Building Setbacks & Zoning in Chatham County, GA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Chatham County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Chatham County Sec. 4-6.1 requires that no structure sit closer than 20 feet from any design right-of-way line, nor closer than 25 feet from the property line for front yards. In an R-1-A single-family district, a detached dwelling needs a 5-foot side yard and a 25-foot rear yard.
Building Setbacks in Chatham County Residential Districts
Some RestrictionsChatham County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 4-6.1
No structure shall be located closer than 20 feet from any design right-of-way line, nor closer than 25 feet from the property line.
Structure Height Limits
Unincorporated Chatham County's residential and nonresidential R-district schedules cap maximum building height at 36 feet (Sec. 4-6.1 and 4-6.2). Sec. 5-2 exempts features such as church spires, cupolas, water towers, chimneys, flag poles and radio or television towers from those height limits.
Building Height Limits in Chatham County
Some RestrictionsChatham County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 5-2
The height limits of these Regulations shall not apply to a church spire, belfry, cupola, and dome, or ornamental tower not intended for human occupancy, monument, water tower, and observation tower...
Lot Coverage Limits
For uses in Chatham County's R-districts, Sec. 4-6.2 caps building coverage at 40 percent of the lot. Single-family lots are governed mainly by minimum lot area: 12,000 square feet in R-1-A, 21,000 in R-1-B, and 32,000 in R-1-C (Sec. 4-6.1).
Lot Coverage and Minimum Lot Size in Chatham County
Some RestrictionsChatham County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 4-6.2
Maximum Height (Feet): 36. Building Coverage (Percent): 40. [R-1, R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C and R-2 Districts]
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