Building Setbacks & Zoning in Royal Oak, MI (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Royal Oak, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
In the City of Royal Oak's One-Family Residential Zone, § 770-34 sets a front yard setback of the greater of 25 feet or the neighborhood average, up to 50 feet; a side yard setback of at least five feet per side on lots 45 feet wide or more; and a rear yard setback of at least 35 feet. Chapter 770's general setback rules measure these distances from the property line to the nearest point of the structure.
Royal Oak Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code §§ 770-21.C, 770-34.D(5)-(7)
C. Application of setback regulations. ... (2) All required front yard setback lines shall be the minimum perpendicular distance measured from the right-of-way of the road upon which a lot or parcel fronts to the nearest point of the principal structure. (3) All required side and rear yard setback lines shall be the minimum perpendicular distance between the nearest point on the side or rear of...
Structure Height Limits
In the City of Royal Oak's One-Family Residential Zone, § 770-34D(4) caps a principal building's height at 30 feet. Chapter 770's general height rule measures that height from the average finished grade at the front of the building to the roof's mid-point on a pitched roof or the roofline on a flat roof, and lets rooftop equipment rise up to 15 feet above the district's limit.
Royal Oak Residential Building Height Limit
Some RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code §§ 770-21.D, 770-34.D(4)
D. Application of height regulations. (1) No building shall be erected, converted, enlarged, reconstructed, or structurally altered to exceed the height limit hereinafter established for the zone in which the building is located. ... (3) Exceptions. Roof structures for the housing of elevators, stairways, tanks, ventilating fans, or similar equipment required to operate and maintain the buildin...
Lot Coverage Limits
Royal Oak caps how much of a One-Family Residential lot buildings can cover. City Code § 770-34D(8) limits lot coverage to 35% of the site on lots under 6,000 square feet, capped further at 1,800 square feet of ground floor area, and to 30% of the site on lots of 6,000 square feet or more.
Royal Oak One-Family Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code § 770-34D(8)
(8) Lot coverage. On lots less than 6,000 square feet, the lot coverage of all buildings shall not exceed 35% of the site, provided that in no instance shall the total ground floor area of all buildings exceed 1,800 square feet. On lots equal to or larger than 6,000 square feet, the lot coverage of all buildings shall not exceed 30% of the site.
Looking for Oakland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Royal Oak city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Oakland County →