New Castle County Zoning Map & Districts 2026
Explore zoning districts, official map resources, and recent rezoning activity in New Castle County, DE. ZoneWire monitors council meetings to track every zoning change.
Live records updated through September 8, 2026
Key facts: New Castle land-use record
- New Castle has 23 rezoning-related records across 7 recent public meetings tracked by ZoneWire.
- The most recent tracked meeting in New Castle was on September 8, 2026.
Updated with meetings through September 8, 2026.
Recent Rezoning Activity in New Castle County
Official New Castle County Zoning Resources
Zoning Districts in New Castle County
Zoning classifications used in this jurisdiction, from the adopted local code.
Urban-character district that is largely residential, with buildings built to a setback line close to the street, located near transit or adjoining neighborhood conservation areas of similar density.
Provides for high quality, moderately high density development with a full range of residential uses and limited non-residential uses; accommodates housing from small single-family to multi-family and must be located in areas with transit access.
Provides for a manufactured home park with a suburban transition character.
Intended for professional and administrative offices in a park-like setting, with building heights and floor area ratios generally compatible with the County's residential areas.
Accommodates large regional employment centers that are primarily office plus support uses, with tall buildings, transit facilities, and permitted mixed-use structures.
Provides for community and regional commercial services with a suburban transition character, promoting large commercial complexes rather than strip development, with mixed uses and required transit facilities.
Allows office, manufacturing, light industrial, warehousing, and supporting uses at moderate to high intensities within a suburban transition character, with limits on exterior storage.
Retains older industrial areas of suburban transition character, permitting a wide range of uses and limited screened exterior storage to encourage industrial uses.
Small-scale district whose uses primarily serve surrounding neighborhoods and reflect their suburban character, regulated in size and spacing to avoid strip commercial development.
Permits a wide range of residential uses including newly developing growth areas, with moderate to high density and significant open space; used to in-fill tracts of at least 5 acres or to redevelop areas to suburban character.
Low density district not serviced by sewer, intended to preserve single-family homes on large lots and the established character of Northern New Castle County.
Countryside district intended to be served by sewer and water in the future and reserved to Suburban (S) when sewer is imminent, encouraging preservation of open space and agricultural land.
For larger heavy industrial developments not suited to other industrial districts, typically with rail or navigable waterway access; no new HI districts may be created in a coastal zone.
Used for mining or quarry-type operations, with recreation or high intensity uses permitted during or following the extractive use.
Protects the residential character of existing neighborhoods or planned subdivisions developed under previous zoning regulations, permitting minor in-fill but not used for rezoning; subtypes distinguished by numbers or letters.
Maintains the existing character of older, built-up residential areas with mixed dwelling unit types; new dwellings must be single-family detached or semi-detached.
Applies only to existing DPUD developments, with standards found in the resolution by which each DPUD was adopted.
Used solely to recognize existing DPUD developments.
Overlay district that places additional standards on uses to preserve and protect buildings, structures, sites, and landscape features of historic, architectural, cultural, and aesthetic merit (see UDC Article 15).
Overlay to perpetuate and enhance the character of early settlement areas, hamlets, villages, and pre-World War II subdivisions, guided by a community redevelopment plan and design guidelines (see 40.26.400).
What gets approved in New Castle County
ZoneWire analyzed 21 land-use board decisions in New Castle County over the last 24 months. Here are the most active project types and how often each one clears.
| Project type | Decisions | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Land use / comp-plan amendment | 6 | 100% |
| Commercial / office / retail | 6 | 100% |
Explore Zoning Topics in New Castle County
Frequently Asked Questions
The official New Castle County zoning map is maintained by the local planning department. You can access the interactive GIS map at https://nccde.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=8e4e8b1a35d648108e71bbb49261cec0. ZoneWire also tracks rezoning activity discussed in council meetings.
Zoning districts in New Castle County include TN (Transitional Neighborhood), ST (Suburban Transition), MM (Manufactured Mobile Home), ON (Office Neighborhood), OR (Office Regional), CR (Commercial Regional), BP (Business Park), I (Industrial). Each district has specific permitted uses, setbacks, and density requirements set by the local code.
ZoneWire reads every council meeting in New Castle County to detect rezoning discussions, variances, and zoning amendments. Start a free trial to receive alerts when rezoning activity is detected.
Zoning and land development in the unincorporated areas of New Castle County are governed by the Unified Development Code (UDC), which is Chapter 40 of the New Castle County Code. The UDC establishes standards, procedures, and minimum requirements consistent with the county's Comprehensive Development Plan, and it regulates zoning districts, real estate development, the subdivision of land, and the use, bulk, design, and location of land and buildings. The Department of Land Use administers the code and can be reached at 302-395-5400.
The Planning Board, a nine-member board mandated by state law, reviews zoning changes, subdivision regulations, deed restrictions, and the Comprehensive Development Plan, and issues recommendations on rezoning applications. Zoning changes ultimately require County Council approval. Proposed Major Land Development Plans go through required public hearings that at minimum include State of Delaware PLUS (Preliminary Land Use Service) review, a Planning Board public hearing, the County Council Land Use Committee, and a County Council public hearing.
The Planning Board holds public hearings on the first Tuesday of each month beginning at 7 p.m., and business meetings on the third Tuesday of each month beginning at 9 a.m. Meetings are held in the New Castle Room of the Government Center Building at 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720, and may also be attended virtually via Zoom Webinar. Public comment is welcome at public hearings, but there is no public comment on specific applications during business meetings.
Requests for variances, special exceptions, and appeals of Department of Land Use decisions interpreting the UDC are heard by the Board of Adjustment, whose authority derives from Delaware Title 9, sections 1311-1314 and New Castle County Code 40.30.320. A variance allows relief from zoning regulations, generally requiring the applicant to show an unnecessary hardship. The Board of Adjustment meets on the second and fourth Thursday of the month, with hearings beginning at 6:00 p.m., held as virtual Zoom meetings with in-person attendance available in the New Castle Room at Government Center, 87 Reads Way.
You can obtain a Zoning Certification from the Department of Land Use by submitting a Zoning Certification Request form. The certification verifies the zoning district(s) for the subject parcel(s) and confirms whether a proposed use is permitted. General questions about the plan review process, permits, and Certificates of Use/Occupancy can be directed to the Department of Land Use at 302-395-5400; the department is located at 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720.
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