Setback Requirements for the N1-C Neighborhood 1 Zoning District in Charlotte

In the City of Charlotte, the N1-C Neighborhood 1 Zoning District requires a minimum front setback of 17 feet, a side setback of 5 feet, and a rear setback of 30 feet for standard residential lots. Corner side setbacks for the N1-C district are generally 10 feet, though this increases to match the 17-foot front setback if the corner side is located along an arterial street. Property owners may also use alternative setback standards based on the average positioning of existing dwellings on a developed blockface.

Standard Siting Requirements

The City of Charlotte establishes specific dimensional standards for the placement of buildings within the N1-C Neighborhood 1 Zoning District. These standards are measured from the property line or the "future back of curb" depending on the type of street frontage.

Standard	N1-C Zoning District Requirement
Minimum Front Setback (from Right-of-Way)	17 feet
Minimum Corner Side Setback (from Right-of-Way)	10 feet
Minimum Side Setback	5 feet
Minimum Rear Setback	30 feet

[Table 4-2]

Measurement and Application Rules

The City of Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance provides several specific rules for how these setbacks are calculated and applied within the N1-C Neighborhood 1 Zoning District:

Measurement Points: On local and collector streets, setbacks are measured from the existing back of curb. If no curb exists, they are measured from the Residential Medium Cross Section location in the Charlotte Land Development Standards Manual (CLDSM). For arterial and limited access streets, the setback is measured from two feet behind the future sidewalk as defined by the Charlotte Streets Map [Article 4, Table 4-2, Note 7].
Recorded Plats: Any front setbacks shown on a plat recorded at the Register of Deeds supersede the standard required zoning district front setbacks for the N1-C Neighborhood 1 Zoning District [Article 4, Table 4-2, Note 1].
Arterial Streets: If a corner side setback in the N1-C district is located along an arterial street, it must meet the minimum front setback dimension (17 feet) rather than the standard corner side dimension [Article 4, Table 4-2, Note 5].
Through Lots: In the event an N1-C lot abuts both a local/collector street and a parallel arterial street, the building must be oriented toward the local or collector street [Article 4, Table 4-2, Note 3].

Setback Averaging for Established Blockfaces

For established blockfaces within the City of Charlotte that are at least 25% developed or contain at least four existing dwellings, the N1-C Neighborhood 1 Zoning District allows for alternative front setbacks. A new single-family, duplex, or triplex dwelling may be located at or behind the average front setback of the two closest residential buildings on that same blockface. However, this averaged setback cannot be less than 10 feet [Article 4, Table 4-2, Note 2].

Alternative Development Setbacks

The City of Charlotte provides two alternative residential development options that modify the standard setbacks for the N1-C Neighborhood 1 Zoning District to encourage conservation or higher density.

Conservation Residential Development

This option is available for sites in the N1-C district that are at least five acres in size. It allows for a reduction in lot sizes in exchange for the provision of green area and common open space [Section 4.5.A].

Boundary Type	N1-C Conservation Setback
Minimum Side Setback	5 feet
Minimum Corner Side Setback	10 feet
Front and Rear Setbacks	May be reduced by 50%

[Section 4.5.A.2.a.v]

Compact Residential Development

This option aims to support increased access to housing through a reduction in lot size and setbacks [Section 4.5.C].

Standard	N1-C Compact Setback
Minimum Front Setback	5 feet
Minimum Corner Side Setback	5 feet
Minimum Side Setback	5 feet
Minimum Rear Setback	10 feet

[Table 4-8]

Sections Cited

Article 4, Section 4.3: Dimensional and Design Standards
Article 4, Table 4-2: Neighborhood 1 Zoning Districts Building Siting Standards
Article 4, Section 4.5.A: Conservation Residential Development
Article 4, Section 4.5.C: Compact Residential Development
Article 4, Table 4-8: Compact Residential Development Standards