R1-2 District      Fieldston, Bronx

Residence districts are the most common zoning districts in New York City, accounting for about 75 percent of the city’s zoned land area. These districts accommodate an extraordinary variety of residential building forms—ranging from the single-family homes set amid wide lawns on the city’s outskirts to the soaring towers of Manhattan.

R10X   District

Chelsea, Manhattan

To regulate such diversity, the Zoning Resolution designates 10 basic residence districts—R1 through R10. The numbers refer to permitted bulk and density (with R1 having the lowest density and R10 the highest) and other controls such as required parking. A second letter or number in some districts signifies additional controls. Unless otherwise stated, the regulations for each of the 10 residence districts pertain to all subcategories within that district. Regulations for the R4 district, for example, encompass R4-1, R4A and R4B districts, except where specific differences are noted.

Residences are also permitted in most commercial districts. Certain higher-density commercial districts mapped primarily in Manhattan are, in fact, substantially residential in character. In each commercial district, except C7 and C8, the size of a residential building or the residential portion of a mixed building is governed by the bulk provisions of a specified “equivalent” residential district. For example, R6 is the residential district equivalent of C4-2 and C4-3 districts.

All residence districts permit most community facilities, such as schools, houses of worship and medical facilities. In certain districts, in order to accommodate needed services, the maximum permitted floor area ratio (FAR) for community facilities exceeds the maximum permitted for residential uses. In districts limited to one- and two-family homes, however, certain facilities are not permitted or are restricted in size.


LOWER DENSITY DISTRICTS (R1-R5)
Lower-density residence districts are usually found far from central business districts in areas not well served by mass transit. These areas are characterized by low building heights, landscaped yards and high auto ownership. Some lower-density neighborhoods are comprised entirely of single-family detached homes on large lots, others have one- and two-family detached homes on smaller lots, and still other neighborhoods have detached, semi-detached and attached buildings all mixed together.

A detached building is a freestanding structure surrounded by yards or other open areas on the same zoning lot.	A semi-detached building abuts another building on an adjoining zoning lot along one side lot line and is surrounded on all other sides by yards.	An attached building abuts two side lot lines and other buildings on adjoining zoning lots.

Detached and semi-detached buildings typically accommodate either a single family or two families in separate dwelling units. Attached buildings may house one, two, or more families. R1 and R2 districts allow only detached single-family residences. R3A, R3X, R4A and R5A districts allow only detached single- and two-family residences. R3-1 and R4-1 districts permit both detached and semi-detached one- and two-family houses. R4B districts also permit attached row houses limited to one and two families. R3-2, R4, R5, R5B and R5D are general residence districts that permit all housing types and are distinguished by differing bulk and density, height and setback, lot coverage or open space, and parking requirements.

Since 1989, R3, R4 and R5 districts with an A, B, D, X or 1 suffix have been created or revised to prevent the out-of-scale development that can blur distinctions between residence districts and alter the character of the city’s traditional low-rise neighborhoods. The regulations for these new and revised districts aim to preserve neighborhood character by reaffirming the bulk distinctions, building configurations and narrow lot sizes of many residential neighborhoods. A maximum building height is established for each district, including the traditional low-rise row house districts (R4B and R5B). The familiar roof line of districts characterized by pitched roofs is encouraged by establishing a maximum perimeter wall height, above which pitched roofs or setbacks are required. In R2X, R3, R4, R4-1 and R4A districts, an increase in floor area is permitted for space beneath a pitched roof ( attic allowance). The regulations promote landscaped front yards and allow for more on-street parking by controlling the location and dimensions of driveways and curb cuts.

Some R1, R2, R3, R4-1 and R4A districts in the city are designated as Lower Density Growth Management Areas, where residential developments are required to provide more parking spaces, larger yards and more open space. Designated areas include all such zoning districts in Staten Island and in Bronx Community District 10.

For more information, view summary tables of zoning data for R1-R3 and R4-R5 lower-density residence districts.

MODERATE- AND HIGHER-DENSITY DISTRICTS (R6-R10)
Moderate- and higher-density residence districts are generally found close to central and regional business districts, and are usually well served by mass transit. These areas are characterized by bulkier buildings, a wider range of building heights and lower auto ownership than lower-density areas. Like the lower-density residence districts, however, the character of these neighborhoods varies widely. Some are defined entirely by row houses, others by low apartment houses or high-rise buildings and still others by a mixture of all building types.

Moderate- and higher-density districts are divided into two categories: non-contextual and contextual. Non-contextual districts (R6, R7, R8 and R9), sometimes called height factor districts, are generally mapped where there is a mixture of building types and no predominant context. Contextual districts are those districts with an A, B or X letter suffix (R6A, R6B, R7A, R7B, R7X, R8A, R8B, R8X, R9A, R9X, R10A and R10X). Contextual districts, where development must comply with the regulations of the Quality Housing Program, are designed to maintain the scale and form of the city’s traditional moderate- and higher-density neighborhoods. These districts are mapped where buildings of similar size and shape form a strong neighborhood context or where redevelopment would create a uniform context.

In non-contextual R6 through R9 districts, developers have a choice between building under height factor or Quality Housing regulations. In non-contextual R9 and R10 districts, developers may also elect to build pursuant to the tower regulations.

For more information, view summary tables of zoning data for R6-R7 medium-density residence districts and R8-R10 higher-density residence districts.

Non-Contextual or Height Factor Regulations

Height factor regulations encourage development of tall buildings set back from the street and surrounded by open space. The building form is a product of the “tower-in-the-park” vision of urban planning popular in the 1950's. In each district, the size of a building is determined by a complex set of rules involving the interrelationship between a range of height factors, floor area ratios and open space ratios. Higher floor area ratios are permitted on large lots where large areas of open space can be provided. Smaller lots in the same district, where less open space is possible, typically achieve smaller floor area ratios. In general, the larger the lot, the taller the building permitted under height factor regulations.








Contextual or Quality Housing Regulations
In the 1980’s, the Quality Housing Program was created in response to concerns that height factor regulations led to buildings that were often out-of-scale with the surrounding neighborhood. To promote high-quality housing harmonious with its neighbors, the Quality Housing Program permits buildings to have greater lot coverage than height factor developments. And, within fixed height limits, the maximum floor area ratio is more easily achieved. Because less open space is available for parking, slightly less parking is required than for height factor developments. So that buildings relate better to the street, the program also regulates the location of the front wall (the street wall) of a building, and places limits on the height of the street wall before setbacks are required. In addition to rules promoting amenities inside a building, space in front of a building must be landscaped and parking spaces must be located in an underground garage or behind or to the side of a building—never between the street wall and front lot line. The Quality Housing Program is mandatory in contextual R6 through R10 districts. Since the 1980’s, dozens of neighborhoods throughout the city have been rezoned as contextual districts.

Optional Quality Housing Regulations in Non-Contextual Districts
In non-contextual R6 through R9 districts, developers may choose either height factor or optional Quality Housing regulations. (The optional Quality Housing Program is also available in R10 districts.) For example, on a wide street in an R6 district outside of Manhattan, the optional Quality Housing regulations would be the same as those for an R6A (Quality Housing) district.

In general, the optional program allows moderately larger but lower buildings with more apartments than might be achievable under height factor regulations as a way of encouraging the mid-rise apartment buildings that reflect the traditional scale of many neighborhoods. Sometimes, height factor regulations may be preferable because neighboring buildings or blocks do not have a consistent character or because the views attainable by a taller building outweigh the advantages of greater bulk.

Developers must determine which of the two sets of regulations is most appropriate for any given site, but cannot mix and match the two on the same zoning lot. The taller heights permitted for height factor buildings, for example, cannot be combined with the higher lot coverage permitted for Quality Housing buildings.

R9 and R10 Tower Regulations
R9 and R10 districts without a letter suffix, as well as commercial districts permitting equivalent residential density—all mapped mainly in Manhattan—allow residential towers of up to 35 stories above a contextual building base of between five and eight stories. The building form is called a tower-on-a-base. A residential tower that rises straight up without a contextual base may also be allowed, if it is located in certain high-density commercial districts or on a narrow street in an R9 or R10 district.

Other Zoning Districts
R7-3 and R9-1 districts, where special bulk, height and setback provisions apply, may be mapped only within waterfront areas and certain special zoning districts.

R10H, a district allowing transient hotels by special permit in addition to residential and community facility uses, is mapped only along Central Park South and a nearby Fifth Avenue blockfront in Manhattan.