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Zoning Districts

Base Zoning Districts

The City of Hickory has established four (4) residential zoning districts and eight (8) nonresidential zoning districts through its Land Development Code (LDC). All properties within the City of Hickory corporate limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) have been zoned to at least one of following districts. Some properties may be split zoned between two or more zoning districts. Additionally, some properties may also be zoned as a Planned Development (PD). Please contact the Planning and Development Division for more information regarding split zoning and Planned Developments. 

To determine what your property is zoned, please utilize either the Catawba County GIS website or the City of Hickory online zoning map.
 

Residential Zoning Districts

Zoning District Map Symbol Description Permitted Uses Dimensional Standards Dwelling Units Per Acre
Low Density Residential R-1 LDC 3.1.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.1 2
Medium Density Residential - 2 R-2 LDC 3.1.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.1 4
Medium Density Residential - 3 R-3 LDC 3.1.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.1 8
High Density Residential R-4
 
LDC 3.1.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.1 20


The maximum amount of dwelling units per acre will depend on the housing type, associated lot sizes requirements, and other constraints. Design standards for multi-family development can be found in Chapter 7 of the Land Development Code. Design standards for nonresidential development within a residential zoning district can be found in Chapter 3 of the Land Development Code.
 

Nonresidential Zoning Districts

Zoning District Map Symbol Description Permitted Uses Dimensional Standards Dwelling Units Per Acre Floor Area Ratio Design Standards
Neighborhood Commercial NC LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 30 0.85 LDC 3.3
Community Commercial CC-1 LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 30 0.85 LDC 3.3
Commercial Corridor CC-2 LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 30 0.85 LDC 3.4
Office and Institutional OI LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 30 0.85 LDC 3.4
Central Business District C-1 LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 100 3.0 LDC 3.5
General Business C-2 LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 30 0.85 LDC 3.4
Regional Commercial C-3 LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 30 0.85 LDC 3.4
Industrial IND LDC 3.2.2 LDC 6.1 LDC 7.3 N/A N/A LDC 3.6


Overlay Zoning Districts

Overlay zoning districts are applied in combination with existing base zoning districts and have the effect of modifying the requirements, regulations, and procedures applying in the base zoning district.

To determine if your property is within one of the overlay zoning districts, please use the City of Hickory online zoning map or contact the Planning Department at (828) 323-7422.

Overlay District Map Symbol Description and Effects
Revitalization District Overlay RD-O LDC 4.2
Neighborhood Preservation Overlay NP-O LDC 4.3
Historic Overlay H-O LDC 4.4
Watershed Protection Overlay WP-O LDC 4.5
Airport Overlay A-O LDC 4.6
Henry River Conservation Overlay HRC-O Repealed November 2019
NC 127 Central Corridor Overlay NC 127-O LDC 4.7
High Rise Sign Overlay HRS-O LDC 4.8


Floodplain Development

The City of Hickory has adopted a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance to promote public health, safety, and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions within flood prone areas. This ordinance applies to all properties that are located within the floodplain subject to a one percent (1%) or greater chance of being flooded in any given year, more commonly known as the one hundred (100) year floodplain. This floodplain is delineated between the floodway (AEFW) and floodway fringe (AE). Development within the floodplain is strictly regulated by the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

To determine if your property is located within the floodplain, please utilize the FEMA Flood Map Service Center website. If you have questions regarding the ordinance or development within the floodplain, please contact the Planning Department at (828) 323-7422 and ask to speak with the Floodplain Administrator.