Building Setbacks & Zoning in Franklin County, NC (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Franklin County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
In Franklin County's rural AR district with well and septic, a single-family home needs a 30-foot front setback, 10-foot side setback and 25-foot rear setback on a 30,000-square-foot lot. Different districts and water/sewer combinations across the county's Table 5-2 set their own minimums.
AR District Sets 30-Foot Front Setback
Some RestrictionsFranklin County Unified Development Code § 5.5.1, Table 5-2
DISTRICT MINIMUM LOT SIZE MINIMUM YARD REGULATIONS 3 Maximum Structure Height (feet)4 Area (square feet) or Maximum Density (dwelling units per acre) Frontage (feet) Front (Street) Setback (feet) Side Setback (feet)5 Rear Setback (feet) AR with well and septic system Single Family Dwelling, Manufactured Home, Family Care Home 30,000 90 30 10 25 35 ... 5 Side Yard Requirements. Except as set for...
Structure Height Limits
Franklin County's Table 5-2 caps residential structure height at 35 feet in the R-80 and R-8 districts alike, matching the 35-foot cap used across the county's other residential zones. Church spires, towers and similar structures that exceed the limit need a special use permit from the Board of Commissioners.
35-Foot Height Cap Across Franklin's R Districts
Some RestrictionsFranklin County Unified Development Code § 5.5.1, Table 5-2, footnote 4
DISTRICT MINIMUM LOT SIZE MINIMUM YARD REGULATIONS 3 Maximum Structure Height (feet)4 ... R-80 Single Family Dwelling, Manufactured Home, Family Care Home 80,000 90 30 10 25 35 ... R-8 with County/public water and County/public sewer Single Family Residential, Family Care Home 10,000 75 25 6 25 35 ... 4 The height regulations stipulated in this Ordinance shall not be exceeded except where a Var...
Lot Coverage Limits
Single-family detached homes in unincorporated Franklin County cannot cover more than 70% of the building envelope, the area between setback lines, with the primary structure's footprint. The Unified Development Code ties the limit to the impervious footprint measured at construction, under UDC section 5.3.4.A.2.b, enforced by Planning and Inspections.
Franklin County 70% Building Envelope Coverage Cap
Some RestrictionsFranklin County Unified Development Code § 5.3.4.A.2.b
b.At the time of construction of the primary structure, the footprint of the primary structure (e.g., impervious surface) may not exceed 70% of the building envelope.
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