Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max impervious coverage
- 60% of lot area
- Front setback
- 25 feet
- Rear setback
- 20 feet
- Side setback
- 10 feet
- Interior accessory setback
- 10 feet between buildings
- Applies to
- Multifamily developments outside Wasilla, Palmer, Houston
Summary
Multifamily developments in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, outside Wasilla, Palmer and Houston, cannot cover more than 60 percent of the lot with impervious surface. The limit sits inside § 17.73.130's general design standards for multifamily projects, alongside perimeter setbacks of 25 feet front, 20 feet rear and 10 feet side, and 10-foot interior setbacks around detached garages and other accessory buildings.
No more than 60 percent of the lot area shall be occupied by impervious surface areas; ... Front: 25 feet; ... Rear: 20 feet; and ... Side: ten feet;
Full Breakdown
030(B). Subsection (A)(1) caps impervious surface, pavement, roofs, and other hard cover, at 60 percent of the lot area. 130(8). 130(10). Roof overhangs may project up to two feet into any required setback without counting against it. All buildings must also meet Americans with Disabilities Act and Fair Housing Act accessibility standards where the project exceeds four units. A development that cannot fit within these coverage and setback limits needs a variance from the planning commission, which may attach conditions to support the chapter's overall design objectives.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 17.73 treats an exceedance of the 60 percent impervious coverage limit, like any other violation of the multifamily design standards, as a borough infraction under § 17.73.110 unless the code specifies otherwise. Remedies and penalties run through MSB Chapter 1.45, capping the fine at $1,000 per § 1.45.080(A) with no jail exposure. A developer may appeal a planning and land use department decision under the process in MSB Chapter 15.39, per § 17.73.080(A).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 60 percent lot coverage cap apply to a single-family home in Mat-Su?
What counts as impervious surface under the borough's multifamily standards?
How close to the property line can a multifamily building sit in the borough outside Wasilla, Palmer and Houston?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Compare Matanuska-Susitna Borough to another location·View the Alaska building setbacks & zoning overview
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