C3 Zoning District — New York City
C3 is a low-density Waterfront Recreation District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
C3 at a glance
It allows commercial uses, and generally also housing under the rules of a residential-equivalent district. As of right, the maximum residential FAR is 0.75 and the maximum commercial FAR is 0.5. 263 tax lots citywide carry C3 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for C3
| Context | Residential FAR | Commercial FAR | Community facility FAR | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of right | 0.75 | 0.5 | 1 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-283, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112, § 23-21 |
Values from the NYC Zoning Resolution, verified 2026-10-06; site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify them — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
About commercial districts
Commercial districts allow retail, office, and service uses, and most also allow housing under the rules of a residential-equivalent district. Commercial bulk is governed by § 33- of the NYC Zoning Resolution.
Contextual districts pair their floor-area ceilings with prescribed base and maximum building heights so new buildings mirror existing neighborhood form; non-contextual districts govern the envelope through more general height and setback rules, such as sky exposure planes. Commercial districts also allow residences under the rules of a residential-equivalent district, while manufacturing districts generally exclude new residences. Overlays and special purpose districts can modify any of this on a specific lot.
Example lots zoned C3
- Flatbush Avenue23,108,842 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 5923 Strickland Avenue33,645 sq ft lot · 1.51 built FAR · built 2002
- 5-12 115 Street279,235 sq ft lot · 0.42 built FAR · built 1985
- 160 Pilot Street226,834 sq ft lot · 0.43 built FAR · built 1981
- 4302 Westshore Avenue443,910 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 2824 Plumb 3 Street60,550 sq ft lot · 2.48 built FAR · built 2000
- 2 Windward Lane246,945 sq ft lot · 0.45 built FAR · built 1981
- 173 Marine Street173,381 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 2433 Knapp Street78,000 sq ft lot · 0.38 built FAR · built 2019
- 3929 Emmons Avenue119,915 sq ft lot · 0.03 built FAR · built 2000
- Hunter Avenue65,404 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 23-16 120 Street111,000 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
C3 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in C3?
- 0.75, as of right, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-283, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112, § 23-21. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- What is the maximum commercial FAR in C3?
- 0.5, as of right, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-283, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112, § 23-21. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is C3 a contextual district?
- No. C3 is not a contextual district; its building envelope is governed by the district's general height and setback rules rather than a prescribed contextual envelope.
Keep learning
What do the C3 rules mean for a specific lot?
PearlAudit resolves the governing zoning for any NYC tax lot — district, overlays, special districts — and cites the Zoning Resolution section behind every rule claim.
District data: NYC municipal records (Department of City Planning) and the NYC Zoning Resolution. See our sources and methodology. Parcel data as of 2026-10-20.