Zoning Code Regulations

Zoning is “an exercise of police power, which means the government’s right to impose regulations to protect public health, safety, and welfare” (1). The City of Newark’s Zoning Code is the legal device that establishes zoning regulations, divides the municipality into zones or districts, each with its own specific regulations, and is precedent in land use decisions.
The Zoning Code regulates the following:

  • The types of land uses permitted
  • The intensity or density of development
  • The height, bulk, and placement of buildings or structures
  • The amount of off-street parking required
  • Other regulations deemed necessary to direct development
The City of Newark’s Zoning Code consists of the zoning districts below. For a complete list of permitted uses and conditions, please refer to the Newark Zoning Code.

To view the Zoning Map and an instructional video on how to use the map, click here.

Zoning Districts

Residential Districts

RE Single-Family Residential  Single family, detached residential dwelling with one acre minimum lot size; variety of institutional uses; parkland, active recreation, and open space; accessory uses 
RH Single-Family Residential
Single-family, detached residential dwelling with one-half acre minimum lot size; variety of institutional uses; parkland, active recreation, and open space; accessory uses.
RT Single-Family Residential
Single-family, detached residential dwelling with 15,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size; variety of institutional uses; parkland, active recreation, and open space; accessory uses.
RS Single-Family Residential
Single-family, detached residential dwelling with 9,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size; variety of institutional uses; parkland and open space; accessory uses.
RD Single-Family Residential
Single-family, detached residential dwelling with 6,250 sq. ft. minimum lot size; variety of institutional uses; parkland and open space; accessory uses.
RR Town or Row Homes
All permitted uses under RH, RT, RS, and RD. Single-family dwellings such as row or town houses, single-family dwellings detached and semidetached. Under site plan approval, garden apartments; variety of institutional uses; parkland, active recreation, and open space; accessory uses.
RM Garden Apartments
All permitted uses under RH, RT, RS, RD, and RR. Garden apartments up to 16 units per acre; variety of institutional uses; parkland, active recreation, and open space; accessory uses.
RA High-Rise Apartments
All permitted uses under RH, RT, RS, RD, RR, and RM. High-rise apartments, up to 36 units per acre; variety of institutional uses; parkland, active recreation, and open space; accessory uses.
AC Adult Community
Adult community garden apartment dwelling. Variety of institutional uses; parkland, active recreation, and open space; accessory uses.
Business Districts

BB Central Business District
Mix of commercial, residential, and institutional uses; residential uses allowed up to 50 units per acre under conditions. Apartments above nonresidential uses.
BN Neighborhood Shopping
Neighborhood shopping center, retail, laundromats, personal service establishments, trade schools, offices for professional uses, financial institutions, restaurants, utilities.
BC General Business
All permitted commercial uses under BN. Automobile sales and rental, warehousing, veterinary hospital, automobile repair and wash, drive-in restaurants.
BL Business Limited
Office for professional service, financial institutions, undertakers, barbershops and beauty parlors; variety of institutional uses; parkland and open space; accessory uses.
BLR Business Limited-Residential
All permitted uses under BL. Apartments are permitted with any nonresidential use permitted in district.
Industrial Districts

MI General Industrial
Process involving cleaning, distribution, manufacture, production, warehousing, or testing as well as subsidiary retail sales, oil storage, railroads/freight yard, public transit facilities, accessory uses.
MOR Manufacturing Office Research
All permitted uses under MI. Offices for professional services, utilities, retail and specialty retail, commercial indoor recreation, accessory uses.
University District

UN University or College
State college or university, accessory uses customarily incidental to a college or university.
STC Science and Technology Campus
Process involving cleaning, distribution, manufacture, production, warehousing, testing, laboratories, hospitals and medical clinics, offices for professional services, technology-dependent or computer-based facilities, day care centers, restaurants, recreation facilities, hotels/motels with conference facilities, public transportation facilities, accessory uses and accessory buildings, residential uses, retail, restaurants, commercial indoor recreation and indoor theaters.
Parkland/Open Space

PL Parkland
Park, conservation area, bikeway, trail, athletic field, recreation building, accessory uses, open space.
SFHA Special Flood Hazard Area
The land in the floodplain subject flood hazards and shown on a Flood Insurance Rate Map, having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year the base flood elevation, also is referred to as the 100-year flood (or the 1%-annual-chance flood).


More Information

Questions on Zoning Code Regulations may be directed to the Planning and Development Department at (302) 366-7000.