Cook Zoning Map & Districts 2026
Explore zoning districts, official map resources, and recent rezoning activity in Cook County, IL. ZoneWire monitors council meetings to track every zoning change.
Zoning Districts in Cook County
Common zoning classifications used in this jurisdiction. Exact district names and codes may vary.
Single-family residential; minimum 5-acre lot area, 300-foot lot width, 0.10 single-family floor area ratio (lowest-density residential district).
Single-family residential; minimum 2-acre lot area, 200-foot lot width, 0.10 floor area ratio.
Single-family residential; minimum 40,000 sq. ft. lot area, 150-foot lot width, 0.15 floor area ratio.
Single-family residential; minimum 20,000 sq. ft. on sewer (40,000 sq. ft. on septic), 100-150 foot lot width, 0.25 floor area ratio.
Single-family residential; minimum 10,000 sq. ft. lot area (40,000 sq. ft. on septic), 60-foot lot width, 0.40 floor area ratio.
Higher-density single-family with two-family and townhome/multi-family allowances; minimum 5,000 sq. ft. single-family lot area, 45-foot multifamily building height.
General residence allowing single-family, two-family and multi-family dwellings; minimum 10,000 sq. ft. single-family (5,000 sq. ft. two/multi-family) lot area.
General residence for single-, two- and multi-family dwellings at higher density; minimum 3,000 sq. ft. per multi-family unit (3 BR), 0.80 multi-family floor area ratio.
Highest-density general residence district; multi-family units from 1,000 sq. ft. (efficiency) to 4,000 sq. ft. (4 BR), 1.00 multi-family floor area ratio.
Restricted retail/business uses; no minimum lot area or width, 30-foot front yard, 1.20 floor area ratio.
Restricted office uses; no minimum lot area or width, 30-foot front yard, 1.20 floor area ratio.
General service commercial uses; no minimum lot area or width, 30-foot front yard, 1.20 floor area ratio.
General commercial uses; no minimum lot area or width, 30-foot front yard, 1.20 floor area ratio.
Transitional commercial; maximum 25,000 sq. ft. lot area, 60-foot lot width, 0.40 floor area ratio, 40% maximum lot coverage.
Automotive service uses; no minimum lot area, 30-foot front yard, 1.20 floor area ratio.
Office and research park uses; minimum 5-acre lot area, 60-foot lot width, 100-foot front and 50-foot side/rear yards, 1.00 floor area ratio, 30% maximum lot coverage.
Intensive commercial uses; no minimum lot area or width, 30-foot front yard, 1.20 floor area ratio.
Restricted (light) industrial; minimum 10,000 sq. ft. lot area, 60-foot lot width, 1.20 floor area ratio.
General industrial; minimum 10,000 sq. ft. lot area, 60-foot lot width, 1.20 floor area ratio.
Intensive/heavy industrial; minimum 20,000 sq. ft. lot area, 100-foot lot width, 1.50 floor area ratio.
Motor freight terminal and trucking uses; minimum 20,000 sq. ft. lot area, 100-foot lot width, 1.00 floor area ratio.
Public land uses; no minimum lot area or width, yards equal to adjacent district, 1.20 floor area ratio.
Public land / forest preserve open uses; minimum 10-acre lot area, 30-foot interior side and 50-foot corner yards, 0.01 floor area ratio.
Recent Rezoning Activity in Cook County
Explore Zoning Topics in Cook County
Frequently Asked Questions
The official Cook zoning map is maintained by the local planning department. You can access the interactive GIS map at https://maps.cookcountyil.gov/unincorporatedzoning/. ZoneWire also tracks rezoning activity discussed in council meetings.
Common zoning districts in Cook County include residential (R-1, R-2, R-3), commercial (C-1, C-2), industrial (I-1, I-2), mixed-use (MU), and planned development (PD). Each district has specific permitted uses, setbacks, and density requirements.
ZoneWire reads every council meeting in Cook County to detect rezoning discussions, variances, and zoning amendments. Start a free trial to receive alerts when rezoning activity is detected.
The Cook County Department of Building and Zoning oversees all building and zoning matters in the unincorporated areas of Cook County and the Forest Preserves. Administration of the Zoning Ordinance is exercised through a Zoning Administrator in that Department, who reviews and approves permits for the use of land or buildings and issues certificates of occupancy. The Zoning Ordinance applies only to unincorporated areas; property inside an incorporated municipality is governed by that city or village, not the County.
The Zoning Board of Appeals holds public hearings on zoning matters in unincorporated Cook County, including map amendments (rezonings), special uses, and variances. It consists of seven members: five voting members appointed by the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners with the Board's advice and consent, plus two ex-officio non-voting members. Its stated primary function is to aid the public in considering all rezoning appeals pertaining to land uses in the unincorporated areas.
The County distinguishes three main forms of zoning relief. A variance is a grant of relief from the requirements of the Cook County Zoning Ordinance that permits construction in a manner the Ordinance would otherwise prohibit. A special use is a use subject to special provisions because of unique characteristics that do not allow it to be classified as a permitted use, and it requires a special use permit under Article 13. A map amendment means to rezone a property's zoning designation. The Zoning Administrator may also approve minor administrative adjustments of ten percent or less without a public hearing.
The Zoning Ordinance establishes residential districts R1 through R8 (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R5A, R6, R7 and R8, ranging from single-family on large lots to general residence permitting multi-family) and commercial districts C1 through C8 (including C1 Restricted Business, C2 Restricted Office, C3 General Service, C4 General Commercial, C5 Commercial Transition, C6 Automotive Service, C7 Office/Research Park and C8 Intensive Commercial), along with additional business, industrial and farming/open-land districts. If an area is not shown on the Official Zoning Maps as being in any district, it is classified R1 Single-Family Residence District until reclassified by amendment.
Only the title owner of the property, their attorney, or an authorized agent (with a letter of authorization) may file, and only in the owner's name. A complete application includes non-refundable filing fees set by the County Board and payable to the Cook County Collector, one paper and one digital copy of the application, one original Plat of Survey dated within the last five years and bearing the raised seal of an Illinois Registered Land Surveyor, proof of ownership, a site plan, and written proof of the required notice to surrounding property owners. The applicant must show the proposed special use conforms to the standards in Article 13.8, and filing is done by appointment with the Zoning Administrator's Office.
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