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

Section 82 of the Comprehensive Land Development Regulations, adopted April 20, 2004, sets minimum front, rear and side yard setbacks for every zoning district in unincorporated Houston County. In the R-AG Agricultural and R-1 Residential districts, the front yard is 50 feet on arterial and collector streets and 30 feet on minor streets, the rear yard is 35 feet, and the side yard is 10 feet. R-2 and R-3 Residential districts hold the same 50-foot arterial/25-foot minor front yard and a 25-foot rear yard, but the side yard drops to 10 feet in R-2 and 8 feet in R-3.

Commercial districts (C-1, C-2, C-3) and industrial districts (M-1, M-2) carry no fixed side or rear setback except where the lot abuts a residential district, in which case a 25-foot rear or 10-foot side buffer applies. Two site-specific rules ride alongside the district table: stormwater retention and detention ponds must sit at least 35 feet from any stormwater management easement, and permanent construction over a drainage or utility easement carrying infrastructure needs a 10-foot setback. Corner lots must meet the front-yard standard on both intersecting streets, and where a minor street carries a 60-foot right-of-way, the front setback is reduced by 5 feet.