Overview
Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
mixed
| residential_suburban | lot-size-encoded (RS-9=9ksf, RS-20=20ksf, RS-30=30ksf min lot) |
|---|---|
| residential_multifamily | density-encoded (RM-n ≈ n du/ac; inferred, not primary-confirmed) |
| commercial | letter-code (LB, NB, GB, HB, CB, OI) |
| conditional_suffix | -S denotes Special Use District with site plan and enumerated use list |
Joint city/county UDO under single ordinance. UDO ClearCode (2019) was a clarification project — did not rezone or change dimensional standards.
Worth knowing
- NCO requires 55% tax-lot signature threshold — higher than Durham's NPO; vote is one-per-tax-lot (adjacent same-owner lots counted once). c§B UDO + W-2871.
- Joint city/county UDO: (W) vs (F) jurisdiction suffixes determine which body hears rezoning and which rule applies. Near city/county line developments require jurisdictional check.
- '-S' suffix attaches individually bargained use list to a parcel. Two adjacent HB-S parcels may permit entirely different uses. Always read the approved SUP. c§B via F-1504.
+ 7 more in Quirks & notes
Districts
com 6res_sf 4res_mf 4mu 1off 1
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-9 | Residential Suburban 9 | res_sf | 9,000 sf[1] | —[2] | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RS-20 | Residential Suburban 20 | res_sf | 20,000 sf[3] | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RS-30 | Residential Suburban 30 | res_sf | 30,000 sf[4] | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RM-5 | Residential Multi-family 5 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | 5[5] | — | — / — / — |
| RM-8 | Residential Multi-family 8 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | 8[6] | — | — / — / — |
| RM-12 | Residential Multi-family 12 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | 12[7] | — | — / — / — |
| RM-18 | Residential Multi-family 18 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | 18[8] | — | — / — / — |
| MH | Manufactured Housing | res_sf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RB | Residential Business | mu | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LB | Limited Business | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| NB | Neighborhood Business | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| GB | General Business | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| HB | Highway Business | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| HB-S | Highway Business - Special | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CB | Central Business | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| OI | Office-Institutional | off | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
NCO
Neighborhood Conservation Overlay
CONPetition by neighborhood with at least 55% of property owners (one vote per tax lot) signing in support; area-eligibility criteria (minimum area, development maturity).
| owner_signature_threshold_pct | 55 |
|---|---|
| vote_rule | one_per_tax_lot; adjacent same-owner lots counted once |
| stacking | additive suffix on base residential district (e.g., RS-9 NCO) |
| nonconforming_lot_rule | lots predating NCO nonconforming as to lot area and lot width only; must meet both base and NCO setbacks for new structures |
| expansion_into_setback | requires ZBA variance |
| voluntary_guidelines | optional addition to mandatory standards |
| design_elements_applied_to_1_2_family | preempted by §160D-702 unless voluntary-exception hook (§160D-702(c)(4)) treats the owner petition as voluntary acceptance — unsettled |
HD
Historic District Overlay
HISTLocally designated historic district boundaries; individually designated local landmarks; National Register districts participating in certified local government program.
| coa_required | Certificate of Appropriateness from Forsyth County HRC for exterior changes |
|---|---|
| design_guidelines | materials, roof shape, massing, exterior colors, window/door style |
| §160D-702c2_applies | True |
| design_standards_enforceable_on_1_2_family | True |
FP
Floodplain Overlay
FPFEMA FIRM 1%-annual-chance flood zones + Base Flood Elevation.
| fema_firm_based | True |
|---|---|
| freeboard_ft | |
| substantial_improvement_threshold | |
| §160D-702c1_applies | True |
AE
Airport Environs (Smith Reynolds)
APVicinity of Smith Reynolds Airport (INT), jointly operated by City/County.
| far_part_77_applies_federally | True |
|---|---|
| local_overlay_confirmed | False |
| height_restrictions | federal (FAR Part 77) apply regardless |
| incompatible_use_controls | typical but not confirmed from primary text |
-S
Special Use District suffix
CONDRezoning applicant elects Special Use District with site plan; approved by elected body with enumerated use list and conditions.
| mechanic | site plan + use list attached to rezoning |
|---|---|
| uses_differ_parcel_by_parcel | True |
| §160D-702c4_voluntary_hook | True |
| design_conditions_enforceable_via_voluntary_exception | True |
State preemptions
NC-160D-702applies
Qualifying condition
NCGS §160D-702(b)-(c) applies to every NC local government's zoning/subdivision/development regulations. Winston-Salem, as a NC municipality, cannot regulate exterior color, cladding, roof style/materials, porch style/materials, architectural ornamentation, window/door location or styling (including garage doors), or number/interior layout of rooms for 1- and 2-family detached structures, directly or indirectly.
Effect
Any UDO design-element standard on 1-2 family detached homes is unenforceable outside the §160D-702(c) exception set (NFIP floodplain, local historic district, NR district under certified-local-government program, voluntary conditional zoning, manufactured-housing standards consistent with §160D-910, affordable housing under 24 CFR 92.252 with <=20% cost increase).
NC-SL-2023-108applies
Qualifying condition
SL 2023-108 (HB 409) is a statewide ADU mandate effective 2023-10-01 applying to every NC county and incorporated municipality. Winston-Salem has multiple single-family detached districts (RS-9, RS-20, RS-30) that trigger the mandate.
Effect
Winston-Salem must permit at least one ADU by-right on every lot in every district where single-family detached is permitted by-right. Prohibited: owner-occupancy requirement, CUP/SUP/discretionary approval, additional off-street parking solely for the ADU, requirement for separate utility meter/connection, minimum lot size greater than primary-dwelling minimum. May regulate: setbacks/height/coverage of the base district (non-exclusionary application), ADU max floor area, STR use (under §160D-1207(c)), state building code.
Retrieval issue
Post-Oct-2023 ADU compliance amendment to UDO not explicitly confirmed in this pass; UDO-CC25 (2024-02-19) scope not fully extracted.
NC-160D-1207capplies
Qualifying condition
NCGS §160D-1207(c) applies to every NC municipality. Schroeder v. City of Wilmington, 278 N.C. App. 177 (2021), is controlling Court of Appeals precedent holding the statute bars registration/permit/inspection as a condition of short-term rental.
Effect
Winston-Salem may NOT require permit/permission/registration/inspection as a prerequisite to short-term rental use of residential property. City MAY zone STRs as a permitted/prohibited use district-by-district. Occupancy tax collection remains within local authority.
Retrieval issue
Winston-Salem STR registration ordinance existence/non-existence not confirmed in this pass.
NC-160D-907applies
Qualifying condition
Family care homes (≤6 handicapped residents under federal FHA definition) must be permitted as residential use in all residential districts in every NC jurisdiction.
Effect
Winston-Salem must treat family care homes as permitted residential use in all residential districts; may require zoning permit but not deny based on familial-care character. 0.5-mile dispersion is the only density tool available.
NC-160D-910applies
Qualifying condition
§160D-910 prohibits jurisdiction-wide exclusion of manufactured homes and caps appearance standards for MH at no-more-restrictive-than site-built in same district. MH placements are historically the dominant Special Use Permit caseload before the Winston-Salem/Forsyth ZBA.
Effect
MH district placements, and MH-in-residential-district SUPs, must not apply stricter appearance standards than site-built homes in the same district. HUD Code federally preempts MH construction standards.
NC-160D-914applies
Qualifying condition
Residential solar preemption applies statewide.
Effect
Rooftop solar on 1-2 family detached dwellings cannot be prohibited; Winston-Salem may regulate only solar installed on roof slopes visible from the public street; historic-district exception applies.
NC-160D-921applies
Qualifying condition
NCGS §160D-921 requires a specific local act of the General Assembly to authorize any municipal tree ordinance. Without a local act, any tree-protection ordinance is unenforceable.
Effect
If Winston-Salem enforces a tree ordinance, a local act must authorize it; otherwise unenforceable.
Retrieval issue
Winston-Salem-specific tree-ordinance local act status not retrieved in this pass.
Adopted building codes
Statewide
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
- NCO requires 55% tax-lot signature threshold — higher than Durham's NPO; vote is one-per-tax-lot (adjacent same-owner lots counted once). c§B UDO + W-2871.
- Joint city/county UDO: (W) vs (F) jurisdiction suffixes determine which body hears rezoning and which rule applies. Near city/county line developments require jurisdictional check.
- '-S' suffix attaches individually bargained use list to a parcel. Two adjacent HB-S parcels may permit entirely different uses. Always read the approved SUP. c§B via F-1504.
- Manufactured housing placements historically dominate the ZBA SUP caseload — §160D-910 compliance check relevant on every case.
- §160D-702 preempts most UDO design-element standards on 1-2 family detached homes (materials, roof, porch, windows, garage doors, color, ornamentation). Enforceable only within local historic districts, NFIP floodplain areas, or under voluntary -S conditions. Most NCO design standards on 1-2 family homes are likely preempted unless voluntary-petition exception attaches.
- SL 2023-108 ADU mandate (effective 2023-10-01) requires by-right ADUs in all SF districts with no owner-occupancy, CUP, extra parking, separate meter, or increased min-lot. UDO compliance amendment status under_review.
- UDO ClearCode (2019) was a clarification project — not a rezoning. Language/organization improved; district designations and dimensional standards unchanged from 1994 UDO framework.
- v1's 'SB 495, 2025' ADU citation was incorrect — corrected to SL 2023-108 (HB 409, effective 2023-10-01).
- v1's 'Session Law 2024-57' downzoning-consent claim was unverified and is removed pending primary confirmation; no such session law surfaced in 160D review.
- Smith Reynolds airport overlay not confirmed as a named UDO overlay in this pass; FAR Part 77 height surfaces apply federally regardless.
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Grade to highest point of structure (standard NC definition; c§B assumed).
- lot_coverage
- Building footprint / lot area.
- far
- Gross floor area / lot area.
- du_ac
- Dwelling units per gross acre.
- setback_front
- Front property line to nearest building face.
- setback_side
- Side property line to nearest building face.
- setback_rear
- Rear property line to nearest building face.
- parking
- Spaces per dwelling unit unless noted (UDO ClearCode Chapter B parking tables not extracted).
Capacity calculations
- max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage- max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far- max_units_approx
lot_area_sf / 43560 * du_ac- max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 10
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
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Floor area ratio
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Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
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Parking
— /unit
——
Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
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| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
Citations
- [1] §B UDO ClearCode
- [2] n§B Table
- [3] §B UDO ClearCode
- [4] §B UDO ClearCode
- [5] i§B UDO ClearCode
- [6] i§B UDO ClearCode
- [7] i§B UDO ClearCode
- [8] i§B UDO ClearCode
Research status
Publication gates
| primary url present | passed | code_source = https://www.udoclearcode.org (city-hosted official ClearCode portal) + secondary https://www.cityofws.org/1593/Unified-Development-Ordinances-UDO-Amend; both resolve. |
|---|---|---|
| no aggregator cited | passed | v1's steadily.com citations removed. All citations now to UDO ClearCode (c§B), cityofws.org case documents (W-2871, F-1504), NCGS Chapter 160D primary text, and Schroeder v. Wilmington case reporter. No Zoneomics/Steadily/SitePlanGuide anywhere in record. |
| confidence tags full form | passed | All confirmed claims carry c§-form citations (c§B UDO ClearCode, c§160D-702, c§160D-910 NCGS, c§B via F-1504). Non-confirmed claims carry explicit status (partial/inferred/not_found/under_review/complied) with search_performed + reason where retrieval failed. |
| overlays have parameters trigger confidence | passed | All 5 overlays (NCO, HD, FP, AE, -S) carry non-empty params, geographic trigger, and status/confidence fields. Inferred/partial overlays are explicitly marked. |
| preempt section city specific | passed | state_preemptions_applicable[] contains 7 city-specific NC entries (160D-702, SL-2023-108, 160D-1207c, 160D-907, 160D-910, 160D-914, 160D-921) each with qualifying_condition_checked and effect. No link-stub. |
Data quality
42%completeness9 confirmed3 partial4 inferred22 not found
Documented gaps
- Chapter B dimensional tables for every district (height, setbacks, coverage, FAR, parking)
- RM-n confirmation that n = du/ac (inferred only)
- Historic Overlay specific UDO section number
- Floodplain freeboard and substantial-improvement threshold (Chapter C)
- Smith Reynolds airport overlay existence and parameters
- Winston-Salem STR registration ordinance status (for §160D-1207(c) compliance check)
- UDO post-2023-10-01 ADU compliance amendment details (SL 2023-108)
- Winston-Salem tree-ordinance local-act status (§160D-921)
- Industrial district names and standards
- Agricultural/conservation district names and standards
Known issues
freshness:volatiledata:gaps-present
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