Building Setbacks & Zoning in Nashua, NH (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Nashua, New Hampshire, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Nashua sets separate minimum front, side and rear yard setbacks for each zoning district in the Dimensional Matrix at § 190-16 of the Land Use Code, measured from the property line or, for front yards, the street right-of-way.
Nashua Yard Setback Rules by Zoning District
Some RestrictionsNashua Land Use Code § 190-16(E)(1)
Setbacks for buildings or structures are measured as the area between the furthest projection of a principal structure and the property line of the lot on which the structure is located, except as provided below. Where a yard abuts a street, the setback shall be measured from the abutting street right-of-way line. Commentary: Typically, the side and rear setback is measured from the property l...
Structure Height Limits
Nashua's zoning ordinance caps building height under § 190-16I, measured per the International Building Code; the exact maximum for each residential district, R-40 through R-C, is set in the Dimensional Matrix at Table 16-3, not one citywide number.
Nashua Building Height Limits by Zoning District
Some RestrictionsNashua Revised Ordinances § 190-16I(3)
In Park Industrial (PI), Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Highway Business (HB) Zones, the maximum height permitted is increased to 120 feet and the maximum number of stories permitted is increased to eight, where the building is at least 400 feet from the nearest R-B or R-C Zone, and at least 1,000 feet from the nearest R-A, R-9, R-18, R-30, or R-40 Zone. J. Corner lots or through lot...
Lot Coverage Limits
Nashua caps lot coverage indirectly: it sets a minimum open-space percentage for each zoning district in the Dimensional Matrix, and no building permit issues unless a project meets that standard.
Nashua Lot Coverage and Open Space Limits
Some RestrictionsNashua Revised Ordinances § 190-16(M)
"Open space" means the space on a lot unoccupied by buildings, unobstructed to the sky by man-made objects, not devoted to streets, driveways, off-street parking or loading spaces. The open space percentage (Column (N) of Table 16-3, below) refers to the minimum open space area expressed as a percentage of total lot area.