Zoning: Districts Guide -Residence Districts - R2 - R2A - R2X - DCP

Department of City Planning


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About Zoning Districts
Residence Districts
Commercial Districts
Manufacturing Districts
Special Purpose Districts
Rules for Special Areas

About Zoning Districts

Residence Districts

Commercial Districts

Manufacturing Districts

Special Purpose Districts

Rules for Special Areas


Residence Districts: R2 - R2A - R2X

Overview

R1

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

R7

R8

R9

R10

R2

Westerleigh, Staten Island

Residential development in R2 districts is limited exclusively to single-family detached houses. Floral Park in Queens, parts of City Island and Riverdale in the Bronx, and Westerleigh on Staten Island’s north shore are typical R2 districts.

The smaller lot area and lot width requirements in R2 districts allow a higher density than in R1 districts, although the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.5 is the same. The minimum lot width is 40 feet, compared to 60 and 100 feet in R1 districts. The maximum height of buildings is not fixed but is governed by a sky exposure plane. As in other lower-density residence districts, one off-street parking space is required for each dwelling unit.

R2 Regulations

R2A

Cambria Heights, Queens

R2A is a contextual district intended to preserve low-rise neighborhoods characterized by single-family detached homes on lots with a minimum width of 40 feet. The district is mapped in sections of Bayside, Whitestone and Cambria Heights in Queens.

The floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.5 in R2A districts includes all space within a building, including basement and usable attic space, resulting in smaller homes than those found in other districts with similar floor area ratios. Only garages are exempt from floor area calculations, up to a maximum of 300 square feet. Lot coverage of the house and any separate garage is limited to 30% of the zoning lot. As in R2 districts, the width of the two required side yards must total a minimum of 13 feet, each at least five feet wide. The front yard must be at least 15 feet deep; unlike other R2 districts, however, it must be at least as deep as an adjacent front yard, but need not exceed 20 feet. The maximum building height is fixed at 35 feet and the perimeter wall may rise no higher than 21 feet. One off-street parking space is required for each dwelling unit.

R2X

Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn

R2X districts allow large single-family detached houses on lots with a minimum width of 30 feet. R2X districts are mapped in Brooklyn in parts of Midwood within the Special Ocean Parkway District and part of Far Rockaway in Queens.

The higher floor area ratio (FAR) and permitted rear yard encroachment in R2X districts produce buildings with greater bulk than in any other single-family residence district. The 0.85 FAR is considerably higher than in other R2 districts and may be increased up to 1.02 by an attic allowance for the inclusion of space beneath a pitched roof. The perimeter wall may rise to 21 feet before sloping or being set back to a maximum building height of 35 feet. Although other residence districts require a 30-foot rear yard, houses in R2X districts may extend 10 feet into the rear yard. The amount of required open space on a lot is governed by yard requirements. As in other lower density districts, the R2X district requires one off-street parking space for each dwelling unit.

Disclaimer
The Zoning Reference provides only general zoning information and is not meant to serve as a substitute for the actual regulations which are to be found in the Zoning Resolution.

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