Ames, IA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- RL front setback
- 25 ft. (Table 29.701(3))
- RL side setback
- 6 ft.; 8 ft. at 2-3 stories; 15 ft. on corner lot
- RL rear setback
- 20 ft.
- Minor projections allowed
- Up to 3 ft. into any required setback
- Porch/portico projection
- Up to 8 ft. into front/street/rear setback
- First violation penalty
- $500 municipal infraction (Sec. 29.1603(7))
Summary
In the City of Ames, Iowa, Sec. 29.402(1) of the Zoning Ordinance requires every building and structure to meet the minimum and maximum Building Setbacks listed in its zone's Development Standards Table. In the Residential Low Density (RL) zone, Table 29.701(3) sets a 25-foot front setback, a 6-foot side setback (8 feet for a 2-story wall, 15 feet on a corner lot's street side), and a 20-foot rear setback for both single- and two-family homes.
(1) Building Setback Standard. Except as provided below, all buildings and structures, Principal and Accessory, shall be located to comply with the minimum and maximum Building Setbacks established for Principal and Accessory Buildings listed in each Zone Development Standards Table, Supplemental Development Standards Table, condition, or other regulation applicable to the lot or the use being employed at the site. ... Table 29.701(3) Residential Low Density (RL) Zone Development Standards DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS SINGLE FAMILY TWO FAMILY DWELLING ... Front Lot Line 25 ft. 25 ft. Side Lot Line 6 ft.; or 6 ft.; or 8 ft for 2 stories 8 ft for 2 stories 8 ft. for 3 stories 8 ft. for 3 stories 15 ft. for side lot line 15 ft. for side lot line abutting public right-of- abutting public right-of- way on a corner lot way on a corner lot Rear Lot Line 20 ft 20 ft
Full Breakdown
Ames Municipal Code Sec. 29.402(1), Building Setback Standard, requires all Principal and Accessory Buildings and structures to be located to comply with the minimum and maximum Building Setbacks listed in the applicable Zone Development Standards Table, Supplemental Development Standards Table, or other condition governing the lot. Table 29.701(3), the RL Residential Low Density Zone Development Standards table, sets the front lot line setback at 25 feet for both single-family and two-family dwellings. The side lot line setback is 6 feet, increasing to 8 feet where the wall reaches 2 stories and again at 3 stories, and rising to 15 feet for the side lot line abutting a public right-of-way on a corner lot.
The rear lot line setback is 20 feet. Sec. 29.402(2) then lists which building elements may project into these required setbacks: minor features such as eaves, chimneys and uncovered stairways may extend up to 3 feet into a setback, and architectural features like porches or porticos may project up to 8 feet into a front, street or rear setback and 3 feet into a side setback, provided they stay open in design and at least 3 feet from the lot line. Setback figures differ by Base Zone, Floating Zone and Overlay District, each carrying its own figures in its own table, but the standard is administered citywide under this same Sec. 29.402 framework by the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
Violations & Fines
Building or expanding a structure closer to a lot line than the setback listed in its Zone Development Standards Table, or projecting a feature further into a required setback than Sec. 29.402(2) allows, is a Chapter 29 violation under Sec. 29.1603(7): a $500 municipal infraction penalty for a first violation and $750 for each repeat violation, and reducing a lot so its setbacks become smaller than required is separately listed as a violation under Sec. 29.1602(4).
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a house be set back from the front property line in Ames?
What is the side yard setback for a two-story house in Ames?
Can a porch project into my required setback in Ames?
What is the penalty for building too close to a lot line in Ames?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ames
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