Listed below are the Zoning districts used in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and gives their purpose. The Zoning district specifies how a piece of property can be used and developed.  Zoning districts are established to promote and protect similar types of development; for example, single family homes, multi-family uses, institutional uses (such as schools and hospitals), offices, neighborhood business, and general industry.

FIND OUT A PROPERTY'S  ZONING DESIGNATION IN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE ONLINE.                                                                                      (Directions are provided. Zoning information is found under "LAND USE" on the Property Details page). 

District Description Purpose

RESIDENTIAL

R-3    Single-Family Residential, 3 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of single family housing and limited number of public and institutional uses. Densities of development are controlled by maximum number of units per acre requirements which are different for each district.

R-4     Single-Family Residential, 4 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of single family housing and limited number of public and institutional uses. Densities of development are controlled by maximum number of units per acre requirements which are different for each district.

R-5     Single-Family Residential, 5 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of single family housing and limited number of public and institutional uses. Densities of development are controlled by maximum number of units per acre requirements which are different for each district.

R-6     Single-Family Residential, 6 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of single family housing and limited number of public and institutional uses. Densities of development are controlled by maximum number of units per acre requirements which are different for each district.

R-8     Single-Family Residential, 8 dwelling unit/acre 
To protect and promote the development of a variety of housing types, including apartments, condominiums, and other forms of attached housing. These districts may also accommodate limited institutional, public, and commercial uses appropriate within the residential environment.

R-12MF Residential Multi-Family, 12 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of a variety of housing types, including apartments, condominiums, and other forms of attached housing. These districts may also accommodate limited institutional, public, and commercial uses appropriate within the residential environment.

R-17MF     Residential Multi-Family, 17 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of a variety of housing types, including apartments, condominiums, and other forms of attached housing. These districts may also accommodate limited institutional, public, and commercial uses appropriate within the residential environment.

R-22MF     Residential Multi-Family, 22 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of a variety of housing types, including apartments, condominiums, and other forms of attached housing. These districts may also accommodate limited institutional, public, and commercial uses appropriate within the residential environment.
 
R-43MF     Residential Multi-Family, 43 dwelling unit/acre
To protect and promote the development of a variety of housing types, including apartments, condominiums, and other forms of attached housing. These districts may also accommodate limited institutional, public, and commercial uses appropriate within the residential environment.

URBAN RESIDENTIAL

UR-1     Urban Residential
To protect and enhance designated single-family areas and to encourage appropriate infill development.

UR-2     Urban Residential
To promote maximum opportunities for moderate density residential development. Acts as transition between lower and higher density.

UR-3     Urban Residential
To provide a higher density residential development, located nearer to the employment core.

UR-C     Urban Residential Commercial
To promote a diversity of residential, retail, office, recreational and cultural uses in a mixed use, higher density pattern.

INSTITUTIONAL

INST      Institutional
To promote the development of major cultural, educational, medical, governmental, religious, athletic and other institutions, in an order that protects adjacent residential uses.

RESEARCH

RE-1, RE-2, RE-3      Research
Research districts are heavily oriented toward research, development and high technology manufacturing operations and similar uses that are characterized by a high degree of scientific and technical input, and employment of professional, technical, or kindred workers.

OFFICE

O-1, 0-2, O-3     Office    
To provide areas, which are conducive to the establishment and operation of offices, institutions, and commercial activities not involving the sale of merchandise.

BUSINESS

B-1     Neighborhood Business
To create and protect business centers for the retailing of merchandise such as groceries, drugs and household items and the provision of professional services for the convenience of nearby residential areas.

B-2     General Business
To create and protect business areas for the retailing of merchandise, the provision of professional and business services to serve a large trade area.

B-D     Distributive Business
To provide areas in which distributive uses, such as warehousing, office and wholesaling concerns, plus other complementary uses may be established.

B-P     Business Park
To provide for a mixture of employment uses of varying types in a single coordinated development. The district might include mixtures of office, retail, distribution, warehouse, manufacturing, and related service uses.

UPTOWN MIXED USE

UMUD     Uptown Mixed Use District
The development of retail and wholesale trade, business, professional and financial services, offices, hotels, convention and conference center, merchandise markets, high density residential developments, and parking as a separate business.

INDUSTRIAL

UI     Urban Industrial
To provide a substantial number and wide variety of industrial land uses in the central area of Charlotte.

I-1     Light Industrial
To create and protect industrial areas for light manufacturing and the distribution of products as wholesale.

I-2     General Industrial
To create and protect wholesaling and industrial areas for manufacturing, processing and assembling of parts and products, distribution of products at wholesale, transportation terminals and a broad variety of specialized industrial operations.

MIXED USE
MX    Mixed Use
MX-1  Mixed Use, of 10 acres or larger
MX-2  Mixed Use, of 36 acres or larger
MX-3  Mixed Use, of 100 acres or larger

The Mixed Use Districts are established to accommodate the development of planned communities that may incorporate a full range of housing types and, in some instances, compatible nonresidential uses that provide goods, services, and employment primarily to serve the residents of the planned community.

RESIDENTIAL MOBILE HOME

R-MH      Residential Mobile Home
To provide for the proper location and planning of manufactured homes and mobile home parks and subdivisions.

COMMERCIAL CENTER

CC     Commercial Center
For the purpose of the development of shopping centers and individual retail establishments larger than 70,000 square feet of floor area. This development typically serves the employment, shopping, or serves needs of an area ranging from a neighborhood to the entire community.

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES

NS     Neighborhood Services
To encourage and accommodate the development and continued existence of mixed use districts, which provide a focus for neighborhood retail and service activities.

For more information regarding the Zoning Administrators Office
Please contact:
Barry Mosley
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department
600 East Fourth Street (8th Floor)
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
(704)-336-8314