Zoning

Zoning is a device of land-use planning. It is the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another. Zoning may be use-based (regulating the uses to which land may be put, also called functional zoning), or it may regulate building height, lot coverage (density), and similar characteristics, or some combination of these. Zoning is used to prevent new development from interfering with existing residents or businesses and to preserve the “character” of a community.

Click here to visit the Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Rochester

An interactive zoning map is available as part of the City’s Property Information page. (Click the Choose Map icon and select the Zoning Districts layer). For an in-depth look at zoning in Rochester, check out Matthew Denker’s series of articles on RochesterSubway.com.