Sandy, UT Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front to living area
- 30 ft in most R-1 zones
- R-1-8 INF / R-1-6 front
- 25 ft to living area
- Side yard minimum
- 6 to 15 ft by subdistrict
- Combined side yards
- 16 to 30 ft by subdistrict
- Rear yard
- 20 to 30 ft by subdistrict
- Corner lot Side A
- 30 ft (25 ft in R-1-8 INF)
Summary
Sandy's zoning table sets minimum yard setbacks by R-1 and R-2 subdistrict: 30 feet to the living area in most zones, dropping to 25 feet in R-1-8 INF and R-1-6, with side yards as tight as 6 feet and rear yards from 20 to 30 feet. Corner lots carry added street-side setbacks.
The minimum allowed residential building setbacks (in feet), and the maximum allowed building heights (in feet) for the R-1 and R-2 Zoning Districts are as follows: Requirement: R-1-40, R-1-30, R-1-20, R-1-15, R-1-12, R-1-10, R-1-9, R-1-8, R-1-8 INF, R-1-6, R-2-10, R-2-8. Front to living area 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 25...25 30 30. Side (minimum) 15 12 10 10 8 8 8 8 6...6 8 8. Side (both combined-minimum) 30 27 24 22 20 20 18 16 16...12 16 16. Rear-regular lot 30 30 30 30 30 20 20 20 20...20 20 20.
Full Breakdown
Sandy City Code section 21-20-2 sets the minimum residential building setbacks, in feet, for the R-1-40 through R-1-6 subdistricts and the R-2-10 and R-2-8 districts. The front setback to the living area is 30 feet in R-1-40 through R-1-8, falling to 25 feet in R-1-8 INF and R-1-6, and 30 feet again in both R-2 districts; the front setback to an attached garage is 25 feet in most of those zones, narrowing to 20 feet in R-1-8 INF. A single side yard runs from 15 feet in the large-lot R-1-40 district down to 6 feet in R-1-8 INF and R-1-6, while the two side yards combined must total at least 30 feet in R-1-40 and as little as 16 feet in the smallest-lot zones.
Rear yards range from 30 feet in R-1-40 through R-1-12 down to 20 feet in R-1-10 through R-1-6 and both R-2 districts. Corner lots carry an added Side A setback of 30 feet (25 feet in R-1-8 INF) on the corner-facing frontage, plus a 20-foot Side B setback on the secondary street. Section 21-20-1 explains the underlying purpose: R-1 districts favor low-density, single-family development with preserved natural vegetation, while R-2 districts allow slightly higher density mixing single- and two-family housing. 5(HS) hillside subdistrict.
Violations & Fines
Sandy pursues zoning setback violations through Chapter 1-4's administrative code enforcement track: civil fines set by the City's fee schedule accrue daily under section 1-4-18 and can be recorded as a code enforcement tax lien against the property under section 1-4-19. Section 1-4-4 preserves the City's right to instead pursue criminal prosecution, defaulting to a Class B misdemeanor under section 1-2-2, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine for an individual under section 1-2-3.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must my house sit from the front lot line in Sandy?
What is the minimum side yard in Sandy's smallest-lot zones?
Do corner lots get extra setback requirements in Sandy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandy
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle setback rules.