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
