements in R4 Zones allow for a higher floor area of developments in a predominantly built-up area. Predominantly Built-Up Areas are determined by the surrounding buildings and the extent of the neighboring previously developed properties.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – 1.35
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – 1.35
R4-1
R4-1 Zoning only allows single or two-family homes that are detached or semi-detached. The detached houses, with yards on all four sides, need property lots to be at least 25 feet wide with a total lot area of 2,375 square feet. The semi-detached properties only need to be 18 feet wide and have a 1,700 total lot area. The semi-detached houses are built in pairs, not in larger groups.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 25′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,375 square feet
FAR – .75 (Plus Attic Allowance)
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – .75 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R4A
R4A Zoning only allows one-family and two-family detached homes.
Lot Width Minimum – 30′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,850 square feet
FAR – .75 (Plus Attic Allowance)
R4B
R4B Zoning allows small attached semi-detached and detached homes, single and two-family only. The building height is restricted to 24 feet.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 25′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,375 square feet
FAR – .9
Semi-Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – .9
R5 Zoning
In NYC, R5 Zoning allows any type of residential development. Here you will typically find three and four-story townhouses/row houses or small multifamily apartment buildings of 3 or 4 stories. R5 is very common and can be found in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and a few locations within Staten Island.
For more detailed information, please see an article we wrote with a zoning analysis of an R5 property- R5 Zoning
R5
Buildings over 30′ tall are required to have a 15-foot setback at the 30 elevation.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – 1.25
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – 1.25
R5 Infill
R5 Infill Zoning is an optional zoning regulation in some R5 districts. These requirements in R5 Zoning allow for a higher floor area of developments in a Predominantly Built-Up Area. The floor area ratio is higher than basic R5. Predominantly Built-Up Areas are determined by the surrounding buildings and the extent of the neighboring previously developed properties on the same block.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 40′
Lot Area Minimum – 3,800 square feet
FAR – 1.65
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – 1.65
R5A
R5A Zoning districts only allow single-family and two-family homes.
Lot Width Minimum – 30′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,850 square feet
FAR – 1.1
R5B
R5B Zoning mostly comprises three-story buildings or three-story townhouses.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 25′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,375 square feet
FAR – 1.35
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – 1.35
R5D
R5D Zoning does not require a setback on the fourth floor of a four-story building.
Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 25′
Lot Area Minimum – 2,375 square feet
FAR – 2
Not Detached
Lot Width Minimum – 18′
Lot Area Minimum – 1,700 square feet
FAR – 2
R6 Zoning
In NYC, R6 zoning is one of the most common zones in New York City, covering a great deal of Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, as well as a few small areas in Manhattan and Staten Island. R6 is medium-density residential, having medium-sized residential apartment buildings. As an architect in NYC, most of the inquiries for zoning analysis of properties and new residential developments at our Architecture Firm are in R6 Zoning. R6 is the only NYC Residential Zoning District in all five boroughs.
In R6 Zoning, you have two options for zoning regulations “Height Factor” or “The Quality Housing Program.”
Height Factor
Height Factor is a set of zoning regulations that promote tall skinny buildings with open space on the property. The taller the building, the thinner it must get and the more open space you must provide on the property.
Quality Housing Program
The Quality Housing Program is an alternate set of rules for NYC Residential Zoning. The Quality Housing Program promotes shorter, wider buildings that cover more of the property than a height factor building is allowed to.
R6 Height Factor
Learn More about Height Factor Zoning
FAR Varies Between .78 – 2.43
R6 Quality Housing Program
FAR 3.0 On Street 75′ wide or more Outside Manhattan Core (Manhattan Core is south of East 96th St or South of West 110th St)
FAR 3.6 With Inclusionary Housing on Street 75′ wide or more Outside Manhattan Core (Manhattan Core is south of East 96th St or South of West 110th st)
Wide Street FAR 2.43 On Street 75′ wide or more In the Manhattan Core
Narrow Street FAR 2.2 On Street less than 75′ wide Outside Manhattan Core
For more info on R6 Zoning, look at another post we wrote on R6 Zoning In NYC.
R6A
In R6A Zoning, the Quality Housing Program is mandatory.
FAR – 3.0
FAR – 3.6 With Inclusionary housing
R6B
R6B Zoning has mostly townhouses that are a maximum of 50 feet but set back from the Street at 40 feet.
FAR – 2.0
FAR – 2.2 With Inclusionary Housing
R7 Zoning
R7 Zoning is a medium-density multifamily residential building. In NYC, the R7 Zoning is very common in the Bronx, Harlem, Washington Heights, and parts of the Upper West Side and Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is similar to R6 but with a little larger and taller buildings.
In R7 Zoning, you have two options for zoning regulations “Height Factor” or “The Quality Housing Program.”
Please see another post we wrote for more information on R7, R7-1, & R7-2 Zoning.
Height Factor
Height Factor is a set of zoning regulations that promote tall skinny buildings with open space on the property. The taller the building, the thinner it must get and the more open space you need to provide on the property.
Quality Housing Program
The Quality Housing Program promotes shorter, wider buildings that cover more of the property than a height factor building is allowed to.
R7 Height Factor
FAR Varies Between .87 – 3.44
R7 Quality Housing Program
FAR – 4.0 On Street 75′ wide or more Outside Manhattan Core (Manhattan Core is south of East 96th St or South of West 110th St)
FAR 3.44 On a street less than 75′ wide
R7A
In the R7A Zoning Contextual district, the Quality Housing Program is mandatory.
FAR – 4.0
FAR – 4.6 With Inclusionary Housing
For a more in-depth look, you can see our other post on R7A Zoning
R7B
In R7B Zoning Contextual district, the Quality Housing Program is mandatory, but the building will have less floor area than R7A.
FAR – 3.0
R7D
R7D zoning allows a slightly higher floor area than R7A
FAR – 4.2
FAR – 5.6 With Inclusionary Housing
R7X
R7X zoning allows the highest floor area of all the R7 Zones.
FAR – 5.0
R8 Zoning
R8 Zoning is considered high density, with buildings as low as 8 or 10 stories to much taller developments. The Grand Concourse in The Bronx is R8 and the West half of Washington Heights.
In R8 Zoning, you have two options for zoning regulations “Height Factor” or “The Quality Housing Program.”
Please see another post we wrote on R8 Zoning for a more in-depth look.
Height Factor
Height Factor is a set of zoning regulations that promote tall skinny buildings with open space on the property. The taller the building, the thinner it must get and the more open space you must provide on the property.
Quality Housing Program
The Quality Housing program promotes shorter, wider buildings that cover more of the property than a height factor building is allowed to.
R8 Height Factor
FAR Varies Between .94 – 6.02
R8 Quality Housing Program
FAR 7.2 On a street 75′ wide or more
FAR 6.02 On a street less than 75′ wide
R8A
In R8A Zoning, the Quality Housing Program is mandatory.
FAR – 6.02
FAR – 7.2 With Inclusionary Housing
R8B
In R8B Zoning, the Quality Housing Program is mandatory. These buildings are usually six stories.
FAR – 4
R8X
In R8X Zoning, the Quality Housing Program is mandatory, and the Building Height can be up to 150 feet.
FAR – 6.02
R9 Zoning
R9 Zoning districts have tall residential buildings. In certain locations, R9 has additional Zoning options for “Towers.” Towers are tall buildings that do not follow the normal height limitations. R9 Zoning is mapped in Manhattan and Brooklyn. This NYC Residential Zoning District will have some of the larger and taller residential buildings in NYC.
In R9 Zoning, you have two options for zoning regulations “Height Factor” or “The Quality Housing Program.”
Height Factor
Height Factor is a set of zoning regulations that promote tall skinny buildings with open space on the property. The taller the building, the thinner it must get and the more open space you must provide on the property.
Quality Housing Program
The Quality Housing program promotes shorter, wider buildings that cover more of the property than a height factor building is allowed to.
R9 Tower / Height Factor
FAR Varies Between .99 – 7.52
FAR – 8 With Inclusionary Housing
R9A
In R9A Zoning, the Quality Housing Program is mandatory.
FAR – 7.52
FAR – 8.5 With Inclusionary Housing
R9D
R9D Zoning is around elevated trains and requires towers to be built whose interiors comply with the quality Housing program.
FAR – 9
FAR – 10 With Inclusionary Housing
R9X
In R9X Zoning, The Quality Housing Program is mandatory, but these buildings are allowed more floor area than R9A.
FAR – 9
R10 Zoning
R10 Zoning has the largest and tallest Apartment Buildings in New York City. It is the most dense of the NYC residential zoning districts. Park Avenue in Manhattan is an example of an area with R10 zoning. There are also Commercial Districts in Manhattan that allow for R10 Zoning.
In R10 Zoning, you have three options for zoning regulations “The Quality Housing Program,” “Tower,” and “Tower on a Base.”
Quality Housing Program
The Quality Housing Program promotes shorter, wider buildings that cover more of the property than a height factor building is allowed to.
Tower
A tower is a very tall building without height restriction. The buildable Floor Area can be increased in Towers by providing public plazas or affordable Housing.
Tower On a Base
Tower On a Base is where the lower floors (the base) cover a greater area than the tower. The base is between 60 and 85 feet tall. There is then a tall thin tower coming out of the base.
R10 Quality Housing
FAR – 10
FAR – 12 With Inclusionary Housing
R10 Tower On a Base
FAR – 10
FAR – 12 With Inclusionary Housing
R10 Tower
FAR – 10
FAR – 12 With Inclusionary Housing
R10A
In R10A Zoning, The Quality Housing Program is mandatory.
FAR – 10
FAR – 12 With Inclusionary Housing
R10X
In R10X zoning, The Quality Housing Program is mandatory.
FAR – 10
FAR – 12 With Inclusionary Housing or Public Plaza
NYC Residential Zoning
New York City Zoning Codes are complicated and quite involved. In this article, we reviewed some of the basic concepts concerning NYC Residential Zoning. This post does not assume to cover every possible issue or condition but provides a general overview of the topic.
Thank You for Reading Our Blog Post on NYC Residential Zoning.
I hope this was helpful. If you want to discuss a specific project with an architect, please contact us directly.
This post was written by Jorge Fontan AIA a Registered Architect and owner of New York City architecture firm Fontan Architecture. Jorge Fontan has earned 3 degrees in the study of architecture including two degrees from the City University of New York and a Masters Degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. Jorge has a background in construction and has been practicing architecture for 20 years where he has designed renovations and new developments of various building types.
