Setback Requirements for the City of Charlotte CG: General Commercial Zoning District

In the City of Charlotte CG: General Commercial Zoning District, front setbacks vary significantly based on the type of street frontage, ranging from 16 feet to 40 feet from the future back of curb. Development within this district must adhere to a minimum side setback of 10 feet and a minimum rear setback of 20 feet. Additionally, buildings fronting a "Main Street" must comply with a 0 to 20 foot build-to zone and an 80% minimum build-to percentage [Table 6-2].

Building Siting Standards for the CG District

Building siting standards in the CG: General Commercial Zoning District are designed to ensure that commercial development maintains compatibility with its surrounding context and provides appropriate spacing for the public realm in the City of Charlotte.

Front Setback Requirements

The front setback for properties in the CG: General Commercial Zoning District is measured from the future back of curb, except in specific instances where measurement is taken from the Right-of-Way (ROW).

Frontage Type	Front Setback Line (from future back of curb)
Uptown Signature	24 feet
Main Street	24 feet
Linear Park	36 feet
4-5 Lane Avenue/Boulevard	36 feet
6 or more Lane Avenue/Boulevard	40 feet
2-3 Lane Avenue	36 feet
Transit Station, Off-Street Public Path, Public Park	20 feet
Uptown Primary	20 feet
Other - Primary	36 feet
Uptown Secondary	16 feet
Secondary	36 feet
Parkway (Measured from ROW)	20 feet
Limited Access (Measured from ROW)	20 feet

[Table 6-2]

Side and Rear Setback Requirements

Minimum interior setbacks for the CG: General Commercial Zoning District are standardized regardless of the frontage type, providing consistent separation between adjacent properties.

Setback Type	Minimum Requirement
Minimum Side Setback	10 feet
Minimum Rear Setback	20 feet

[Table 6-2]

Additional Siting and Measurement Standards

The City of Charlotte establishes several specific rules for measuring and applying these setbacks in the CG: General Commercial Zoning District:

• Measurement from Curb: On local and collector streets, setbacks are measured from the curb location of the "Office/Commercial Narrow Local Street Cross Section" in the Charlotte Land Development Standards Manual (CLDSM) or the existing back of curb, whichever is farther from the centerline [Table 6-2, Note 1].
• Reduction for Parking: In the City of Charlotte CG: General Commercial Zoning District, if no parking or maneuvering area is located between a building and the frontage, the frontage setback line may be reduced to match the standards required for the CAC-1 Zoning District [Table 6-2, Note 3].
• Building Entry Clearance: No building entry may be located closer than six feet to an existing or proposed off-street public path or shared-use path [Table 6-2, Note 2].
• Special Frontages: For transit stations, off-street public paths, or public park frontages, measurements are taken from the property line or right-of-way line. If a reservation for a future frontage exists, the setback is measured from the edge of the reservation area [Table 6-2, Note 4].

Build-To Zone (BTZ) Requirements

For specific frontages within the CG: General Commercial Zoning District, the City of Charlotte requires buildings to be pulled close to the street to support a pedestrian-oriented environment.

Frontage Type	Frontage Build-To Zone (BTZ)	Minimum BTZ Build-To Percentage
Main Street	0 to 20 feet from the frontage setback line	80%

[Table 6-2]

A build-to zone is not required along frontages in the CG: General Commercial Zoning District that abut a man-made or natural physical feature 35 feet in width or greater, such as a railroad line, gas pipeline, or significant environmental buffer [Table 6-2, Note 5].

Sections Cited

• Article 6, Commercial Zoning Districts: CG, CR
• Section 6.1, Purpose
• Section 6.3, Dimensional and Design Standards
• Table 6-2, Commercial Zoning Districts Building Siting Standards