Wake Forest, North Carolina zoning

A plain-language summary of the Wake Forest zoning ordinance, organized by district and topic. Source: the official ordinance on Town-hosted flipbook (FlippingBook viewer, not Municode), last reviewed July 3, 2026.

Zoning districts

OSSpecial purpose
Open Space
Rural and suburban district for land kept primarily as open space (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
RDResidential
Rural Holding District
Large-lot rural holding district, the lowest-density conventional residential district (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
GR3Residential
General Residential 3
Conventional suburban residential district capped at 3 dwelling units per acre (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
GR5Residential
General Residential 5
Conventional suburban residential district capped at 5 dwelling units per acre (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
GR10Residential
General Residential 10
Conventional suburban residential district capped at 10 dwelling units per acre (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
NBCommercial
Neighborhood Business
Small-scale commercial district intended to serve nearby neighborhoods (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
HBCommercial
Highway Business
Auto-oriented commercial district along major corridors, with an increased height allowance in the US-1 Corridor with a Special Use Permit (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
ICDSpecial purpose
Institutional Campus Development
District for large institutional campuses (schools, hospitals, religious campuses) on a minimum 10-acre site (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
LIIndustrial
Light Industrial
Light manufacturing, warehousing, and similar uses on a minimum 10-acre site (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
HIIndustrial
Heavy Industrial
Heavier industrial uses on a minimum 20-acre site, with the largest required setbacks of any district (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
URResidential
Urban Residential
Urban form-based residential district capped at 10 dwelling units per acre with a maximum (not minimum) front setback and a 3-story height limit (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
RMXMixed use
Residential Mixed-Use
Urban form-based district allowing higher-density residential and mixed use up to 24 dwelling units per acre and 6 stories, with 0-foot minimum side and rear setbacks (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
NMXMixed use
Neighborhood Mixed-Use
Urban form-based neighborhood-scale mixed-use district with a maximum front setback and minimum building frontage buildout (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
RA HCMixed use
Renaissance Area Historic Core
Downtown historic core district with the tightest front setback and highest frontage buildout requirement in the code; the GIS layer stores this code with a space, not a hyphen (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
UMXMixed use
Urban Mixed-Use
Most intensive urban form-based mixed-use district, with a minimum building height and 6-story maximum that may be exceeded with a Special Use Permit (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
PUDSpecial purpose
Planned Unit Development
Master-planned district where dimensional and use standards are set case by case in the approved PUD plan, subject to UDO minimums for open space, landscaping, parking, signage, and environmental protection (UDO Sec. 2.7). Check the adopting PUD conditions for the specific property.

Code	Name	Category	Summary
OS	Open Space	Special purpose	Rural and suburban district for land kept primarily as open space (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
RD	Rural Holding District	Residential	Large-lot rural holding district, the lowest-density conventional residential district (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
GR3	General Residential 3	Residential	Conventional suburban residential district capped at 3 dwelling units per acre (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
GR5	General Residential 5	Residential	Conventional suburban residential district capped at 5 dwelling units per acre (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
GR10	General Residential 10	Residential	Conventional suburban residential district capped at 10 dwelling units per acre (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
NB	Neighborhood Business	Commercial	Small-scale commercial district intended to serve nearby neighborhoods (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
HB	Highway Business	Commercial	Auto-oriented commercial district along major corridors, with an increased height allowance in the US-1 Corridor with a Special Use Permit (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
ICD	Institutional Campus Development	Special purpose	District for large institutional campuses (schools, hospitals, religious campuses) on a minimum 10-acre site (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
LI	Light Industrial	Industrial	Light manufacturing, warehousing, and similar uses on a minimum 10-acre site (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
HI	Heavy Industrial	Industrial	Heavier industrial uses on a minimum 20-acre site, with the largest required setbacks of any district (UDO Sec. 2.2.5 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
UR	Urban Residential	Residential	Urban form-based residential district capped at 10 dwelling units per acre with a maximum (not minimum) front setback and a 3-story height limit (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
RMX	Residential Mixed-Use	Mixed use	Urban form-based district allowing higher-density residential and mixed use up to 24 dwelling units per acre and 6 stories, with 0-foot minimum side and rear setbacks (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
NMX	Neighborhood Mixed-Use	Mixed use	Urban form-based neighborhood-scale mixed-use district with a maximum front setback and minimum building frontage buildout (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
RA HC	Renaissance Area Historic Core	Mixed use	Downtown historic core district with the tightest front setback and highest frontage buildout requirement in the code; the GIS layer stores this code with a space, not a hyphen (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
UMX	Urban Mixed-Use	Mixed use	Most intensive urban form-based mixed-use district, with a minimum building height and 6-story maximum that may be exceeded with a Special Use Permit (UDO Sec. 2.2.3 chart). Confirm the current zoning map, any Conditional Zoning or Conditional District case, and the cited section text before acting.
PUD	Planned Unit Development	Special purpose	Master-planned district where dimensional and use standards are set case by case in the approved PUD plan, subject to UDO minimums for open space, landscaping, parking, signage, and environmental protection (UDO Sec. 2.7). Check the adopting PUD conditions for the specific property.

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