Nashua, NH Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Mechanism
- Minimum open-space %, not a direct cap
- Where set
- Table 16-3, Dimensional Matrix, Column N
- Enforcement
- No building permit without compliance
- Governing section
- Land Use Code § 190-16(M)
Summary
Nashua caps lot coverage indirectly: it sets a minimum open-space percentage for each zoning district in the Dimensional Matrix, and no building permit issues unless a project meets that standard.
"Open space" means the space on a lot unoccupied by buildings, unobstructed to the sky by man-made objects, not devoted to streets, driveways, off-street parking or loading spaces. The open space percentage (Column (N) of Table 16-3, below) refers to the minimum open space area expressed as a percentage of total lot area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4805762; v29 updated 2026-02-10; through 02-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
Rather than stating a maximum lot-coverage percentage outright, § 190-16(M) of the Land Use Code defines "open space" as the part of a lot left unoccupied by buildings and unobstructed to the sky, excluding streets, driveways, and parking or loading areas, then routes the actual minimum open-space percentage for each zoning district to Column N of the Dimensional Matrix, Table 16-3. Because open space and building footprint are complementary shares of the lot, that open-space floor functions as the district's coverage ceiling. Under § 190-16(A)(2), no building permit may be issued for a structure that doesn't conform.
Violations & Fines
No building permit may be issued for a building or structure that does not conform to the district's open-space (lot-coverage) standard under § 190-16(A)(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nashua set a maximum lot coverage percentage?
Where do I find the percentage for my lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashua
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