Zoning Code

Introduction to Understanding Zoning & the Zoning Code

The Flagstaff Zoning Code is most commonly related to the planning, development, growth, preservation and conservation of land within the City. How public and private land is managed affect all residents, business owners, and visitors within the City. In addition to other elements, a less commonly known result of zoning is its effects on our experiences and perceptions of the city.

View videos on what is the Zoning Code, including: how to look up a property's Zoning Codes designation and regulations, and a detailed overview of the components of the Zoning Code:

Zoning Code & Map

The Zoning Code is one set of laws that have been adopted by the Flagstaff City Council as part of the Flagstaff City Code (the "City Code") that regulate the use and development of land within the city. For the common good of the community, these laws are intended to protect the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the people living, working, doing business and visiting within the city. 

Also, the Zoning Code is one of the primary tools in achieving the City's Goals and Policies to be a sustainable and resilient community by assisting in the mitigation of the impacts on the environment, land uses, police and fire, transportation, and water resources. An efficient and effective Zoning Code assists in contributing to social and economic equity, and the City's financial health.

To achieve the purposes of the Zoning Code, all of the land within the City is divided into different areas or "zones." The location of these zones have been adopted by the Flagstaff City Council as part of City Code. The Zoning Map shows the precise location and boundary of each zone. 

Typically, the boundaries of each zone are associated with the location of the street right-of-way, private street tracks, and lot lines. There are situations where a lot may be split into two or more zones.

Zoning Regulations

The Zoning Regulations are the actual written provisions of the Zoning Code. These regulations serve two primary functions, which are the administration and the requirements of Zoning Code.

Administration

The administrative regulations include a variety of provisions that pertain to the Zoning Code's:

  • Administration
  • Enforcement
  • Implementation
  • Interpretation
  • Organization

In addition, the regulations include community involvement, infrastructure and permitting requirements, definitions, and the process and decision criteria pertaining to development applications:

  • Conditional Use Permits
  • Site plans
  • Variance
  • Zoning Map Amendments
  • Zoning Text Amendments

Requirements

The requirements of the Zoning Code include three primary elements. These elements are the Land Uses and Lot Development Standards for each zone, and Conditions of Approval.

Land Uses

The Zoning Code is a permissive set of land use regulations in that all land uses are allowed in at least one of the zones within the City. The types of land uses are classified as:

  • Accessory Uses: Is a subordinate use that is clearly incidental or customarily to the primary use of land on the same lot or parcel.
  • Conditional Uses: Discretionary uses that required the approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) by the Planning and Zoning Commission, or City Council as may be applicable. In order to obtain an approval of a Conditional Use Permits, the lot owner, or their agent, shall demonstrate, and the Planning and Zoning Commission, or City Council as may be applicable, shall demonstrate that the required criteria of the specific CUP have been met. The criteria are typically intended to mitigate negative impacts that the use may have on nearby uses and properties. A CUP may be approved, denied, revocated, or limited to a specific period of time.
  • Permitted Uses: Uses that are allowed on a lot without additional City of Flagstaff approvals.
  • Temporary Uses: These uses are not intended to be permanent, may be transitional in nature, emergency situations, construction activities, seasonal sales, short period outdoors activities that typically occur indoors, and other temporary uses.

Lot Development Standards

The lot development standards include requirements for:

    • Building and wall heights Minimum and maximum lot sizes
    • Density (number of dwelling units) Minimum and maximum lot sizes
    • Design standards Number of stories of a building
    • Environmental resources Open and civic space
    • Floor Area Ratio (FAR) (intensity) Screening
    • Historic Preservation Setbacks from lot lines
    • Incentives Signage
    • Landscaping Parking (vehicle and bicycle) spaces
    • Lighting Use specific development standards