What the Rochester zoning ordinance says about variances and appeals, district by district. Section numbers link to the official ordinance.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Planning Commission site-plan review and approval is required before a building is constructed or structurally altered, including a change to an exterior wall's location, height, or area. A commercial office building addition therefore goes to the Planning Commission for site-plan review.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
Variance and appeal requests go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The city ZBA page says the board can grant variances in cases of practical difficulty or hardship where the variance is not contrary to the public interest. Confirm current filing requirements with the city before applying.
A use conversion to a different use group or greater intensity requires Planning Commission site-plan review. Administrative review is available for a same-use-group conversion only when the site already conforms and a Planning Commission-approved site plan was granted within the prior 5 years; the city may still refer an administratively eligible proposal to the Planning Commission.
For CBD review, the site-plan submission must show the proposed building's relationship to existing buildings within 200 feet. A model, photograph, or video may be required, although the Planning Commission may waive that item for a modest addition.
If the proposal cannot meet a dimensional requirement, the Zoning Board of Appeals hears a dimensional variance under the practical-difficulties standard. The ZBA may not grant a use variance.
$49/month. An email when a human-reviewed rule change is published for Rochester — with the citation, the date, and a link to the updated page. Quiet months get a short note confirming we checked. Cancel any time.
Alerts come only from reviewed changes, never from raw ordinance-site noise. Billing via Stripe; unsubscribe and cancellation links in every email.
Enter an address. We identify the zoning district and assemble what the ordinance says about it: permitted uses, dimensional rules, accessory structures, and the approval process.
District identification is free. The full brief is $79.