What does R1-60 zoning mean in Des Moines?

R1-60 is Des Moines' base one-family residential district; following the city's recent missing-middle zoning reforms it now also permits a duplex on qualifying lots, in addition to a single-family home.

How do I find the zoning for a specific address in Des Moines?

The Planning & Development Department's GIS zoning layer, searchable by address, shows the current district; Chapter 134 of the Municipal Code, hosted on Municode, then gives the use and dimensional standards for that district.

Does Des Moines allow ADUs or duplexes in single-family neighborhoods?

Yes. Recent zoning reforms have opened duplex and small multifamily development in R1-60 and similar low-density districts; specific lot and design standards still apply.

Des Moines, Iowa · city zoning districts · 13 districts

Des Moines, IA zoning map & districts

Des Moines zoning is codified in Chapter 134 of the Municipal Code and administered by the city's Planning & Development Department, with the Plan & Zoning Commission reviewing rezonings and site plans before City Council approval. In recent years the city has moved to allow duplexes and small multifamily buildings on lots previously restricted to a single house, part of a broader push to add "missing middle" housing supply near transit and commercial corridors.

The code Des Moines Zoning Ordinance

Des Moines zoning map

The City of Des Moines Planning & Development Department maintains the zoning map and Chapter 134 text, published through the Municode code library; parcel-level zoning is checked through the city's GIS and permitting portal.

There is no link to the official map here yet — confirm current district boundaries directly with the Des Moines planning or zoning department.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in Des Moines

Downtown Des Moines and the East Village carry their own urban-form expectations layered on top of the base zoning map, and PUD (Planned Unit Development) rezonings are the standard vehicle for larger mixed-use or phased projects that don't fit a standard district's use or dimensional limits. Outside downtown, the base Euclidean districts below govern use, setbacks, and density, with duplex allowances now built into the low-density residential categories in many cases.

Des Moines zoning districts by family

The 13 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Des Moines, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Des Moines Zoning Ordinance — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 5 districts
N1a	Neighborhood 1a	Lowest-intensity single-family tier in the current zoning code, GIS-confirmed live district.
N2a	Neighborhood 2a	Standard single-family density tier.
N3a	Neighborhood 3a	Missing-middle tier permitting small multi-unit buildings.
N4	Neighborhood 4	Higher-density multi-unit residential tier.
N5	Neighborhood 5	Highest-density apartment tier in the Neighborhood series.
Mixed-use 1 district
NX1	Mixed Use 1	Neighborhood-scale mixed-use crossroads district.
Commercial 1 district
CX	Commercial Mixed	Corridor-scale commercial mixed-use district.
Downtown / core 2 districts
DX1	Downtown 1	Downtown core district, the city's most intensive.
DX2	Downtown 2	Downtown-adjacent district, lower intensity than DX1.
Industrial 2 districts
I1	Industrial 1	Light industrial district.
I2	Industrial 2	Heavy industrial district.
Special purpose 2 districts
A	Agriculture	Holding zone for undeveloped land. Des Moines replaced its Chapter 134 Euclidean code (R1-60/R2/C-1/M-1 etc.) with this new district system.
PUD	Planned Unit Development	Negotiated master-plan vehicle for larger or phased projects; retained under the new code.

Des Moines zoning — common questions

What does R1-60 zoning mean in Des Moines?: R1-60 is Des Moines' base one-family residential district; following the city's recent missing-middle zoning reforms it now also permits a duplex on qualifying lots, in addition to a single-family home.
How do I find the zoning for a specific address in Des Moines?: The Planning & Development Department's GIS zoning layer, searchable by address, shows the current district; Chapter 134 of the Municipal Code, hosted on Municode, then gives the use and dimensional standards for that district.
Does Des Moines allow ADUs or duplexes in single-family neighborhoods?: Yes. Recent zoning reforms have opened duplex and small multifamily development in R1-60 and similar low-density districts; specific lot and design standards still apply.

Working in Iowa? Get on the list.

The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when Iowa opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← Iowa zoning — who holds the zoning power in Iowa, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other Iowa cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

Des Moines zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.