Explanation of Zoning Codes (Clarion, Venango: real estate, home, buy)

[JAG_HRD]

We are looking online at property in the Venango/Clarion county areas. Many realtor websites list the zone but I can find not any explanation of what the zoning designations stand for. Have searched/Googled the planning commission in those counties and more generally in PA with no luck.

Any experts out there?

[PeterRabbit]

List some of the codes you want to know about. I've been out of real estate for many years but something like R-1 would be residential single family., R-4 multifamily. C is commercial zoning. Or used to be. There's at least one Realtor around here.

[JAG_HRD]

Thanks PR. I assumed it was something like that. Wonder if that is a uniform code all over the U.S.?

We found a nice property on the Clarion River but is is zoned A-1 which MIGHT be agricultural....???

[PeterRabbit]

I did a quick search around the country and everything that came up zoned A-1 was acreage zoned agricultural/rural.

Also found this:

I hope this list will help you - there are a number of zoning code resources online, and all of them caution that these designations may have different specifications in any particular jurisdiction. For example, R-1 (residential single family) in Omaha may have different lot dimension requirements than R-1 in Atlanta.
These are the most common abreeviations:
CP - Conservation/Passive Recreation
R1 - Single Family Residential, large lot size
R2 - Single Family Residential, smaller than R-1
R3 - Single Family Residential, smaller than R-2
R4 - Single Family Residential, smaller than R-3
R5 - Single Family Residential, smaller than R-4
RA - Residential/Agricultural Mix
ML - Multi-family, low density
MM - Multi-family, medium density
MH - Multi-family, high density
MU - Mixed Use
IN - Institutional
HC - Health Care
OP - Office Park
HB - Highway Business
LB - Limited Business
GB - General Business
CB - Central Business
LI - Light Industrial
GI - General Industrial
NZ - Not Zoned

It should have been an easy search to find a complete list. They instead want to sell you books.

[JAG_HRD]

PeterR, you are the man! Thank you.

[poconoproud]

There is no set guidline for these abbreviatons, because one municipality may have a different definition of a zoning code than another. It's not an across the board kind of thing. You have to call up the township specifically and ask them for a list of their zoning code definitions. This is something we have learned in the home building business, when building in one township over another.

[JAG_HRD]

Ok poconoproud, thanks. Will give Venango/Clarion counties planning department a call.

Our concern is that before we buy a property we are assured that we can reasonably build on it. I live in Monterey county on the Left Coast and it is almost impossible to legally build anything here!