Jonesboro, AR Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Section 117-138(d) of the Jonesboro zoning code sets minimum lot width, lot area, and setback requirements for every residential zoning classification, from the five-acre AG district down to the dense RS-8 and RM-16 districts. RS-1 lots require a 120-foot minimum width, 43,560-square-foot minimum area, 40-foot front setback, 30-foot rear setback, and 25 feet on each side. 5 feet on each side. Multifamily RM districts scale similarly, with RM-16 allowing a 25-foot front and rear setback and 15-foot side setbacks on lots as small as 2,722 square feet per unit.

Maximum lot coverage is capped at 35 percent in RS-1 through RS-5 and 40 percent in all other residential districts, and maximum building height is 35 feet, rising to 45 feet in the AG and RM districts. The code allows minor architectural features, such as cornices, eaves, bay windows and chimneys, to project up to 30 inches into a required setback, and open stairs may project up to three feet. Where a majority of existing homes on a block already sit closer to the street than the district minimum, an applicant may use the average setback of up to six lots on the same side of the street instead of the strict district number.

The planning director may also approve a minor exception when a proposed setback is off by one foot or less, or when a lot's area is within five percent of the minimum. These standards are administered by the city's Metropolitan Area Planning Commission and the planning department, which reviews every building permit application against the applicable district's setback table before construction can begin.