Setback Requirements: 7 Things All Homeowners Should Know

Instead, a setback or setback requirement for a property refers to the distance that the house or structure must be from the front, sides, and ... ExpertadvicefromBobVila,themosttrustednameinhomeimprovement,homeremodeling,homerepair,andDIY.Tried,True,TrustworthyHomeAdviceAboutBobNewslettersHow-ToCenterGetIdeasFindInfoDiscussItWatchTVWinLaserToolsfromKapro!ManagingConstructionSetbackRequirements:7ThingsAllHomeownersShouldKnowBeforebuildinganewshedorplanninganextensionforthehome,it’simportanttounderstandsetbacksandhowtheymayimpactyourplans.ByTimothyDale|UpdatedAug20,20214:18PMPhoto:istockphoto.comDespiteowningthepropertywhereyouarebuilding,therearemanyrulesandregulationsthataffectthelocation,size,height,andeventheshapeofanystructureorbuildingaddedtotheproperty.Oneoftheserestrictionsisknownasasetbackorsetbackrequirement,whichgivesthetownormunicipalitytheabilitytodictatethedistancefromthepropertylinethatahomecanbebuilt.Theserequirementsalsoimpacttheplacementofanyaccessorystructures,likeashed,detachedgarage,orworkshop.However,theexactpropertysetbackcandependontheshapeofthebuilding,theshapeofthelot,thetypeofstructure,andseveralotherfactorsthataredetailedbelow.Related:TreesandPropertyLines:8ThingsAllNeighborsShouldKnow1.Setbackrequirementsinfluencethedevelopmentofneighborhoods.Whiletheword‘setback’generallymakespeoplethinkaboutaneventthathashaltedprogresstowardsagoal,thetermisuseddifferentlywhenreferringtoproperties.Instead,asetbackorsetbackrequirementforapropertyreferstothedistancethatthehouseorstructuremustbefromthefront,sides,andbackofthepropertyline.Thisbuildingrestrictionisintendedtohelpensurehomesecurity,privacy,auniformappearance,andenvironmentalprotection,thoughtheplacementalsoallowspublicutilitiestoaccessplumbing,gas,electrical,orinternetlinesthatmayberunningthroughtheyard.However,thesetbackforresidentialbuildingsisoftenverydifferentforcommercial,industrial,orinstitutionalstructures,dependingonthezoninglawsinthearea.2.Setbackrequirementsformainbuildingsaredifferentfromsetbacksfordetachedaccessorystructures.Thesetbackrequirementsthatareinplaceforthemainhouseoranattachedgaragemaybedifferentthantherestrictionsimposedonaccessorystructures,likeadetachedgarage,shed,orworkshop.Whiletheexactsetbacklinediffersfrompropertytopropertyandevenfromtowntotown,theserestrictionshelptoprotectyourpropertyandyourneighbors’propertiesfrompotentialproblems,likeanoversizebuildingthatencroachesonthepropertylineorexceedsareasonableheightfortheneighborhood.AdvertisementHowever,accessorystructuresarerarelybuilttothesamesizeasthemainhomeontheproperty,sotheycanfallunderadifferentsetbackfromthepropertylinebecausethereislittleconcernthatautilityshedwillbebuiltlargeenoughtocompletelypreventdirectsunlightfromreachingtheneighbor’swindowsorcausedamagetoanexistingecosystem.Alwayscheckthelocalregulationswiththemunicipalityortownpermitofficetobecertain.Photo:istockphoto.com3.Specialrulesmayapplywhenmeasuringsetbacksforirregularlyshapedlots.Measuringthefront,back,andsideyardsetbackrequirementsisn’tdifficultwitharectangular-orsquare-shapedproperty.Simplymeasureaperpendicularlinefromtheedgeofthepropertytotheborderofthesetbackarea.Repeatthisprocessoneachsideofthepropertytofindtheexactareawhereyoucanbuild.However,notallpropertieshaveneat,rectangularorsquareshapes.Irregularlyshapedlotsneedtobemeasureddifferently,butthemethodsforestablishingthesetbackrequirementsforanirregularlyshapedpropertycanvaryfromtowntotown,soit’simportanttoverifytheexactinformationwiththepermitoffice.Forinstance,therearsetbacklineforthesepropertiescanbebasedontheaveragelotdepth,whilethefrontyardcanhavearoundedorirregularlyshapedsetbacklinethatmatchestheshapeofthepropertyline,butthisisn’taconsistentmethodforalltownsandmunicipalities.4.Structureheightalsofactorsintosetbackrequirements.Oneofthemainreasonsforimposingspecificsetbackrequirementsonalotistohelppreventthedisruptionofnaturallighting,clearventilation,andincreasesoundinsulation.Bylimitingthesizeofthebuildingontheproperty,thetownormunicipalitycanensurethatneighboringbuildingshaveadequateaccesstosunlight,freshair,andarelativelyprivateplacetolive,insteadofalwayshavingtooverheartheneighborsfighting.AdvertisementHeightplaysabigroleinestablishingsetbackrequirementsbecauseatallerbuildingwillblockoutmoresunlightfromsurroundinghomesanditwilltypicallyhaveabroaderbasetoincreasethebalanceofthebuildingandprovidebettersupportduringstormsandhighwinds.Tallstructuresareimposingandoutofplaceinmostresidentialneighborhoods,soifyouplantoaddtoanexistingbuildingoryouareintheplanningstagesforanewbuilding,keepinmindthatsetbackscanalsorestricttheheightofthestructure.Photo:istockphoto.com5.Somepropertiesmaybeeligibleforsetbackvariances.Setbacksarenotsetinstone,soifthereisanoutstandingsituation,likeariver,pond,orotherobstructionthatmayimpactyourabilitytousethepropertyinasimilarwayasyourneighbors,it’spossibletoapplyforasetbackvariance.Avariancemustbeapprovedbythelocalgovernmentzoningboardandistypicallygiveniftheconditionthatisnegativelyaffectingyourabilitytobuildisgenerallyuniquetoyourproperty.However,ifthemajorityofthepropertiesintheneighborhoodshareasimilarissue,thenit’slikelythatthegovernmentzoningboardwillnotapproveavariance.Related:6ThingstoKnowBeforeInstallingaLean-ToShedatHome6.Withinreason,mostmunicipalitieswillallowattachedbuildingfeaturestoextendoutsideofsetbackrequirements.Thelawsandregulationsaroundsetbacksareintendedtobenefitthecommunityasawhole,sowhiletheycanbestrictaboutcertainthings,liketheheightofabuildingortheplacementofahome,therearesomefeaturesthatmaybeallowed,despitefallingoutsideofthesetbackrequirements.Fireescapes,chimneys,balconies,decks,afrontresidentialfence,porch,orbackyardfenceareallbuildingfeaturesthatmostmunicipalitiesortownswillallow,withinreason.Keepinmindthatiftheadditionnegativelyimpactstheneighborhoodthenyoumaybeforcedtoremoveit,sotakethetimetoensurethattheplanissoundbeforespendingthetimeandmoneytobuildanewbalcony,porch,orfence.AdvertisementPhoto:istockphoto.com7.Ifsetbackrequirementsaren’tmet,homeownerscanbeforcedtomakeexpensivealterationstostructuresontheirproperty.Ifpropertysetbackrequirementsarenotfollowed,itcancausesignificantproblems.Therecouldbetheforcedremovalofthebuildingoranexpensivealterationtothestructuretoensurethatitcomplieswiththerestrictionsimposedbythesetbackrequirements.Insomecases,homeownerscanapplyforsetbackvariancesinordertoobtainpermissiontoworkoutsideofthepropertysetbackrequirements.However,thisisnotaguarantee.It’sbesttocontactthepermitofficetodiscussyourpotentialplansandgetapermitfortheworktoshowthatthestructureisbeingbuiltaccordingtolocallawsandregulations.Withoutapermit,thereisthechancethattheprojectmaybeinterruptedorthatthelocalgovernmentwillforceyoutomakealterationstothestructure.AdvertisementDisclosure:BobVila.comparticipatesintheAmazonServicesLLCAssociatesProgram,anaffiliateadvertisingprogramdesignedtoprovideameansforpublisherstoearnfeesbylinkingtoAmazon.comandaffiliatedsites.TAGS:CONSTRUCTIONMoreFromBobVilaThinkingAboutGuttingYourHouse?11ThingstoKnowFirstDoesMyGeneralContractorNeedaLicense?MaybeNot.Advertisement21HomeImprovementProjectstoPutonYourTo-DoListfor202110BuildingCodeViolationsYourHomeMayBeGuiltyOf13RenovationLessonsYouDon'tWanttoLearntheHardWay13ImprovementsMostHomeownersGetWrong9WaystoCrankUpCurbAppealwithNothingButPaintBestWeedKillerLawnAlternativesBestLawnSprinklerHomemadeFertilizerOrnamentalGrassesBrownGrassBestElectricMowersDrought-ResistantGrassBestLawnFertilizerNewslettersignup:YouagreethatBobVila.commayprocessyourdatainthemannerdescribedbyourPrivacyPolicy.AboutBobNewslettersContactAdvertisingPrivacyPolicyTermsofUseDoNotSellMyPersonalInfoCopyright©2021ActonMediaInc.Allrightsreserved.