Summary of the Meridian UDC (Title 11 of Meridian City Code) covering residential, mixed-use, and commercial districts most relevant to investor and builder workflows. Includes R-2, R-4, R-8, R-15, R-40 and Old Town overlay.
Code evolves continuously. Verify at the City of Meridian Planning Division before any development decision.
Applicable code
Code references active as of publication. Verify current standards at the official source before any development decision.
R-2 district permits single-family detached dwellings at a maximum density of 2 dwelling units per acre. Minimum lot size: 15,000 square feet. Minimum lot width: 85 feet. Front setback: 25 feet. Side setback: 10 feet. Rear setback: 25 feet.
Investor implication: R-2 is estate-density territory. Large-lot plays only. Not suitable for subdivision or infill density strategies.
Verify at Meridian Unified Development Code →R-4 district permits single-family detached dwellings at a maximum density of 4 dwelling units per acre. Minimum lot size: 6,000 square feet. Minimum lot width: 50 feet. Front setback: 20 feet. Side setback: 5 feet. Rear setback: 20 feet. ADUs permitted as accessory use subject to UDC §11-4-3-28.
Investor implication: R-4 is the most common residential district in Meridian. Paramount and Bridgetower sit in R-4. ADU-eligible with owner-occupancy requirement.
Verify at Meridian Unified Development Code →R-8 district permits single-family detached, single-family attached (duplex), and townhomes at a maximum density of 8 dwelling units per acre. Minimum lot size (detached): 4,500 square feet. Minimum lot size (attached): 2,000 square feet per unit. Front setback: 15 feet. Side setback: 5 feet (detached), 0 feet (attached interior). Rear setback: 15 feet.
Investor implication: R-8 permits duplex and small-lot single-family. Primary density play for infill and small-format subdivision.
Verify at Meridian Unified Development Code →R-15 district permits single-family attached, townhomes, and multifamily (up to 4-plex) at a maximum density of 15 dwelling units per acre. Minimum lot size: 2,000 square feet per unit. Front setback: 15 feet. Side setback: 5 feet. Rear setback: 15 feet. Parking: 2 spaces per unit (covered or garage).
Investor implication: R-15 is the entry point for small-scale multifamily. 4-plex permitted by right. Parking requirement is 2 spaces per unit.
Verify at Meridian Unified Development Code →R-40 district permits multifamily residential at a maximum density of 40 dwelling units per acre. Minimum lot size: 1 acre. Front setback: 20 feet. Side setback: 10 feet. Rear setback: 20 feet. Parking: 1.5 spaces per unit (studio/1BR), 2 spaces per unit (2BR+). Height limit: 45 feet (3 stories).
Investor implication: R-40 is mid-scale apartment territory. 1-acre minimum lot size. 45-foot height cap limits to 3 stories in most cases.
Verify at Meridian Unified Development Code →TN-O overlay applies to Downtown Meridian / Old Town. Mixed-use permitted. Residential above ground-floor commercial permitted. Reduced parking minimums: 1 space per residential unit within 1/4 mile of Main Street. Height limit: 4 stories (55 feet). Storefront requirements apply to Main Street frontage.
Investor implication: TN-O is the primary mixed-use infill opportunity in Meridian. Reduced parking minimums and 4-story height allowance are the key incentives.
Verify at Meridian Unified Development Code →Cities over 10,000 population must allow residential development at minimum 12 units per acre on tracts of 4 acres or larger. Lots as small as 1,400 square feet permitted. Setback and lot-width requirements do not apply to qualifying starter-home subdivisions.
Investor implication: SB 1352 overrides local zoning minimums for qualifying starter-home subdivisions. South Meridian R-8 and R-15 parcels are the primary beneficiaries.
Verify at Idaho Legislature SB 1352 →Renew analysis
R-2 parcels are foothills-adjacent or rural-edge holdings. Acquisition basis per door is prohibitively high for rental or flip strategies. Land banking for future annexation or estate-home custom builds are the primary use cases.
R-4 is the workhorse district for Meridian SFH rental and flip strategies. Master-planned communities operate under R-4 base zoning plus HOA covenants. ADU opportunity exists but is constrained by owner-occupancy rules and HOA restrictions in most subdivisions.
R-8 is the transition zone between suburban R-4 and multifamily R-15. Duplex-on-a-lot strategies are viable here. South Meridian R-8 parcels are the primary target for small-lot subdivision under Idaho SB 1352 starter-home density allowances effective July 1, 2026.
R-15 parcels along Ten Mile Corridor and near Old Town are the primary targets for 4-plex and townhome infill. Parking requirement (2 spaces per unit) is the binding constraint on density in most cases. No owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs in R-15.
R-40 parcels are concentrated along Eagle Road and Ten Mile Corridor. Parking requirement (1.5–2 spaces per unit) and 1-acre minimum lot size are the binding constraints. Most R-40 development is garden-style 3-story walk-up. Elevator buildings are rare due to height cap.
Old Town parcels with TN-O overlay are the highest-value infill targets in Meridian. City-backed redevelopment momentum + reduced parking minimums + 4-story height allowance create a density arbitrage opportunity not available elsewhere in the city. Ground-floor commercial requirement is the primary constraint.
SB 1352 is the most significant zoning change in Idaho in a decade. South Meridian R-8 parcels that were previously constrained to 8 units/acre can now be subdivided at 12 units/acre with 1,400 sqft lots. This is a 50% density increase. Land sellers have not yet repriced for this. The arbitrage window is open from July 1, 2026 through approximately Q4 2026.
R-4 zoning permits ADUs, but HOA covenants in Paramount and Bridgetower typically prohibit them. Zoning compliance is necessary but not sufficient. Always verify CC&Rs before underwriting an ADU play in a master-planned community.
SB 1352 creates a density arbitrage opportunity in South Meridian R-8 parcels. The key constraint is infrastructure bonding and public facility impact fees, not zoning density. Underwrite for full infrastructure costs (streets, utilities, drainage) before acquisition. Land basis must support 12 units/acre to pencil.
Old Town TN-O parcels are the highest-value infill opportunity in Meridian. Reduced parking minimums (1 space per unit vs. 2) and 4-story height allowance create a density arbitrage not available elsewhere. Ground-floor commercial requirement is the binding constraint. Underwrite for retail vacancy risk and longer lease-up timelines on ground-floor space.