Macon-Bibb County, GA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Chapter 9 of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution, the land-use instrument rather than the general county code, governs setbacks for the R-1AA, R-1A, and R-1 single-family districts. Section 9.06's table splits the requirement by what the lot fronts: measured from arterial and collector street right-of-way lines, front, rear, and side yards are all 40 feet in every one of the three districts. Measured from minor street right-of-way lines, the front, rear, and side yards drop to 25 feet in R-1 and rise slightly to 30 feet in R-1A and R-1AA.

On interior lot lines, the front yard (where applicable) stays at 40 feet, the rear yard is 30 feet in R-1 and R-1A but 40 feet in R-1AA, and the side yard is a uniform 10 feet across all three districts. Section 32.05 layers additional special setbacks onto certain named streets and highways. The general application clause in Section 4.04[1] backs the table: no building may be erected, altered, or enlarged, and no required open space may be encroached upon, in a manner that does not conform to these yard requirements, though unroofed porches and steps may project up to 10 feet into a required front yard and awnings may not come closer than 1 foot to a property line.

Section 4.04[3] lets the setback on a corner lot or front yard drop to match the average of existing setbacks on adjacent developed lots when that average is less than the code minimum. The zoning enforcement officer may also impose additional front-yard setbacks for site-specific reasons such as topography or planned road widening, and an applicant who disputes that decision may appeal under Section 27.20.