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Residential Height — Single and Two Family Residences

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How tall can I build my house?

It depends! But here are the basics:

  • A house is limited to two stories.
    • Basements and attics are not considered stories.
  • Building facades facing a public street are limited to 40 feet in height.
  • Flat roof buildings are limited to 30 feet in height at any point.
  • How tall a building may be varies depending on how far away it is from your side yard lot line. Turn this handout over for more information on these requirements.

How do I measure the height of my house?

Building height is measured from:

  • The lowest point of ground directly next to the foundation of your house.
  • To the highest point of your house, including any rooftop equipment, antennas, lightening rods, etc.

What about my chimney?

  • Chimneys, four feet in width or depth, may exceed the height limitations by up to two feet.

I have a walk-out basement. How do I measure that?

  • Building height is regulated in two main ways:
    • The height of your facade facing the public street.
    • How close your house or garage is to your side yard lot line.
  • Therefore, if your walk-out basement does not face a public street the height of the walk-out facade does not have a height limit.
Diagram of a house on a sloping lot with a walk-out basement at the rear. The front of the house faces a street at a lower elevation; a vertical arrow from street level to above the chimney shows the 40-foot maximum height facing a street. The rear facade, with a deck at walk-out level, is labeled that it does not face a public street and therefore has no height limit.

Multi-family height limits

Multi-family residential and townhome height limits vary by location and are established by the height limits map.
The height limit map can be seen at: bloomington.ubimyworld.com

Key City Code requirements

Want more detailed information on residential building height requirements?
Please see Section 21.301.10 of the City of Bloomington Code.

Wait, what about my side yard lot line?

In Bloomington, building height limits vary based on side yard setback requirements, as shown in the graphic below. Here are the basic requirements:

  • A garage must be set back five feet from the side yard lot line.
    • At the five foot setback line a garage must not exceed 19 feet in height.
  • A house must be setback ten feet from a side yard lot line.
    • At the ten foot setback line, a house cannot exceed 24 feet in height.
  • As shown in the graphic below, the allowed building height increases as you move away from the side yard lot line.
    • Building height may increase one foot for each additional foot of setback.
  • Once you are set back 20 feet from the side yard lot line, the 40 foot building height maximum applies when facing a street.
Illustration showing a side yard with a side lot line on the left, a garage closest to the lot line, and a dwelling next to the garage. The diagram labels a 5 foot setback from the side lot line to the garage, a 10 foot setback to the dwelling wall, and a 20 foot setback farther into the lot.

What's a setback?

Setback requirements govern where you can build your house or garage in relation to your – and your neighbor's – property lines. These standards help maintain privacy between neighbors and ensure the City can maintain public infrastructure like utility lines and sidewalks throughout our community.

Please see Section 21.301.02 of the City of Bloomington Code for more information on setbacks.

Need more information?

Every property is unique and every situation and City code cannot be explained in a simple handout. If you are unsure about a requirement please call, visit, or email us BEFORE you start your project. A short conversation could save you time and money.

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