Downtown Overlay District

The text of the Downtown Overlay District (DOD) was adopted by City Council on December 7, 2004. This amendment to the Code was initiated through the Regulatory Reform element of the Livable Streets Program. A key component of this change is to simplify the existing layers of regulation by combining under one section of the Code the current overlay districts within the downtown area, with the exception of the Historic Overlay Districts. This new overlay district allows for the continuity of urban design through the use of exceptions to the minimum setback standards, maximum height standards, parking requirements, floor area ratio requirements and other regulations which vary between the numerous underlying zoning districts within the downtown area. Land use requirements dictated by the underlying zoning districts do not change.

This overlay district also reorganizes the approval process as recommended by the Regulatory Reform element. Whereas all new development, expansions and conversions of buildings within the downtown area currently require approval by the City Council, the proposed regulations delegate administration or the Planning Commission as the approving authority for smaller projects and the conversion of buildings from one use to another.

Through Z-12-05, the City of Raleigh Planning Department has adopted the Downtown Overlay District for 734 acres in the downtown area. In conjunction with this rezoning action, The text amendment TC-6-05 removed from the Code the Overlay Districts the DOD is replacing.