Building Setbacks & Zoning in Asheville, NC (2026)
2 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Asheville, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Asheville sets minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks in each zoning district's development standards, Chapter 7 of the City Code. RS-2 requires a 35-foot front setback, RS-4 requires 25 feet, and RS-8 requires 15 feet, with side and rear minimums shrinking accordingly in each district.
Asheville Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsCode of the City of Asheville, NC §§ 7-8-2(f)(5), 7-8-4(f)(5), 7-10-2
Setback standards. The following minimum setbacks shall be required for uses in the RS-2 District. Front: 35 ft. but this may be reduced to 20 ft. in designated steep slope zones per section 7-11-12 of this chapter. Side: 10 ft. Rear: 25 ft. ... Front: 15 ft. Side: 6 ft. Rear: 15 ft. [RS-8 District, Sec. 7-8-4(f)(5)]
Structure Height Limits
In Asheville's RS-2 and RS-4 single-family districts, the city zoning code caps structures at 40 feet. The limit applies citywide in the low- and medium-density single-family zones and is enforced through the development standards the Planning and Urban Design Department checks at permit review.
Asheville residential structure height limit
Some RestrictionsAsheville, NC Code of Ordinances § 7-8-2(f)(7)
(7) Height standards. The maximum height of structures in the RS-2 District shall be 40 feet.
Looking for Buncombe County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Asheville city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Buncombe County →