What are the lot coverage limits in Rochester Hills, and what counts toward them?

Lot coverage is capped at 25 percent in RE, R-1, and R-2 and at 30 percent in R-3 and R-4 (§ 138-5.100, Table 6). In R-5 the cap is 50 percent (§ 138-6.700.E).

What counts toward the cap:

• Lot coverage means the part or percentage of the lot occupied by buildings, including accessory buildings (§ 138-13.101). A detached garage or shed counts along with the house.
• An accessory structure attached to the house, within 10 feet of it, or connected by a breezeway of 70 square feet or more, counts as part of the main building and follows its setbacks and lot coverage (§ 138-10.101).

Accessory structures also carry separate floor area caps. For example, combined detached floor area on a lot under one acre may not exceed 1,000 square feet (§ 138-10.102.A).