In unincorporated Forsyth County, a detached accessory structure is limited to 17 feet maximum height under the UDO; a detached accessory dwelling unit may go up to 25 feet. Principal-building heights are set district-by-district in the UDO dimensional tables.
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County UDO caps detached accessory structures (sheds, detached garages, etc.) at seventeen (17) feet in height, and requires any accessory building over 17 feet to meet additional standards. Detached accessory dwelling units, adopted separately in 2022, are allowed up to 25 feet; attached ADUs may not exceed the height of the principal dwelling. Principal residential buildings follow the maximum-height column in the district dimensional table (commonly 40 feet in low- and medium-density single-family districts, rising to 45–60 feet in multifamily districts). Confirm your district's figure before designing.
Exceeding the applicable height limit is a UDO zoning violation and can block permit approval; relief requires a variance through the Board of Adjustment.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Forsyth County's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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