Shauri Kwa Uaminifu

A guide Of City Development Ordinances And Zones

DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING “In Pursuit of Excellence in Local Planning”

Foreword by Director of City Planning

The planning system plays an important role in modern society. It is meant to protect amenity and the environment in the public interest. How we live our lives is shaped by where we live. Our planning regulations therefore have to cover many different situations that influence the shape of lives of every city resident and help protect the urban environment.

This pamphlet gives a simplified guide to those aspects of the development ordinances that every property developer in this City requires in setting up any form of development – be it residential, commercial, industrial, institutional or religious. With the continued high rate of urbanization, the City Council of Nairobi has a duty to use planning controls to ensure that development is allowed only where it is needed, while ensuring that the character and amenity of the area are not adversely affected.

For a concerted approach to achieve these planning objectives, this pamphlet gives prospective developers general planning guidelines that would hasten awareness on development control, ease the procedures for making development applications and hence curtail inappropriate illegal developments. It is, therefore, my humble submission that for effective planning interpretation and compliance, both our civic leaders and professionals – who have the power and knowledge – have to sustain this challenge by helping and involving the city residents in making this city a more pleasant place to live in.

P. S. Adolwa

1 Overview

The information contained here is based on what the City Planning Department is already doing to control development in the entire city and is open to challenges to do it better. To improve on outcomes, development control will only be effective if all stakeholders work closely together. Towards this direction, this pamphlet is a summary of planning ordinances to be shared with interested stakeholders to ensure that development control, and indeed the wider planning agenda is being implemented effectively across the city.

The summary, in tabular form from page 3, shows the zone number on the first column, followed by the corresponding geographical area covered in the second column. A brief description or name(s) of the covered area(s) is given in this column. For those who are not seasoned in interpreting the contents of this column, the relevant departmental reference map number is given in the fifth column. These maps can be accessed on request. The third and fourth columns show the percentages of permitted Ground Coverage (GC) and Plot Ratios (PR) respectively. The sixth column shows the type(s) of development allowed, while the general minimum zone plot size is indicated on the seventh column. The eighth and last column gives the general policy issues for elaboration.

For further information, accessing of departmental reference maps or any assistance on these ordinances, feel free to contact:

Assistant Director Assistant Director Forward Planning Section OR Development Control Section City Hall 2nd Floor Room No. 9 City Hall Annexe, 1st Floor

2 ZONE Dept MIN. AREAS COVERED GC PR TYPE (S) OF DEVELOPMENT Ref. AREA REMARKS/POLICY ISSUES % % ALLOWED Map (Ha.) Central Business District (CBD) • Core CBD 80 600 CP/FP/XXX CP/FP/XXX • Peri-CBD 80 500 Commercial/Residential/Light 1A 60 600 0.05 • West of Tom Mboya St Industry • East Of Tom Mboya St 80 350 Uhuru H/W/ University • 80 500 Way/Kipande Rd Upper Hill Area • Block 1 - Offices (Community) 60 300 CP/FP/XXX CP/FP/XXX • Block 2 - Comm/Off 60 250 1E • Block 3 - Offices 60 300 Commercial/Offices/ Residential 0.05 • Block 4 - Residential 35 150 • Block 5 - Institutional (KNH) • Block 6 - (Mixed: Inst;Htls;Offs)

Eastleigh CP/FP/X Commercial/Residential (High-rise XX 80 250

• Eastleigh District Centre Flats) 0.05 • Eastleigh Comm/Residential 60 240

2 /Califarnia 60 240 CP/FP/XXX Ziwani/ Starehe Commercial/Residential (High-rise 0.05 • Commercial 80 150 Flats) • Residential 35 75

3 ZONE Dept TYPE (S) OF MIN. AREAS COVERED GC PR REMARKS/POLICY Ref. DEVELOPMENT AREA % % ISSUES Map ALLOWED (Ha.) Parklands CP/FP/XXX • Commercial 50 100 Commercial/Residential (High- • Residential 35 75 rise Flats) 0.05

City Park Estate /Upper Parklands 35 75 Westlands • Westlands CBD 3 • Westlands/Museum Hill CP/FP/XXX o Block 1 Commercial 80 200 Commercial/Offices/Residential o Block 2&3 Offices & Highrise (High Rise Flats) – Four Storeys 0.05 35 80

Residential Max. o Block 4 Offices 80 200 o Block 5 Commercial/Residential Hotels Spring Valley

Riverside Drive CP/FP/XXX Residential (Apartments Kileleshwa 35(s) 75(s) allowed on sewer only) – Four 4 0.05 Kilimani 25(u) 25(u) Storeys Max. Thompson Woodley Upper Spring Valley

25 25 CP/FP/XXX Kyuna 0.2(u) • Maisonettes Allowed On Low-Density Residential One- 5 Loresho 0.1(S) Sewered Areas Of Lavington /Bernard Estate Family House

Lavington o On sewer 35 75 o Unserwerd 25 25 Muthaiga CP/FP/XX 6 25 25 Low-Density Residential 0.2 Single Family Dwelling New Muthaiga X

4 ZONE Dept MIN. AREAS COVERED TYPE (S) OF DEVELOPMENT REMARKS/POLICY GC PR Ref. AREA ALLOWED ISSUES Map (Ha.)

Mathare Valley CP/FP/XXX North 0.05 Special Scheduled High- 7 Lower 50 75 • High-Density Residential (Flats) Lower in Density Informal S&S • Informal Settlements (Slums) Schemes Development Old Eastlands • Shauri Moyo • Maringo CP/FP/XXX • These largely constitute old • Bahati • Special Scheduled Areas City Council housing – ripe for • Kaloleni o NCC Site-and-service high-rise high density

o Schemes as Low- • Makongeni redevelopment • Mbotela Income Housing • Jericho • Jerusalem Makadara 50 100 8 Doonholm Neighbourhood (Block 82) 50 75 Uhuru (1-3) 50 75 Buru Buru (1-6) (Blocks 72-79) 50 75 Residential – Umoja (1-2) 50 75 • Mixed Development CP/FP/XXX • Comprehensive 50 150 o Flats, Umoja Innercore Subdivision allowed o Maisonettes, 0.05 Komarock • Minimum to fit a House

o Bungalows, • Commercial 80 150 on Type Plan design o Site-and-service Schemes • Residential 50 75 Condominiums (Single Rooms) Kayole • Commercial 80 150 • Residential 50 75

5 ZONE Dept MIN. AREAS COVERED TYPE (S) OF DEVELOPMENT GC PR Ref. AREA REMARKS/POLICY ISSUES ALLOWED Map (Ha.) CP/FP/XX 9 Main Industrial Area 80 300 Industries/Godowns 0.05(on Becoming Over Developed X sewer) 80 (s) 150(s) CP/FP/XX Dandora Industrial Zone 50(u) 100(u) Kariobangi Lt/Industrial 50(u) 100(u) CP/FP/XX 0.01 if 9E Light Industries/Godowns not on Ruaraka EPZ covered 100(u) CP/FP/XX Mathare North Lt/Industrial 50(u) sewer 80 (s) 150(s) CP/FP/XX Kariobangi Lt/Industrial 50(u) 100(u) Nairobi West 35 75 Madaraka CP/FP/XX South ‘B’ 35 75 CP/FP/XX South ‘C’ Nairobi Dam 50 75 CP/FP/XX Ngummo High Density Residential • Comprehensive subdivision Highview 50 75 CP/FP/XX Development allowed with lower sizes on Magiwa Mixed Residential Development 0.5 type plan 10 Golf Course • Flats, • Development density @ 35 Langata Estates • Maisonettes units per hectare • Southlands • Bungalows • Otiende CP/FP/XXX • Ngei 1&2 • Onyonka 50 75 • Masai • Uhuru Gardens • Jonathan Ngeno Villa Franca 50 (s) 75 (s) CP/FP/XX 25(u) 25(u)

Imara Daima CP/FP/XXX Tassia • Area not fully sewered 50 75 • Comprehensive subdivision 10E Fedha Residential Mixed Development 0.5 Avenue allowed with lower sizes on

Embakasi Village CP/FP/X type plan (max 35 units/ha.) XX

• Commercial 80 150 • Residential 50 75 6 ZONE Dept MIN. AREAS COVERED TYPE (S) OF DEVELOPMENT GC PR Ref. AREA REMARKS/POLICY ISSUES ALLOWED Map (Ha.) Special Scheduled Area ( CP/FP/XX Slums) • NHC Plan Lacking In Social National Housing Corporation Informal Mixed Developments Infrastructures e.g. Schools Comprehensive Residential Clinics, Recreation and (NHC) Estates CP/FP/XXX 11 Schemes 0.05 Commercial Zones • Ayany • Comprehensive subdivision • Olympic 50 75 allowed with lower sizes on • Fort Jesus type plan • Karanja Road

Karen/ Langata CP/FP/X Low Density Residential Local Re-Development Plan XX 0.2

12 Karen Developments Under Review/Preparation 0.4 (One Family Dwelling House) 25 25 CP/FP/XX Low-Density Residential Plan well implemented only Kitisuru 25 25 CP/FP/XX (One Family Dwelling House) pockets of intensity of 13 Ridgeways 25 25 CP/FP/XX 0.2 developments e.g. Village Garden Estate 25 25 CP/FP/XX Market & American Diplomatic Safari Park/Balozi Housing 25 25 CP/FP/XX Housing Roysambu 25 25 CP/FP/XX Low-Density Residential Intensive Development in 14 Thome 25 25 CP/FP/XX (One Family Dwelling House) 0.2 Marurui & Roysambu Marurui 25 25 CP/FP/XX 35 75 CP/FP/XX Agricultural/Residential Mixed • Riruta 35 75 CP/FP/XX • Gap Flats • Area Maintains Agricultural • Kangemi 35 75 CP/FP/XX • Maisonettes 0.1 Character 15 • Mutuini 35 75 CP/FP/XX • Bungalows 0.05 on township • High-rise Flats develop • Waithaka 35 75 CP/FP/XX sewer becoming popular • Ruthimitu 35 75 CP/FP/XX • Uthiru 35 75 CP/FP/XX

7 ZONE Dept TYPE (S) OF MIN. AREAS COVERED REMARKS/POLICY GC PR Ref. DEVELOPMENT AREA % % ISSUES Map ALLOWED (Ha.) Baba Dogo CP/FP/XXX Industrial Zone 80(s) 300(s) 0.05 High Density • Industrial Residential (Mixed 16 50(u) 100(u) lower if Residential 35(s) 75s) Residential • Residential comprehensive 25(s) 25(u) Development Ngumba/Ruaraka/ 50(s) 200(s) Githurai 44 &45 50(s) 200(s) • Replete with Zimmerman Industrial Zone unplanned Kahawa West 50 100 Residential (Mixed developments hence 17 • Commercial 50 100 Residential “Blanket approval” • Residential 50 75 Development vide TP resolution of • Industrial 50 100 18/7/97

CP/FP/XXX • 2.0 Area has potential for • Agricultural • Clayworks • 0.05 on sewer residential developments • Residential Mixed • Clay City 50 100 • 0.1 ha. if not (invasion by land buying Development

• Sports View on sewer companies and land 18 • Mwiki 50 200 • lower min. speculators)

• Njiru size if land 25 25 buying Industrial not attractive • Ruai CP/FP/XX company here Special Scheduled Area Outside Nairobi • Area fully influenced

Boundary by city dynamics CP/FP/XXX • Githurai Kimbo Agricultural • NCC not in control of 19 Residential (Mixed development • Wendani

Development) • Overwhelmingly • Kahawa Sukari dependant on services of the city

8 ZONE Dept TYPE (S) OF MIN. AREAS COVERED REMARKS/POLICY GC PR Ref. DEVELOPMENT AREA % % ISSUES Map ALLOWED (Ha.) Public/Strategic Reserved Areas (Gazetted) • State House • JKIA Airport

• Wilson Airport CP/FP/XXX Special/strategic • Military Sites Boundaries require to be 20 facilities and o Military Airbase Eastleigh clearly defined

o DoD Headqaters Developments o Kahawa Barracks o Langata Barracks o Defence College, Karen o Forces Memorial Hospital Recreational And Forests • City Park • Arboretum • Ngong Forest • National Game Park Public Open Spaces, 20g Stadiums CP/FP/XX Reserves and • Moi Sports Complex, Kasarani Recreational Facilities • City Stadium • Nyayo Stadium Uhuru Park Central Park Uhuru Gardens

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