Evanston, Illinois Zoning Map
Zoning, overlays and hazards on every parcel - and an answer to what the code actually lets you build. Compiled from current zoning data for all 33 districts.
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Zoning
- District code & full name
- Parcel boundary & APN
- All 33 districts mapped
Building controls
- Front setback
- Side setback
- Rear setback
- Building height
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Evanston, Illinois Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?
Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type. Evanston's ordinance does not state permitted uses as citywide flags, so they are read from each district's own table rather than summarised here.
| Zone Code | Category | Area | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
R1 Single Family Residential | - | 1,600.4 ac | Standards & uses → |
R2 Single Family Residential | - | 612.9 ac | Standards & uses → |
OS Open Space | - | 579.8 ac | Standards & uses → |
R3 Two Family Residential | - | 523.9 ac | Standards & uses → |
Showing 4 of 33 districts
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What does R1 actually permit?
The full standards for one district, read straight from the source.
Run it →How is Evanston zoned?
Evanston regulates land through 33 zoning districts across a compact city, and the university is written into the map through three separate designations: University Housing, University Athletic Facilities and University Lakefront Campus. The lakefront campus district is the largest of the three at roughly 175 acres.
Splitting university land into housing, athletics and campus rather than treating it as one institutional district is unusual and gives the city finer control over each function.
The residential system is numbered 1 through 6, with R1 the largest district at roughly 1,600 acres. R1 and R2 cover single family, R3 covers two family, and R4 through R6 are general residential districts covering the higher intensities. A general residential variant coded R4A sits alongside them.
Downtown is zoned through a graduated set including a retail core district at roughly 27 acres and a core development district at about 36. In a city this size, splitting downtown into distinct retail and development designations is a deliberate choice about where intensity belongs.
A Research Park district covers roughly 28 acres, providing explicitly for research-linked development. Open Space covers roughly 580 acres, the third largest classification. Business districts are lettered and small, and industrial splits into an industrial office district and a general industrial district. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.
Evanston zoning: frequently asked questions
How is university land zoned in Evanston?
Through three separate districts: University Housing, University Athletic Facilities and University Lakefront Campus. The lakefront campus district is the largest at roughly 175 acres. Splitting the institution by function gives the city finer control than a single institutional district would.
How is residential zoning numbered?
R1 and R2 cover single family, R3 covers two family, and R4 through R6 are general residential districts covering higher intensities, with a variant coded R4A alongside them. R1 is the largest district in the city at roughly 1,600 acres.
How is downtown zoned?
Through a graduated set including a retail core district at roughly 27 acres and a core development district at about 36. Splitting a small downtown into distinct retail and development designations is a deliberate choice about where intensity belongs.
What is the Research Park district?
A district of roughly 28 acres providing explicitly for research-linked development, separate from the office, business and industrial categories.
How much open space does Evanston have?
Open Space covers roughly 580 acres, the third largest classification in the city behind the two largest residential districts. That is a substantial share for a compact municipality.
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Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Evanston planning department before acquisition or design.