A-2 Medium Density Apartment
Mid-rise apartment district with a 45-ft height limit and 1.75 FAR. The higher FAR allows significantly more floor area than A-1 on the same lot. A-2 is the most common apartment designation along Honolulu's urban corridors.
Common locations: Kapiolani Boulevard corridor, Nuuanu Avenue, portions of Makiki, Pawaa, and urban Kaimuki transit corridors.
Development standards
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum lot area | 3,500 sf |
| Front yard | 10 ft min |
| Rear yard | 10 ft min |
| Interior side yard | 5 ft min |
| Street-side yard | 10 ft min |
| Max lot coverage | 50% |
| Max building height | 45 ft |
| FAR limit | 1.75 |
FAR 1.75 on a 5,000 sf lot allows 8,750 sf of total floor area — enabling 4-story buildings without exceeding the FAR limit. The 45-ft height limit is the more common binding constraint.
Source: ROH §21-3.30 (A-2 apartment district standards)
Sample calculation
Common DPP plan-check violations
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Development standards are based on ROH Chapter 21 as of May 2026. Verify all values against the current DPP-adopted code before relying on them. Overlay districts (SMA, flood zone, historic), special area requirements, and neighborhood-specific provisions may impose additional standards not reflected here.