Zoning Ordinance Updates

The Board of Supervisors has initiated an update to the County’s recently adopted Zoning Ordinance to make minor refinements and updates related to the following topics.

Reduce building height in R-3 and PUD zoning districts from 10 stories to 5 stories
Reduce accessory setback 5’ rear instead of 15’ – residential districts
Remove the requirement that accessory structures be set back equal to or greater than the principal structure from front property line
Change criteria for what requires a special event permit
Include clarity and further definition of what constitutes “major recreational” equipment and provide additional criteria for outdoor storage of equipment and vehicles
Include allowances for a small amount of outdoor storage in association with Home Occupations
Change period of validity for variance from 1 to 2 years

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on September 17, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. to consider a draft that incorporates these changes. The proposed draft with changes marked is available below.

Draft Mecklenburg County Zoning Ordinance 9-17-2026

BOS Public Hearing Drafts

The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on May 11, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to consider updates to the Mecklenburg County Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and the Zoning Map. The most recent draft ordinances and the zoning map are available below.

ZONINING ORDINANCE DRAFT | 4-21-2026

SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE DRAFT | 4-21-2026

Click on the image below to review the DRAFT ZONING MAP

Planning Commission Meeting March 19,2026

How will the updated Ordinances affect my property?

The updated Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances apply only to new development proposed after adoption. All existing buildings and lots are allowed to remain in place and are not subject to the new regulations, until a property owner wishes to build something new or expand an existing building.

If your current lot is smaller than the new standards require, don’t worry—it is protected as a “grandfathered” or non-conforming property. This means you can continue to use your land exactly as it is with no changes required.

Please share your feedback on the DRAFT Zoning Map and Ordinances. We will use community input to inform updates and revisions to the draft materials before they are finalized and presented to the County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Review the Draft Zoning Map and Ordinances

Draft Zoning Map

To view the proposed zoning map, click on the map below. You can zoom in on your property or search by address using the search button located in the top right corner. The Proposed Zoning for your property is displayed.

Provide feedback by leaving comments on the map.

Click on individual parcels to access a comparison table that shows "Proposed Zoning" alongside "Existing Zoning."

The legend on the left side enables you to turn layers on and off by clicking the eye icon.

Please note that properties located within towns are not governed by County Zoning. Town zoning is determined by the each individual town. These areas are shown in grey on the map.

To learn how we determined a parcel’s proposed Zoning District, view the Zoning Map Overview Slides.

To learn what each Zoning District means, review the DRAFT Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning District Standards, linked below.