Which statement describes an overlay district?

• A. Overlay district: additional zoning requirements for a defined area of town, regardless of the underlying base zoning classification.
• B. Overlay districts are used to convert all zoning to mixed-use across the city.
• C. Overlay districts are identical to planned use developments.
• D. Overlay districts eliminate the need for geotechnical reports.

Answer: (A)

Overlay districts layer extra rules onto the base zoning for a defined area, rather than replacing the underlying zoning. This means development in that area must meet both the base zoning and the overlay’s additional standards—such as design guidelines, setbacks, height, or use restrictions—regardless of what the base zoning would normally permit. The purpose is to address specific neighborhood goals or characteristics in a targeted way without changing zoning across the entire city.

That’s why the statement describing overlay districts as having additional zoning requirements for a defined area, regardless of the underlying base zoning, is the best fit. It captures both the location-specific nature and the way overlays interact with, rather than replace, base zoning.

In contrast, overlays are not intended to convert the whole city to mixed-use, they are not identical to planned unit developments, and they do not automatically remove requirements like geotechnical reports.