Building Setbacks & Zoning in Lower Merion, PA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Lower Merion Township's zoning code sets minimum yard setbacks by district in Table 4.1.1 of Chapter 155. In the LDR1 district, the largest-lot residential zone on the Main Line, principal buildings must sit back 100 feet from the front right-of-way, 20 feet from the side lines and 25 feet from the rear line. The Building and Planning Department checks every permit against these Article IV tables before construction starts in Lower Merion Township.
Lower Merion Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsLower Merion Township Code § 155-4.1, Table 4.1.1
Table 4.1.1. LDR1 Dimensional Standards ... Setbacks (See § 155-3.5, Frontages.)1 Principal Building (feet) B Front 100 minimum C Side 20 minimum D Rear 25 minimum
Structure Height Limits
Lower Merion caps residential building height by district: in the LDR1 and LDR2 districts a principal house is limited to two or three stories, up to 35 feet, with height measured from the mean grade at the building's corners to the top of the roof.
Lower Merion Residential Building Height Limits
Some RestrictionsLower Merion Township Code § 155-3.3; Table 4.1.1, LDR1 Dimensional Standards
Building height is limited as follows: (1) Building height shall be measured from the mean grade at the corners of the building to the top of the roof. If no building is located on the lot, the building height shall be measured from the mean grade of the corners of the proposed building. ... B. Residential dwellings and buildings. (1) A residential story is limited to 14 feet maximum but the to...
Lot Coverage Limits
In Lower Merion's LDR1 district, the lowest-density residential zone, a lot may cover no more than 20% of its area with impervious surface, on a lot with a 90,000-square-foot minimum area and 200-foot minimum width.
Lower Merion LDR1 Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsLower Merion Township Code § 155-3.4; Table 4.1.1, LDR1 Dimensional Standards
Lots shall conform to the minimum lot width and area requirements of their underlying district. The minimum lot width of the lot at the building line shall be the minimum lot width required at the street line for lots in the zoning district in which the lot is located. ... Table 4.1.1. LDR1 Dimensional Standards Lot Occupation (See § 155-3.4, Lot occupation.) ... Lot width 200 feet minimum Lot ...
Looking for Montgomery County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Lower Merion city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Montgomery County →