C-1 Zoning in Oklahoma City — Setbacks, Height, and Use Rules
C-1 is Oklahoma City's neighborhood commercial district. It is intended for small-scale retail and service businesses that primarily serve the surrounding residential area — the corner coffee shop, the neighborhood hair salon, the small professional office. C-1 is frequently mapped in traditional neighborhood centers and at intersections of arterials.
C-1 explicitly excludes heavier commercial and industrial uses. No auto repair, no drive-through (with some exceptions), no alcohol sales by the drink in many parcels, and no outdoor storage. Projects that need any of those uses typically must rezone to C-2 or C-3.
Setbacks, height, and site design in C-1 are scaled to fit within residential neighborhoods. Landscape buffers are required where C-1 abuts residential zones, and signage limits are tighter than in higher-intensity commercial districts.
What C-1 allows
Permitted uses in C-1
Small retail, professional offices, personal services, neighborhood restaurants (limited), and institutional uses. Residential mixed-use allowed with conditional review.
Setback rules
C-1 setback requirements
Front setback
15 feet from front property line
Side setback
10 feet from interior side lot lines; 20 feet from a residential zone
Rear setback
10 feet from rear property line; 20 feet from a residential zone
Height limit
Maximum structure height
35 feet typical; additional height may be allowed with increased setbacks
Max density
Allowed density
Not applicable to commercial; governed by FAR and parking standards
Common uses in C-1 in Oklahoma City
- Retail shop under ~5,000 sq ft
- Professional office
- Restaurant (no drive-through in most C-1 parcels)
- Personal service business (salon, dry cleaner)
- Small medical or dental clinic
Sign area in C-1 is capped more tightly than C-2 or C-3. Drive-through windows are allowed only by conditional use. Hours of operation may be limited where C-1 abuts residential zones. Outdoor seating for restaurants requires a separate right-of-way agreement if the seating extends beyond private property.
Verify zoning before you design
Permitly's zoning lookup tool cross-references OKC UDC standards against your project so you know what you can build before spending on design.
Related OKC zoning districts
C-2 · General Commercial
Setbacks, height & allowed uses
R-3 · Multifamily Residential (Low Density)
Setbacks, height & allowed uses
PUD · Planned Unit Development
Setbacks, height & allowed uses