Lower Merion, PA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Section 155-3.4F of the Lower Merion Township Code governs every accessory building and structure, a category that covers sheds, detached garages and pool houses, in every zoning district. The rule requires accessory structures to be erected to the rear of the principal building, though they may project into the district's reduced side or rear yard setback shown in each Table 4.1 form table. Height depends on where the structure sits: an accessory building placed within the principal building's footprint envelope is capped at two stories or 20 feet, while one built out in the reduced side or rear setback drops to one story or 15 feet, matching the "Accessory structure: 1 story up to 15 feet" line printed in the LDR1 dimensional table at § 155-4.1.

Design must be compatible with the principal building rather than a mismatched box. Lower Merion also carves out an exception for shallow lots: if only 45 feet or less separates the rear of the principal building from the rear lot line, the minimum setback measured from the rear of the principal building shrinks to 10 feet, letting a shed sit closer than the standard rear setback would otherwise allow on a full-depth lot. Every accessory structure still needs the same building-permit review from the Building and Planning Department that any other structure requires before footings go in the ground.