Smyrna's Zoning Ordinance treats detached carports as accessory structures under Section 501. They must sit on the same lot as the principal building, are barred from required front and side yards, must be set back at least 5 feet from the rear lot line in residential districts, cap at 15 feet tall, and cannot exceed one-fourth of the principal building's square footage. Materials must match or complement the home; portable carports on wheels or with metal-frame-only construction are not permitted.
Smyrna's accessory structure rules - which govern carports along with sheds, detached garages, and similar structures - appear in Appendix A (Zoning Ordinance), Article V, General Provisions, principally Section 501 (Accessory Uses and Structures), with related provisions at Section 503 (Business Structures, when adjoining residential). Detached carports must sit on the same lot as the principal building (501.1) and cannot occupy required front or side yards (501.2). In residential districts, no detached accessory structure - carport, garage, or shed - may stand closer than 5 feet to a rear lot line (501.6); where a nonresidential lot abuts a residential lot, the buffer increases to 25 feet. Standard accessory structures top out at 15 feet in height (501.11), and on parcels under 5 acres only one accessory structure is allowed and its footprint is capped at one-fourth the principal building's square footage. On parcels of 5 acres or larger, up to 5 accessory structures are permitted with at least 20 feet between them and heights up to the underlying district maximum (501.12). Materials must be 'similar to the principal building' or otherwise common to accessory construction; portable structures with wheels or axles, or metal-frame-only construction without conforming cladding, are prohibited (501.11). The principal dwelling must be under construction before any accessory structure (including a stand-alone carport) may be built (501.4), and residential accessory structures cannot be 'rented or occupied for gain' (501.3). When a carport is structurally attached to the principal dwelling, it is treated as part of the principal structure and must follow the principal building's front, side, and rear setbacks rather than the accessory-structure setbacks. New carport construction in residential zones generally requires a building permit from the Smyrna Building Division through the OpenGov portal at smyrnaga.portal.opengov.com - accessory structures larger than 200 square feet or taller than one story trigger permitting; minimum permit fee is $125 ($7/$1,000 construction cost + 10% records + $15 technology fee).
A detached carport built in a required front or side yard, closer than 5 feet to a rear lot line, taller than 15 feet, or exceeding one-fourth of the principal home's footprint is a zoning violation. Code Enforcement can require removal or relocation, issue stop-work orders for unpermitted construction, and refer cases to Municipal Court. Tarp/canopy or wheeled portable carports left up as a permanent accessory structure are not permitted under Section 501.11. Renting an accessory structure (including a carport-converted space) for gain violates Section 501.3.
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