Phoenix, AZ Zoning
Districts & Requirements
Every zoning district in Phoenix with permitted uses, setbacks, height limits, and density requirements — in plain English. Phoenix uses traditional Euclidean zoning with overlay districts. The Walkable Urban (WU) Code (Chapter 13, adopted 2015) adds form-based transect districts along the light rail corridor. PUD zoning is increasingly common for large projects — the developer authors custom standards subject to Council approval. ADUs are now permitted in all single-family districts as of the 2024 text amendment.
17
Zoning districts
7
Overlay districts
1,700,000
Population
2025
Code adopted
Quick Reference
Find your district, see what you can do. Click any row for details.
| District | At a glance | Height | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| RE-43 | One-acre estate lots. One home + ADU. No subdivision potential without rezoning. | 2 stories / 30 ft | 25% |
| R1-10 | 10,000 SF lots, 30% coverage. Standard suburban single-family. No multifamily. | 2 stories / 30 ft | 30% |
| R1-8 | 8,000 SF lots, 35% coverage. Bread-and-butter Phoenix single-family. Highest volume district. | 2 stories / 30 ft | 35% |
| R1-6 | 6,000 SF lots, 40% coverage. Smaller infill lots. Good for starter homes and ADU conversions. | 2 stories / 30 ft | 40% |
| R-2 | Duplexes and small multifamily. ~14 units/acre. The entry point to density in Phoenix. | 2 stories / 30 ft | 45% |
| R-3 | Garden apartments, 2-3 stories. ~10-12 units/acre attached. Missing middle housing. | 2-3 stories / 30-40 ft | 45% |
| R-4 | Mid-rise apartments, 3-4 stories. ~22-26 units/acre. Corridor-oriented multifamily. | 3-4 stories / 40-48 ft | 50% |
| R-5 | High-density apartments, 4 stories / 48 ft. Up to 52 units/acre with bonus. Restricted commercial allowed. | 4 stories / 48 ft | 50% |
| C-O | Office district, 4 stories / 56 ft. Good residential-to-commercial transition. 50% coverage. | 4 stories / 56 ft | 50% |
| C-1 | Neighborhood-scale retail, 4 stories / 56 ft. Multifamily permitted. Walkable commercial nodes. | 4 stories / 56 ft | 50% |
| C-2 | General retail and multifamily, 4 stories / 56 ft. Drive-throughs allowed. Arterial-oriented. | 4 stories / 56 ft | 50% |
| C-3 | Broadest commercial district. 4 stories / 56 ft. Includes outdoor sales, amusement, wholesale. | 4 stories / 56 ft | 50% |
| A-1 | Light industrial, 56 ft max (80 ft with use permit). Warehousing, flex, and light manufacturing. | 56 ft (80 ft with use permit, 110 ft for warehouse with Council approval) | 60% |
| A-2 | Heavy industrial. Open operations, outdoor storage, heavy processing. Large buffers required. | 56 ft (80 ft with use permit) | 60% |
| HR | High-rise residential and mixed-use. No fixed height cap. Central corridor and downtown. | No fixed max (site plan approval) | Varies by site plan |
| PUD | Custom zoning. Developer writes the standards. Council approval required. Largest projects. | Per PUD narrative | Per PUD narrative |
| WU | Form-based code along light rail. 12 transect districts from 2-story residential to 250-ft towers. | T3: 30 ft / T4: 40 ft / T5: 56-100 ft / T6: 100-250 ft | Varies by transect (up to 90% in T6) |
Residential — Estate
1 district in Phoenix
RE-43
Residential Estate 43Single-family on 1-acre minimums. North Phoenix desert foothills and Ahwatukee edges. You're building one custom home — no density play here.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family home
- ✓One ADU (as of 2024)
- ✓Guest house
- ✓Home occupation
- ✗Duplexes, multifamily, or commercial
- ✗Subdivision below 43,560 SF lots
- ✗Lot splits without rezoning
Key numbers
- Height
- 2 stories / 30 ft
- Lot min
- 43,560 SF (1 acre)
- Width
- 165 ft
- Coverage
- 25%
- Front
- 30 ft
- Side
- 30 ft
- Rear
- 30 ft
What this means in practice
25% coverage on 43,560 SF = 10,890 SF max footprint. Two stories gets you a 20,000+ SF estate. The 30-ft setbacks on all sides eat into your buildable area — on a 165x264 lot, your buildable envelope is 105x204. Custom home territory only. If you're assembling RE-43 parcels near a growing edge, the long-term play is rezoning to R1-10 or R1-8.
Residential — Single-Family
3 districts in Phoenix
R1-10
Single-Family 10Mid-size single-family lots common in North Phoenix, Arcadia edges, and established neighborhoods. One home plus ADU — no path to density without rezoning.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family home
- ✓One ADU
- ✓Home occupation
- ✗Duplexes or multifamily
- ✗Commercial or retail
- ✗Lot splits below 10,000 SF
Key numbers
- Height
- 2 stories / 30 ft
- Lot min
- 10,000 SF
- Width
- 80 ft
- Coverage
- 30%
- Front
- 25 ft
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 25 ft
What this means in practice
30% of 10,000 SF = 3,000 SF footprint. Two stories gets you ~5,500 SF of living space. The 25-ft front and rear setbacks are generous — on a 100x100 lot, your buildable depth is only 50 ft. Spec home builders target R1-10 for the 2,000-3,000 SF product that dominates Phoenix resale.
R1-8
Single-Family 8The most common single-family district in Phoenix. 8,000 SF lots, 65-ft wide. Every major subdivision from the 1960s-2000s. Well-understood by lenders and appraisers.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family home
- ✓One ADU
- ✓Home occupation
- ✗Duplexes or multifamily
- ✗Commercial or retail
Key numbers
- Height
- 2 stories / 30 ft
- Lot min
- 8,000 SF
- Width
- 65 ft
- Coverage
- 35%
- Front
- 25 ft
- Side
- 7 ft
- Rear
- 20 ft
What this means in practice
35% of 8,000 SF = 2,800 SF footprint. Two stories = ~5,200 SF. The 7-ft side setbacks are tight — on a 65-ft-wide lot your building width maxes at 51 ft. Phoenix's ADU ordinance (2024) lets you add a detached unit in the rear, which pencils well as a rental: $1,200-1,800/mo in most submarkets.
R1-6
Single-Family 6Compact single-family lots found in older central Phoenix neighborhoods — Garfield, Coronado, Willo. Tighter setbacks and higher coverage than R1-8. Popular for infill and ADU additions.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family home
- ✓One ADU
- ✓Home occupation
- ✗Duplexes or multifamily
- ✗Commercial or retail
Key numbers
- Height
- 2 stories / 30 ft
- Lot min
- 6,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 40%
- Front
- 20 ft
- Side
- 5 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
What this means in practice
40% of 6,000 SF = 2,400 SF footprint. Two stories = ~4,400 SF. The 5-ft sides and 15-ft rear give you more flexibility than R1-8. Central Phoenix R1-6 lots near light rail have appreciated 40%+ since 2019 — the ADU play (main house + casita) generates strong rental yield on a $350-450K lot basis.
Residential — Multifamily
4 districts in Phoenix
R-2
Multifamily Residence (Two-Family)First multifamily district. Duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings. Scattered throughout central Phoenix transition zones between single-family and commercial corridors.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family home + ADU
- ✓Duplex
- ✓Triplex or fourplex
- ✓Small apartments
- ✓Townhouses
- ✗Commercial or retail (except home occupation)
- ✗Buildings over 2 stories / 30 ft
- ✗Large apartment complexes
Key numbers
- Height
- 2 stories / 30 ft
- Lot min
- 6,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 45%
- Front
- 25 ft
- Side
- 5 ft
- Rear
- 20 ft
What this means in practice
At ~14.5 units/acre standard density, a 10,000 SF lot yields 3 units. 45% coverage on 10,000 SF = 4,500 SF footprint, two stories = ~8,500 SF gross — enough for 3-4 townhouse-style units at 2,000 SF each. R-2 is the workhorse for small Phoenix infill developers. Duplex conversions on existing R-2 lots are the easiest entry into multifamily.
R-3
Multifamily Residence (Restricted)Low-rise multifamily for garden-style apartments and townhouse complexes. Height steps from 2 to 3 stories depending on development option. Found along secondary corridors and neighborhood edges.
What you can build
- ✓Apartments (garden-style)
- ✓Townhouses
- ✓Condominiums
- ✓Single-family attached
- ✓Group homes
- ✗Commercial or retail
- ✗Buildings over 3 stories / 40 ft
- ✗Industrial uses
Key numbers
- Height
- 2-3 stories / 30-40 ft
- Lot min
- 4,000 SF per unit (standard)
- Width
- 40 ft
- Coverage
- 45%
- Front
- 25 ft
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 20 ft
What this means in practice
Standard option: ~10 units/acre. Planned Residential option: up to 12 with bonus. On a half-acre (21,780 SF) at 45% coverage: 9,800 SF footprint, 3 stories = ~28,000 SF gross — roughly 20-24 units at 1,100 SF average. The 15-ft height transition rule (max 15 ft within 10 ft of single-family zoning, +1 ft per additional 1 ft setback) is the key constraint on sites adjacent to R1 districts.
R-4
Multifamily Residence (Limited)Medium-density apartments along arterial corridors. 3-4 stories with planned development option. This is where conventional apartment projects start to pencil with surface parking.
What you can build
- ✓Apartment buildings
- ✓Condominiums
- ✓Townhouse complexes
- ✓Senior housing
- ✓Group quarters
- ✗Commercial or retail
- ✗Buildings over 4 stories / 48 ft
- ✗Industrial uses
Key numbers
- Height
- 3-4 stories / 40-48 ft
- Lot min
- 3,000 SF per unit (standard)
- Width
- 40 ft
- Coverage
- 50%
- Front
- 25 ft
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 20 ft
What this means in practice
At ~22-26 units/acre (with bonus up to 26.4), a 1-acre site yields 22-26 units. 50% coverage on 43,560 SF = 21,780 SF footprint, 4 stories = ~82,000 SF gross — about 65-75 apartments. Surface parking still works at this density but starts getting tight. Lenders underwrite R-4 conventional apartments well — it's a proven product type in Phoenix.
R-5
Multifamily Residence (General)Phoenix's highest-density standard residential district. Up to 52 units/acre with bonus. Also allows restricted commercial uses — a quasi-mixed-use district. Found along major arterials and near employment centers.
What you can build
- ✓High-density apartments
- ✓Condominiums
- ✓Senior housing
- ✓Limited commercial (restaurants, personal services)
- ✓Office (accessory to residential)
- ✗Heavy commercial or big-box retail
- ✗Industrial uses
- ✗Drive-throughs
Key numbers
- Height
- 4 stories / 48 ft
- Lot min
- 2,000 SF per unit (standard)
- Width
- 40 ft
- Coverage
- 50%
- Front
- 25 ft
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 20 ft
What this means in practice
At 43.5-52 units/acre, a 2-acre site yields 87-104 units. The restricted commercial allowance is the R-5 advantage — you can add a leasing office, small restaurant, or personal service without a use permit. 50% coverage on 2 acres = ~43,500 SF footprint, 4 stories = ~165,000 SF gross. Structured parking becomes necessary above ~40 units/acre. The 15-ft height transition rule still applies near single-family.
Commercial
4 districts in Phoenix
C-O
Commercial OfficeOffice use as a buffer between intense commercial and residential. General Office and Major Office options. Multifamily residential also permitted. Common along Camelback Road and Central Avenue edges.
What you can build
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Medical and dental offices
- ✓Multifamily residential
- ✓Day care centers
- ✓Banks and financial services
- ✗Retail (except ancillary)
- ✗Restaurants (standalone)
- ✗Auto-oriented uses
- ✗Industrial
Key numbers
- Height
- 4 stories / 56 ft
- Lot min
- None specified
- Width
- None specified
- Coverage
- 50%
- Front
- 20 ft (no parking in front yard)
- Side
- 10 ft
- Rear
- 10 ft
What this means in practice
The hidden value of C-O: multifamily residential is permitted. A 4-story apartment building on a C-O site avoids the need for R-4 or R-5 rezoning. Height steps up from 25 ft at the setback line near single-family, adding 3 ft of setback per 1 ft of height to the 56-ft max. On a half-acre C-O site: 50% coverage = 10,890 SF footprint, 4 stories = ~41,000 SF gross.
C-1
Neighborhood RetailSmall-scale retail and services at neighborhood intersections. Multifamily residential allowed. The 56-ft height cap and residential entitlement make C-1 sites surprisingly valuable for mixed-use infill.
What you can build
- ✓Neighborhood retail and restaurants
- ✓Multifamily residential (R-3/R-4/R-5 density)
- ✓Office
- ✓Personal services
- ✓Day care
- ✗Big-box retail
- ✗Auto sales or repair
- ✗Drive-throughs (without use permit)
- ✗Industrial
Key numbers
- Height
- 4 stories / 56 ft
- Lot min
- None specified
- Width
- None specified
- Coverage
- 50%
- Front
- 15 ft
- Side
- 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to residential)
- Rear
- 15 ft (adjacent to residential)
What this means in practice
C-1 is undervalued by many investors because they think 'neighborhood retail' means small. But with multifamily permitted and 56-ft height, a C-1 corner lot can support a 4-story mixed-use building with retail ground floor and 30+ apartments above. On a quarter-acre: 50% coverage = 5,445 SF footprint, 4 stories = ~20,000 SF. The restriction is scale of retail — this is coffee shops and salons, not big-box.
C-2
Intermediate CommercialBroad commercial district along Phoenix's arterial streets. Almost any retail, restaurant, or service use. Multifamily residential permitted. Drive-throughs allowed by right.
What you can build
- ✓Retail stores and shopping centers
- ✓Restaurants (including drive-through)
- ✓Multifamily residential
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Hotels and motels
- ✓Auto sales and service
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Outdoor storage (major)
- ✗Junkyards or salvage
Key numbers
- Height
- 4 stories / 56 ft
- Lot min
- None specified
- Width
- None specified
- Coverage
- 50%
- Front
- 0-25 ft (varies by height)
- Side
- 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to residential)
- Rear
- 0 ft (15 ft adjacent to residential)
What this means in practice
C-2 is Phoenix's most common commercial zoning. The key detail: multifamily is permitted, and there's no density cap in the C-2 district itself — density follows the R-5 standards when residential is the primary use. For buildings over 30 ft, add 1 ft of setback per 1 ft of height above 30 ft. A 1-acre C-2 site with an aging strip mall is the classic Phoenix redevelopment play: tear down, build 4-story mixed-use, no rezoning needed.
C-3
General CommercialPhoenix's most permissive commercial district. Everything in C-2 plus outdoor commercial, amusement, wholesale, and mini-warehouses. Found on major arterials and freeway frontage.
What you can build
- ✓All C-2 uses
- ✓Outdoor commercial and sales
- ✓Amusement and entertainment
- ✓Wholesale and distribution
- ✓Mini-warehouse and self-storage
- ✓Multifamily residential
- ✗Heavy manufacturing
- ✗Hazardous materials processing
Key numbers
- Height
- 4 stories / 56 ft
- Lot min
- None specified
- Width
- None specified
- Coverage
- 50%
- Front
- 0-25 ft (varies by height)
- Side
- 0 ft (10 ft adjacent to residential)
- Rear
- 0 ft (15 ft adjacent to residential)
What this means in practice
C-3 on a freeway interchange is worth evaluating for self-storage or flex industrial — both permitted by right. The residential entitlement means you can also do apartments. On freeway-visible C-3 parcels, self-storage at 3-4 stories pencils at $50-65/SF construction cost and stabilizes quickly. If the site is near light rail, the higher-and-best use shifts to multifamily.
Industrial
2 districts in Phoenix
A-1
Light IndustrialLight industrial for uses compatible with nearby commercial and residential. Manufacturing must be enclosed. Common in airport area, West Phoenix, and along I-17 corridor.
What you can build
- ✓Light manufacturing (enclosed)
- ✓Warehousing and distribution
- ✓Flex industrial and R&D
- ✓Office
- ✓Wholesale
- ✗Residential
- ✗Heavy manufacturing with outdoor operations
- ✗Open storage above 6 ft (without additional setback)
- ✗Retail (except ancillary)
Key numbers
- Height
- 56 ft (80 ft with use permit, 110 ft for warehouse with Council approval)
- Lot min
- None specified
- Width
- None specified
- Coverage
- 60%
- Front
- 25 ft (arterial/collector)
- Side
- 0 ft (30 ft adjacent to residential)
- Rear
- 0 ft (30 ft adjacent to residential)
What this means in practice
The 110-ft warehouse height (with Council approval) is the play for modern logistics — allows high-clear distribution centers at 40 ft clear height. 60% coverage on 5 acres = 130,680 SF footprint. A-1 sites near Sky Harbor are commanding $20-30/SF land prices for last-mile logistics. Open storage is allowed but height-limited: 6 ft base + 1 ft per 3 ft additional setback.
A-2
General IndustrialPhoenix's heaviest zoning. Open-air operations, large-scale materials processing, outdoor storage. 30-ft buffer to residential for enclosed buildings, 150 ft for open uses.
What you can build
- ✓Heavy manufacturing
- ✓Large-scale warehousing
- ✓Materials processing
- ✓Open-air industrial operations
- ✓Truck terminals and freight
- ✓Salvage and recycling
- ✗Residential
- ✗Retail (except ancillary to industrial)
Key numbers
- Height
- 56 ft (80 ft with use permit)
- Lot min
- None specified
- Width
- None specified
- Coverage
- 60%
- Front
- 25 ft (arterial/collector)
- Side
- 0 ft (30 ft enclosed / 150 ft open adjacent to residential)
- Rear
- 0 ft (30 ft enclosed / 150 ft open adjacent to residential)
What this means in practice
The 150-ft open-use buffer near residential is the constraint — it can eliminate half your site if residential zones are on two sides. A-2 parcels without residential adjacency are the target. West Phoenix and South Phoenix A-2 corridors along I-10 and I-17 are seeing significant investment in logistics and data centers. Land basis: $8-15/SF depending on infrastructure.
Special — High-Rise
1 district in Phoenix
HR
High-Rise and Mixed UseIncentive district allowing high-rise buildings in the central corridor infill area. No further rezoning needed — approval through site plan review. The path to towers in Phoenix without a PUD.
What you can build
- ✓High-rise apartments and condos
- ✓Mixed-use towers
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Office towers
- ✓Ground-floor retail
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Auto-oriented commercial
- ✗Low-density single-family (economically impractical)
Key numbers
- Height
- No fixed max (site plan approval)
- Lot min
- None specified
- Width
- None specified
- Coverage
- Varies by site plan
- Front
- Per site plan
- Side
- Per site plan
- Rear
- Per site plan
What this means in practice
HR zoning is how Phoenix's high-rise projects happen without PUD. The entitlement allows significant density — recent projects have gone 20+ stories. The key constraint is infrastructure: water, sewer, and traffic capacity must support the density. Central Avenue between Camelback and downtown is the primary HR corridor. Land trades at $80-150/SF depending on location and existing entitlements.
Special — Planned Development
1 district in Phoenix
PUD
Planned Unit DevelopmentNot a fixed district — the developer authors custom standards and guidelines tailored to the site. Subject to Council approval through a collaborative process. Used for master-planned communities, large mixed-use projects, and any site where conventional zoning doesn't fit.
What you can build
- ✓Whatever the approved narrative permits
- ✓Mixed-use, residential, commercial, or industrial
- ✓Custom density and height per narrative
- ✓Phased development with flexibility
- ✗Anything not in the approved PUD narrative
- ✗Modifications without amendment process
- ✗Removal of existing overlays
Key numbers
- Height
- Per PUD narrative
- Lot min
- Per PUD narrative
- Width
- Per PUD narrative
- Coverage
- Per PUD narrative
- Front
- Per PUD narrative
- Side
- Per PUD narrative
- Rear
- Per PUD narrative
What this means in practice
PUD is increasingly Phoenix's default for large projects. The process takes 6-12 months through Planning Commission and Council. Where the PUD narrative is silent, the underlying zoning ordinance controls. Existing overlays cannot be removed by PUD. The advantage: you get exactly the entitlement you need. The cost: time, legal fees ($50-150K), and political risk. Recent PUD approvals along the I-17 corridor have achieved 60+ units/acre with structured parking.
Special — Walkable Urban
1 district in Phoenix
WU
Walkable Urban (Transect)Chapter 13 of the zoning ordinance. Form-based transect districts replacing conventional zoning along the light rail corridor. Height ranges from 2 stories (T3) to 250 ft (T6). Replaces TOD-1 and TOD-2 overlay districts.
What you can build
- ✓Varies by transect — T3: residential; T4-T5: mixed-use; T6: high-rise mixed-use
- ✓Ground-floor retail in T4+ districts
- ✓Live/work units
- ✓Hotels (T5-T6)
- ✗Auto-oriented uses in most transects
- ✗Drive-throughs
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Uses inconsistent with transit-oriented character
Key numbers
- Height
- T3: 30 ft / T4: 40 ft / T5: 56-100 ft / T6: 100-250 ft
- Lot min
- Varies by transect
- Width
- Varies by transect
- Coverage
- Varies by transect (up to 90% in T6)
- Front
- Build-to zone (typically 0-10 ft)
- Side
- 0-5 ft (varies by transect)
- Rear
- 5-15 ft (varies by transect)
What this means in practice
The WU Code is Phoenix's most developer-friendly framework for transit-adjacent sites. T5 and T6 districts are the sweet spot: 56-250 ft height, reduced parking requirements (transit adjacency), and build-to-zone requirements that eliminate front surface parking. A T5:5 site near a light rail station at 56 ft / 5 stories and 80% coverage pencils for 150+ units per acre with a parking ratio around 1.0. The code explicitly encourages density near transit — use it.
Development Bonus Program
Phoenix offers density bonuses in multifamily districts (R-2 through R-5) through the Planned Residential Development option. Provide additional common open space beyond the base requirement and earn a 1% density bonus for each 2% of additional common open space. R-3 can go from 10 to 12 units/acre, R-4 from 22 to 26.4, and R-5 from 43.5 to 52.2. The bonus is administrative — no rezoning or variance needed. Run the numbers: the open space trade-off reduces your buildable footprint, so the bonus only pencils on larger sites where the extra units outweigh the lost building area.
Overlay Districts
Transit-Oriented District (TOD-1 & TOD-2)
Covers areas within 1/4 to 1/2 mile of light rail stations. TOD-1 is the higher-intensity district immediately adjacent to stations. Encourages mixed-use, higher density, and reduced parking. Being replaced by Walkable Urban Code rezoning on a parcel-by-parcel basis, but many sites still have TOD overlay on conventional zoning. Check whether your site has been rezoned to WU.
Camelback East Primary Core Overlay
Special planning district along Camelback Road between 20th and 44th Streets. Additional design standards and height bonuses for mixed-use development. The Camelback corridor is Phoenix's most active commercial spine outside downtown — the overlay encourages intensification but adds design review requirements.
Downtown Code Overlay
Implements the Downtown Phoenix Plan. Additional design guidelines, sustainability bonuses, and height flexibility for the downtown core. Design Review Committee approval required. Covers roughly Central Avenue from McDowell to the railroad tracks. If you're building downtown, the overlay standards control — not the underlying district.
Rio Salado Interim Overlay (RSIO)
Protects investment in the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Project south of downtown. Development standards that maximize long-term community benefit while increasing adjacent property values. Additional environmental review for sites near the restored riverbed.
Historic Preservation Overlay
Phoenix has 40+ residential and commercial historic districts, including Roosevelt, Willo, Encanto, Palmcroft, and F.Q. Story. Certificate of Appropriateness required from the Historic Preservation Commission for exterior modifications, new construction, and demolition. Budget 1-3 extra months for review. Demolition of contributing structures is extremely difficult to approve.
Hillside Development Overlay
Applies to properties with slopes of 10% or greater, primarily in North Phoenix mountain preserves and Ahwatukee foothills. Limits disturbance area, requires cut/fill analysis, and restricts building height relative to natural grade. Severely limits density on sloped parcels — run a hillside analysis before making an offer.
FEMA Flood Overlay
FEMA FIRM panels cover significant portions of Phoenix, particularly along the Salt River, Indian Bend Wash, Cave Creek, and Skunk Creek corridors. Base flood elevation plus freeboard determines minimum floor height. Floodway designation effectively prevents new construction. Flood fringe is buildable but adds cost — elevated foundations, flood insurance, and lender requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check zoning for a specific Phoenix property?
Use the City's interactive map (iMap) at phoenix.gov/imap — search by address or parcel number to see the zoning district, overlays, and any pending cases. For what the zoning means for your development — permitted uses, setbacks, density, and buildable area — that's parcel-level analysis beyond what the map shows.
Can I build multifamily on a commercially zoned site?
Yes. C-O, C-1, C-2, and C-3 all permit multifamily residential. Density generally follows R-5 standards when residential is the primary use. This is one of the most underappreciated features of Phoenix zoning — a C-2 strip mall site can become apartments without rezoning. Check for any specific plan overlays that might restrict residential.
What's the ADU situation in Phoenix?
As of the 2024 text amendment (Z-TA-2-24-Y), ADUs are permitted in all single-family districts (RE-43 through R1-6). One ADU per lot, detached or attached. The ADU follows accessory structure setbacks — typically 3 ft from rear and side property lines, 15 ft max height. No owner-occupancy requirement. This is a significant change that creates rental income potential on every single-family lot in Phoenix.
How does the Walkable Urban Code differ from conventional zoning?
The WU Code (Chapter 13) is form-based — it regulates building form, placement, and frontage rather than just use. It applies along the light rail corridor and is replacing the TOD overlays parcel by parcel. Key differences: build-to zones instead of minimum setbacks, reduced parking requirements, required ground-floor activation in higher transects, and heights up to 250 ft in T6. If your site is within 1/2 mile of light rail, check whether it's been rezoned to WU.
What triggers Design Review in Phoenix?
Design Review Committee (DRC) review is triggered in the Downtown Code area, certain specific plan districts, and for projects requesting sustainability bonuses. It's not triggered by conventional zoning districts like C-2 or R-5 — those go straight to building permit. PUD applications include design review as part of the Council approval process. Budget 2-4 months for DRC if applicable.
What's the height transition rule near single-family?
In R-3 through R-5 districts: 15 ft max within 10 ft of a single-family zoned district, then +1 ft of height per +1 ft of additional setback to the district maximum. This means a 48-ft R-5 building needs to be set back 43 ft from single-family zoning to reach full height. Factor this into your site plan — it can significantly reduce buildable area on narrow lots with single-family on one side.
Is PUD the only path to high-density development?
No. R-5 allows up to 52 units/acre. C-2 permits multifamily at R-5 density. The HR (High-Rise) district allows towers through site plan review. Walkable Urban T5 and T6 districts allow up to 250 ft. PUD is best when you need custom standards — unusual lot configurations, phased development, or density beyond what R-5 provides. For straightforward projects, conventional zoning is faster and cheaper.
Get the full property profile for
any address in Phoenix
Permitted uses, setbacks, density, buildable area, overlays, and nearby development activity — for a specific parcel, not just the district.