ZoningVerdict

Garages, sheds, and accessory structures in Birmingham, MI

What the Birmingham zoning ordinance says about garages, sheds, and accessory structures, district by district. Section numbers link to the official ordinance.

All districts

Residential occupancy of accessory buildings is prohibited in the R, B, O, P, and TZ districts (§ 4.02 AS-01). In R1A through R8 and TZ1, placement follows § 4.03 AS-02 (amended by Ord. 2512):

  • Location. Not in the required front or side open space. In the rear open space, at least 3 feet from any lot line, and 5 feet from the rear line on a corner lot. On a through lot, the structure must sit the front-setback distance from the street-abutting rear line.
  • Separation. At least 10 feet from the principal building, pools included. No closer to a neighbor's principal building than the sum of the minimum side setbacks.
  • Height. Eave at most 12 feet. Pitched-roof midpoint at most 15.5 feet in R1A and R1, 15 feet in R2, 14.5 feet in R3. Flat roofs at most 12 feet. The accessory structure must stay below the principal building's height.
  • Size. The combined first-floor area of all accessory structures is capped at 10 percent of lot area or 600 square feet in R1A and R1, 550 square feet in R2, and 500 square feet in R3, whichever is less. Accessory habitable area may not exceed 75 percent of the principal habitable area.
  • No outdoor living areas above the first story, and no living quarters at all (§ 4.02 AS-01).

In business, office, and multiple-family districts, accessory buildings need site plan approval (§ 4.04 AS-03). In R8, rear setbacks may hold only garages and carports (§ 4.05 AS-04).

Get the full picture for your property

Enter an address. We identify the zoning district and assemble what the ordinance says about it: permitted uses, dimensional rules, accessory structures, and the approval process.

District identification is free. The full brief is $79.