M3-1 Heavy Industry District

Heavy industry — the highest-intensity industrial district, for intensive manufacturing and processing uses.

Example on a 25 × 125 ft lot. No zoning envelope is drawn: M districts set no height limit and no standard setbacks, so bulk is governed by the FAR cap alone (§17-5-0400). The solid building is an illustrative example: a single-story, 35 ft heavy-manufacturing shed filling the full lot. About FAR 1.0, under the 1.2 cap.

Specifications

Zoning Ordinance reference
§17-5-0100
View in the Chicago Zoning Ordinance
Floor area ratio (FAR)
1.2
Maximum building height
Lot area per unit (density)
No residential density standard (residential not a primary use).
Minimum lot area
Rear yard open space
On-site open space
Parking requirements
1 space per dwelling unit. §17-10-0207.

Setbacks

Front yard
None required.
Side yard
None required.
Rear yard
None required.

Allowed Uses

Curated from the §17-5-0207 use table. P = permitted by-right; S = special-use approval required. Always confirm against the full ordinance text.

Permitted by-right
  • Manufacturing, production & industrial service
  • Warehousing, wholesaling & freight movement
  • Recycling facilities
  • Construction sales & service
  • Office
  • Building maintenance services
  • Business support services
  • Animal services
  • Gas stations
  • Non-accessory parking
  • Wireless communication facilities
Special use
  • Group living (limited residential)
  • Waste-related use
  • Coke & coal bulk material
  • Manganese-bearing material operation
  • Adult use
  • Eating & drinking establishments
  • Entertainment & spectator sports
  • Major utilities & services
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Related M3 districts

Reference figures are modeled from the Chicago Zoning Ordinance (Title 17) for general guidance and do not constitute zoning or legal advice. Lot-specific limits depend on frontage, depth, adjacencies and overlays — analyze a specific address for exact figures. Always confirm against the official ordinance.