Bloomington, IL Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Bloomington City Code § 44-908D sets the bulk standards for accessory buildings other than fences. No accessory building may sit in a required front or side yard, including a secondary front yard, except for roadside markets. Table 908 caps a residential-district accessory building at 14 feet in height, requires a minimum 10-foot separation from the principal building wall, at least 3 feet from a rear or side lot line, and 10 feet from an alley right-of-way when a vehicle entrance faces that alley; agricultural, business, manufacturing and public interest districts use the height of the underlying district instead of a flat 14 feet.

Total accessory floor area cannot exceed 30% of the rear yard, and in an agricultural district or the R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R1-H, R-2 or R-4 residential districts, a shed or detached garage is further capped at the ground-floor area of the house itself or 1,000 square feet, whichever is smaller. A small storage building of 144 square feet or less and no taller than 12 feet is allowed even where portable structures are otherwise restricted, but portable-on-demand storage containers cannot be used as a permanent accessory building on a residential lot except temporarily during construction or a move, and must be removed within 14 days of finishing. No incinerator may be built within 2,000 feet of a residential district.