City zoning maps

Phoenix Zoning Map: How to Look Up Zoning in Phoenix, Arizona

Where Phoenix's official zoning maps and ordinance live, what the R1-6, R-2 to R-5, C-1 to C-3, A-1, A-2, and PUD districts mean, and the overlays and recent state laws that change them.

By Nathan Robinson, Founder, Plotzy Published 4 min read

Phoenix is the best example of why you cannot read a zoning code from its letters. Here A-1 is a light industrial district, not agricultural; R-2 is a multifamily district, not two-family; and the single-family districts carry their minimum lot size in the name. This page covers where the official map is, how the districts are organized, and how to check a parcel.

Where the official map and code live

  • Zoning maps page on phoenix.gov: the Zoning Index Map (a clickable map of current zoning), the Zoning Classification Map, the General Plan Land Use Map, and the map of overlays and regulatory plans.
  • My Community Map: the city's interactive map for zoning and permit activity by parcel.
  • Phoenix Zoning Ordinance: the full ordinance online, with Chapter 6 covering the zoning districts.
  • Zoning questions: the Planning and Development Department, zoning@phoenix.gov or 602-262-6882.

How Phoenix's districts are organized

Residential

  • S-1 and S-2: ranch or farm residence districts, with S-2 allowing related commercial uses.
  • RE-43, RE-35, RE-24: residential estate districts; the number is the minimum lot size in thousands of square feet.
  • R1-18, R1-14, R1-10, R1-8, R1-6: single-family residence districts, again named for the minimum lot size, so R1-6 means single-family on 6,000-square-foot lots.
  • R-2, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-4A, R-5: multifamily residence districts from low density (R-2) to the highest density (R-5), with height and density standards in each.
  • RMH: residential mobile home.

Commercial

  • C-O: commercial office.
  • C-1: neighborhood retail.
  • C-2: intermediate commercial, the common corridor district.
  • C-3: general commercial, the most intensive commercial district, allowing auto-oriented and heavier retail uses.
  • PSC: planned shopping center.

Industrial

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  • A-1: light industrial. Despite the letter, this is not an agricultural district.
  • A-2: industrial, the heavy industrial district.
  • CP and GCP: commerce park and general commerce park.

Special and planned

  • PUD: planned unit development, with rules in the approved development narrative; see our PUD explainer.
  • HR: high-rise.
  • DTC: the Downtown Code, a form-based code for downtown Phoenix, and WU: the Walkable Urban Code applied along the light rail corridor.
  • TOD-1 and TOD-2 overlays near light rail stations, plus historic preservation, airport, and other overlay districts.

Recent changes worth knowing

Phoenix allowed accessory dwelling units (casitas) citywide in 2023, and Arizona state laws passed in 2024 require larger cities to permit accessory dwelling units and, near central business districts, middle-housing types on single-family lots. Confirm how the city has implemented each in the ordinance before relying on it.

How to check a specific parcel

  1. Search the address in My Community Map or the Zoning Index Map and note the district and any overlay.
  2. Open Chapter 6 of the Zoning Ordinance for that district's permitted uses and development standards. Uses listed as requiring a use permit go through a hearing.
  3. Check the overlays and regulatory plans map for TOD, historic, airport, and special planning districts, and for PUDs read the development narrative.
  4. Check the pending zoning applications map for rezonings on or near the parcel.
  5. For a transaction, request a zoning verification letter from Planning and Development.

In Plotzy, Phoenix parcels carry both the zoning category and the city's district code, so a search for "C-2 and C-3 parcels between one and two acres on this corridor" is one query, with the owner of record on each result. Zoning AI can answer questions about a Phoenix district from the ordinance with the section cited.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the official City of Phoenix zoning map?

The Planning and Development Department's zoning maps page on phoenix.gov hosts the Zoning Index Map, the Zoning Classification Map, and the overlay map, and My Community Map provides an interactive parcel lookup.

What is A-1 zoning in Phoenix?

A-1 is Phoenix's Light Industrial District, allowing warehousing, light manufacturing, and related uses. It is not an agricultural district, which is what A-1 means in many other jurisdictions.

What does R1-6 mean in Phoenix?

R1-6 is a single-family residence district with a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet. The number after R1 is the minimum lot size in thousands of square feet, so R1-10 requires 10,000-square-foot lots.

Is R-2 a duplex district in Phoenix?

No. In Phoenix, R-2 is a multifamily residence district at the low end of the multifamily range. Many other cities use R-2 for two-family districts, which is a common source of confusion.

What is C-2 zoning in Phoenix?

C-2 is Intermediate Commercial, the district along most of Phoenix's commercial corridors, allowing a broad range of retail, service, and office uses, with some auto-oriented uses requiring a use permit.

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