Des Moines, Iowa 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 72 districts.
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Zoning
- District code & full name
- Parcel boundary & APN
- All 72 districts mapped
Building controls
- Front setback
- Side setback
- Rear setback
- Building height
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Des Moines, Iowa 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. Des Moines'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
F Floodplain District | - | 7,795.3 ac | Standards & uses → |
P2 Public Civic And Institutional | - | 4,883.2 ac | Standards & uses → |
N3A Neighborhood | - | 4,524.6 ac | Standards & uses → |
PUD Planned Unit Development | - | 3,668.4 ac | Standards & uses → |
Showing 4 of 72 districts
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What does F actually permit?
The full standards for one district, read straight from the source.
Run it →How is Des Moines zoned?
Des Moines regulates land through 72 zoning districts under a lettered framework where N marks neighborhood districts, NX neighborhood mix, MX mixed use, RX residential mixed use, DX downtown and EX a general mixed use category.
The neighborhood districts carry both a number and a letter: N1A, N1B, N2A, N2B, N3A, N3B, N3C, N4 and N5. The number marks the intensity band and the letter distinguishes districts within it, so identifying a site as N3 is not enough without the letter. N3A is the largest neighborhood district at roughly 4,525 acres.
The largest classification in the city is not a development district at all: Floodplain covers roughly 7,795 acres. Zoning flood exposure as its own district rather than as an advisory overlay puts it directly into the entitlement question, and at that scale it is a defining constraint on where the city can build.
Public Civic And Institutional appears in two numbered districts together covering roughly 7,661 acres.
The mixed use family is extensive: a general mixed use district at roughly 3,157 acres, two neighborhood mix districts covering about 2,202, numbered mixed use districts, residential mixed use districts and downtown districts. Planned Unit Development covers roughly 3,668 acres. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.
Des Moines zoning: frequently asked questions
How do you read a Des Moines district code?
The letters mark the family: N for neighborhood, NX for neighborhood mix, MX for mixed use, RX for residential mixed use, DX for downtown and EX for a general mixed use category. Neighborhood districts add a number for the intensity band and a letter to distinguish districts within it.
Why is Floodplain the largest district?
It covers roughly 7,795 acres, ahead of every development district. Des Moines zones flood exposure as its own classification rather than as an advisory overlay, making it a defining constraint on where the city can build.
What does the letter in N3A or N2B mean?
It distinguishes separate districts within the same intensity band. N3A, N3B and N3C are three different districts with their own standards, so identifying a site as N3 is not sufficient.
How extensive is the mixed use framework?
Substantial. A general mixed use district covers roughly 3,157 acres, two neighborhood mix districts about 2,202, and further numbered mixed use, residential mixed use and downtown districts add more.
How much public and institutional land is there?
Two numbered Public Civic And Institutional districts together cover roughly 7,661 acres, making public land one of the largest categories in the city after the floodplain.
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Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Des Moines planning department before acquisition or design.