Exeter — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what Exeter’s zoning ordinance (Title 17) actually says about land use: which activities are permitted or conditional in each zone, the key development/dimensional controls that affect land use decisions, and the local overlay rules that change allowed uses. Use this as an ordinance-focused reference — it interprets the code (with section citations) but does not replace project‑level review. Relevant development standards and parking rules are explained and referenced so you can follow up with the exact code text.

How to read this page

• When you see district names (for example R-1 or CC) that is the exact zoning label used in Exeter’s ordinance.
• When you see a code citation it is to the local ordinance (for example § 17.32.02) and the ordinance excerpt used to prepare this page is cited inline with the file preview marker.

Note: check site-specific qualifications and current staff interpretations — Verify with the jurisdiction.

District-by-district breakdown

Each subsection below gives the ordinance purpose, the typical permitted uses and conditional uses called out in the code, the most decision-relevant dimensional standards (minimum lot size, setbacks, height, etc.), and where that district generally applies in Exeter per the ordinance text.

When the code requires additional sub‑actions (for example site plan review or a conditional use permit) the controlling section is cited. The ordinance also ties many site details to the city’s requirements for parking and development standards, so consult those chapters for technical checklists.

A (Agriculture)

• Purpose: Preserve agricultural uses and allow farm‑related living arrangements. Permitted uses include single‑family dwellings, raising crops and livestock, and home occupations. See § 17.10.02.
• Conditional uses: packinghouses, cold storage, fruit stands, wineries, etc., listed as conditional in § 17.10.04.
• Key dimensional standards: minimum parcel size 20 acres, front yard 35 ft, side yard 10 ft, rear yard 25 ft (see § 17.10.05).

UR (Urban Reserve)

• Purpose: Hold land as open/agrarian until urbanization is appropriate. Permitted uses mirror low‑density residential and agricultural activities in § 17.12.02.
• Conditional uses: limited retail/ag‑support uses (fruit stands, nurseries) in § 17.12.04.
• Standards: minimum parcel size 20 acres, yards like 35 ft front / 10 ft side / 25 ft rear (see § 17.12.05).

RA (Rural Agriculture)

• Purpose: Low‑density residential with agricultural character. Permitted uses include single‑family homes, crop/livestock raising, and second units consistent with special‑use rules (see § 17.14.02).
• Standards follow the RA chapter; see § 17.14.05 for development standards.

R-1 (Single‑Family Residential and subdistricts)

• Purpose: Standard single‑family neighborhoods; the ordinance includes subdistricts (R-1-5, R-1-6, R-1-7.5, R-1-10) with different minimum lot sizes. Accessory and conditional use lists and development standards appear in the R‑1 chapter.
• Typical permitted/accessory uses: single‑family dwellings and accessory structures; accessory uses listed at § 17.16.04.
• Conditional uses: public/quasi‑public institutions (schools, churches), senior housing, bed‑and‑breakfasts, large day care, etc., in § 17.16.05.
• Key dimensional standards: minimum lot area varies by subdistrict (R-1-5 → 5,000 sq ft, R-1-6 → 6,000 sq ft, R-1-7.5 → 7,500 sq ft, R-1-10 → 10,000 sq ft) and frontage/depth minima; yard and height rules in § 17.16.06 and Exhibit 16‑1.
• Note: check ADUs and state ADU law for accessory dwelling regulations that modify local standards.

RM (Multi‑Family Residential; subdistricts RM‑3 and RM‑1.5)

• Purpose: Medium to high density multi‑family housing. The RM chapter defines subdistricts by unit density and lists permitted multi‑family types in § 17.18.03.
• Permitted uses: apartments, duplexes/tri‑plexes, accessory structures, residential care homes (six or fewer), small day care homes, utilities incidental to residential areas. See § 17.18.03.
• Conditional uses and site review: conditional uses listed in § 17.18.05 and site plan review required under the RM chapter.

CN (Neighborhood Commercial)

• Purpose: Small‑scale, neighborhood retail and services oriented to daily needs. See § 17.22.01.
• Permitted uses: professional offices, retail stores (grocers, pharmacies), banks, barber/beauty, clinics, restaurants, etc., in § 17.22.02.
• Conditional uses: churches, alcohol‑serving restaurants, government facilities, limited residential uses under conditions (§ 17.22.03).
• Standards: minimum parcel size 6,000 sq ft, maximum building height 35 ft, front yard 15 ft; when abutting residential, side/rear yards 10 ft (see § 17.22.05 and Exhibit 22‑1).
• Parking: CN requires off‑street parking per the parking chapter and shading/landscaping requirements; see § 17.22.07 and the parking rules.

CC (Central Commercial / Downtown)

• Purpose: Downtown central business uses — retail, offices, financial/government services and entertainment; see § 17.24.01.
• Permitted uses: broad retail and service mix (retail stores, restaurants, banks, hotels, theaters); residential apartments over or behind commercial uses allowed consistent with RM‑1.5 standards (see § 17.24.02).
• Conditional uses: bus depots, cocktail lounges/night clubs, drive-ins, service stations, pawnshops, car washes (see § 17.24.03).
• Downtown design overlay interaction: the Downtown Design Overlay (DD) can be layered over CC — when overlay rules are more restrictive they prevail; see § 17.46.02.

CH (Highway Commercial)

• Purpose: Commercial services oriented to arterial/highway traffic (hotels, gas, larger retail). See § 17.30.01.
• Permitted uses: convenience stores, hotels/motels, service stations, repair garages, restaurants/drive‑ins, bus depots, parking lots, utilities (§ 17.30.02).
• Conditional uses: churches, commercial recreation (golf range), public buildings, trailer parks, car washes (§ 17.30.04).
• Standards: minimum site area 10,000 sq ft, max height 45 ft (accessory heights differ); yards vary and special buffering applies where CH abuts R districts (10 ft side/rear setbacks and a required 7‑ft block wall). See § 17.30.06–07.

CS (Service Commercial)

• Purpose: Heavier commercial/service activities (repair, wholesale, storage) that require screening and design controls. See § 17.26.01.
• Permitted uses: auto repair, glass/heating shops, lumber yards, machinery sales and rental, nurseries, printing, warehouses, utility yards and accessory offices (§ 17.26.02).
• Conditional uses: public buildings, churches, animal boarding and all ML (light industrial) district uses (§ 17.26.04).
• Standards: minimum site area 10,000 sq ft, max building height 45 ft, special fencing/screening for outdoor storage (§ 17.26.06).

I (Industrial)

• Purpose: Heavy and light industrial activities; many industrial uses and utilities are permitted. See § 17.32.01.
• Permitted uses: agricultural packing, manufacturing (food, ceramics, equipment), engine repair, lumber yards, offices incidental to industrial uses, recycling facilities, gasoline service stations, and more in § 17.32.02.
• Conditional uses: breweries/distilleries/wineries, cement/clay pipe plants, chemical/hazardous operations, heavy equipment manufacturing, meat and paper manufacturing, recycling operations, wastewater treatment, and other higher‑impact uses listed in § 17.32.04.
• Standards: minimum site 20,000 sq ft, max building height 45 ft, accessory heights up to 75 ft, and special yard rules where industrial abuts residential (10 ft side/rear) — see § 17.32.06 and Exhibit 32‑1.
• Site plan review is mandatory (see § 17.32.05).

Overlay districts (how overlays affect land use)

• Planned Development (PD) overlay: Can be combined with base zones (e.g., PD‑R‑1, PD‑CN). A PD uses the permitted and conditional lists of the base zone unless the PD modifies them; PDs require a development plan and often run with the land. See § 17.42.02–07.
• Downtown Design (DD) overlay: Applies in downtown and defers to the base district uses unless more restrictive design rules are in the overlay (§ 17.46.02–04). Design review is required — see the design review page and § 17.46.06.
• For overlay mapping/where overlays apply, consult the ordinance's overlay chapter and the city zoning maps — the overlay chapters explain applicability and that the overlay supersedes the base district when more restrictive. See § 17.42.02 and § 17.46.02.
• See the city’s overlay districts page for procedural links.

Special uses and conditional permits

• Conditional Use Permits: process and findings are in the Conditional Use chapter; the Planning Commission (and sometimes City Council) make decisions and can impose conditions related to parking, ingress/egress, landscaping, noise, hours, bonds, and phasing. See § 17.49.04–09.
• Wireless telecom, large day care, and other special‑use rules are in Chapter 17.64 (Special Uses), which includes permitted locations, spacing, and minimum facility standards (e.g., wireless equipment rules and licensing). See § 17.64.

Quick decision table (most decision‑relevant permitted uses & standards)

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (high level)

• Confirm the parcel’s base zoning and any overlay designations on the official zoning map. Verify overlay rules in the PD / DD chapters (see § 17.42.02, § 17.46.02).
• Determine if the proposed use is permitted or conditional in that district (check the district’s “Permitted Uses” and “Conditional Uses” lists, e.g., § 17.22.02 for CN; § 17.32.02 for I).
• If conditional: prepare findings and public‑hearing materials per § 17.49 (CUP process and conditions).
• Prepare a site plan and supporting materials for required design review or site plan review (district chapters require site plan review; see for example § 17.32.05, § 17.30.05).
• Show compliance with parking standards and loading; many district chapters reference parking chapters (e.g., § 17.22.07, § 17.32.08).
• Demonstrate adherence to district development standards (setbacks, heights, lot area, coverage) — e.g., § 17.16.06 (R‑1), § 17.30.06 (CH).
• Provide landscaping and screening per the relevant district chapter and the city’s landscaping rules where required.
• If proposing signs, follow the signage chapter as referenced by district sign cross‑references.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Exeter’s Title 17 lists exactly what you can do on a parcel by naming the base zoning (for example R-1, CN, CH, I) and then giving a permitted‑use list and a conditional‑use list for that district; many zones require a site plan review and the conditional‑use process includes detailed findings the Planning Commission uses to decide. Check the district chapter for your parcel, confirm overlays (PD, DD) and required parking and design review steps, and expect stricter rules where commercial/industrial abut residential neighborhoods. Verify with Planning for parcel‑specific application of the code. See the ordinance chapters cited below for the precise text (examples: § 17.32.02 for industrial permitted uses; § 17.22.02 for neighborhood commercial).

Source References

• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Industrial (I) chapter — § 17.32.01–08 (permitted/conditional uses, standards).
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Central Commercial (CC) chapter — § 17.24.01–11 (use lists and standards).
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Neighborhood Commercial (CN) chapter — § 17.22.01–09 (permitted/conditional, standards).
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Highway Commercial (CH) chapter — § 17.30.01–11 (use lists and standards).
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Service Commercial (CS) chapter — § 17.26.01–06.
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Single‑Family (R‑1) chapter — § 17.16.04–06 (accessory uses, conditional uses, development standards and Exhibit 16‑1).
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Multi‑Family (RM) chapter — § 17.18.01–14 (subdistricts and permitted uses).
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Agriculture (A) chapter — § 17.10.01–05 (permitted/conditional uses, standards).
• Planned Development (PD) overlay — § 17.42.01–07.
• Downtown Design (DD) overlay — § 17.46.01–13.
• Conditional Use Permits chapter — § 17.49.04–10 (findings, conditions, lapses).
• Special Uses (including wireless and large daycare rules) — Chapter 17.64.

If you need links to the municipal code online or the official zoning map, request them and I will pull the exact URLs.

Retrieved passages

• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 32) High relevance show source text
• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 24) High relevance show source text
• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 17.64) High relevance show source text
• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 17.64) High relevance show source text
• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 30) High relevance show source text
• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 42) High relevance show source text
• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 17.64) High relevance show source text
• Exeter Zoning Code (Chapter 49) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Industrial (I) chapter — **§ 17.32.01–08** (permitted/conditional uses, standards). (§ 17.32.01)
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Central Commercial (CC) chapter — **§ 17.24.01–11** (use lists and standards). (§ 17.24.01)
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Neighborhood Commercial (CN) chapter — **§ 17.22.01–09** (permitted/conditional, standards). (§ 17.22.01)
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Highway Commercial (CH) chapter — **§ 17.30.01–11** (use lists and standards). (§ 17.30.01)
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Service Commercial (CS) chapter — **§ 17.26.01–06**. (§ 17.26.01)
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Single‑Family (R‑1) chapter — **§ 17.16.04–06** (accessory uses, conditional uses, development standards and Exhibit 16‑1). (§ 17.16.04)
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Multi‑Family (RM) chapter — **§ 17.18.01–14** (subdistricts and permitted uses). (§ 17.18.01)
• Exeter Zoning Ordinance, Agriculture (A) chapter — **§ 17.10.01–05** (permitted/conditional uses, standards). (§ 17.10.01)
• Planned Development (PD) overlay — **§ 17.42.01–07**. (§ 17.42.01)
• Downtown Design (DD) overlay — **§ 17.46.01–13**. (§ 17.46.01)
• Conditional Use Permits chapter — **§ 17.49.04–10** (findings, conditions, lapses). (§ 17.49.04)
• Special Uses (including wireless and large daycare rules) — **Chapter 17.64**. (Chapter 17.64)
• Exeter_ZoningCode.md

• Official Exeter code library