Overview
Worth knowing
- St. Louis is an independent city, separated from St. Louis County by constitutional provision (1876). This unique status means zoning authority is not derived from county delegation.
- Cumulative zoning system: Districts A through L form a pyramid where each district permits all uses from lower districts. This creates complex overlapping use permissions.
- Setbacks are measured from building line (existing or proposed buildings on same street side) rather than lot line in specified cases.
+ 7 more in Quirks & notes
Districts
res_mf 4spec 2com 2ind 2res_sf 2
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | District A | spec | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| B | District B | spec | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| C | District C | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| D | District D | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| E | District E | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| F | District F | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| G | District G | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| H | District H | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| I | District I | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| J | District J | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| K | District K | res_sf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| L | District L | res_sf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
CUP
Community Unit Plan
PDApplicant-initiated overlay for planned development on any base district
| scope | Mixed-use development with flexible lot and setback standards, subject to plan approval |
|---|
PUD
Planned Unit Development
PDApplicant-initiated overlay for planned development
| scope | Residential, mixed-use, or commercial development with modified standards |
|---|
SUD
Special Use District
SPDSpecific geographic areas designated for specialized development control
| scope | Targeted redevelopment or conservation areas |
|---|
FBD
Form-Based District
CORCorridors and neighborhoods where form-based regulations apply
| scope | Build-to-line, facade standards, use configurations based on urban form rather than use separation |
|---|---|
| note | Specific FBD corridors not fully enumerated in available sources |
SPO
Signage Plan Overlay
CORSpecified corridors and commercial areas
| scope | Sign size, type, placement, and lighting standards |
|---|
FP
Floodplain Overlay
FPFEMA-mapped floodplain zones within city
| fema_zones | A; AE; X |
|---|---|
| development_standards | Elevation, fill, structure type, and use restrictions per FEMA and local amendments |
Adopted building codes
Local adoption
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
- St. Louis is an independent city, separated from St. Louis County by constitutional provision (1876). This unique status means zoning authority is not derived from county delegation.
- Cumulative zoning system: Districts A through L form a pyramid where each district permits all uses from lower districts. This creates complex overlapping use permissions.
- Setbacks are measured from building line (existing or proposed buildings on same street side) rather than lot line in specified cases.
- PlanSTL neighborhood initiative (2024-2026) may influence future district reorganizations and form-based standards.
- ZOUP code overhaul currently in draft stage with anticipated completion mid-July 2026; adoption timeline uncertain and may delay any comprehensive code revision.
- Ordinance 72027 amended residential lot area minimums but specific new minimums not extracted from available sources.
- Historic districts are administered by the Preservation Board through design review and Certificate of Appropriateness, not as separate zoning overlays.
- Height limits by specific district not extracted from available sources; sources typically reference footnotes in Title 26 dimensional tables.
- Parking minimums by use type not extracted; requires direct reference to Title 26 §26.40–26.80 use-specific standards.
- Form-Based District corridors identified in code but specific street segments or neighborhoods not fully enumerated.
Formulas
Definitions
- cumulative_hierarchy
- St. Louis uses cumulative zoning system where Districts A through L form a pyramid. Each district permits all uses allowed in lower districts. A (least restrictive) through L (most restrictive residential).
- setback_by_building_line
- Where required, setbacks measured from the line of existing or proposed buildings on the same side of street rather than from lot line.
- j_district_residential_frontage
- J district requires 40% of street frontage to have residential use to maintain zoning intent.
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
Sort by
Max height
— ft
——
Floor area ratio
—
——
Lot coverage
—%
——
Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
——
Parking
— /unit
——
Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
Copy zoning profile
Loading…
| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Research status
Data quality
35%completeness12 confirmed6 partial
Documented gaps
- Dimensional standards (lot area minimums, height limits, setbacks, coverage ratios, FAR, parking ratios) for all 12 base districts not extracted from source tables §26.12–26.60
- Specific corridors designated as Form-Based Districts not enumerated
- Active CUP and PUD overlay list not available in open sources
- Density bonuses and use permissions under CUP/PUD not detailed
- Specific FEMA floodplain zones and elevation standards not extracted
- Approval process timelines and variance procedures not documented
- Current City GIS maps and zoning map not accessed
Known issues
schema:v1-legacypriority:lowdata:gaps-present
Other cities in this state
Nearest-alphabetical profiles. Click through to compare zoning patterns side-by-side.