Dearborn, MI Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Lot under 46' height cap
- 2 stories, 24' midpoint
- Lot over 180' height cap
- 2.5 stories, 31' midpoint
- Eave height range
- 20 to 25 feet
- Governing provision
- Zoning Ordinance § 29.02, footnote a
Summary
Dearborn ties a one-family home's height to its lot width: lots under 46 feet cap out at a 20-foot second-story eave, a 24-foot roof midpoint, and 2 stories, while lots over 180 feet reach 2.5 stories and a 31-foot roof midpoint.
In a one-family residential district ... maximum permitted building height shall be based upon the width of the lot per the table below... Maximum Eave Height for second story ... Maximum Midpoint of the Roof Height ... Maximum Stories ... Less than 46 feet 20 24 2 ... Greater than 180 feet 25 31 2.5
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Article 29.00, Section 29.02's footnote a sets Dearborn's one-family height limits by lot width rather than a flat number. A lot narrower than 46 feet is capped at a 20-foot eave height for the second story, a 24-foot maximum roof midpoint height, and 2 stories. The cap rises with width, reaching 22-25 feet of eave height, 27-30 feet at the roof midpoint, and 2.5 stories on lots over 100 feet, topping out at 25 feet eave / 31 feet midpoint / 2.5 stories on lots over 180 feet wide.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the height table without a Zoning Board of Appeals variance blocks issuance of a building permit and is enforced as a Code of Ordinances § 1-9 general penalty violation, fined up to $500 with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the maximum house height in Dearborn's one-family districts?
Why does Dearborn scale house height by lot width instead of a flat limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
Compare Dearborn to another location·View the Michigan building setbacks & zoning overview
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle structure height limits.