Code: Front Yard (Street-facing yard area)
Description: (Front Yard) is an open area on a zoning lot that extends along the full length of the lot boundary facing a street. A corner lot can have more than one front yard.
Practical Meaning: Before adding parking, paving, or structures in a front yard, check the property’s zoning district and applicable yard rules. A paved area is not automatically a lawful parking space.
Where You May See It: The term may appear on property surveys, zoning drawings, DOB plan-review comments, and summonses describing an alleged front-yard condition.
Why It Matters: Zoning rules can limit front-yard parking and structures and require a minimum yard depth or planting area. These limits can affect renovation plans and whether an existing use of the yard is permitted.
Source: Understand NYC Zoning Rules