The district your lot sits in sets your setbacks, height, and how much of the site you can cover. Here's a quick reference we use during schematic design in Zionsville.
R-EUrban Equestrian/Estate Residential District
Large-lot estate district preserving the south-central "Horse Country" area of Eagle Township, where horse farms and agricultural uses sit alongside single-family homes.
- Min lot
- 3 acres
- Min width
- 200 ft (150 ft on a cul-de-sac)
- Front setback
- 40 ft collector/local/cul-de-sac; 60 ft primary arterial; 40 ft secondary arterial
- Rear setback
- 50 ft primary building; 25 ft accessory
- Side setback
- 25 ft minimum
- Max height
- Per § 194.045; accessory buildings 22 ft
- Coverage
- 15% of lot area
Public water and sewer required for lots platted after 1-1-2000; well and septic allowed on 3+ acre lots with county approval.
R-SF-1Single-Family Residential District
Larger-lot urban single-family district built around half-acre average lots.
- Min lot
- Half-acre average per subdivision; 15,000 sq ft minimum
- Min width
- 150 ft (1-acre lots) down to 80 ft (15,000–25,000 sq ft lots); reduced on cul-de-sacs
- Front setback
- 35 ft (all street types)
- Rear setback
- 25 ft primary building; 5 ft accessory
- Side setback
- Aggregate 25–45 ft by lot size; no single side yard under 10–20 ft
- Max height
- 35 ft primary building; 22 ft accessory
- Coverage
- 20% of lot area
An open space subdivision option allows 21,780 sq ft lots with a 25 ft rear yard, 15 ft side yard, and a zero-lot-line option.
R-SF-2Single-Family Residential District
Urban single-family district with dimensional standards matching R-SF-1.
- Min lot
- Half-acre average per subdivision; 15,000 sq ft minimum
- Min width
- 150 ft (1-acre lots) down to 80 ft (15,000–25,000 sq ft lots)
- Front setback
- 35 ft (all street types)
- Rear setback
- 25 ft primary building; 5 ft accessory
- Side setback
- Aggregate 25–45 ft by lot size; no single side yard under 10–20 ft
- Max height
- 35 ft primary building; 22 ft accessory
- Coverage
- 20% of lot area
Plat-specific exceptions exist for certain subdivisions; confirm your plat before design.
R-SF-3Urban Single-Family Residential District
Urban single-family district on a mid-size lot standard.
- Min lot
- 15,000 sq ft minimum (half-acre average where subdivided)
- Min width
- 80 ft at the building line
- Front setback
- 35 ft
- Rear setback
- 25 ft primary building; 5 ft accessory
- Side setback
- Aggregate 25–45 ft by lot size
- Max height
- 35 ft primary building; 22 ft accessory
- Coverage
- 20–25% of lot area
§ 194.048 contains more than one sub-provision; we confirm which applies to your plat before setting the footprint.
R-SF-4Single-Family Residential District
Smaller-lot urban single-family district.
- Min lot
- 15,000 sq ft
- Min width
- 80 ft
- Front setback
- 35 ft
- Rear setback
- 20 ft primary building; 5 ft accessory
- Side setback
- Aggregate 20 ft; no single side yard under 7 ft
- Max height
- 35 ft, not over 3 stories
- Coverage
- 25% of lot area
Minimum 40 ft of frontage on a public street.
R-VVillage Residential District
District covering the historic village core, reinforcing the traditional height, bulk, and lot pattern of downtown Zionsville.
- Min lot
- 8,000 sq ft
- Min width
- 50 ft
- Front setback
- 30 ft primary/secondary arterial; 20 ft collector/local/cul-de-sac (block-face averaging exception applies)
- Rear setback
- 20 ft primary building; 5 ft accessory
- Side setback
- 5 ft minimum, 15 ft aggregate; 10 ft minimum building separation
- Max height
- 35 ft, not over 3 stories; 22 ft accessory
- Coverage
- 35% of lot area
Public water and sewer required; minimum 50 ft frontage.
R-MF-1Multi-Family Residential District
Multi-family district using clustering and on-site amenities to stay compatible with surrounding neighborhoods.
- Min lot
- 10,000 sq ft
- Min width
- 70 ft
- Front setback
- 35 ft (all street types)
- Rear setback
- 20 ft primary building; 5 ft accessory
- Side setback
- Aggregate 16 ft; no single side yard under 6 ft
- Max height
- 35 ft, not over 3 stories
- Coverage
- 30% of lot area
Minimum 35 ft of frontage on a public street.
R-MF-2Multi-Family Residential District
Higher-density multi-family district capped at nine dwelling units per acre, using project-wide perimeter yards instead of per-lot setbacks.
- Min width
- 150 ft minimum project frontage on a public street
- Front setback
- 35 ft (all street types)
- Rear setback
- 25 ft perimeter yard
- Side setback
- 25 ft perimeter yard
- Max height
- Per the referenced R-MF-1 building standards
Perimeter yards must stay landscaped open space.
These figures are general guidance for early planning — final requirements depend on your parcel, overlays, and any prior variances. Verify with the Zionsville codes department or the official zoning ordinance. We confirm them for your address before design begins.
