Glossary of Zoning Terms

A building is a structure that has one or more floors and a roof, is permanently affixed to the land and is bounded by open areas or the lot lines of a zoning lot.

An attached building* abuts two side lot lines or is one of a row of abutting buildings.

A detached building* is a freestanding building that does not abut any other building and where all sides of the building are surrounded by yards or open areas within the zoning lot.

A semi-detached building* is a building that abuts or shares a wall, on a side lot line, with another building on an adjoining zoning lot and where the remaining sides of the building are surrounded by open areas or street lines.

A zero lot line building* is a freestanding building that abuts one side lot line of a zoning lot and does not abut any other building on an adjoining zoning lot.

Pursuant to state law, the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) process identifies and assesses the potential environmental impacts of discretionary actions that are proposed by public or private applicants. A discretionary action, such as a zoning map amendment, cannot begin public review until a “conditional negative declaration” or “negative declaration” has been issued, stating that no significant environmental impacts have been identified or, if any potential impacts have been identified, a draft environmental impact statement has been completed, evaluating the significance of identified impacts and proposing appropriate mitigation.

A letter “E” designation assigned to a zoning lot indicates a site where environmental requirements must be satisfied before a building permit may be issued for any develop­ment, enlargement or change of use.

A commercial overlay is a C1 or C2 district mapped within residential districts to serve local retail needs (grocery stores, dry cleaners, restaurants, for example). Commercial overlay districts, designated by the letters C1-1 through C1-5 and C2-1 through C2-5, are shown on the zoning maps as a pattern superimposed on a residential district.

Unless otherwise specified on the zoning maps, the depth of C1 overlay districts, measured from the nearest street, is 200 feet for C1-1 districts, 150 feet for C1-2, C1-3, C2-1, C2-2 and C2-3 districts, and 100 feet for C1-4, C1-5, C2-4 and C2-5 districts. When mapped on the long dimension of a block, commercial overlays extend to the midpoint of that block.

Development rights generally refer to the maximum amount of floor area permissible on a zoning lot. When the actual built floor area is less than the maximum per­mitted floor area, the difference is referred to as “unused development rights.” Unused development rights are often described as air rights.

A zoning lot merger is the joining of two or more adjacent zoning lots into one new zoning lot. Unused development rights may be shifted from one lot to an­other, as-of-right, only through a zoning lot merger.

A transfer of development rights (TDR) allows for the transfer of unused development rights from one zoning lot to another in limited circumstances, usually to promote the preservation of historic build­ings, open space or unique cultural resources. For such purposes, a TDR may be permitted where the transfer could not be accomplished through a zon­ing lot merger. In the case of a landmark building, for example, a transfer may be made by CPC special permit from the zoning lot containing the designated landmark to an adjacent zoning lot or one that is directly across a street or, for a corner lot, another corner lot on the same intersection.

The Inclusionary Housing Program provides two optional floor area incentives in exchange for the creation or preservation of affordable housing, on or off-site, pre­dominantly for low-income households.

A large-scale development is a development generally involving several zoning lots planned as a unit. Large-scale development regulations allow modifications to various zoning regulations, such as the distribution of floor area without regard to zoning lot lines, by CPC discretionary action. Such modifications can allow for design flexibility to achieve a superior site plan.

A lot or zoning lot is a tract of land comprising a single tax lot or two or more adjacent tax lots within a block. An apartment building on a single zoning lot, for example, may contain separate condominium units, each occupying its own tax lot. Similarly, a building containing a row of townhouses may occupy several separate tax lots within a single zoning lot, or two or more detached homes on one zoning lot may each have its own tax lot.

The zoning lot is the basic unit for zoning regulations and may be subdivided into two or more zoning lots, and two or more adjoining zoning lots on the same block may be merged, provided that all resulting zoning lots comply with applicable regulations.

A corner lot* is a zoning lot that adjoins the point of intersection of two or more streets; it is also a zoning lot bounded entirely by streets.

An interior lot* is any zoning lot that is neither a corner lot nor a through lot.

A through lot* is any zoning lot that connects two generally parallel streets and is not a corner lot.

A lot line or a zoning lot line is a boundary of a zoning lot.

A mixed building is a building in a commercial district used partly for residential use and partly for community facility or commercial use.

When a building contains more than one use, the maxi­mum FAR permitted on the zoning lot is the highest FAR allowed for any of the uses, provided that the FAR for each use does not exceed the maximum FAR permitted for that use. In a C1-8A district, for example, where the maximum commercial FAR is 2.0 and the maximum residential FAR is 7.52, the total permitted FAR for a mixed residential/commercial building would be 7.52, of which no more than 2.0 FAR may be applied to the commercial space.

A residence consists of one or more dwelling units or rooming units, and any common areas, including one-family and two-family houses, multifamily dwellings or apartment hotels.

Front yards are required in R1 through R5 districts; rules governing the depth of open areas at ground level between the front building wall and the street line apply in R6 through R10 districts. Front yards and open areas must be planted and have a minimum depth that meets the following requirements:

R2A, R3A, R3X, R4A, R4-1 and R5A

In R2A, R3A, R3X, R4A, R4-1 and R5A districts, if the adjacent front yards are deeper than the minimum required front yard, a new building must provide a front yard at least as deep as one of the adjacent yards, but it need not be deeper than 20 feet.

R4B, R5B and R5D

In R4B, R5B and R5D districts, if the adjacent front yards are deeper than the minimum required front yard, then the front yard of a new building must be at least as deep as one adjacent front yard and no deeper than the other, but it need not be deeper than 20 feet.

R6B, R7B and R8B

In R6B, R7B and R8B districts, the street wall of a new building, on any lot up to 50 feet wide, must be as deep as one adjacent wall and no deeper than the other. On lots wider than 50 feet, the street wall of a new build­ing may be no closer to the street line than the street wall of an adjacent building. A street wall need not be located farther from the street line than 15 feet.

R6A, R7A and R7X

In R6A, R7A, 7D and R7X districts, the street wall of a new building may be located no closer to the street line than the street wall of any building within 150 feet on the same blockfront, but need not be located farther from the street line than 15 feet.

A sidewalk cafe is a portion of an eating or drinking estab­lishment that is located on a public sidewalk. Sidewalk cafe regulations are administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs.

A sign is any writing—words, pictures or symbols—that is on or attached to a building or other structure.

A street is any road (other than a private road), highway, parkway, avenue, alley or other way shown on the City Map, or a way at least 50 feet wide and intended for public use which connects a way shown on the City Map to another such way or to a building or structure. A street refers to the entire public right-of-way (including public sidewalks).

A tower is a portion of a building that penetrates the sky exposure plane and is allowed only in specified high-density areas of the city. A tower may be occupied by residential, commercial or community facility uses.

A waterfront area is the geographical area adjacent to a body of water at least 100 feet wide, comprising all blocks between the pierhead line and a parallel line 800 feet land­ward from the shoreline. Blocks within the waterfront area are subject to waterfront zoning regulations.

The bulkhead line is a line shown on the zoning maps which divides the upland and seaward portions of waterfront zoning lots.

The pierhead line is a line shown on the zoning maps which defines the outermost seaward boundary of the area regulated by the Zoning Resolution.

The shoreline* is the mean high water line.

A waterfront block*, waterfront public park* or waterfront zoning lot* is a block, public park or zoning lot in the waterfront area that is adjacent to or intersected by the shoreline.

A waterfront public access area (WPAA) is the portion of a waterfront zoning lot where publicly accessible open space is provided to and along the shoreline. All WPAAs are required to be improved with landscaping and trees, seating and other amenities. WPAAs can include a shore public walkway, an upland connection, a supplemental public access area, a public access area on a pier or floating structure, or any additional area improved for public use. The minimum amount of waterfront public access area required is a specified percentage for the zoning lot.

A shore public walkway* is a linear public access area running alongside the shore.

An upland connection* is a pedestrian way between a public place (a street, a sidewalk or a park, for example) and a shore public walkway. Upland connections may be provided along a private road.

A supplemental public access area* is a public access area required in order to fulfill the minimum percent­age of WPAA required on a waterfront zoning lot, once a shore public walkway and upland connection have been provided.

A yard is a required open area along the lot lines of a zon­ing lot which must be unobstructed from the lowest level to the sky, except for certain permitted obstructions. Yard regulations ensure light and air between structures.