NYC Zoning Handbook:
Residential Districts: R4 Infill
Special infill housing provisions encourage the construction of multifamily, three-story buildings with a basement in R4 districts characterized by attached homes and small multiple dwellings. An FAR of 1.35 and higher density regulations permit developments with greater bulk and more dwelling units than in R4 districts. To ensure that infill housing generally conforms to existing neighborhood scale, there is a maximum perimeter wall height of 25 feet that can rise to 35 feet, usually behind a setback or under a pitched roof. The maximum zoning lot size is 1.5 acres. Infill housing can be built only on blocks that are at least 50 percent developed. Buildings must be set back 18 feet to prevent cars parked in front yard driveways from jutting onto sidewalks. If parking is grouped, space must be provided for at least 66 percent of the dwelling units.
The infill regulations are not applicable to lots occupied by single- or two-family detached or semi-detached houses on residential blockfronts where such houses predominate.
Basic Data
R4 INFILL: All housing types
- Minimum lot size:
- Detached, single- or two-family: 3,800 square feet lot area; 40 foot lot width
- Other 1,700 square feet; 18 foot lot width
- Maximum FAR: 1.35
- Maximum lot coverage: 55%
- Minimum lot area per DU: 666 feet
- Maximum DUs per acre: 65 Front yard: 18 feet minimum
- Side yards:
- Detached (2 required): 13 feet total (minimum); 5 feet minimum
- Semi-detached (1 required): 8 feet minimum
- Other (2): 8 feet each (minimum), or 10% of building length
- Maximum building height: 35 feet; perimeter wall height: 25 feet
- Maximum street wall length: 185 feet
- Required parking: One space per dwelling unit or 66% of dwelling units if grouped
