What does T3 zoning mean in Saint Paul?

T3 is one of Saint Paul's Traditional Neighborhood districts, allowing a moderate-to-higher intensity mix of residential and commercial uses. It's commonly found along transit corridors like University Avenue and permits denser, more walkable development than the city's H or RM districts.

How do I find the zoning for an address in Saint Paul?

Saint Paul's Planning and Economic Development department maintains an online zoning map that returns the base district and any overlays, including the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area overlay, for a given parcel.

Did Saint Paul eliminate single-family zoning?

Saint Paul did not eliminate single-family districts outright, but its 2023 ordinance amendment expanded RL, H1, and H2 districts to allow one-to-six-unit housing types on many lots that were previously limited to a single home.

Saint Paul, Minnesota · city zoning districts · 14 districts

Saint Paul, MN zoning map & districts

Saint Paul's zoning code is administered by the Department of Planning and Economic Development (PED) and splits low-density residential land into RL (large lot), H1, and H2 districts, which were amended in 2023 to permit one-to-six-unit housing outright on many lots, alongside RM1–RM3 multi-family districts. Mixed-use corridors and gateway areas use the Traditional Neighborhood (T1–T4) district series, which scales from small neighborhood-serving uses in T1 up to tall, high-intensity buildings in T4; the T-district standards were most recently updated by a citywide study adopted in November 2025.

The code Saint Paul Zoning Code, Chapters 60–69 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code

Saint Paul zoning map

Saint Paul's zoning map and code text are maintained by the Department of Planning and Economic Development, which also publishes the zoning code through the city's Charter and Codes library.

There is no link to the official map here yet — confirm current district boundaries directly with the Saint Paul 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 Saint Paul

Developers working along transit corridors such as University Avenue should expect T-district zoning rather than conventional commercial zoning, since Saint Paul rezoned much of the Central Corridor into the T series starting in 2011. The Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) overlay adds substantial additional review for any parcel near the river bluffs.

Saint Paul zoning districts by family

The 14 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Saint Paul, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Saint Paul Zoning Code, Chapters 60–69 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 5 districts
RL	One-Family Large Lot
R1	One-Family Residential
R4	One-Family Residential
RT2	Townhouse
RM2	Multiple-Family Residential
Mixed-use 3 districts
T2	Traditional Neighborhood District
T4	Traditional Neighborhood District
OS	Office-Service
Commercial 2 districts
B2	Community Business
B3	General Business
Downtown / core 1 district
B4	Central Business
Industrial 2 districts
IT	Transitional Industrial
I1	Light Industrial
Special purpose 1 district
PD	Planned Development

Saint Paul zoning — common questions

What does T3 zoning mean in Saint Paul?: T3 is one of Saint Paul's Traditional Neighborhood districts, allowing a moderate-to-higher intensity mix of residential and commercial uses. It's commonly found along transit corridors like University Avenue and permits denser, more walkable development than the city's H or RM districts.
How do I find the zoning for an address in Saint Paul?: Saint Paul's Planning and Economic Development department maintains an online zoning map that returns the base district and any overlays, including the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area overlay, for a given parcel.
Did Saint Paul eliminate single-family zoning?: Saint Paul did not eliminate single-family districts outright, but its 2023 ordinance amendment expanded RL, H1, and H2 districts to allow one-to-six-unit housing types on many lots that were previously limited to a single home.

Working in Minnesota? 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 Minnesota opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

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

Other Minnesota cities

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

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