Building Setbacks & Zoning in Madison, WI (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Madison, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Madison's SR-C1 single-family district requires a 30-foot front yard setback, 6-foot side yards, and a rear yard equal to the lesser of 30 percent of lot depth or 30 feet, per Madison General Ordinances § 28.035(2). Corner lots carry a deeper 15-foot reversed corner side setback.
Madison SR-C1 Yard Setback Minimums
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 28.035(2)
Front Yard Setback 30 30 30 30 Side Yard Setback 6 6 6 6 Reversed Corner Side Yard Setback 15 15 15 30 Rear Yard Setback Lesser of 30% lot depth or 30 See (a) below ... (a)If the existing principal structure and any additions to it, covers twenty percent (20%) or less of the lot area, the rear yard setback may be reduced by twenty-five percent (25%).
Structure Height Limits
Madison caps single-family, two-family, and twin dwellings in the SR-C1 district at two stories and 35 feet under Madison General Ordinances § 28.035(2). Nonresidential buildings in the same district are held to 35 feet flat. Owners who want more height must win conditional use approval from the Plan Commission, and even that route tops out at 50 feet.
Madison SR-C1 Height Cap: 35 Feet
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 28.035(2)
SR-C1 District ... Maximum height 2 stories/35 2 stories/35 2 stories/35 35 See (c) below ... (c)Additional Height. Building heights exceeding the maximum may be allowed with conditional use approval, to a maximum of fifty (50) feet.
Lot Coverage Limits
Madison limits lot coverage for single-family, two-family, and twin dwellings in the SR-C1 district to 50 percent of the lot under Madison General Ordinances § 28.035(2), rising to 60 percent for nonresidential uses. A separate 50 percent building-coverage cap applies specifically to nonresidential structures in the same district.
Madison SR-C1 Max Lot Coverage 50%
Some RestrictionsMadison General Ordinances § 28.035(2)
Maximum lot coverage 50% 50% 50% 60% Maximum building coverage n/a n/a n/a 50% ... (Sec. 28.031(4)) A maximum of forty percent (40%) of the front setbacks may be paved and used for driveway and parking purposes provided lot coverage requirements are not exceeded.
Looking for Dane County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Madison city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Dane County →