Urban Planning Tools: Introduction to NYC Zoning

As a Community Board Member in the South Bronx, developers have come in to present their development projects. Decisions are made as to what should be constructed based on NYC Zoning and other city regulations. Meeting attendees ask questions as to why, for example, there is no parking in the building. Why do most buildings have studios and single-bedroom apartments? And, how decisions are made about the building uses? Most of these questions are answered by knowing what zoning regulates and how decisions are made toward its uses.

This course is an overview of how those decisions are made and what to look for when deciding the building's use. The course uses a site in the South Bronx to know what can be constructed on the site. This course is for students who are interested in knowing what zoning regulates.

The courses use a Bronx lot as a case study on how to use zoning to provide housing and resources to the community. It is broken down into two sections. What information and sketches are required in a site plan? What is the site and what are the surrounding structures of the site? A basic overview of what to look for when deciding the use of the building.