What is Bulk Zoning in Real Estate?
What is Bulk Zoning?
In real estate, bulk zoning refers to zoning regulations that dictate the volume of buildings allowed on a particular site, focusing on controlling the density and massing of structures rather than their usage. This form of zoning addresses things like:
- Setbacks: The minimum distance a building must be set back from property lines, roads, or other structures.
- Height Restrictions: Limits on how tall a building can be.
- Floor Area Ratio (FAR): The ratio of a building’s total floor area to the size of the piece of land upon which it is built, which determines how much floor space the building can have relative to its lot size.
- Lot Coverage: The percentage of the lot that can be covered by buildings, excluding any prescribed open areas like gardens or driveways.
- Open Space Requirements: Mandates for certain amounts of non-built-up areas on the property to ensure green spaces, light exposure, and adequate ventilation.
Bulk zoning is designed to make sure that developments are appropriately scaled to their environments and maintain an area’s desired aesthetic and functional qualities. It helps manage urban density, affects the form and layout of developments, and has implications for both the physical landscape and the quality of urban life.