Building Setbacks & Zoning in Fort Smith, AR (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Fort Smith, Arkansas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Fort Smith sets minimum yard setbacks by zoning district in Table 27-404-A, ranging from 20 feet in dense residential zones to 50 feet in rural-estate districts.
Fort Smith Zoning District Setback Minimums
Some RestrictionsFort Smith City Code § 27-404, Table 27-404-A (RS-1 district)
District Density/Min. Lot Size Min. Lot Width at Bldg. Line Min. Street Frontage Max. Lot Coverage Setbacks Ht. Front Side Street Side Rear Side/Rear Adjacent to: ... SF Low-density 14,000 sq. ft. 100 ft. 50 ft. 30% 30 10 30 10 35 ft.
Structure Height Limits
Fort Smith caps most single-family residential buildings at 35 feet, measured from average ground level at the minimum front setback.
Fort Smith Residential Building Height Limit
Some RestrictionsFort Smith City Code § 27-404(D)(1)-(2)
D.Height.1.Measurement. Building height is the mean vertical distance from the average ground level at the minimum front setback to the highest permanent part of the building or structure.2.A structure may not be more than the maximum allowable feet high at the minimum setback lines, but for each additional foot of horizontal setback in excess of the minimum from all setbacks, the height may be...
Lot Coverage Limits
In Fort Smith's Residential Single-Family Low-Density district (RS-1), buildings can cover no more than 30 percent of a lot: one point on a citywide scale that runs from 10 percent in the 3-acre Residential Estate district up to 100 percent downtown.
Fort Smith RS-1 Lot Coverage Cap
Some RestrictionsFort Smith City Code § 27-408 (RS-1 district area and bulk table); definition at § 27-201
Lot coverage means the maximum percentage of a lot which may be covered by structures. ... Sec. 27-408, RS-1 district: Density/Min. Lot Size (sq. ft.): 3 du per acre/14,000 sq. ft. | Min. Lot Width at Bldg. Line: 100 ft. | Max. Lot Coverage: 30% | Min. Street Frontage: 50 ft. | Max. Height: 35 ft.
Looking for Sebastian County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fort Smith city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Sebastian County →