Chatham County, GA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Chatham County's zoning regulations are adopted by the Board of Commissioners and administered jointly with the Chatham County–Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) at thempc.org/Ordinance/Chatham. Section 3-6 of the Zoning Ordinance regulates the location of accessory buildings on residential lots, including setback rules and special standards for waterfront lots (front-yard accessory structures on waterfront lots must be a minimum of 10 feet from adjoining property lines). Section 3-6.1 covers development standards including a 36-foot maximum structure height in residential districts. Accessory buildings are generally limited in footprint relative to the principal dwelling, with provisions allowing larger accessory buildings (up to a 1,200 sq ft footprint) on parcels that exceed the required minimum lot area by at least 25 percent. Georgia Code § 36-66-1 et seq. (the Zoning Procedures Law) gives Chatham County broad authority to set residential ADU and accessory-use standards through this zoning ordinance. Variances and conditional uses are heard by the Chatham County Zoning Board of Appeals. Building permits, plan review, and inspections for any habitable accessory dwelling are processed by the Chatham County Department of Building Safety & Regulatory Services, 1117 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, GA 31406, (912) 201-4300. The City of Savannah, Tybee Island, Pooler, Garden City, Port Wentworth, and Bloomingdale operate under their own zoning ordinances; ADU rules in those cities are not set by Chatham County.