Chicago zoning comparison · commercial vs business-park manufacturing
C1-3 vs M1-2: which lets you build more?
C1-3 carries the larger envelope — FAR 3 vs 2.2. They also come from different district families, so the use mix differs: C1-3 allows ground-floor retail, multi-unit residential, mixed-use buildings and light industrial uses; M1-2 allows light industrial uses, general industry and offices.
Districts on this page were read from different sources and on different dates — each district page states its own. Confirm against the current adopted code before relying on a figure. Data snapshot generated 2026-08-24. How this data is produced and checked →
Side by side
| C1-3 Neighborhood Commercial 3 | M1-2 Limited Manufacturing/Business Park 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Max FAR | 3 | 2.2 |
| Max height | 65 ft | — |
| Lot area per unit | 400 sf | — |
| Units on a standard 25×125 ft lot | 7 | — |
| Min lot area | — | — |
| Residential parking / unit | 1 | — |
| Max lot coverage | 75% | — |
| Permitted uses | ground-floor retail, multi-unit residential, mixed-use buildings and light industrial uses | light industrial uses, general industry and offices |
| Connected Communities bulk bonus tier | Yes (B-3/C-3 tier) | No |
Green marks the more permissive value. Setbacks are contextual in both districts and omitted here — see the district pages for the working scalars and the governing formulas.