Macon-Bibb County, GA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Base height limit, R-1/R-1A/R-1AA
- 35 feet
- Institutional building overage penalty
- +1 ft setback per 10 ft over
- Rooftop structure exception cap
- 25 percent of roof area
- Recreational antenna exemption
- under 70 feet
- Governing section
- Resolution § 9.07 / § 4.03
Summary
Macon-Bibb County caps buildings and structures in the R-1, R-1A, and R-1AA single-family districts at 35 feet under Section 9.07 of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution, with Section 4.03 carving out taller exceptions for churches, farm structures, and antennas subject to added setbacks.
Section 9.07. - Building height requirements. The maximum permitted height for buildings and structures shall be thirty-five (35) feet, except as otherwise provided in Section 4.03.
Section 4.03[2] Permitted exceptions to height regulations...(a)Churches, schools, hospitals, sanitariums and other public buildings and public utility structures (other than communication towers and antennas, which are subject to Section 23.08.01), provided the setbacks required for the structures in front, side, and rear yards in the district in which such building or other structure is to be located shall be increased an additional one (1) foot for each ten (10) feet that that structure exceeds the maximum height permitted in the district
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Comprehensive Land Development Resolution: Supplement 4 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
03 lays out the exceptions the code allows countywide. 03[2](a), churches, schools, hospitals, sanitariums, and other public buildings and public utility structures may exceed the 35-foot cap only if the front, side, and rear yard setbacks required for that district are each increased by one additional foot for every ten feet the structure exceeds the maximum height, a trade-off that pushes taller institutional buildings farther from property lines. 03[2](c) allows rooftop bulkheads, water tanks, and scenery lofts to exceed the limit as long as they cover no more than 25 percent of the roof area.
01. Property near Robins Air Force Base faces an additional overlay: Chapter 20C's airport hazard district triggers extra Federal Aviation Administration and RAFB civil engineer review for any structure exceeding 100 or 200 feet within the base's protected air-approach surfaces, on top of the underlying 35-foot district limit.
Violations & Fines
Constructing a building or structure taller than 35 feet without qualifying for a Section 4.03 exception violates the Resolution under Section 33.01, a misdemeanor punishable as provided by law, prosecuted in Macon-Bibb County's Municipal Court or State Court, with each day of the violation a separate offense. The zoning enforcement officer may also issue a cease-and-desist order under Section 33.04 requiring immediate correction of an over-height structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be built in Macon-Bibb County's R-1 district?
Can a church or school exceed the 35-foot cap?
Do chimneys and antennas count against the height limit?
Does proximity to Robins Air Force Base add height restrictions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Macon-Bibb County
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