Mesa Detached Accessory Building and Garage Setbacks

In the City of Mesa, a detached garage or accessory building greater than 200 square feet and 15 feet or less in height must be located at least five feet from the side, street-side, and rear property lines. Buildings exceeding 15 feet in height must comply with the full setback requirements of the underlying zoning district, while structures 200 square feet or smaller have no specific numerical side or rear setback provided they do not overhang the property line [Section 11-30-17].

General Requirements for Accessory Buildings

In the City of Mesa, the "Primary Building" (the main house) must be under construction or fully completed before a permit is issued for a detached garage or accessory structure. The City of Mesa prohibits these structures from being used for dwelling purposes unless they are specifically permitted as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) [Section 11-30-17].

Key physical requirements include:

Separation: All detached accessory buildings must be located at least six feet away from the primary house [Section 11-30-17].
Yard Placement: No accessory building may be located within the required front yard or between the front of the house and the street [Section 11-30-17].
Easements: No detached structure may encroach into any recorded easement [Section 11-30-17].
Size Limits: The combined floor area of all detached accessory structures cannot exceed 100% of the primary building's floor area without a Special Use Permit [Section 11-30-17].

Specific Setbacks by Building Size and Height

The City of Mesa regulates property line proximity based on the footprint size and the height of the peak of the roof.

Structure Size	Height of Peak	Minimum Side/Rear Setback
200 sq. ft. or smaller	8 feet or less	0 feet (No overhang permitted)
Larger than 200 sq. ft.	15 feet or less	5 feet
Larger than 200 sq. ft.	Greater than 15 feet	Full District Setbacks Apply

Note: On corner lots or parcels abutting a "Key Lot," the accessory building cannot be closer to the street than the main house on the adjacent lot [Section 11-30-17].

District-Specific Setbacks for Large Structures

If a detached garage or accessory building in the City of Mesa exceeds 15 feet in height, it must follow the standard setbacks of the specific zoning district [Section 11-30-17].

Agricultural and Single Residence Districts

For buildings over 15 feet tall, the following minimum setbacks apply to the City of Mesa's primary residential zones:

Zoning District	Front Setback	Interior Side Setback	Rear Setback
Agricultural (AG)	30 feet	60 feet	60 feet
RS-90	30 feet	20 feet	30 feet
RS-43	30 feet	10 feet	30 feet
RS-35	30 feet	10 feet	30 feet
RS-15	30 feet	7 feet	30 feet
RS-9	25 feet	7 feet	25 feet
RS-7	20 feet	5 feet	20 feet
RS-6	20 feet	5 feet	20 feet

[Table 11-4-3, Table 11-5-3.A.1]

Exceptions and Special Conditions

Building Projections: In the City of Mesa, architectural features like eaves, awnings, or chimneys may encroach up to three feet into a required yard, but they must never be closer than two feet to an interior property line [Section 11-30-2].
Garage Access: If a garage is accessed from an alley or a shared drive in an RSL district, it must maintain a 13-foot setback from the construction centerline of that alley or drive [Table 11-5-3.A.2].
Zero-Lot-Line: In certain districts (RS-6, RS-7, and RSL), the City of Mesa may allow a zero-foot side setback if the adjacent property is under the same ownership or if a written agreement and maintenance easement are recorded [Section 11-5-3(A)3].

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