Forsyth County, GA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

2(a), 'Performance Standards for Residential Districts,' sets these minimums: R1R requires a 35-foot front, 10-foot side and 25-foot rear setback; CR1, R2R and R2 each require 30-foot front, 10-foot side and 25-foot rear setbacks; R1 requires 50-foot front, 25-foot side and 40-foot rear setbacks; R3 requires the smallest front setback at 20 feet with 10-foot side and 25-foot rear; R4 requires 50-foot front, 10-foot side and a reduced 15-foot rear setback; OSR requires 25-foot front, 10-foot side and 25-foot rear setbacks; and LR requires a 30-foot front and 15-foot side setback for plats filed after April 17, 2025 under Note 6 (25-foot front and 10-foot side for older LR lots), with a 25-foot rear setback throughout.

Note 1 requires corner and double-frontage lots to observe the front setback along both street frontages. 17 clarifies that front, side and rear setbacks are measured from their corresponding lot line, with special rules for flag lots (measured from the lot line adjacent to the pole) and triangular lots (no rear lot line or rear setback where two side lines meet at the back). Major subdivisions add a further layer: a 50-foot minimum exterior setback and a 30-foot minimum exterior buffer apply along the perimeter of the subdivision in every one of these districts. 2, reflecting the larger, more rural lots typical of Forsyth County's exurban character outside the platted subdivisions.