Zoning Glossary
Planning codes are written in their own language. This glossary translates the terms that decide what you can build — FAR, setbacks, coverage, overlays, variances, and the rest — into plain English, with why each one matters to a development decision.
Every term below is really a rule about this parcel.
One lot, every term in context — the rules below combine to define what fits inside the buildable envelope.
The four terms that shape every site
Before the full glossary, here are the big four — drawn on a parcel so you can see exactly what each one limits.
Total floor area ÷ lot area. The master dial for how much building you get.
Required gap from each lot line — front, sides, rear — that shrinks your footprint.
The max share of the lot buildings may cover — pushing you to build up, not out.
The ceiling on building height — with FAR, it sets how many floors you can stack.
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Stop looking them up — see them on your lot
UnlockLand reads these rules off your parcel automatically, so FAR, setbacks, and coverage become a buildable envelope instead of a vocabulary test.
Put these terms to work
From definitions to a real analysis
Run an address through UnlockLand and watch these terms turn into numbers for your actual lot.