Harford County is a charter home-rule county that zones its own land, so the Harford County Zoning Code sets real front, side, and rear yards. Section 267-55 fixes yards for R1, R2, and R3 through design Tables 55-1 through 55-4.3.
Unlike most Maryland Dillon's Rule counties, Harford holds home-rule zoning power and writes binding dimensional standards. In unincorporated communities like Fallston and Jarrettsville the county code governs directly, while Bel Air, Aberdeen, and Havre de Grace zone their own land. Section 267-55 sets minimum lot area, building setback from adjacent residential lot lines, lot width, and front, side, and rear yards for the R1 (15,000 to 20,000 square feet), R2 (7,500 to 10,000 square feet), and R3 (5,000 to 7,500 square feet) urban residential districts through Tables 55-1 through 55-4.3. The AG Agricultural and RR Rural Residential districts carry their own yard tables under Sections 267-53 and 267-54.
The Department of Planning and Zoning and the county code enforcement office issue violation notices and stop-work orders for encroaching a required yard. The only cure is a dimensional variance from the Harford County Board of Appeals.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Harford County, MD
No Harford County or Maryland law limits holiday lights, inflatables, or yard displays. A homeowner can decorate without a county permit. The only real limit...
Harford County, MD
A garage-sale sign on your own lawn is fine in Harford County under the county's temporary-sign rules. But a sign staked in a state highway right-of-way, on ...
Harford County, MD
Political signs are fine on your own lawn in Harford County, subject to neutral limits. County zoning caps a temporary sign at 32 square feet and 6 feet high...
Harford County, MD
Harford County requires no general rental license, but Maryland does require registration. Every owner of a pre-1978 rental must register each unit with the ...
Harford County, MD
Maryland requires no just cause to end a tenancy, and Harford County has added none. A landlord evicts only through District Court, never self-help, but may ...
Harford County, MD
Harford County has no rent control. Maryland sets no statewide cap and does not preempt local rent stabilization, so a county or town may adopt one; Harford ...
See how Harford County's setback rules rules stack up against other locations.
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