Springfield, OH Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Under § 1106.01(u) of the Springfield Zoning Code, a Tiny Home is a distinct residential use type, and it carries five specific standards on top of Table 1104.03.1's Conditional Use classification in the city's residential districts. First, a Tiny Home shall meet the applicable zoning district's dimensional requirements, so lot size, setback and height limits follow whatever residential district the unit sits in rather than a separate tiny-home standard. Second, the unit shall be securely fixed to a permanent foundation, which rules out a tiny home on wheels or skids being treated as a permanent dwelling.

Third, it shall connect to water, wastewater, and electric utilities, including connection to the electrical grid, so an off-grid tiny home does not qualify under this use. Fourth, an applicant must submit a copy of all final plans and construction details as part of the conditional use permit application, confirming a Tiny Home always requires Board of Zoning Appeals approval, not an administrative building permit alone. Fifth, those plans and construction details shall be signed and sealed by a registered engineering or design professional and shall comply with the most recently adopted version of the International Residential Code, layering a state-licensed design-professional requirement on top of the zoning approval. Table 1104.03.1 lists no separate parking ratio for the Tiny Home use, marking it N/A, and its standards column cross-references this same § 1106.01(u).