Gary, IN Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Under § 123-332(b) of the zoning chapter, an accessory building such as a shed, garage, or tool room cannot be constructed on a residential lot until the principal building it serves has already been built; the shed cannot come first. The same subsection limits all accessory buildings combined to no more than 40 percent of the area of the required rear yard, and caps any accessory structure located in that required rear yard at 15 feet in height. A further location rule applies on reversed corner lots: within 15 feet of the adjacent rear property in a residence district, an accessory building cannot sit closer to the side street lot line than 60 percent of the front yard depth required on that adjacent lot, and in the R1, R1A, R2, R3, or R4 districts it cannot come within five feet of any rear lot line that doubles as a side lot line.

Separately, § 123-333(e)(3) lists accessory sheds, tool rooms and similar domestic or agricultural storage buildings as a permitted obstruction in required rear yards, but sets its own minimum setbacks: no accessory building may sit closer than three feet to the side lot line, and none may sit closer than three feet to the rear lot line. The zoning administrator in the department of development and planning reviews shed placement against these bulk and yard-obstruction rules when a zoning certificate is sought, and the board of zoning appeals hears any request to vary the size, height, or setback standards.