{"uid":"cap_uoZ3jcjgRIKmRogPJgkKG","slug":"zoningverdict-q-a-lookup-f73f731a","name":"ZoningVerdict Q&A Lookup","description":"Reviewed zoning Q&A for one published municipality, optionally narrowed by topic or scanned for a district mention. Coverage: 64 municipalities in 6 states. Returns questions, answers, related districts, citations, pack_version, and last_reviewed_at. Positioning: Records tell you what's on file; ZoningVerdict tells you what the ordinance actually says, independently verified, with the citation. Responses include source citations and last-reviewed dates. 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It is 25 feet in RE, R-1, and R-2, and 15 feet in R-3 and R-4 (§ 138-5.101, footnote C). The front yard still follows the standard front setback for the district, 40 feet in RE, R-1, and R-2, 30 feet in R-3, and 25 feet in R-4 (§ 138-5.100, Table 6).\n\nTwo related rules:\n\n- **Corner clearance.** Within a 25 foot sight triangle at the intersection, nothing may stand taller than 30 inches (§ 138-5.204).\n- **Accessory structures.** Detached accessory structures on corner lots need a 10 foot side-street setback and must follow the front setback match rule (§ 138-10.103).","citations":["§ 138-5.101","§ 138-5.100, Table 6","§ 138-5.204","§ 138-10.103"],"related_district_codes":["RE","R-1","R-2","R-3","R-4"]},{"slug":"front-setback-averaging-rochester-hills","topic":"setbacks","question":"How does the front setback averaging rule work in Rochester Hills?","answer_md":"Rochester Hills lets a new house match its neighbors instead of the standard front setback. Where existing homes sit within 200 feet on the same side of the street, the front setback may follow the average of those homes, but it may never drop below 20 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote B).\n\nHow it works:\n\n- Identify the existing homes within 200 feet on your side of the street.\n- Average their front setbacks. That average becomes your minimum.\n- The floor is 20 feet. Even if the average is lower, you may not build closer than 20 feet.\n\nThe standard front setbacks this rule can replace are 40 feet in RE, R-1, and R-2, 30 feet in R-3, and 25 feet in R-4 (§ 138-5.100, Table 6).","citations":["§ 138-5.101","§ 138-5.100, Table 6"],"related_district_codes":["RE","R-1","R-2","R-3","R-4"]},{"slug":"narrow-lot-side-yard-rochester-hills","topic":"setbacks","question":"My lot is under 60 feet wide in Rochester Hills. What side yard setbacks apply?","answer_md":"A lot under 60 feet wide may reduce one side yard to 5 feet, with conditions. The reduction is allowed only when the two side yards together total at least 15 feet and the abutting neighbor's side yard is at least 10 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote D).\n\nPoints to check:\n\n- The standard side yards in R-3 and R-4 are 10 feet each with 20 feet total (§ 138-5.100, Table 6). The narrow lot rule relaxes one side, not both.\n- The neighbor's existing side yard matters. If the abutting yard is under 10 feet, the reduction is not available.\n- Height is also affected in R-3 and R-4. On lots 60 feet wide or less, building height is capped at 24 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote P).\n\nIf the reduced yard still does not work, a dimensional variance from the ZBA under the practical difficulty standard is the remaining path (§ 138-2.407).","citations":["§ 138-5.101","§ 138-5.100, Table 6","§ 138-2.407"],"related_district_codes":["R-3","R-4"]},{"slug":"r1-setback-requirements-rochester-hills","topic":"setbacks","question":"What are the setback requirements for R-1 zoning in Rochester Hills?","answer_md":"A house in R-1 needs a 40 foot front setback, side setbacks of 15 feet each with 30 feet total, and a 35 foot rear setback (§ 138-5.100, Table 6).\n\nTwo adjustments may change those numbers:\n\n- **Front averaging.** If existing homes sit within 200 feet on the same side of the street, the front setback may follow their average, but never less than 20 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote B).\n- **Corner lots.** The side yard facing the street must be at least 25 feet in R-1 (§ 138-5.101, footnote C).\n\nThese figures apply to the main building. Detached accessory structures follow their own rules, including a side and rear setback of at least 5 feet on lots under 2 acres (§ 138-10.102.B).","citations":["§ 138-5.100, Table 6","§ 138-5.101","§ 138-10.102.B"],"related_district_codes":["R-1"]},{"slug":"r2-setback-requirements-rochester-hills","topic":"setbacks","question":"What are the setback requirements for R-2 zoning in Rochester Hills?","answer_md":"R-2 requires a 40 foot front setback, side setbacks of 15 feet each with 30 feet total, and a 35 foot rear setback (§ 138-5.100, Table 6). These are the same yard requirements as R-1, though R-2 allows a smaller lot, 15,000 square feet against 20,000 in R-1 (§ 138-5.100, Table 6).\n\nTwo adjustments can change the front and side numbers:\n\n- The front setback may follow the average of existing homes within 200 feet on the same side of the street, never below 20 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote B).\n- On a corner lot, the side yard facing the street must be at least 25 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote C).\n\nMaximum height in R-2 is 2 stories and 35 feet, and lot coverage is capped at 25 percent (§ 138-5.100, Table 6).","citations":["§ 138-5.100, Table 6","§ 138-5.101"],"related_district_codes":["R-2"]},{"slug":"r3-r4-setback-requirements-rochester-hills","topic":"setbacks","question":"What are the setback requirements for R-3 and R-4 zoning in Rochester Hills?","answer_md":"R-3 requires a 30 foot front setback and R-4 requires 25 feet. Both districts require side yards of 10 feet each with 20 feet total, and a 35 foot rear setback (§ 138-5.100, Table 6).\n\nAdjustments that may apply:\n\n- **Corner lots.** The side yard facing the street must be at least 15 feet in R-3 and R-4 (§ 138-5.101, footnote C).\n- **Narrow lots.** On lots under 60 feet wide, one side yard may drop to 5 feet if the two sides total at least 15 feet and the abutting neighbor's side yard is at least 10 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote D).\n- **Front averaging.** The front setback may follow the average of existing homes within 200 feet on the same side of the street, never below 20 feet (§ 138-5.101, footnote B).\n\nPermitted yard encroachments are listed in § 138-5.203.","citations":["§ 138-5.100, Table 6","§ 138-5.101","§ 138-5.203"],"related_district_codes":["R-3","R-4"]}],"disclaimer":"ZoningVerdict summarizes public zoning regulations for information purposes. 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