ZoningVerdict

Garages, sheds, and accessory structures in Rochester Hills, MI

What the Rochester Hills zoning ordinance says about garages, sheds, and accessory structures, district by district. Section numbers link to the official ordinance.

All districts

Detached accessory structures (garages, sheds, similar buildings) go in the side or rear yard, never the front yard (§ 138-10.102.A).

  • Combined detached floor area is capped by lot size: 1,000 square feet on lots under one acre, rising in steps to 2,000 square feet on lots of five acres or more (§ 138-10.102.A).
  • The combined floor area of all accessory structures may not exceed the floor area of the first and second floors of the house (§ 138-10.100.C).
  • Setbacks: at least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines on residential lots under 2 acres, 20 feet on larger lots. Not in a required side yard (§ 138-10.102.B).
  • Height in residential districts: one story, 14 feet with a roof pitch under 4/12 or 16 feet with a steeper pitch (§ 138-10.102.C).
  • A structure within 10 feet of the house counts as attached and follows the house's setbacks (§ 138-10.101). Corner lots need a 10 foot side-street setback (§ 138-10.103).

Accessory structures of 200 square feet or less need no site plan review (§ 138-2.200.B); building permits are a separate question for the building department.

§ 138-10.100 through § 138-10.106

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