C5-3 is a commercial zoning district governed by ZR 33-12, with commercial far of 15.
These are the figures the engine applies when it models a lot in C5-3. Where a rule differs between a narrow and a wide street, both are shown.
| Commercial FAR | 15 | ZR 33-12 |
|---|---|---|
| Community facility FAR | 15 | ZR 33-12 |
| Residential bulk equivalent | R10 | ZR 34-112 |
| Front yard | 0 ft | ZR 23-45 |
|---|---|---|
| Side yard | 0 ft | ZR 23-46 |
| Rear yard | 20 ft | ZR 23-47 |
| Lot coverage — interior lot | 80% | |
| Lot coverage — corner lot | 100% |
At 15 FAR, a 10,000 square foot lot in C5-3 carries roughly 150,000 square feet of zoning floor area.
That is the ceiling, not the answer. The height envelope, required yards, lot shape, street width, overlays and any special district all cut into it. Running the real lot is the only way to know which constraint binds first.
Every area of the city zoned C5-3, from NYC Planning’s published zoning district layer.
The sentences below are quoted verbatim from the Zoning Resolution text the engine is built against, for the C5-3 rules we have mirrored and checked by hand. Check us against them.
“85 feet or six stories , whichever is less”
“Within C1-7 C1-8 C1-9 C2-7 C2-8 C4-2F C4-6 C4-7 C4-8 C4-9 C4-11 C4-12 C5 C6 C8-4 Districts 20 15”
“Within C1-7 C1-8 C1-9 C2-7 C2-8 C4-2F C4-6 C4-7 C4-8 C4-9 C4-11 C4-12 C5 C6 C8-4 Districts 20 15”
“a rear yard with a depth of not less than 20 feet shall be provided at every rear lot line”
“In all districts, as indicated, no side yards are required.”
“Within C1-7 C1-8 C1-9 C2-7 C2-8 C4-2F C4-6 C4-7 C4-8 C4-9 C4-11 C4-12 C5 C6 C8-4 Districts”
Use groups permitted in C5 districts:
Underbuilt here means a lot of at least 2,500 square feet, built to less than half its residential floor area, in private hands, with at least 20,000 square feet of unused capacity. From PLUTO 26v2. How we counted.
C5-3 has a commercial far of 15, set by ZR 33-12. On a 10,000 square foot lot that is about 150,000 square feet of zoning floor area before any bonus, and before the height envelope and yard requirements are applied.
C5-3 is not governed by a flat height cap in the quality housing tables; height is controlled by the sky exposure plane and the bulk rules shown above.
Source: NYC Planning zoning districts.