Akron, OH Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Class H1 (typical residential)
- 35 ft, 50 ft for institutions
- Class H2
- 50 feet
- Class H3
- 75 feet
- Class H7 (max)
- 500 feet
- Airport zone (HA)
- set by City/FAA clear-zone map
Summary
Akron ties building height to a separate height-district map layered over the zoning districts. Most single-family and two-family neighborhoods sit in a Class H1 height district, capping structures at 35 feet, rising to 50 feet for a church, school, library, hospital, or other public or semipublic building on the same lot.
B.In a Class H1 District, no structure shall be erected to a height in excess of thirty-five feet, except that in the case of a church, school, library, hospital or public, or semipublic building such limit shall be fifty feet.C.In a Class H2 District, no structure shall be erected to a height in excess of fifty feet.D.In a Class H3 District, no structure shall be erected to a height in excess of seventy-five feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
335 establishes seven height districts, each with its own numeric ceiling, that overlay Akron's use districts. A Class H1 district, the one applied to most single-family and two-family residential neighborhoods, caps structures at 35 feet, except that a church, school, library, hospital, or other public or semipublic building may rise to 50 feet on the same lot. The remaining districts step up from there: Class H2 allows 50 feet, Class H3 allows 75 feet, Class H4 allows 105 feet, Class H5 allows 136 feet, Class H6 allows 250 feet, and Class H7 allows 500 feet, covering everything from mid-rise apartment corridors to downtown high-rises.
A Class HA district, used near Akron's municipal airport, caps height at the elevation set by the City and the FAA on the airport's official clear-zone and approach-zone drawing, though chimneys, stacks, and similar appurtenances may still extend up to 2 feet above that limit. 340 lists specific exceptions, such as for spires, water tanks, and similar structures, that can exceed the district's base limit.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a structure above the limit set for its height district under Section 153.335 is a Zoning Code violation enforced through Section 153.199: an administrative fine of up to $100 for a first offense, up to $500 for a second, and up to $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense, plus a possible third-degree misdemeanor carrying a fine up to $500 and up to sixty days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Akron
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