How do I find the zoning for a parcel in Dayton?

The city's Planning Division, within the Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development, maintains the official zoning map and can confirm a parcel's district and standards.

What is the Montgomery County Land Bank and how does it relate to zoning?

The Land Reutilization Corporation acquires and resells vacant and blighted parcels across Dayton and Montgomery County; buying land-bank inventory is a separate disposition process from zoning, and the parcel's existing zoning district still governs what can be built.

Does Dayton require rezoning for adaptive reuse projects?

Converting a building to a use not permitted in its current district requires a rezoning or conditional-use approval through the Plan Board and City Commission, regardless of whether the parcel came from the land bank or the private market.

Dayton, Ohio · city zoning districts · 15 districts

Dayton, OH zoning map & districts

Dayton zoning is governed by the Dayton Zoning Code, administered by the Planning Division within the Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development, with the Board of Zoning Appeals handling variances and the Plan Board and City Commission reviewing rezonings. The code follows a conventional tiered structure of residential, commercial, and industrial districts.

The code Dayton Zoning Code

Dayton zoning map

The City of Dayton Planning Division maintains the official zoning map; the Dayton Zoning Code is available through the city's code library, and land-bank inventory is listed separately through the Montgomery County Land Reutilization Corporation.

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

Dayton's development landscape is distinguished by an active land bank — the Montgomery County Land Reutilization Corporation works closely with the city — addressing vacant and blighted parcels accumulated through decades of population decline. Acquiring land-bank inventory involves a separate application and disposition process on top of confirming the parcel's underlying zoning district, and many land-bank parcels sit in older platted residential districts with lot sizes below current subdivision standards.

Dayton zoning districts by family

The 15 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Dayton, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Dayton Zoning Code — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 5 districts
A	Agricultural District	Low-density agricultural and large-lot rural uses.
R-1	Single-Family Residential	Lowest-density single-family tier.
R-3	Single-Family Residential	Standard single-family lot size.
R-5	Multi-Family Residential	Medium-density multifamily district.
R-7	Multi-Family Residential	Higher-density multifamily district, near top of Dayton's residential ladder.
Mixed-use 2 districts
OR-1	Office-Residential	Transitional district blending office and residential uses.
OR-2	Office-Residential	Higher-intensity office/residential district.
Commercial 3 districts
B-1	Neighborhood Business	Small-scale, neighborhood-serving retail and services.
B-2	Community Business	Community-serving commercial corridor uses.
B-3	General Business	Broader general commercial uses.
Downtown / core 1 district
B-4	Central Business District	Downtown Dayton's core commercial district; replaces nonexistent 'CBD'/'UBD' codes.
Industrial 3 districts
I-1	Light Industrial	Light manufacturing and warehousing.
I-2	General Industrial	General manufacturing uses.
I-3	Heavy Industrial	Heaviest-impact industrial uses.
Special purpose 1 district
OS	Open Space	Parks, recreation, and preserved open land.

Dayton zoning — common questions

How do I find the zoning for a parcel in Dayton?: The city's Planning Division, within the Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development, maintains the official zoning map and can confirm a parcel's district and standards.
What is the Montgomery County Land Bank and how does it relate to zoning?: The Land Reutilization Corporation acquires and resells vacant and blighted parcels across Dayton and Montgomery County; buying land-bank inventory is a separate disposition process from zoning, and the parcel's existing zoning district still governs what can be built.
Does Dayton require rezoning for adaptive reuse projects?: Converting a building to a use not permitted in its current district requires a rezoning or conditional-use approval through the Plan Board and City Commission, regardless of whether the parcel came from the land bank or the private market.

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

Keep reading

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

Other Ohio cities

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

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