South Bend's form-based zoning sets residential setbacks by district. Urban Neighborhood 1 lots require 15 ft front, 5 ft side, and 20 ft rear; Suburban Neighborhood 1 requires 25 ft front and rear.
South Bend regulates setbacks through its 2021 form-based Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 21), measuring the setback perpendicularly from the lot line to the closest point of the building. In the Urban Neighborhood 1 (U1) district, minimum residential setbacks are 15 feet front, 10 feet corner, 5 feet side, and 20 feet rear, with a 25-foot maximum front setback to hold the street edge. The Suburban Neighborhood 1 (S1) district requires 25 feet front, 15 feet corner, 5 feet side, and 25 feet rear. Side and rear setbacks may drop to zero when abutting an alley. Variances are heard by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Building within a required setback triggers a stop-work order and correction. Zoning Ordinance violations can bring fines and may require relocation or removal of the encroaching structure.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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