Decatur, GA Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

The City of Decatur regulates carports as accessory structures under its Unified Development Ordinance (Part IV of the Code of Ordinances). Article 3 (Residential Districts) sets the underlying setback, height, and lot coverage standards for the city's R-50, R-60, R-85, RS-17, RM-18, RM-22, and RM-43 zones, while Article 7 (Site Development) and the supplemental accessory-structure rules govern placement of accessory buildings such as detached carports and garages. In Decatur's lower-density residential districts, accessory structures must generally observe a minimum side and rear setback of four feet from interior property lines and may not encroach into the required front yard; attached carports follow the principal-structure setbacks of the underlying zone. Accessory-structure height is capped at the lesser of 20 feet or the height of the existing principal structure, and detached accessory dwelling units (when used as living space rather than parking) are limited to roughly 16 feet in height with additional height allowed in above-garage configurations subject to distance from property lines. Combined impervious surface coverage is constrained by the district lot-coverage cap, and carports count as covered/impervious area for that calculation. Construction of any new carport requires a building permit from Decatur's Design, Environment and Construction Department under the Georgia State Minimum Standard One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code (currently the 2018 IRC with Georgia amendments; the 2024 IRC with Georgia amendments takes effect for permits submitted on or after January 1, 2026). Properties within Decatur's local historic districts (such as the MAK Historic District) require additional design review and a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before a carport may be added.