Iredell County, NC Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum height, R-A district
- 35 feet for single-family, two-family and other uses
- How height is measured
- Mean level between eaves and ridge on gable, hip and gambrel roofs
- Exempt structures
- Public buildings, churches, schools, hospitals, water towers, flag poles
- Conditions on exemption
- North Carolina Building Code and Section 4.6 airport hazard rules
- Accessory buildings
- Cannot exceed the height limitation for the principal structure
- First citation
- $100.00 penalty and seven days to comply
- Appeal deadline
- 30 days to the Board of Adjustment
Summary
In Iredell County's R-A Residential Agricultural District, every principal structure is capped at 35 feet, whether it is a single-family house, a two-family dwelling or any other use. Section 2.2.5 of the Land Development Code lifts that cap for public buildings, churches, schools, hospitals, water towers and similar structures, but only if they meet the North Carolina Building Code and the airport hazard rules in Section 4.6.
The height limitations of this Ordinance shall not apply to public buildings, churches, temples, schools, hospitals, belfries, cupolas and domes not intended for residential purposes, or to monuments, water towers, observation towers, power transmission towers, flag poles and similar structures, provided such structures meet the required North Carolina Building Code and the Airport Hazard regulations in Section 4.6 . In some cases, however, such buildings and structures that exceed the height limitation for the District in which located shall be subject to certain conditions as set forth in the Performance Requirements to the Table of Permitted Uses. ... Table 2.5 Dimensional Requirements in the R-A District Minimum Lot Size Minimum Yard Requirements See Appendix A Principal Structures Sq. ft./Dwelling Unit Lot Width Front Side Rear Corner Maximum Height Single-Family 20,000 100 35 15 35 25 35 Two-Family 15,000 110 35 15 35 25 35 Other 20,000 100 35 15 35 25 35
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32).
Full Breakdown
Table 2.5 sets the dimensional standards for the R-A district, and its last column is Maximum Height. All three rows print 35: Single-Family, Two-Family and Other. The same table fixes the footprint around that height. A single-family lot needs 20,000 square feet per dwelling unit and 100 feet of lot width, a two-family lot needs 15,000 square feet and 110 feet of width, and the Other row repeats the 20,000 and 100 figures. Yards are 35 feet in front, 15 feet at the side, 35 feet at the rear and 25 feet on the street side of a corner lot in every row. Section 2.5.1 explains why the district is built this way: it encourages continued agricultural use and keeps residential development that has no public water and depends on septic tanks at a low density.
Height is not measured to the peak of the roof. The definitions in Chapter 16 describe building height as the vertical distance from the mean elevation of the finished grade along the front of the building to the highest point of a flat roof, to the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the mean height level between eaves and ridge for a gable, hip or gambrel roof. A pitched roof is therefore judged at the midpoint between eave and ridge, and the ridge itself sits above the measured height.
Section 2.2.5 carves out the exceptions. The height limitations do not apply to public buildings, churches, temples, schools, hospitals, belfries, cupolas and domes not intended for residential purposes, or to monuments, water towers, observation towers, power transmission towers, flag poles and similar structures. Two conditions come with the exemption: the structure must meet the required North Carolina Building Code and the Airport Hazard regulations in Section 4.6. A building that rises above the district limit can also be subject to the conditions written into the Performance Requirements that attach to the Table of Permitted Uses.
Accessory buildings get no extra height. Performance requirement R1, which Section 2.5.2 points to, says an accessory building or structure shall not exceed the height limitation for the principal structure, so a detached garage or workshop in the R-A district stops at the same 35 feet.
Violations & Fines
Building taller than the district allows, or building without the required permit, is a violation under Section 14.3, and each day's continuation is a separate and distinct offense. The Administrator issues a Notice of Violation, then a citation giving seven days to comply under a $100.00 penalty. A second citation assesses $700.00, then $100.00 accrues per day, and continued noncompliance goes to the County Attorney. Repeat violations on the same parcel by the same owner cost $200.00 for the second offense and $500.00 after that, with $500.00 accruing daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can I build a house in Iredell County's R-A district?
Does a detached garage or shop get a different height limit?
Which structures are exempt from the height limit?
Do airport rules limit height in Iredell County?
Can I ask for a variance or appeal a height decision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Iredell County
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