Cleveland's land use rules live in Title 7 of the Codified Ordinances, covering districts, use tables, dimensional standards, and overlays administered by City Planning, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Landmarks Commission.
Title 7 organizes Cleveland into residential, multi-family, local retail, general retail, semi-industrial, industrial, and special districts, plus overlays for historic landmarks, design review, lakefront, and pedestrian retail. The Cleveland City Planning Commission reviews most projects, while variances go to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Cleveland is in the middle of a comprehensive form-based zoning rewrite that will modernize districts and align with the Climate Action Plan and equitable housing goals.
Zoning violations are enforced by the Department of Building and Housing through notices, stop-work orders, and Housing Court action under Cleveland Codified Ordinances.
Cleveland, OH
Cleveland encourages transit-oriented development along Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority rail and bus rapid transit corridors through Pedestrian ...
Cleveland, OH
Cleveland's residential tax abatement, modernized in 2022, plus design review through City Planning, function as the City's primary tools for encouraging hig...
See how Cleveland's specific plans overview rules stack up against other locations.
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