How can I limit zone density?

Question

Most of the time I'm aiming for big, high-density RCI zones but sometimes I want to build smaller areas that can't blossom into huge pollution spewing factories. Can I limit the density with clever use of space or roads?

Answer 1

In addition to the density of the road, as mentioned by Raven Dreamer, the density of a zone is also restricted by space.

This means that if you build your roads too close together, the maximum density of the zone will be limited, resulting in a 'not enough room to expand' message when you bring up the information for a particular zone.

I especially noticed this when building circular roads, as getting them too close to each other will prevent the density of the zone from increasing due to lack of space.

Answer 2

Yes, the density is strictly related to the type of road you have bordering the zoning. (Meaning Avenues give the highest density).

If you want to restrict things to a lower density, simply use smaller roads.

Answer 3

There is one more way to stop the growth, in addition to those already mentioned. In this iteration of SimCity, de-zoning tool does not destroy the building, but prevents a new one appearing in its place, whether it happens after demolition, or as a result of automatic upgrade.

As can be seen from the above screen shot,

Removing zoning from under buildings will stop them from increasing in density.