Zoning districts · Article 59
Mission Hill Neighborhood District zoning
Mission Hill Neighborhood District is governed by Article 59 of the Boston Zoning Code. It covers about 1,373 parcels across 26 subdistricts. Below are the dimensional limits from the Article 59 tables.
Last verified Oct 2026. All 212 values shown were checked against the Article 59 tables in the official Boston Zoning Code text published on Municode and the BPDA Table E PDF. Values we could not verify are left out. Where a residential row differs for other uses, the difference is noted. Heights the Code gives without a unit are shown in feet. Source: Boston Zoning Code, Article 59.
Subdistricts
| Map code | Subdistrict type | Parcels |
|---|---|---|
| 2F-3000 | Two-Family Residential | 88 |
| 2F-4000 | Two-Family Residential | 21 |
| 2F-5000 | Two-Family Residential | 22 |
| 3F-2000 | Three-Family Residential | 557 |
| 3F-3000 | Three-Family Residential | 64 |
| ALLEGHANY CF | Community Facilities | 1 |
| CC | Community Commercial | 66 |
| CC-3 | Community Commercial | 1 |
| CPS | Conservation Protection | 2 |
| LI | Local Industrial | 103 |
| MASS MENTAL HEALTH CENTER IS | Institutional | 3 |
| MFR-1 | Multifamily Residential | 105 |
| MFR-2 | Multifamily Residential | 13 |
| MFR-3 | Multifamily Residential | 8 |
| MFR/LS | Multifamily Residential/Local Services | 11 |
| NEW ENGLAND BAPTIST IS | Institutional | 32 |
| NS | Neighborhood Shopping | 52 |
| NS-2 | Neighborhood Shopping | 8 |
| OS-A | Air-Right Open Space | 2 |
| OS-G | Community Garden Open Space | 7 |
| OS-RC | Recreation Open Space | 7 |
| RH | Row House Residential | 139 |
| TREMONT CF | Community Facilities | 5 |
| WENTWORTH INSTITUTE IS | Institutional | 43 |
| OS-P | Parkland Open Space | 12 |
| OS-UW | Urban Wild Open Space | 1 |
Parcel counts come from City of Boston 2025 parcel data and BPDA zoning subdistrict boundaries, matched by Stratum. Each lot is counted in the subdistrict that contains it; road, rail and water strips are excluded. Open-space and other subdistricts not listed above are included in the district total.
Table E — Residential Subdistricts Dimensional Regulations
| Requirement | 2F-3000 (1 or 2 family detached) | 2F-4000 (1 or 2 family detached) | 2F-5000 (1 or 2 family detached) | 3F-2,000 (semi-attached, row house or town house) | 3F-3,000 (semi-attached, row house or town house) | RH (row house or town house) | MFR-1 (1, 2 or 3 family detached) | MFR-2 (any dwelling) | MFR-3 (any dwelling) | MFR/LS (any dwelling) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. floor area ratio (FAR) | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.8(6) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 |
| Max. height | 35 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 55 ft | 75 ft | 35 ft |
| Max. height (stories) | 2-1/2 | 2-1/2 | 2-1/2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | -- | -- | -- |
| Min. lot area (sq ft) | 3,000 for 1 or 2 units | 4,000 for 1 or 2 units | 5,000 for 1 or 2 units | 1,000 for 1 unitOther uses: 2,000 for 1 or 2 units | 1,500 for 1 unitOther uses: 3,000 for 1 or 2 units | 1,400 for up to 2 units | 2,000 for 1 or 2 units | None | None | None |
| Add'l lot area per dwelling unit (sq ft) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1,000 | 1,500 | 700 | 1,000 | None | None | None |
| Min. lot width (ft) | 40 | 40 | 45 | 25Other uses: 35 | 25Other uses: 45 | 15 | 20Other uses: 40 | None | None | None |
| Min. lot frontage (ft) | 40 | 40 | 45 | 25Other uses: 35 | 25Other uses: 45 | 15 | 20Other uses: 40 | None | None | None |
| Min. usable open space per dwelling unit (sq ft) | 600 | 600Other uses: none | 800Other uses: none | 400 | 600 | 200 | 300Other uses: 200 | 200Other uses: none | 100Other uses: none | 200Other uses: none |
| Min. front yard (ft) | 7(4) | 10 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 20 |
| Min. side yard (ft) | 5(5) | 7 | 10 | 5 | 7 | -- | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Min. rear yard (ft) | 20 | 35 | 40 | 20 | 35 | 25 | 30 | 30Other uses: 20 | 30Other uses: 20 | 30 |
| Max. rear yard occupancy (%) | 25Other uses: 20 | 25Other uses: 20 | 25Other uses: 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Table G — Neighborhood Business Subdistricts Dimensional Regulations
| Requirement | NS-1 | NS-2 | CC-1 and CC-3 | CC-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. floor area ratio (FAR) | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0(1) |
| Max. height | 45 ft | 45 ft | 55 ft(1) | 65 ft(1) |
| Min. lot area (sq ft) | none | none | none | none |
| Add'l lot area per dwelling unit (sq ft) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Min. lot width (ft) | none | none | none | none |
| Min. lot frontage (ft) | none | none | none | none |
| Min. usable open space per dwelling unit (sq ft) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Min. front yard (ft) | none | none(4) | none(4) | none(4) |
| Min. side yard (ft) | none | none | none | none |
| Min. rear yard (ft) | 20 | 25 | 20 | 20 |
Table H — Local Industrial Subdistricts and Community Facilities Subdistricts Dimensional Regulations
| Requirement | Local Industrial Subdistrict | Tremont Street Community Facilities | Alleghany Community Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max. floor area ratio (FAR) | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| Max. height | 40 ft | 55 ft | 40 ft |
| Min. lot area (sq ft) | none | none | none |
| Add'l lot area per dwelling unit (sq ft) | none | — | — |
| Min. lot width (ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. lot frontage (ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. usable open space per dwelling unit (sq ft) | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Min. front yard (ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. side yard (ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. rear yard (ft) | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Table I — Institutional Subdistricts Dimensional Regulations
| Requirement | New England Baptist Hospital Subdistrict | Wentworth Institute Subdistrict | Mass. Mental Health Center Subdistrict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max. floor area ratio (FAR) | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Max. height | 65 ft | 55 ft | 55 ft |
| Min. lot area (sq ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. lot width (ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. lot frontage (ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. front yard (ft) | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Min. side yard (ft) | none | none | none |
| Min. rear yard (ft) | none | none | none |
Where the Code gives a height without a unit, we show it in feet.
Numbers in parentheses, like (1), are footnotes in the Code table. They often add conditions or exceptions, so read them in Article 59.
See what fits on a Mission Hill lot
Pull a real parcel into Stratum by address, see its setbacks and buildable area, and sketch to scale on the same canvas.
Try Stratum freeStratum is not affiliated with the City of Boston or the Boston Planning Department (formerly the BPDA). This summary is for early design and is not a legal determination. Zoning is amended over time, and overlay districts, map amendments and the table footnotes can change what applies to a parcel. Always verify with the Boston Zoning Code and the city before relying on these numbers.