Sandy, UT Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Sandy City Code Section 21-11-2 sets detailed dimensional standards for residential accessory structures like sheds and detached garages. The setback table requires only two feet from the side property line in the rear yard and two feet from the rear property line, but 30 feet from the front property line, six feet from the main dwelling, and ten feet from a dwelling on an adjacent property; a minimum three-foot-wide unobstructed access to the rear yard must also be kept clear for emergencies. Structures built within five feet of a property line must comply with the International Residential Code, and any accessory building under six feet from the main dwelling must meet the main dwelling's own zone setback.

Size is capped using whichever is smaller between a percentage and a flat number: on lots up to 14,999 square feet the cap is 25 percent of the rear yard or 750 square feet; 15,000 to 19,999 square feet allows 25 percent or 1,000 square feet; 20,000 to 39,999 square feet allows 25 percent or 1,500 square feet; and lots of 40,000 square feet or larger allow 25 percent or 2,000 square feet. No single accessory building may exceed 1,500 square feet without Planning Commission approval through a conditional use permit, and a property is limited to two accessory buildings total unless it carries an 'A' animal-rights zone designation.

Height is capped at 10 feet to the peak in the side yard and 15 feet in the rear yard for R-1-12 zones or smaller, rising to 20 feet in the rear yard for R-1-15 zones or larger. Detached structures over 15 feet in height must add one foot of setback for every additional foot of height, up to the primary dwelling's minimum setback, unless the structure abuts a commercially zoned property. Detached garages or any detached structure of 240 square feet or larger must sit substantially within the rear yard and generally cannot be placed in the side yard.