Setback Regulations for the DG: Downtown General District in Fayetteville

In the Fayetteville DG: Downtown General district, primary structures are governed by a specific build-to zone rather than a simple minimum setback, requiring the front facade to be positioned between 10 and 25 feet from the front property line. While the district generally permits zero-foot side setbacks and requires a 5-foot rear setback, these requirements increase to 15 feet whenever a DG: Downtown General property is contiguous to a single-family residential district. Additionally, new construction in this district exceeding 24 feet in height must maintain a 15-foot side or rear setback when adjoining a property used primarily as a single-family residence.

DG: Downtown General Setback Requirements

The City of Fayetteville utilizes a combination of standard setbacks and "urban form" regulations for the DG: Downtown General district to ensure a consistent streetscape and protection for adjacent residential uses.

Placement Location	DG: Downtown General Requirement
Front (Build-to Zone)	10 feet minimum to 25 feet maximum from front property line
Side	None (0 feet)
Rear	5 feet
Rear (from the center line of an alley)	12 feet
Side or Rear (if contiguous to a single-family residential district)	15 feet

Measuring and Applying Setbacks in Fayetteville

In accordance with the Fayetteville Unified Development Code (UDC), specific rules apply to how these distances are measured and what may occupy the resulting open spaces:

Front Setbacks: These are measured from the street right-of-way or the street right-of-way setback as required by the Fayetteville Master Street Plan [Section 161.01].
Build-to Zone: In the DG: Downtown General district, the "Front" requirement is a build-to zone. This means the vertical side of the building facing the primary space or street must be constructed within this specified range of allowable distances [Section 151.01].
Permitted Obstructions: Within a required setback, Fayetteville permits certain customary yard accessories, ornaments, and furniture. Architectural projections such as eaves, chimneys, utility chases, or bay windows may encroach up to 3 feet into a required setback, provided they do not intrude into a public right-of-way [Section 151.01].

Specialized Protection Requirements

Fayetteville enforces "Home Protection Requirements" that may supersede the standard DG: Downtown General setbacks based on the height of the new construction.

Height-Triggered Setbacks

Regardless of the standard district regulations, if new construction in the DG: Downtown General district exceeds 24 feet in height and adjoins or abuts a single-family home used primarily as a residence, the developer must provide a minimum setback of 15 feet from the side or rear adjoining property line. If the building height increases further, an additional 15-foot stepback is required from the residence's property line for portions of the building above 36 feet [Section 164.11].

Prohibited Encroachments

In the DG: Downtown General district, swimming pools are strictly prohibited from being located within any required front setback area [Section 164.02].

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