In Durham's Residential Rural (RR) district the joint City-County UDO caps buildings at 40 feet, or 3 stories for conventional and conservation subdivisions. Denser urban residential districts allow taller heights.
Maximum structure height is set in each district's dimensional-standards table. Under Sec. 6.2.1A, the Residential Rural (RR) district limits buildings to 40 feet, or 3 stories in conventional and conservation subdivisions. In the Residential Urban (RU) districts, base heights of 40 feet apply, rising to 60 feet in the RU-M multifamily district. Because Durham City and County share the UDO, these height caps apply equally in the city and unincorporated county. Chimneys, antennas, and similar appurtenances are typically exempt.
Exceeding the maximum height is a zoning violation under NCGS 160D, subject to civil penalties and corrective action, unless a variance is granted.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Durham County's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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