Bulk
Bulk regulations are the combined controls - including lot size, floor area ratio, lot coverage, open space, yards, height and setbacks - that determine the maximum size and placement of a building on a zoning lot. In NYC materials, "bulk" is explicitly treated as the integrated output of multiple dimensional controls rather than a single metric.
- Where it applies
- New York City
- When it comes up
- Feasibility; massing; design development
- Property types
- All
In practice
Bulk constraints often create "hidden bottlenecks" (for example, a yard requirement limiting achievable FAR), so operators should model constraints in 3D, not in isolated spreadsheets.
Read more in the Knowledge Base
Related terms
Zoning and Land Use
- Air Rights
- Area Variance
- As-of-right Development
- Authorization
- Base Height
- Base Plane
- Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA)
- Building Envelope
- Certification
- Commercial Overlay
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.