Moving to Auburn, AL?

Auburn City Code Sec. 5-2 limits when noisy construction work may occur. Work cannot begin before 7 a.m. in single-family neighborhoods or adjacent commercial/multifamily districts, or before 6 a.m. in non-adjacent commercial/multifamily districts, and no noisy construction may continue after 7 p.m. on any project.

Auburn, Alabama has no decibel-based noise ordinance and no fixed citywide quiet-hours clock. Police instead enforce the Alabama state disorderly-conduct statute, which makes it a crime to make 'unreasonable noise' that disturbs others, applied on a case-by-case basis at any hour, day or night.

Auburn City Code Sec. 4-19(a) prohibits an owner from permitting a dog to habitually bark or yelp in such a loud and frequent manner as to annoy and disturb the public in the vicinity. Animal Control investigates barking-dog complaints, typically beginning with a complaint affidavit from affected neighbors.

Auburn has no local decibel ordinance for vehicles. Vehicle noise is governed mainly by Alabama state law, which requires every motor vehicle to have a working muffler that prevents excessive or unusual noise and bans muffler cutouts and bypasses. Loud car stereos can also be addressed under the disorderly-conduct 'unreasonable noise' standard.

Auburn has no ordinance that specifically restricts leaf blowers or lawn equipment by hour or decibel. The normal operation of domestic power tools by home occupants is expressly exempt from the construction-noise rule, though any noise that becomes 'unreasonable' can still be addressed under Alabama's state disorderly-conduct standard.

Auburn has no decibel ordinance for amplified music. Loud or disruptive amplified sound is handled under Alabama's disorderly-conduct 'unreasonable noise' standard, and any event on public property that uses sound amplification requires a city Special Event Permit. House parties and venue bands are the most common complaint sources.

Auburn, Alabama has not adopted a decibel-based noise ordinance. The police department confirms the city does not measure noise by decibel level and instead enforces the state disorderly-conduct statute's 'unreasonable noise' provision, judged on the circumstances rather than a meter reading.

Auburn does not cap outdoor music with a decibel ordinance. Disruptive outdoor music is handled under Alabama's 'unreasonable noise' disorderly-conduct standard, and organized outdoor events on public property that use sound amplification require a city Special Event Permit filed in advance.

Auburn has no industrial-specific noise ordinance or decibel limit. Excessive noise from commercial or industrial operations is addressed through the state 'unreasonable noise' disorderly-conduct standard, while zoning separates heavy uses from residential areas and construction work hours apply during build-out.

Auburn has no local aircraft-noise ordinance, and it cannot adopt one in-flight aircraft noise is regulated by the federal government (FAA), not cities. Auburn University Regional Airport operations follow FAA standards. Ground-level noise that disturbs others would fall under the state 'unreasonable noise' standard.

Auburn requires a zoning approval plus a business license before any short-term rental operates. A homestay (owner's residence) needs a Home Occupation Permit; a short-term non-primary rental (an investment property leased entirely for stays under 30 days) needs a Zoning Certificate under Zoning Ordinance Section 408.02.D.6.

Registration is a two-step city process. Operators first secure a Home Occupation Permit (homestay) or Zoning Certificate (non-primary rental) from Planning Services, submitting the application with a deed or notarized letter, then obtain a short-term rental business license from the Revenue Office. The zoning certificate runs for one calendar year.

Short-term rentals owe Auburn's 7% city lodging tax on stays under 180 continuous days, plus Alabama's 4% state lodgings tax in Lee County. The city short-term rental business license fee is a quarter of 1% of gross receipts (multiplied by .0025), with a $100 minimum for both rental categories.

Auburn's short-term rental ordinance does not publish a fixed maximum number of guests. Instead, Section 408.02.D.6 limits use of a non-primary rental to lodging (eating and sleeping) and provides that only the registered or contracted guests may use the unit, with no events. Practical occupancy follows building, fire and dwelling standards.

Auburn's short-term rental section (Section 408.02.D.6) sets no rental-specific off-street parking ratio. Homestays and non-primary rentals rely on the dwelling's existing off-street parking under the underlying residential and zoning standards. The city's separate Bed and Breakfast Inn rule, by contrast, requires one extra parking space per guest room.

Auburn's short-term rental section sets no decibel or quiet-hour standard of its own. It limits rentals to lodging and bans events, and gives the Planning Director power to revoke a non-primary rental's zoning certificate after two substantiated complaints in a calendar year - the main lever the city uses against noise and disturbances.

Auburn does not limit short-term rentals to primary residences. It defines two categories: a homestay, which is the owner's permanent residence, and a short-term non-primary rental, which is expressly an investment property that is not a permanent residence. Non-primary rentals are allowed, but capped at 240 operating days a year.

Auburn does not require a host to be present during stays. The category itself sets occupancy: a homestay is the owner's permanent residence rented as lodging, while a short-term non-primary rental is a whole dwelling the owner does not live in. Non-primary rentals are limited to lodging use, with only registered or contracted guests permitted.

Auburn caps short-term non-primary rentals at 240 days of operation each calendar year under Zoning Ordinance Section 408.02.D.6.a. Each rental is for stays of less than 30 consecutive days. The annual day limit is one of the strictest features of Auburn's program and is tied to the renewable yearly zoning certificate.

Auburn's short-term rental ordinance does not impose a specific liability-insurance mandate or minimum coverage amount on operators. The published requirements center on zoning approval, the business license, lodging taxes and the 240-day cap. Hosts are still encouraged to carry adequate liability coverage, but no city minimum is set in the ordinance.

Consumer (Class C / 1.4G) fireworks are legal to buy and possess statewide under Alabama law, but news reporting confirms it is illegal to use fireworks inside the City of Auburn's limits; police may confiscate fireworks and issue a citation. Alabama Code 8-17-226 expressly lets a city further restrict fireworks by ordinance.

The Auburn Fire Department does NOT require a burn permit for fires contained in a device manufactured for cooking (grills, smokers, BBQ pits, pizza ovens) or for heating devices like patio heaters, chimineas, and fireplaces. An uncontained ground fire pit used to burn debris, however, does require a free burn permit.

Open burning of natural vegetation and untreated wood is allowed in Auburn only with a free burn permit and a fire-department site inspection. Burning is restricted to 8 a.m.-3 p.m., must be 500 ft from occupied dwellings, attended at all times, and is banned during drought, rain, or overcast conditions. Prohibited materials include plastics, rubber, garbage, and treated wood.

Auburn does not publish a fixed defensible-space footage rule like wildfire-state cities. Brush and limb burning to clear vegetation is allowed only with a free Auburn Fire Department burn permit (500-ft setback, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., attended). Statewide forestry law requires clearing inflammable material a safe distance around any fire near woodland.

Auburn lets residents have backyard fires in manufactured cooking or heating devices (fire pits, chimineas, grills) without any burn permit. Open recreational fires used to burn debris in a barrel or ground pit DO need a free burn permit, with a 500-ft setback, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. window, and constant attendance.

Auburn did not publish a stand-alone city smoke-alarm ordinance in fetched sources; smoke-alarm installation requirements come from the adopted fire/building code enforced by the Auburn Fire Department. Alabama residents - including in Auburn - can request FREE smoke alarms installed by their local fire department through the statewide 'Get Alarmed, Alabama!' program.

Auburn follows the adopted Alabama Fire Code (International Fire Code) for LP-gas storage, enforced by the Auburn Fire Department. No burn permit is required to use propane/charcoal grills or propane heaters. Under the fire code, propane cylinders generally may not be stored inside buildings, and grills face balcony limits at multi-family buildings.

Auburn is not in a state-mapped wildfire-hazard zone with mandatory defensible-space ordinances. Wildfire risk in Lee County is managed by the Alabama Forestry Commission, whose State Forester can declare a statewide Fire Alert restricting or suspending outdoor burning during dry conditions. Local burning otherwise follows Auburn Fire Department burn permits.

Auburn has no recreational-vehicle-specific street ordinance, so RVs, boats, and trailers fall under the general rule that no vehicle may sit on a public street or public way for more than 72 hours (Code Sec. 22-26). Larger utility trailers also trigger the oversized-vehicle limits. On private lots, required parking areas must be paved.

Auburn caps on-street parking at 72 hours in one spot (Code Sec. 22-26). State law (Alabama Code 32-5A-137), which Auburn enforces, bars stopping or standing in front of driveways, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, on sidewalks, on bridges, and on railroad tracks. Downtown adds paid, time-limited spaces.

Auburn has no blanket ban on overnight parking on residential streets. Any vehicle may stay on a public street up to 72 hours (Code Sec. 22-26), so overnight parking is generally allowed. Downtown metered spaces are free after 6 p.m. and on weekends. Overnight rules can change for snow/special events.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance (Section 513) requires required off-street parking spaces, driveways, and maneuvering areas to be improved with a suitable hard-surface permanent pavement. State law (Alabama Code 32-5A-137), enforced by the city, also bars stopping or standing in front of any public or private driveway. Driveway access/aprons connect through Public Works.

Auburn has no city ordinance reserving spaces for electric vehicles or penalizing non-EV parking at chargers. Public EV charging is available through Auburn University parking decks and private locations rather than a city program. Vehicles at chargers still follow normal street and downtown parking rules.

Auburn prohibits parking or storing a commercial motor vehicle, utility trailer, or semi-trailer wider than 7 feet or longer than 25 feet on any public street, alley, or other public way, except for loading/unloading up to 24 hours, permitted construction up to 72 hours, or business-adjacent use up to 72 hours on streets at least 31 feet wide.

Auburn bars parking or storing any commercial motor vehicle, utility trailer, or semi-trailer wider than 7 feet or longer than 25 feet on public streets, alleys, or public ways, with limited loading (24-hour), construction (72-hour), and business-adjacent (72-hour, 31-ft-street) exceptions. All vehicles also fall under the general 72-hour street limit.

In Auburn, any vehicle left on a public street or public way more than 72 hours can be treated as abandoned and removed (Code Sec. 22-26). Auburn is specifically carved out of Lee County's abandoned-vehicle local law (Alabama Code 45-41-210) and handles removal under its own ordinances and regulated towing program (Chapter 12).

Auburn allows commercial loading and unloading on public ways but limits it: oversized commercial vehicles and trailers may stop to load or unload for no more than 24 hours. Designated curb loading zones are reserved for active loading. Downtown's broader two-hour metered limit applies to surface spaces during weekday business hours.

Auburn relies on official curb markings and signs, not resident-painted curbs. Under Alabama Code 32-5A-137, parking is barred where curbs or signs prohibit it, and you may not park where a curb or sidewalk is officially marked for no parking. Only the city may install or paint regulatory curb markings; private painting is not authorized.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance does not set a single citywide residential fence-height number. Fences, walls and hedges are allowed within minimum required yards so long as they meet all other rules. A city building permit is required only for fences over 7 feet tall, and corridor-overlay front yards cap fences at 4 feet.

The City of Auburn requires a building permit for fences over 7 feet tall and for retaining walls over 4 feet. Permits are handled by Inspection Services (Codes Enforcement) at 171 North Ross Street. Applications, a site plan showing setbacks and impervious surface, and plans are submitted through the Auburn Permit Portal.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance does not assign cost-sharing for boundary-line fences; that is governed by Alabama's partition-fence statute (Code of Alabama Title 35, Chapter 7). The city's zoning rules instead control placement, bufferyards and visibility. Fences must not encroach a required bufferyard or block clear views at intersections.

The City of Auburn requires a building permit for any retaining wall that exceeds 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. Engineered design is required for walls over 4 feet, or walls over 24 inches that support a surcharge. Retaining and terrace walls are not counted as 'structures' under the Zoning Ordinance.

Auburn allows fences, walls and hedges in minimum required yards as long as they don't violate other ordinance provisions or encroach a required bufferyard. Fences over 7 feet need a building permit; certain uses require screening fences (often 6 feet, opaque). Town house masonry walls are capped at 6 feet and must not block intersection sight lines.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance has no general ban on residential fence materials such as wood, vinyl, chain link or masonry. The main material restriction is in the Corridor Overlay areas, where no wire-fabric fencing may be used forward of the front building plane and front-yard fences are limited to 4 feet. Screening fences for some uses must be opaque.

Common fence materials - wood, vinyl, masonry, decorative metal and chain link - are generally allowed in Auburn residential yards, with no citywide material list in the Zoning Ordinance. Corridor Overlay areas prohibit wire-fabric fencing forward of the front building plane. Some commercial uses require opaque masonry or wood screening fences.

Auburn caps residential dogs at three and chickens by lot size, limiting accumulation, while Alabama's cruelty statute is the primary tool against hoarding. Subjecting animals to cruel neglect or depriving them of food or shelter is a crime, with aggravated cruelty a felony.

Auburn requires dogs to be kept under restraint at all times. Restraint includes leashing, confinement in a fenced area or building, or proper tethering on the owner's property. Dogs may be off-leash only at designated City dog parks while under immediate and effective voice control.

Auburn allows backyard chickens by permit from the Planning Department. Lots must be at least 10,000 square feet with a single-family home. Four hens are allowed on smaller lots and six on lots of 20,000 square feet or more. Roosters and slaughtering are prohibited.

Auburn does not impose breed-specific bans. Alabama's statewide dangerous-dog law (Emily's Law) regulates individual dogs by behavior, not breed, and defines a dangerous dog regardless of its breed. Owners remain liable for dog bites under state law.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance does not specifically regulate beekeeping, so no city permit or hive limit is published. Beekeepers are governed by Alabama state law, which requires annual registration of colonies with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance prohibits keeping any wild animal or reptile that the Environmental Services Director finds poses a threat to human safety. Alabama state law additionally bans possessing non-native venomous reptiles, tegus, and Lacey Act injurious wildlife.

Auburn prohibits horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, and similar livestock within the established stock district. Outside it, most livestock is allowed only on Rural (R) lots of three acres or more, and horses require at least two acres with one horse per acre.

Auburn limits residential dwellings to no more than three dogs aged six months or older, except in the Rural (R) District. The Zoning Ordinance does not set a numeric limit on cats. Each chicken-keeping household is separately capped at four to six hens by lot size.

Auburn has no published cat-specific leash or count limit, and Alabama leaves cat-at-large rules to municipalities. Cats must be vaccinated against rabies under state law. The City advises against feeding stray cats and lends humane traps for nuisance strays.

The City of Auburn advises residents not to illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets, and not to feed strays, to avoid attracting animals. The Zoning Ordinance also bars keeping any wild animal the Environmental Services Director finds threatens human safety.

Auburn does not publish a single fixed lawn-mowing height for occupied residential lots, but its property-maintenance rules require premises to be kept free from weeds or plant growth over 12 inches. Overgrown grass is enforced as a property-maintenance violation, with Alabama law backing a 12-inch nuisance threshold.

Auburn does not restrict residential rainwater harvesting and actively encourages it. The City and Auburn University Stormwater host rain barrel workshops where residents receive a free rain barrel. Alabama has no statewide ban on collecting rainwater, though no special tax incentive exists.

Auburn does not regulate pruning of trees on private property. However, any pruning of a tree in the city right-of-way (a street tree) requires a Street Tree Permit from the City. The Tree Commission and Urban Forestry staff oversee street-tree care.

Trees on private property are not regulated by the City of Auburn, so private owners generally need no city permit to remove their own trees. Removing a tree in the city right-of-way (a street tree) requires a Street Tree Removal Permit, and a Tree Risk Assessment must be done first.

Auburn requires premises to be kept free from weeds or plant growth over 12 inches, and noxious weeds are prohibited. Weeds are defined as grasses, annual plants and vegetation other than trees or shrubs (excluding cultivated flowers and gardens). Alabama law backs the 12-inch nuisance threshold.

Auburn does not mandate native plants for residential yards, but the City actively promotes native trees through its Tree Commission, Tree City USA programs, and free Arbor Day tree giveaways. Native Alabama species are recommended for the local climate.

Outdoor watering in Auburn is governed by the Water Works Board's drought-response phases. During a Phase II Drought Warning, irrigation is limited to odd/even days by address, allowed only between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., banned on Sundays, with house/pavement washing eliminated and surcharges for excess use.

Auburn does not publish a specific city ordinance regulating artificial or synthetic turf in residential yards. Installation is generally governed by stormwater/drainage rules, any zoning landscape standards for development, and private HOA covenants rather than a dedicated turf ordinance.

Auburn does not require home composting, but the City provides curbside yard-waste collection with specific size and volume limits. Backyard composting of leaves and grass is allowed and encouraged as an alternative; collected woody debris is ground into mulch by the City.

Auburn permits home occupations in residential districts as a secondary, incidental use. They must use no more than 25% of the dwelling (max 500 sq ft), keep the home's residential character, and create no nuisance such as excess traffic or noise.

Auburn prohibits signs for home occupations. Section 511.04 states there must be no visible evidence of the business and that signs are not permitted, and advertising may not show the business hours, address, or physical location.

Operating a home business in Auburn requires a home occupation zoning certificate from the Planning Director plus a city business license. Applicants submit an application and a deed (or a notarized owner authorization if renting); the Director decides within three business days.

Cottage food in Auburn is governed by Alabama's 2021 Home Sweet Home Act (SB 160), administered by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Producers must pass an approved food safety course, label products, and register with the county health department; locally, the activity is a home occupation.

An Auburn family child care home needs a zoning certificate from the Planning Director and must hold a valid Alabama state license. It is limited to six non-resident children, no more than four total workers (up to two non-residents), in the existing dwelling, with no sign.

A residential swimming pool in Auburn requires a building/swimming pool permit from Inspection Services, plus a zoning certificate confirming setbacks. Pools are built to the city's adopted 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and 2021 International Residential Code.

Above-ground pools in Auburn need a permit and meet the 2021 ISPSC barrier rules. The pool wall can serve as part of the barrier only if it is at least 48 inches high and access ladders/steps are removable, lockable, or fenced.

Auburn follows the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code for barriers. Outdoor residential pools must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high with openings too small for a 4-inch sphere, and self-closing, self-latching gates.

Residential pool safety in Auburn is set by the 2021 ISPSC and IRC: a 48-inch barrier, self-latching gates, clear zones, and lighting that does not shine onto neighbors. Private pools may not be operated as a business or club.

Hot tubs and spas in Auburn are regulated by the adopted 2021 ISPSC. They generally need the same 48-inch barrier, but a spa or hot tub with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 is exempt from the barrier requirement.

Sheds and other detached accessory structures in Auburn need a zoning certificate and must follow Section 511. They sit at least 10 feet behind the front building line, at least 5 feet from property lines, and at least 10 feet from the main house, and all accessory structures together cannot exceed 50 percent of the home's floor area.

Auburn permits one accessory dwelling unit per lot only on an owner-occupied single-family property. The ADU is capped at 30 percent of the principal home's floor area or 1,000 square feet (whichever is less), may be up to two stories, and cannot be rented or used as income property.

Auburn has no ordinance specifically titled 'garage conversion.' Converting a garage into living space is treated as a building project under the city's adopted 2021 International Residential Code and, if it creates a separate unit, must meet the Zoning Ordinance's accessory dwelling unit standards. Permits and a zoning certificate are required.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance defines a carport as an unenclosed paved, covered space for vehicle storage on the same lot as the principal building. Carports are accessory structures subject to Section 511 setbacks, and open carports count toward the 50 percent cap on combined accessory floor area for the lot.

Auburn's code has no ordinance using the term 'tiny home.' A tiny house on a permanent foundation is regulated as a single-family dwelling or, as a second unit, under the ADU standards; one on wheels is treated as a recreational vehicle/manufactured home and is not a permitted permanent residence in standard residential districts.

Smokers and BBQ pits are expressly listed by the Auburn Fire Department as cooking devices that do NOT require a burn permit. As open-flame/solid-fuel cooking devices, they are subject to the adopted Alabama Fire Code's balcony and 10-ft combustible-clearance rule at multi-family buildings; single-family homes are exempt.

The Auburn Fire Department requires NO burn permit to use gas or charcoal grills, smokers, BBQ pits, or outdoor pizza ovens. The adopted Alabama Fire Code (IFC) does restrict charcoal and open-flame grills on combustible balconies and within 10 ft of combustible construction at apartments/condos - single-family homes are exempt.

Auburn caps political signs at 32 square feet and allows them only on private property within 30 days before an election. Signs must come down within seven days after the election (or after a runoff). They are prohibited in city rights-of-way, on utility poles, and on traffic signs; the Zoning Ordinance defers to Municipal Code Section 8-5.

Auburn's Zoning Ordinance allows yard and garage sales as an exempt activity, but it requires that all directional or advertising signs for the sale be removed immediately once the sale ends. Sales are limited to two consecutive days and no more than twice a year on owner-occupied property.

Auburn issues each residence a city-owned garbage cart, tracked by serial number and assigned to the address. Carts may be set out the night before collection but must be pulled back to the rear of the residence after pickup. Extra loose cans and bags beside the cart are not permitted.

Auburn enforces the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code along with its City Code to address blighted and deteriorated properties. The Inspection Services Department targets garbage, junk, overgrown vegetation, and adverse exterior conditions, working first toward voluntary compliance before civil citations and city abatement.

Auburn treats vacant and abandoned properties as a code enforcement priority because of their neighborhood impact. Vacant lots must still meet vegetation and nuisance standards, and trash or yard waste cannot be placed on vacant or abandoned property. Enforcement runs through Inspection Services and the IPMC.

Auburn requires exterior property to be kept free of weeds or plant growth taller than 12 inches, mirroring Alabama's state weed-abatement standard. 'Weeds' covers grasses and annual vegetation other than trees or shrubs, excluding cultivated flowers and gardens. Violations can be abated by the city at the owner's expense.

The City of Auburn does not publish a standalone garage- or yard-sale permit requirement in its readily available solid waste and property maintenance materials. Such sales are generally treated as an occasional residential activity, but signage and right-of-way rules still apply. Confirm specifics with the Planning Department before holding a sale.

Auburn has no formal 'dark-sky' designation, but its Zoning Ordinance Section 515 controls light spill and glare. Lighting must be directed or located so illumination at a property line does not exceed one foot-candle next to residential property (five next to non-residential), and fixtures under non-enclosed canopies must be fully recessed and shielded.

Auburn measures light trespass at the property line. Under Zoning Ordinance Section 515, direct or indirect illumination from a light source may not exceed one foot-candle at a property line adjoining residential property, or five foot-candles at a line adjoining non-residential property, and lighting must be directed away from neighbors.

Auburn's Environmental Services Department collects household garbage, trash, and recycling once per week on an assigned day. Carts must be at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day. Recycling is picked up the same day as garbage. If a holiday falls on your day, service is delayed by one day.

Auburn requires garbage and recycling carts to be set within three feet behind the curb or roadside by 6 a.m. on collection day, with the lid opening facing the street and clear of poles, mailboxes, and vehicles. The blue recycling cart goes a few feet away from the garbage cart and within three feet of the roadway.

Auburn collects yard waste, brush, and bulky items as weekly 'trash' separate from garbage. Each residence is limited to 5 cubic yards per week; limbs must be no more than 5 feet long and under 4 inches in diameter. Excess loads incur fees, and many materials (concrete, tires, shingles, hazardous waste) are excluded.

Auburn offers voluntary single-stream curbside recycling to residential solid waste customers, collected in a blue cart the same day as garbage. Plastics #1-#7, aluminum, steel/tin cans, newspaper, flattened cardboard, magazines, and office paper are accepted. Glass and plastic bags are not accepted curbside.

Auburn prohibits dumping trash and yard waste on streets, storm drains, medians, and vacant or abandoned property, requiring waste to go in city carts or designated facilities. Illegal dumping is also a state crime under Alabama Code 13A-7-29 (criminal littering), a Class B misdemeanor carrying fines up to $500 for a first offense.

Auburn's parks operate on posted daylight hours rather than a single citywide park-curfew ordinance. The city's largest park, Kiesel Park, is posted open sunrise to sunset, and rec-center facilities post their own hours (for example, Lake Wilmore courts are open sunrise to 9 p.m.). Use of a park outside its posted hours is treated as trespass.

Auburn sets minimum front, side and rear yard setbacks that vary by zoning district and lot size. For conventional single-family lots, Table 5-1 sets a 25-foot street-side yard, a one-side yard of 6 to 15 feet, total side of 20 to 30 feet, and a 15- to 40-foot rear yard. Neighborhood Conservation and other districts have their own tables.

Auburn caps building height by zoning district. Neighborhood Conservation single-family districts limit structures to 35 feet; the Industrial district allows up to 75 feet; urban, mixed-use and redevelopment districts range from 35 to 75 feet. Height is measured per the Section 203 'Structure, Height' definition, with limited exceptions for parapets, steeples and mechanical equipment.

Auburn controls site coverage through a maximum Impervious Surface Ratio (ISR) rather than a simple building-footprint percentage. Conventional single-family lots are generally capped at an ISR of 0.35, while Neighborhood Conservation districts range from 0.15 to 0.50. Accessory structures cannot push a lot over its ISR limit, and total accessory floor area is capped at 50% of the principal structure.

Auburn requires a Street Tree Permit (or Street Tree Removal Permit) to remove or prune any tree in the city right-of-way. A Tree Risk Assessment must precede a removal permit. Trees on private property are not regulated, so no permit is required for them.