Troy, MI Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard, R-1A/R-1B
- 40 feet minimum
- Front yard, R-1D/R-1E
- 25 feet minimum
- Rear yard range
- 35 to 45 feet by district
- Combined side yards
- 30 feet (15 feet each side)
- Major arterial setback
- 50 feet from right-of-way
- Pre-1976 subdivisions
- exempt from arterial rule
- Enforcement
- Municipal Civil Infraction, Chapter 100
Summary
Troy's Zoning Ordinance Section 4.06 sets minimum yard setbacks for the R-1A through R-1E one-family districts: front yards range from 25 feet in R-1D/R-1E to 40 feet in R-1A/R-1B, rear yards run 35 to 45 feet, and side yards total 30 feet minimum on non-sewered lots. Lots along a major arterial add a 50-foot setback from the right-of-way.
C. Dimensional Requirements. The following dimensional requirements shall apply to the R-1A through R-1E Districts: Minimum Lot Size Per Dwelling Unit Maximum Height Minimum Yard Setback (Per Lot in Feet) Front Sides Rear Minimum Floor Area Per Unit (Square Feet) Maximum % of Lot Area Covered by Buildings Use District Area in Sq. Ft. Width in Ft. Frontage in Ft. In Stories In Feet Least One Least Two R-1A No Sewer 30,000 150 150 2 1/2 30 40 15 30 45 1,400 30% R-1B No Sewer 21,780 110 110 2 1/2 30 40 15 30 45 1,400 30% R-1C No Sewer 21,780 110 110 2 1/2 30 30 15 30 40 1,200 30% R-1D No Sewer 21,780 110 110 2 1/2 30 25 15 30 40 1,000 30% R-1E No Sewer 21,780 110 110 2 1/2 30 25 15 30 35 1,000 30% D. Supplemental District Standards. 1. Whenever a lot or acreage parcel abuts a major arterial, the yard setback abutting said major arterial shall be at least fifty (50) feet from the existing right-of-way line, whichever is greater. This ordinance does not prohibit expansion behind the fifty (50) foot setback. This requirement shall not apply to subdivisions for which Tentative Approval was granted prior to January 1, 1976.
Full Breakdown
C of Troy's Zoning Ordinance (effective July 23, 2026) sets a dimensional-requirements table for every one-family residential district, R-1A through R-1E. Front-yard minimums step down as lot size shrinks: 40 feet in R-1A and R-1B, 30 feet in R-1C, and 25 feet in R-1D and R-1E. Rear yards follow the same pattern: 45 feet in R-1A and R-1B, 40 feet in R-1C and R-1D, and 35 feet in R-1E. Side yards carry two figures in the table: a 15-foot minimum for a single side yard and a 30-foot combined minimum for both side yards together, on non-sewered lots in every R-1 district.
The table ties these setbacks to minimum lot size, from 30,000 square feet in R-1A down to 21,780 square feet in the other non-sewered R-1 districts, and to a maximum height of 2 1/2 stories (30 feet) and a 30 percent lot-coverage cap that apply across all five districts. 1 adds a supplemental standard for arterial frontage: any lot or acreage parcel abutting a major arterial must carry a yard setback of at least 50 feet from the existing right-of-way line, whichever is greater. The rule does not block additions built behind that 50-foot line, so an existing home can still expand toward the rear or side.
It also carries a grandfather clause: it does not apply to subdivisions that received Tentative Approval before January 1, 1976, protecting older platted lots from the newer arterial standard.
Violations & Fines
Section 3.08 makes any setback encroachment a Municipal Civil Infraction under Chapter 100 of Troy's Code of Ordinances. A structure built into a required setback is also declared a public nuisance per se and can be abated by court order. Owners who knowingly maintain the violation face fines, costs, damages, and injunctive orders authorized by Chapter 100, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum front-yard setback in Troy's R-1A district?
How are side-yard setbacks measured in Troy's R-1 districts?
Does the 50-foot arterial setback apply to every lot in Troy?
What happens if a building violates Troy's setback requirements?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Troy
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