Harrison County, MS Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Side yard (nonres./res. buffer)
- At least 25 feet, 100 feet if light industrial
- Rear yard (nonres./res. buffer)
- At least 50 feet, 100 feet if light industrial
- Screening
- 6-foot fence required in the expanded buffer
- Corner lots
- 15-foot side setback along abutting street
- Classified-road note
- Front/side yards up to 40 feet
- Max fine
- $100 per offense, daily for continuing violations
Summary
Harrison County's Unified Development Code sets district-by-district yard minimums in Table 416, and adds a stricter buffer rule at § 416.07: any non-residential use next to a residential district must keep a side yard of at least 25 feet and a rear yard of at least 50 feet, both jumping to 100 feet, screened by a 6-foot fence, when the adjoining use is light industrial.
Side - The side yard building setback line on each side of the lot shall be not less than twenty-five (25) feet as measured from the side lot line to the nearest building or structure except in instances where a light industrial use abuts a residential district, in which case a minimum side yard of one hundred (100) feet shall be provided on the side adjacent to the residential district. Such space will remain open and unoccupied by any other structure or uses and will be screened from residential district by a fence not less than six (6) feet in height. Rear - The rear yard building setback line shall be not less than fifty (50) feet except in instances where light industrial use abuts a residential district, in which case a rear yard of not less than one-hundred (100) feet shall be provided.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
01 of the Unified Development Code assigns the "area, yard, height and other dimensional requirements" for every zoning district to Table 416, which lists separate front, rear, and side yard figures for each classification from the 15-acre Agricultural A-1 district down through the R-3 multi-household category. " Both jump to a full 100 feet when the adjoining use is specifically light industrial, and that expanded strip must stay "open and unoccupied by any other structure or uses" and be screened from the residential side by a fence at least six feet high.
Table 416 separately flags that ordinary residential front and side yard setbacks "may be required to be up to 40' on a functionally classified road", a stricter figure than the base district minimum for lots fronting a busier road. 04: a 15-foot side yard setback along the abutting public street. All of these distances are measured to the nearest building or accessory structure, not to open decks, driveways, or fences, which the Code addresses separately under §§ 822 and 828.
Violations & Fines
Building inside a required yard setback is a zoning violation the Zoning Officer can address with a written notice or a formal Cease and Desist Order under § 1409.01. A knowing, willful violation is a misdemeanor under § 1409.03, punishable by a fine of up to $100 per conviction, with every day the encroaching structure remains counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum side yard setback when a business is built next to a home in Harrison County?
What is the rear yard setback rule for non-residential uses next to residential property?
Where do I find the setback for my own residential zoning district?
What about setbacks on corner lots?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Harrison County
Compare Harrison County to another location·View the Mississippi building setbacks & zoning overview
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