Mecklenburg County and Charlotte setbacks vary by zoning district. Typical R-3 residential: 30 ft front, 5 to 10 ft side, 35 ft rear. Charlotte UDO 2023 rewrite reduced many setbacks to encourage infill. Corner lots have front setback on both street frontages.
Charlotte UDO Article 3 sets zoning district standards. R-3 single-family (most common): 30 ft front, 5 ft side interior, 15 ft side street, 35 ft rear. N1-A (new neighborhood zone under 2023 UDO rewrite): 10 to 20 ft front, 5 ft side, 20 ft rear. Mecklenburg County unincorporated R zoning: similar 30/10/30 ft baseline. Accessory structures typically require 5 ft side/rear setback. Front porches may encroach up to 6 ft into front setback. Corner lots must meet front setback on both street-facing sides. Historic district overlays (Fourth Ward, Dilworth, Plaza-Midwood) have additional setback rules.
Setback encroachment: stop-work order plus 250 dollars per day plus possible demolition order.
See how Mecklenburg County's setback rules rules stack up against other locations.
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