Waukegan, IL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Single yard cap
- 40% of that yard for accessory structures
- Combined with pavement
- Still capped at 40% of the yard
- All yards aggregated
- 40% of all yards combined, citywide rule
- Size limit
- Can't exceed principal structure's footprint or dimension
Summary
Waukegan limits every accessory structure, alone or combined with other impervious ground cover, to 40 percent of any yard on the lot, and the aggregate area of all accessory structures across every yard combined cannot exceed that same 40 percent under UDO Section 9.03.A.5.
5.Lot Coverage. No accessory structure may occupy more than 40 percent of any yard. No accessory structure, when combined with impervious ground cover, may occupy more than 40 percent of any yard, unless otherwise established by this Ordinance. The total area of accessory structures on a lot may not occupy more than 40 percent of all yards combined and may not be larger in area or any dimension than the principal structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 113).
Full Breakdown
5 sets three overlapping caps. First, no single accessory structure, sheds, detached garages, cabanas, and similar, may occupy more than 40 percent of any individual yard. Second, that 40 percent cap applies again once impervious ground cover (patios, driveways, and similar paved surfaces) is added to the accessory structure's footprint within the same yard. Third, the ordinance aggregates every accessory structure a lot carries: their total area across the front, side, and rear yards combined cannot exceed 40 percent of all yards combined, and no accessory structure can be larger in footprint or in any single dimension than the principal structure on the lot.
c, which separately caps all impervious surfaces at 40 percent of the yard in aggregate. A: accessory structures must sit at least five feet from any lot line, and none may exceed the height of the principal structure on the lot.
Violations & Fines
Building or paving beyond the 40 percent yard-coverage threshold, whether from one oversized shed, a combination of structures and pavement, or an accumulation of accessory structures across multiple yards, is a zoning code violation. The Zoning Administrator can require the excess structure, pavement, or pool decking be reduced or removed to bring the lot back into compliance with Section 9.03.A.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my yard can I cover with a shed or patio in Waukegan?
Does a swimming pool count toward Waukegan's lot coverage limit?
Can my detached garage be bigger than my house in Waukegan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukegan
Compare Waukegan to another location·View the Illinois building setbacks & zoning overview
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