Special purpose district

Asheville RIVER Zoning: River District

A special-purpose district created to celebrate, conserve, promote, and manage areas along the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers, allowing a mixture of river-oriented uses while protecting river resources, water quality, and riparian corridors.

627 ac

mapped in this district

2.3%

of Asheville's districted land

governing sections

shared rules that apply

Where RIVER's rules live

The district's own sections in Asheville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7 (Unified Development Ordinance):

§7-8-19

Shared rules that apply in RIVER

Table of permitted uses (use-by-district matrix) §7-8-1(d)41 of 41 districts

Parking, loading, and access standards §7-11-241 of 41 districts

Landscape and buffering standards §7-11-341 of 41 districts

Open space standards §7-11-440 of 41 districts

Sidewalk requirements §7-11-831 of 41 districts

Definitions, including land-use definitions §7-2-515 of 41 districts

Outdoor lighting standards §7-11-108 of 41 districts

Is your parcel in RIVER? Check an address and ask what you can build, with the section behind each answer.

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Sources: Asheville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7 (Unified Development Ordinance); City of Asheville “Zoning Districts” layer, last edited Oct 21, 2026. Research only, not legal advice. Back to Asheville zoning.