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The City of Saginaw is divided up into fourteen specific zoning districts. These districts are briefly described below.
To see where the zoning boundaries lie, View our City Zoning Map
R-1, Single Family Residential
This district is intended primarily for single family dwellings but also allows neighborhood uses such as schools and parks. In addition, the City Planning Commission may also allow such uses as hospitals and churches as a special land use
R-1A, Agricultural Residential
This district has open agricultural land as its principal use of land and also allows single family residential development. In addition to those uses specified as principal permitted uses in the R-1 District, the following are types of uses that are allowed in the R-1A zone: Farms, Golf Courses, and Colleges. IN addition, the Planning Commission may allow such uses as fairgrounds, thoroughbred horse and harness racing, cemeteries, and private museums as special land uses.
R-2, Two Family Residential
The two family district allows single family dwelling and two family dwellings and the same institutional uses that are allowed in the single family district. A minimum lot size of 7,200 sq. ft. is required for a two family dwelling in this district. In addition, the Planning Commission may also allow three and four unit dwellings, private museums, day care centers and adult foster care small group homes as special land use. A minimum lot size of 8,200 sq. ft. is required for a three unit dwelling and 9,200 sq. ft. s required for a four unit dwelling.
R-3, Low Density Multiple Dwelling Residential
This district is designed primarily for single family and two family dwellings and low density multiple family dwellings. In addition to sing, two, and multiple family dwellings, this district also allows Adult Foster Care Small and Large Group Homes, boarding and rooming houses, nursing homes, day care centers and hospitals. The lot size required for dwelling in this district is 4,000 sq. ft. for the first dwelling unit on the lot and 1,200 sq. ft. for each additional dwelling unit on the lot. This district also allows charitable institutions and membership clubs as special land uses.
R-4, High Density Multiple Dwelling Residential
This district is for high density residential uses such as high rise apartment buildings. The only R-4 districts presently in the City of Saginaw are the blocks which are occupied by the City's housing high rise apartment structures. All uses allowed in the R-3 district are allowed in the R-4 District and all special land uses allowed in the R-3 district are also allowed in the R-4 District as special land uses.
RO-1, Restricted Office
This district is intended for multiple-family residential uses and also permits office uses if the city planning commission approves a special land use. Permitted uses in this zone include dwellings containing four or less units, foster care homes, hospitals, day care centers, senior citizen centers and off street parking areas. Special land uses in this zone include dwellings containing more than four units, barber and beauty shops, business offices, medical offices, labs and clinics, financial institutions, veterinary offices, funeral homes, and churches.
RMU, Riverfront Mixed Use
The Riverfront Mixed Use District as identified on the City zoning map is a transitional area of the River front and Washington Avenue Corridor, which is, intended for new commercial, office, residential, park, recreation and marina development. Industrial and converted multi-family residential uses will be phased out over time and will be treated as nonconforming uses.
B-1, Local Business
This zone is intended to permit retail business and service uses which are needed to serve the nearby residential areas. This zone permits residential uses, offices, retail shops, barber and beauty shops, membership clubs and off street parking areas. This zone also allows automobile service stations and drive-in restaurants as special land uses with approval by the City Planning Commission.
B-2, General Business
This district is intended to permit a wider range of business and entertainment activities than those permitted in the B-1 or B-1A Districts. In addition to the uses allowed in the B-1 district, the following uses are also permitted: service establishments of an office, showroom, or workshop nature, assembly halls, automobile service stations, automobile repair including body shops, bus terminals, business schools, department stores, bowling alleys, arcades, hotels and motels, printing companies, auto garages, and off street parking. IN addition, the following uses are allowed as special land use: Adult book stores, automobile wash establishments, massage parlors, drive-in restaurants, used car lots, wholesale stores and warehouses.
RMU, Riverfront Mixed Use
The Riverfront Mixed Use District is a transitional area of the Riverfront and Washington Avenue corridor intended for new commercial, office, residential, park, recreation and marina development. The District and the sub-districts, are on the city zoning map and are intended to guide and promote the development of Saginaw's River Corridor and adjacent business districts in accordance with the Saginaw River Corridor Master Plan and the City of Saginaw Master Plan. A prime characteristic of this District is two cores of intense pedestrian activity, Old Town and Downtown, with shopping and merchandising activities that serve the entire community.
M-1, Light Industrial
The intent of this district is to permit certain industries, which are of a light manufacturing, warehousing, and wholesaling character. Examples of uses allowed in this zone include building supply, contracting firms, labs, tool and die shops, sheet metal shops, automobile repair, wholesale and warehousing. This district also permits automobile service stations, Barber and beauty shops, eating and drinking establishments, and hotels and motels after approval of a special land use b the City Planning Commission. Dwelling units are not allowed in this district.
M-2, General Industrial
The intent of this district is to permit general industrial uses to locate in desirable areas of the City. The uses are primarily of an intensive manufacturing, assembling and fabricating character. In addition to M-1 uses, the following are also permitted in the M-2 District: manufacture of motor vehicles and parts, foundries, metal stamping, lumber planning mills, paint manufacturing, steel fabrication, electroplating, heat treating, and off street parking areas. This zone also allows automobile service stations, barber and beauty shops, eating and drinking establishments, and hotels and motels, chemical plants, fertilizer warehouses, junk yards, mining, and slaughter yards as special land uses with approval from the City Planning Commission.
M-3, Heavy Industrial
The intent of the M-3 Heavy Industrial District is to permit intensive manufacturing, assembling and fabricating industries, including large-scale or specialized industrial operations. All uses permitted in the M-2 zone both as principal permitted uses and special land uses are permitted in the M-3 zone as a matter of right, after site plan approval by the City Planning Commission.
Download our Development Guide
To see where the zoning boundaries lie, View our City Zoning Map
R-1, Single Family Residential
This district is intended primarily for single family dwellings but also allows neighborhood uses such as schools and parks. In addition, the City Planning Commission may also allow such uses as hospitals and churches as a special land use
R-1A, Agricultural Residential
This district has open agricultural land as its principal use of land and also allows single family residential development. In addition to those uses specified as principal permitted uses in the R-1 District, the following are types of uses that are allowed in the R-1A zone: Farms, Golf Courses, and Colleges. IN addition, the Planning Commission may allow such uses as fairgrounds, thoroughbred horse and harness racing, cemeteries, and private museums as special land uses.
R-2, Two Family Residential
The two family district allows single family dwelling and two family dwellings and the same institutional uses that are allowed in the single family district. A minimum lot size of 7,200 sq. ft. is required for a two family dwelling in this district. In addition, the Planning Commission may also allow three and four unit dwellings, private museums, day care centers and adult foster care small group homes as special land use. A minimum lot size of 8,200 sq. ft. is required for a three unit dwelling and 9,200 sq. ft. s required for a four unit dwelling.
R-3, Low Density Multiple Dwelling Residential
This district is designed primarily for single family and two family dwellings and low density multiple family dwellings. In addition to sing, two, and multiple family dwellings, this district also allows Adult Foster Care Small and Large Group Homes, boarding and rooming houses, nursing homes, day care centers and hospitals. The lot size required for dwelling in this district is 4,000 sq. ft. for the first dwelling unit on the lot and 1,200 sq. ft. for each additional dwelling unit on the lot. This district also allows charitable institutions and membership clubs as special land uses.
R-4, High Density Multiple Dwelling Residential
This district is for high density residential uses such as high rise apartment buildings. The only R-4 districts presently in the City of Saginaw are the blocks which are occupied by the City's housing high rise apartment structures. All uses allowed in the R-3 district are allowed in the R-4 District and all special land uses allowed in the R-3 district are also allowed in the R-4 District as special land uses.
RO-1, Restricted Office
This district is intended for multiple-family residential uses and also permits office uses if the city planning commission approves a special land use. Permitted uses in this zone include dwellings containing four or less units, foster care homes, hospitals, day care centers, senior citizen centers and off street parking areas. Special land uses in this zone include dwellings containing more than four units, barber and beauty shops, business offices, medical offices, labs and clinics, financial institutions, veterinary offices, funeral homes, and churches.
RMU, Riverfront Mixed Use
The Riverfront Mixed Use District as identified on the City zoning map is a transitional area of the River front and Washington Avenue Corridor, which is, intended for new commercial, office, residential, park, recreation and marina development. Industrial and converted multi-family residential uses will be phased out over time and will be treated as nonconforming uses.
B-1, Local Business
This zone is intended to permit retail business and service uses which are needed to serve the nearby residential areas. This zone permits residential uses, offices, retail shops, barber and beauty shops, membership clubs and off street parking areas. This zone also allows automobile service stations and drive-in restaurants as special land uses with approval by the City Planning Commission.
B-2, General Business
This district is intended to permit a wider range of business and entertainment activities than those permitted in the B-1 or B-1A Districts. In addition to the uses allowed in the B-1 district, the following uses are also permitted: service establishments of an office, showroom, or workshop nature, assembly halls, automobile service stations, automobile repair including body shops, bus terminals, business schools, department stores, bowling alleys, arcades, hotels and motels, printing companies, auto garages, and off street parking. IN addition, the following uses are allowed as special land use: Adult book stores, automobile wash establishments, massage parlors, drive-in restaurants, used car lots, wholesale stores and warehouses.
RMU, Riverfront Mixed Use
The Riverfront Mixed Use District is a transitional area of the Riverfront and Washington Avenue corridor intended for new commercial, office, residential, park, recreation and marina development. The District and the sub-districts, are on the city zoning map and are intended to guide and promote the development of Saginaw's River Corridor and adjacent business districts in accordance with the Saginaw River Corridor Master Plan and the City of Saginaw Master Plan. A prime characteristic of this District is two cores of intense pedestrian activity, Old Town and Downtown, with shopping and merchandising activities that serve the entire community.
M-1, Light Industrial
The intent of this district is to permit certain industries, which are of a light manufacturing, warehousing, and wholesaling character. Examples of uses allowed in this zone include building supply, contracting firms, labs, tool and die shops, sheet metal shops, automobile repair, wholesale and warehousing. This district also permits automobile service stations, Barber and beauty shops, eating and drinking establishments, and hotels and motels after approval of a special land use b the City Planning Commission. Dwelling units are not allowed in this district.
M-2, General Industrial
The intent of this district is to permit general industrial uses to locate in desirable areas of the City. The uses are primarily of an intensive manufacturing, assembling and fabricating character. In addition to M-1 uses, the following are also permitted in the M-2 District: manufacture of motor vehicles and parts, foundries, metal stamping, lumber planning mills, paint manufacturing, steel fabrication, electroplating, heat treating, and off street parking areas. This zone also allows automobile service stations, barber and beauty shops, eating and drinking establishments, and hotels and motels, chemical plants, fertilizer warehouses, junk yards, mining, and slaughter yards as special land uses with approval from the City Planning Commission.
M-3, Heavy Industrial
The intent of the M-3 Heavy Industrial District is to permit intensive manufacturing, assembling and fabricating industries, including large-scale or specialized industrial operations. All uses permitted in the M-2 zone both as principal permitted uses and special land uses are permitted in the M-3 zone as a matter of right, after site plan approval by the City Planning Commission.
Download our Development Guide
