Land use and zoning
Every property has been assigned a certain zoning category (residential, business, industrial, etc.) and development parameters outlining what can be done in the area and on/with the property.
Consult zoning and land use legislation
By managing land use, the City of Cape Town, like all other cities, ensures that property development takes place in an ordered and sustainable way.
The City of Cape Town Development Management Scheme (DMS) is a schedule to the
Municipal Planning By-Law and amendments and should be consulted by anyone needing to know how land use and zoning is managed and demarcated in the city.
Request a zoning extract online
Register on e-Services and activate Development Application Management System (DAMS) to request a zoning extract online and many other development application services.
Check the zoning of your erf
Whether it’s a crèche, guesthouse in a residential area, a restaurant in the CBD or an industrial workshop, before opening a business or planning a build, it’s imperative to check that your site complies with the City’s zoning scheme.
City Map and Zoning Viewer
Checking our ‘Development Management Zoning Map Viewer’ is a great and easy way to establish your properties zoning rights, before seeing if you will need to make a
land use application.
Please note: Changing your zoning category is not the same as changing your property rating category (see below).
| Property Zoning | Property rating category |
|---|
| A property is assigned a zoning category (see the DMS). This category determines what the property can be used for. For example: a property that is zoned as 'residential', cannot be used for 'business' purposes without permission from our
Development Management Department.To change the zoning of your property, you need to
submit a land use application | Your property's rating category is determined by what the property is used for, and your
property rates will depend on the rate associated with that category. A change to your property rating category is only applicable to properties valued on the
GV2018 roll and only upon request from our
Valuations Department. |
See our
City Map and Zoning Viewer to find out the zoning of your property
Once you know what the zoning and development parameters are for the property you’ll know if you need to go ahead and submit a
land use application.
Zoning extract
Zoning is verified by means of an Official Zoning Extract, which is required for certain applications. Click on the link below and follow the step-by-step process to apply.
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