Kingsport, TN Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Corner lot side street yard
- At least 50 percent greater than the zone's side yard
- R-1A yards
- Front 40 feet, rear 30 feet, sides ten feet (one or two stories)
- R-1B yards
- Front 30 feet, rear 30 feet, sides eight feet
- A-1 yards
- Front 50 feet, rear 50 feet, sides 20 feet
- Accessory building distance
- Three feet from lot lines, five feet from other buildings
- Porch projection
- Not more than eight feet into a required yard
Summary
Every lot in the City of Kingsport, Tennessee needs a front yard, a rear yard and a side yard on each side at least as deep as the zone requires. Sec. 114-138 adds a 50 percent wider side yard on residential corner lots and matches a nonresidential front yard to an adjoining residential block front.
(2)Minimum yards. Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, every lot shall have a front yard and a rear yard, the least depths of which shall not be less than those specified for the respective zone, and every lot shall have a side yard on each side which shall not be less than the side yard as specified for the respective zone. ... b.Nonresidential zone adjoining residential. On a lot in any nonresidential zone sharing the same block front with a lot in any residential zone, the minimum front yard required shall equal in depth the front yard required for that residential zone. ... c.Corner lot. On a corner lot in any residential zone, the required least width of a side yard along the side street shall be at least 50 percent greater than the side yard required for that zone.
Full Breakdown
Kingsport Code § 114-138 is the general yard rule in Chapter 114, and the district sections supply the numbers. Under subsection (2), every lot has a front yard and a rear yard whose least depths cannot be less than those specified for the respective zone, and a side yard on each side no less than the specified side yard. Subsection (3)b says a lot in a nonresidential zone that shares a block front with a residential lot must provide a front yard equal in depth to the residential zone's front yard. Subsection (4)c requires the side yard along the side street of a corner lot in a residential zone to be at least 50 percent greater than the side yard required for that zone.
The district figures differ. Sec. 114-181 sets A-1 at a front yard of 50 feet, each side yard of 20 feet plus six feet on the street side, and a rear yard of 50 feet. Sec. 114-182 sets R-1A at a front yard of 40 feet, side yards of ten feet for one or two stories or 15 feet for three stories, and a rear yard of 30 feet. Sec. 114-183 sets R-1B at a front yard of 30 feet, each side yard of eight feet and a rear yard of 30 feet. Sec. 114-202 sets the UAE district at a front yard of 40 feet, a rear yard of 50 feet and a side yard of 20 feet, with an additional 10 feet next to a side street.
Other subsections adjust the base figures. Subsection (3)a averages front yards in residential districts when existing buildings within 100 feet on each side of the lot have different depths, but the result is at least ten feet, need not exceed 50 feet in any zone, and never allows building closer than a platted setback. Subsection (4)b adds one inch of side yard for each foot the sidewall exceeds 50 feet. Subsection (4)a lets narrow pre-1981 lots trim side yards, never below three feet.
Accessory buildings and projections have their own distances. Sec. 114-133 requires accessory structures to sit at least three feet from all lot lines and five feet from any other building on the lot. Sec. 114-140 lets uncovered porches, stairways and terraces project not more than eight feet into a required yard. The zoning administrator applies these rules at the permit stage.
Violations & Fines
The zoning administrator enforces Chapter 114 under Sec. 114-35 by written notice and can order removal of illegal buildings, additions or structural changes. Sec. 114-38 adds injunction and mandamus remedies, and a damaged neighbor can bring them. Where no specific penalty is provided, Sec. 1-14 sets a fine of not less than $10.00 or more than $50.00, with each day a separate offense. Variances go to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a house sit from the street in Kingsport?
Is the side yard bigger on a corner lot in Kingsport?
How close can a shed be to my Kingsport property line?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kingsport
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