Grand Forks, ND Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard, local street
- 25 ft
- Front yard, arterial street
- 35 ft
- Side yard, lots 60 ft or less
- 6 ft minimum
- Side yard, lots 100+ ft wide
- 10 ft
- Rear yard
- 20% of lot depth, min 25 ft
- Governing section
- City Code 18-0208
- Penalty
- $100-$500 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
In the City of Grand Forks, R-1 single-family lots must keep a front yard of twenty-five to thirty-five feet depending on the street classification, a side yard of at least six to ten feet, and a rear yard equal to twenty percent of lot depth but never less than twenty-five feet, all under City Code section 18-0208.
(8)Front yard requirements:(A)On a lot which fronts a principal arterial or minor arterial street as identified in the transportation element of the city's master plan, a depth of thirty-five (35) feet shall be required unless modified by section 18-0304, paragraph (9). ... (D)On a lot which fronts a local street, a depth of twenty-five (25) feet shall be required. ... (9)Side yard requirements. Each lot shall have two (2) side yards, one (1) on each side of the principal building distributed as follows:(A)On any lot, existing at the effective date of this article, containing sixty (60) feet or less in width, the minimum side yard shall be not less than ten (10) percent of the width of the lot, and in no case shall a side yard be less than six (6) feet in width from the exterior wall abutting the required side yard. ... (10)Rear yard requirements. Each lot shall have a rear yard of not less than twenty (20) percent of the lot depth, but in no case shall the rear yard be less than twenty-five (25) feet. No alley shall constitute a part of any rear yard.
Full Breakdown
City Code section 18-0208(8) sets front yard depth in the R-1 single-family district by the street a lot fronts: thirty-five feet on a principal or minor arterial (unless modified under section 18-0304(9)), twenty-five feet on a collector street, and twenty-five feet on a local street, with the local-street figure reducible by up to five feet for a dwelling using a rear-loaded or additionally set-back front-loaded garage. Section 18-0208(9) sets side yards on a sliding scale tied to lot width: a lot sixty feet wide or less needs a side yard of at least ten percent of the lot's width but never less than six feet, a lot between sixty and one hundred feet wide needs at least seven feet, and a lot one hundred feet or wider needs a full ten feet, measured from the exterior wall abutting the yard.
No eave line may come closer than three feet to the adjacent lot line regardless of the percentage math. Section 18-0208(10) sets the rear yard at not less than twenty percent of lot depth, with an absolute floor of twenty-five feet, and specifies that an alley never counts as part of the required rear yard. Planning and Community Development's zoning administrator enforces these dimensions at building permit review, and section 18-0305 governs how far accessory buildings may sit inside these same yards.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining a structure that encroaches into the required front, side or rear yard violates Chapter XVIII of the City Code. Section 18-1102 sets the penalty at a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day the encroachment stands counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep must my front yard be in an R-1 zone in Grand Forks?
What is the minimum side yard for an R-1 house?
How big does my rear yard need to be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Forks
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