FAQs

See the City’s zoning map to find out which zoning district applies to your property. You can also enter in your address into an online City Zoning Map that will provide information about your property, including the zoning district in which it is located. Click here to search the online database.

Once you have determined the zoning district in which your property is located, go to the City’s Zoning Code, which is available online at link, to locate the specific regulations that control development within that zoning district. Those regulations will identify the types of land uses that are permitted on your property and regulate the minimum and maximum dimensions of the building(s) that can be constructed. The regulations will also address other aspects of development through yard, landscape, lighting, sign, and parking requirements.

“Retool Gaithersburg” is the name given to a new project to update the City of Gaithersburg’s Zoning Code, with the overall goal of modernizing the Zoning Code to better accommodate and implement the City’s visions and goals.

A zoning code, which can also be referred to as a zoning ordinance or zoning regulations, is set of laws used as a tool to govern physical development within a municipality and the processes by which new development can be approved. This is different from a Master Plan, which makes recommendations on where certain uses (such as retail) should specifically be located. Zoning lays out the standards that must be met and processes that must be followed in order to build something like a retail store. Zoning codes can include regulations on uses, building size, yard size, open space, density of development, and signage, among other things. A zoning map always accompanies a zoning code. The zoning map identifies the location of the various zoning districts that are in a municipality’s zoning code.

The City’s Zoning Code is available on the City Zoning Tools page of this website.

The last comprehensive update to the Zoning Code was in 1965 and was originally written to accommodate the City’s vision at that time. Since the zoning code is a tool to implement the physical development of the City, it should be updated to reflect the community’s current visions and goals.

The Zoning Code is currently made up of 16 articles (sections) that address everything from the role of the Planning Commission to the parking and sign ordinances, adequate public facilities and affordable housing requirements, and the traditional regulations applicable to each specific zone. The Zoning Code is the tool used to implement the goals and recommendations in the City’s Master Plan. The Zoning Code, through its various Articles, sets the standards and procedures that are used to review and hopefully approve a project during the various stages of development review.

Euclidean Zoning is characterized as reflecting specific individual land uses; commercial, residential, or industrial and not a mix of these. Euclidean zones’ specific uses such as a store or a townhome are permitted “by-right” or prohibited and must meet defined bulk dimensional requirements such as lot size, lot coverage, street frontage, building setback and building height. Approval of Euclidean projects is based upon meeting the zones standards. ​ Floating Zones are intended to permit specialized development of land that includes a mix of residential and various non-residential uses. No specific uses are “by-right” and unlike Euclidean zones, most bulk dimensional requirements are established for each individual project. Floating zone projects’ approvals are somewhat subjective as they based upon meeting specific findings such as conformance with the Master Plan or that the project will be internally and externally compatible and harmonious with existing and planned land uses in the area and adjacent areas.

Retool Gaithersburg is being managed by the City of Gaithersburg Planning Division with input from other City departments. The City has hired a consultant team led by the firm ZoneCo to design and implement the project’s public engagement process and to update the Zoning Code.

The project website will provide information about all project-related events and activities. See the Get Involved page of this website to ask questions or provide comments.

Retool Gaithersburg is expected to take up to 18 months to complete in order to offer as much engagement and public input as possible. Continue to check the project website for updates and events.