Intensity is how much building a code allows on a piece of land, measured in floor area rather than in units. It is the volume side of the envelope: how many square feet may be built, independent of how many doors those square feet are eventually divided into.
- Floor area is the number a developer buys. Unit counts sell apartments; square feet build them, and both caps apply at once.
- Whichever cap binds first is the real limit, and on infill lots it changes lot by lot.
- What counts toward it is a definition question: parking, circulation and open areas may or may not, and the difference is a floor.
- Do not price land on the higher of the two caps. Price it on the one the code reaches first.
Related terms
All termsDensity
Density is how many dwelling units a zoning code allows on a piece of land, usually stated as units per acre.
DevelopmentFLR (Floor Lot Ratio)
Floor lot ratio caps how much building area a parcel can carry: lot size multiplied by the ratio equals maximum buildable area.
DevelopmentDevelopment Envelope
The development envelope is the three-dimensional shape a parcel's rules allow: the volume left after height limits, setbacks, density caps, parking requirements, and lot coverage have each taken their bite.
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