Department of City Planning311Search all NYC.gov websites
Special Purpose Districts: Citywide
The Special Coastal Risk District (CR) was created in 2017 to address coastal areas that are currently at exceptional risk from flooding and may face greater risk in the future. The Special Districts places limits on new development in these highly vulnerable areas and, in certain instances, to protect sensitive natural areas and ensure that new development is consistent with open space and infrastructure plans.
The Special Coastal Risk Districts are mapped in the following neighborhoods:
The purpose of the Special Enhanced Commercial District (EC) is to promote and maintain a lively and engaging pedestrian experience along commercial avenues.
The Special Enhanced Commercial District is mapped in the following areas:
| EC-1: | Fourth Avenue, Park Slope and South Park Slope, Brooklyn Maps: 16c, 16d Effective Date: 11/29/2011 |
| EC-2: | Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West Side Manhattan Maps: 8c, 5d Effective Date: 6/28/2012 |
| EC-3: | Broadway, Upper West Side, Manhattan Maps: 8c, 5d Effective Date: 6/28/2012 |
| EC-4: | Broadway, Bedford-Stuyvesant Maps: 13b, 17a Effective Date: 10/11/2012 |
| EC-5: | Ocean Hill and East New York, Brooklyn Map: 17c Effective Date: 4/20/2016 |
| EC-6: | East New York, Brooklyn Map: 17c Effective Date: 4/20/2016 |
The Special Limited Commercial District (LC) attempts to preserve the character of commercial areas within historic districts by permitting only those commercial uses compatible with the historic district, and by mandating that all commercial uses be in completely enclosed buildings. In addition, limitations are placed on the size and illumination of signs. There is one such special district mapped in Greenwich Village.
The Special Mixed Use District (MX) was established in 1997 to encourage investment in, and enhance the vitality of, existing neighborhoods with mixed residential and industrial uses in close proximity and create expanded opportunities for new mixed use communities. New residential and non-residential uses (commercial, community facility and light industrial) can be developed as-of-right and be located side-by-side or within the same building. Pairing an M1 district with an R3 through R10 district (e.g. M1-2/R6) ensures a balanced variety of uses.
Residential uses are generally subject to the bulk controls of the governing residence district; commercial, industrial and community facility uses are subject to the M1 district bulk controls, except that community facilities are subject to residential FAR limits. Most light industrial uses are permitted in each MX district as-of-right, others are subject to restrictions and Use Group 18 uses are excluded altogether, except for small breweries.
Special Mixed Use Districts are mapped in the following neighborhoods::
| MX-1: | Port Morris, Bronx Maps: 6a, 6b Effective Date:12/10/97 |
| MX-2: | DUMBO,
Brooklyn Map: 12d Effective Date: 7/29/09 |
| MX-4: | Flushing/Bedford, Brooklyn Maps: 12d, 13b Effective Date: 5/9/01 |
| MX-5: | Red Hook, Brooklyn Map: 16a Effective Date: 1/30/02 |
| MX-6: | Hudson Square, Manhattan Map: 12a Effective Date: 7/23/08 |
| MX-7: | Morrisania, Bronx Maps: 3d, 6c Effective Date: 8/19/03 |
| MX-8: | Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Brooklyn Maps: 12c, 12d, 13a, 13b Effective Date: 9/28/04 |
| MX-9: | Northern Hunters Point Waterfront, Queens Map: 9b Effective Date: 8/16/06 |
| MX-10: | Atlantic and Howard Avenues, Brooklyn Map: 17a Effective Date: 10/29/07 |
| MX-11: | Gowanus, Brooklyn Map: 16c Effective Date: 3/11/09 |
| MX-12: | Borough Park, Brooklyn Map: 22c Effective Date: 10/27/10 |
| MX-13: | Lower Concourse, Bronx Map: 6a Effective Date: 6/30/09 |
| MX-14: | Third Avenue/Tremont Avenue, Bronx Maps: 3c, 3d Effective Date: 10/13/10 |
| MX-15: | West Harlem, Manhattan Map: 3b Effective Date: 11/13/12 |
| MX-16: | Ocean Hill / East New York, Brooklyn Map: 17c Effective Date: 4/20/16 |
| MX-17: | Hunts Point, the Bronx Map: 6c Effective Date: 3/22/18 |
| MX-18: | Mott Haven, the Bronx Map: 6c Effective Date: 10/17/19 |
| MX-19: | Brownsville, Brooklyn Map: 17d Effective Date: 12/10/20 |
| MX-20: | Crown Heights West, Brooklyn Map: 16c Effective Date: 5/8/19 |
| MX-21: | Arverne East, Queens Map: 31a Effective Date: 3/25/21 |
| MX-22: | Bushwick, Brooklyn Map: 13b Effective Date: 5/27/21 |
| MX-23: | Ravenswood, Queens Map: 9a Effective Date: 10/21/21 |
| MX-24: | Astoria, Queens Map: 9b Effective Date: 11/22/22 |
| MX-25: | Gowanus, Brooklyn Map: 16c Effective Date: 10/27/22 |
The purpose of the Special Natural Area District (NA) is to guide new development and site alterations in areas endowed with unique natural characteristics, including forests, rock outcrops, steep slopes, creeks and a variety of botanic and aquatic environments. In the four Special Natural Areas, the City Planning Commission reviews proposals for new development, enlargements and site alterations to maximize protection of natural features. Natural features are protected by limiting modifications in topography, by preserving tree, plant and marine life, and natural water courses, and by encouraging clustered development.
The Special Natural Area Districts are mapped in the following neighborhoods:
| NA-1: | Emerson Hill, Dongan Hills, Todt Hill, Lighthouse Hill and the central wetlands of Staten Island Maps: 21b, 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d, 27a, 27b Effective Date: 12/19/74 |
| NA-2: | Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil and Fieldston,
Bronx Maps: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Effective Date: 5/21/75 |
| NA-3: | Shore Acres Area, Staten Island Map: 21d Effective Date: 12/1/77 |
| NA-4: | Fort Totten, Queens Maps: 7d, 11c Effective Date: 4/28/83 |
The Special Planned Community Preservation District (PC) designation protects the unique character of communities that have been planned and developed as a unit. Those communities characteristically have large landscaped open spaces and a superior relationship of buildings, open spaces, commercial uses, and pedestrian and vehicular circulation. No demolition, new development, enlargement or alteration of landscaping or topography is permitted within the district except by special permit of the City Planning Commission. Preservation districts have been mapped in Sunnyside Gardens and Fresh Meadows in Queens, Parkchester in the Bronx and Harlem River Houses in Manhattan.
The Special Scenic View District (SV) is intended to prevent obstruction of outstanding scenic views as seen from a public park, esplanade or mapped public place. No buildings or structures are allowed to penetrate a scenic view plane except by special permit of the City Planning Commission. The Brooklyn Heights Scenic View District (SV-1) extends over an area west of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade to protect the views of the Lower Manhattan skyline, Governors Island, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.