Sandy, UT Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 35 ft to peak of roof, all R-1/R-2 zones
- Zones covered
- R-1-40 through R-2-8 (13 districts)
- Scales with lot size
- No, height is uniform
- Exception path
- Planning Commission, unusual roof design only
- Who can request exception
- Community Development Director
Summary
Every R-1 and R-2 zoning district in Sandy, from the half-acre R-1-40 down to the compact R-2-8, shares the same 35-foot maximum building height measured to the peak of the roof. The Planning Commission can only grant relief for unusual architectural roof designs.
Maximum building height (measured to the peak of the roof)* 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 * Note: Exceptions for additional building height due to unusual architectural roof designs may be granted by the Planning Commission, at the request of the Community Development Director.
Full Breakdown
5(HS), R-1-6, R-2-10 and R-2-8 all cap maximum building height at 35 feet, measured to the peak of the roof. Unlike the table's setback rows, which shrink as lot sizes shrink across those same thirteen districts, the height limit doesn't scale with lot size at all, a starter home on an R-1-6 lot and an estate home on R-1-40 acreage face the identical 35-foot ceiling. The only relief valve built into the section is narrow: the Planning Commission may grant exceptions for additional building height solely because of unusual architectural roof designs, and only at the request of the Community Development Director, not on a homeowner's own application.
The height rule sits alongside the same table's front, side, rear and corner-lot setback minimums, which are adopted together as part of the residential development standards for the R-1 and R-2 districts under Chapter 21-20.
Violations & Fines
Sandy City Code § 21-20-2 doesn't set its own penalty schedule for a building that exceeds the 35-foot height limit, so noncompliant construction is enforced through the building permit process (a permit won't issue, or a stop-work order can follow, for plans exceeding the height limit) and, for construction proceeding without correction, through the Code's general penalty at §§ 1-2-2 and 1-2-3, a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in jail for an individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Sandy's residential zones?
Does the height limit change with a bigger lot?
Can I get an exception to build taller than 35 feet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandy
Compare Sandy to another location·View the Utah building setbacks & zoning overview
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle structure height limits.