Your Neighborhood, Your Rules: Help Review Rochester’s Proposed Zoning Code with Councilman Michael Patterson

Zoning isn’t glamorous, but it decides a lot about daily life. It shapes where housing can go, what kind of businesses can open on your corner, how tall buildings can be, and whether a vacant lot becomes a home, a shop, or stays empty. Right now, Rochester is on the verge of rewriting those rules for the whole city, and Northeast residents have a chance to weigh in before anything is final.

Join Councilmember Michael Patterson for a community review session where we’ll look at the zoning code we live under today alongside the new code being proposed, and talk through what the changes could mean for our neighborhoods.

When: Saturday Sept. 29 at 5:30 PM and Sunday Sept. 30 at 5:30 PM
Where: Saturday at Rochester Public Market (280 N Union St) or Sunday in Ibero Community room (236 Clifford Ave)
Who: Everyone is welcome: homeowners, renters, business owners, landlords, and anyone who cares about our city

What’s changing?

The zoning rules we live with now have been on the books for a long time. The current Rochester Zoning Code was adopted by City Council in October 2002 and took effect at the start of 2003, with amendments along the way.

The proposal on the table would replace it. The Evans administration is proposing to swap Rochester’s existing zoning code for an entirely new one and adopt a new citywide zoning map. This effort, known as the Zoning Alignment Project (ZAP), follows the Rochester 2034 comprehensive plan adopted in 2019, with work formally beginning the following year. The final proposal runs over 300 pages and focuses on expanding housing and economic opportunities, reducing vacant properties, mixed-use development, walkability, and transit access.

That’s a lot to read on your own. That’s exactly why we’re doing this together.

Why this matters now

This is not a done deal. The proposal was formally introduced to City Council in August as Introductory No. 352, and a final Council vote could come later this year. Until that vote, City Council can still make changes to the proposed code if enough members agree. That means your feedback can still shape the final result, but only if it reaches Council members before they vote.

The stakes are real. Once adopted, the new code and map would become the rules governing future development throughout Rochester. For neighborhoods in the Northeast, that could affect what gets built on our blocks for decades to come.

What we’ll do at the session

We’ll walk through key sections of the current code and the proposed code side by side, look at how the proposed zoning map treats specific Northeast streets and corridors, and collect your questions and concerns so Councilmember Patterson can bring them to the table as Council considers amendments. You don’t need to be a zoning expert. You just need to know your neighborhood, and you already do.

Want to get a head start?

You can look over the documents yourself before the session. The city posts updates and next steps at www.CityOfRochester.gov/ZAP, and the project site at rochesterzap.com has more background. There’s also a draft zoning map that lets you swipe between current and proposed zoning to compare them, which is a great way to look up your own street.

You can also view this document from Councilman Patterson’s office for further reading

Bring your questions, bring a neighbor, and help make sure the new rules work for the people who actually live here.

Questions before the event? Contact Councilmember Patterson’s office at 585-428-7538 or email council@cityofrochester.gov.