Upper Darby, PA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Section 550-40 of the Upper Darby Zoning Code governs sheds and other accessory structures. " Subsection B(1) then restricts location, providing that accessory structures "shall not be constructed in the required front yard or closer to any side or rear lot line than permitted by the Building Code," tying side and rear setbacks to the Building Code's own standards rather than repeating a number here. A narrow exception in § 550-40B(1)(a) applies only in the R-3 District, where accessory structures including parking on the non-address front-yard side of end-attached and semidetached corner-lot units are allowed if set back at least three feet from the sidewalk, and § 550-40B(1)(b) requires a planted buffer strip at least three feet wide between the accessory structure and the building line in that situation.

Subsection B(1)(c) adds a safety backstop: placement of any accessory structure cannot create a hazard, including blocking lines of sight for vehicular traffic. Separately, § 550-40B(2) requires at least three feet of separation between an accessory building and the main or primary building on the lot. Trailers other than temporary construction trailers are treated as accessory uses under § 550-40C and must meet the zoning district's setback requirements. Note that the Township's district-by-district bulk and yard dimensional tables are published as a separate attachment to Chapter 550 and are not reproduced in this excerpt, so exact front, side and rear yard minimums by district must be checked in that attachment or the Building Code directly.