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Warwick, RI Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Residential height cap
35 feet, all districts, Table 2A
Tallest nonresidential cap
75 feet, Intermodal and Gateway districts
Airport override
Lower limits near T.F. Green, §304.9
Height measurement
Average grade to roof peak, §200.28
Zoning violation fine
Up to $500 per day

Summary

Warwick caps building height at 35 feet in every residential district under Table 2A, and Table 2B sets nonresidential caps from 35 feet in Office and Waterfront Business up to 75 feet in the Intermodal and Gateway districts, all subject to lower limits near T.F. Green Airport.

Maximum structure height (feet) (3) 35 35 35 35... (3) See subsection 304.9 of this ordinance relating to height requirements in the vicinity of Theodore Francis Green Airport... In any district the height of any structure hereafter erected or altered in the vicinity of the Theodore Francis Green Airport shall not exceed the heights indicated in the airport approach plans pursuant to G.L. 1956, § 1-3-4.

Full Breakdown

9 for height restrictions near the airport. Table 2B covers nonresidential districts and scales the cap up with district intensity: 35 feet in the Office and Waterfront Business districts, 40 feet in General Business, 45 feet in Light Industrial and General Industrial, and 75 feet in both the Intermodal and Gateway districts, while the Village district is capped at 35 feet. F. L. 1956, § 1-3-4,' meaning a parcel near the airport approach zones can face a lower ceiling than its base district would otherwise allow, regardless of the Table 2A or 2B figure.

28 defines how height itself is measured, from the average existing grade at the foundation to the highest point of the roof or structure, excluding spires, chimneys, and flagpoles, with special rules for flood-zone properties tied to FEMA and CRMC sea-level-rise data.

Violations & Fines

Constructing or altering a building beyond the district's Table 2A/2B height cap, or exceeding the airport approach-plan limits under Section 304.9 near T.F. Green, is a zoning violation under Section 1006. The building official may fine the owner up to $500 per day the violation continues and can require the excess height removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum house height allowed in Warwick's residential zones?
35 feet in every residential district, including A-40, A-15, A-10, and A-7, under Table 2A's dimensional regulations. That cap applies citywide regardless of lot size, though Section 304.9 can impose a lower ceiling on parcels near T.F. Green Airport's approach zones.
Which Warwick zoning district allows the tallest buildings?
The Intermodal and Gateway districts, at 75 feet under Table 2B, the two tallest caps in the city. General Business allows 40 feet, Light Industrial and General Industrial allow 45 feet, and the Office, Waterfront Business, and Village districts are all capped at 35 feet.
Does Warwick measure building height from the ground or the roof?
Height is measured from the average existing grade at the building's foundation up to the highest point of the roof or structure, per Section 200.28, excluding spires, chimneys, and flagpoles. Properties in a FEMA special flood hazard area get additional exclusions tied to required flood elevations.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Warwick

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