Severna Park, MD Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

Severna Park is unincorporated, so carports are regulated by Anne Arundel County zoning under Article 18 (Zoning) and County construction-code Title 15. Section 18-2-204 (Accessory Structures) provides that an accessory structure must be located no closer than five feet from any lot line and that an accessory structure may not be located in a setback from a right-of-way line. A structure within three feet of the principal structure - or connected by an enclosed breezeway less than 15 feet long - is treated as part of the principal structure rather than as a separate accessory structure, which can trigger the principal-structure setbacks instead. An open deck (different from a carport) may project up to 10 feet into a rear setback so long as it stays at least 3 feet from the lot line; that deck-projection rule does not extend to carports. Severna Park lots are predominantly zoned R2 and R5 residential. R5 (5 du/acre) requires a 5,000 sq ft minimum lot with public sewer (10,000 sq ft without); R2 requires 10,000 sq ft with public sewer (20,000 sq ft without) - those bulk regs in Article 18 set the principal-structure setbacks and lot-coverage caps that ultimately constrain carport placement. Front-yard placement is generally not permitted; carports are confined to the side or rear yard behind the principal dwelling and may not extend into a right-of-way setback. A residential building permit is required from the Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits (410-222-7730) before construction; review is under the Maryland Building Performance Standards (currently the IRC/IBC 2021 family adopted by COMAR 05.02.07). Properties within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area or near tidal waters - common around the Severn River and Magothy River shoreline of Severna Park - require a Critical Area worksheet and may need stormwater mitigation when a carport adds new impervious area. Severna Park has no historic district overlay of its own, but specific scenic or environmental overlays may apply to individual lots.