Green Bay, WI Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- RR district limit
- 35 feet and 2.5 stories
- R-1 district limit
- 35 feet and 3 stories
- R-3 district limit
- 35 feet and 2.5 stories
- R-2 cell in Table 44-2
- Prints as 4 55/5 (feet/stories)
- Excluded roof elements
- No more than 25 percent of roof area
- Parapet and antenna exemptions
- Parapets three feet above limit; antennas 20 feet
- Route to a taller building
- Conditional use permit under Section 44-83
Summary
Green Bay's Table 44-2 caps residential buildings at 35 feet and 2.5 stories in the RR district, 35 feet and 3 stories in R-1, and 35 feet and 2.5 stories in R-3, while the R-2 cell prints 55/5. Section 44-361 exempts items such as chimneys and flagpoles from the limit, measures height to the mid-point of the roof, and limits excluded roof equipment to 25 percent of the roof area.
Maximum Height (feet/stories) 35/2.5 f 35/3 f 4 55/5 f 35/2.5 f ... f Heights of structures may be increased with a conditional use permit as permitted in Section 44-83 . ... (a) In general. The building height limitations established in each separate zoning district shall apply to all buildings and structures, with the exception of the following: (1) Church steeples, spires, or belfries. (2) Chimneys or flues. (3) Cupolas and domes which do not contain useable space. (4) Flagpoles. (5) Mechanical or electrical equipment. (6) Monuments. (7) Parapet walls extending not more than three feet above the limiting height of the building. (8) Television antennas not exceeding 20 feet. ... (b) Measurement. Building height shall be measured from the average elevation of the finished lot grade at the front of the building to the mid-height of the structure on a flat or shed roof, the deck line of a mansard roof, or the average distance between the eaves and the ridge level for gable, hip, and gambrel roofs. (c) Limits. No excluded roof equipment or structural element extending beyond the defined height of a building may occupy more than 25 percent of the roof area.
Full Breakdown
Section 44-554 sends lot area and setback standards to Table 44-2, Lot Dimension and Setback Requirements, Residential Districts. The Maximum Height (feet/stories) row lists four cells in the column order RR, R-1, R-2, R-3: 35/2.5, 35/3, 4 55/5 and 35/2.5. Each cell reads feet over stories. An RR or R-3 building therefore stops at 35 feet or two and a half stories, and an R-1 building stops at 35 feet or three stories. The R-2 cell prints 55/5 behind a stray "4" in the code text, so confirm that figure with the Planning Department before drawing plans around it. Every cell carries footnote f.
Footnote f says heights of structures can be increased with a conditional use permit under Section 44-83. That process starts with a meeting with Planning Department staff and an application with a nonrefundable fee set by Council resolution. Staff can require a neighborhood meeting at the petitioner's cost. The Plan Commission reviews the request and forwards a recommendation, a public hearing follows with public notice, and the Common Council approves by resolution. After a Council denial, the Plan Commission will not hear the same request for one year unless it is significantly altered.
The half in 2.5 comes from the Section 44-2 definitions. A story is the space between a floor and the floor above it, or between the top floor and the ceiling. A half story is the space between the eaves and ridge lines of a pitched roof, whether or not tenants use it.
Section 44-361(b) fixes how height is measured: from the average elevation of the finished lot grade at the front of the building to the mid-height of a flat or shed roof, the deck line of a mansard roof, or the average distance between the eaves and the ridge for gable, hip and gambrel roofs. Under 44-361(a), ten kinds of structure sit outside the limit, including church steeples, chimneys, flagpoles, mechanical equipment, monuments, water towers, parapet walls up to three feet above the limiting height, and television antennas up to 20 feet. Under 44-361(c), no excluded roof element can cover more than 25 percent of the roof area.
Violations & Fines
Section 44-197 makes it unlawful to use or improve any structure in violation of Chapter 44. A building erected above its district limit is declared a nuisance per se, and the City can ask a court to restrain or abate it. If a Zoning Administrator order goes unmet, or no written compliance agreement exists within 15 days after written notice is mailed, the Common Council, Zoning Administrator or City Attorney starts legal action. Section 44-198 applies the penalty in Section 1-6, and each day the violation continues counts as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Green Bay's R-1 district?
How does Green Bay measure building height?
Which structures are exempt from the height limit?
What if I want a building taller than Table 44-2 allows?
Why does the R-2 height cell look odd in the code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Green Bay
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle structure height limits.