Akron, OH Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

140 describes to include sheds, garages, gazebos, greenhouses, and similar buildings. Item 2 sets the placement rules: an accessory structure in the rear yard cannot be built closer than three feet to a lot line, to preserve fire separation consistent with the Building Code, and an accessory structure anywhere on the lot must sit at least six feet from any other structure. 305(D)(1). Item 4 caps height at fifteen feet at the peak, regardless of lot size or district. Item 5 sets a sliding maximum floor area tied to lot size: 576 square feet (a 24-by-24-foot footprint) on a lot of 6,000 square feet or less, 672 square feet (24-by-28) on a lot between 6,001 and 8,000 square feet, and 900 square feet (24-by-36) on lots over 8,000 square feet.

Item 6 adds an overall ceiling: the combined floor area of every accessory structure on a residentially zoned lot cannot exceed 40 percent of the rear yard area, so a homeowner with a shed, detached garage, and gazebo has to keep the total footprint of all three under that percentage. Item 1 treats an accessory structure and the main building as a single building for zoning purposes, and item 3 separately limits private garages to one vehicle space per 1,500 square feet of lot area in a Class U1 district (1,000 square feet in Class U2), with a 20-foot building line between the garage entrance and the street.