Setback (land use)
Encyclopedia
In land use
, a setback is the distance which a building
or other structure
is set back from a street
or road, a river or other stream
, a shore or flood plain, or any other place which needs protection. Depending on the jurisdiction
, other things like fence
s, landscaping
, septic tank
s, and various potential hazards or nuisances might be regulated. Setbacks are generally set in municipal ordinance
s or zoning
. Setbacks along state, provincial, or federal highways may also be set in the laws of the state or province, or the federal government
.
Home
s usually have a setback from the property boundary, so that they cannot be placed too close together. This would not only be psychologically uncomfortable to residents staring through window
s into each others' blank exterior walls (or even into windows, causing a privacy
problem), but would present a fire hazard, particularly during windy conditions. Setbacks may also allow for public utilities to access the buildings, and for access to utility meter
s. In some municipalities, setbacks are based on street right-of-ways, and not the front property line.
Older houses have smaller setbacks between properties, as walking was a primary mode of transportation and the distance people walked to actual destinations and eventually streetcar stops to had to be kept short out of necessity. Distances of one to five feet at most are common in neighborhoods built in the United States
before 1890, when the electric streetcar first became popular. Most suburbs laid out before 1920 have narrow lots and setbacks of five to fifteen feet between house. As automobile ownership became common, setbacks increased further, as distance from main streets became less important. Recently, in some areas of the United States, setback requirements have been lowered so as to permit new homes and other structures to be closer to the street, one facet of the low impact development
urban design movement. This permits a more usable rear yard and limits new impervious surface areas for the purposes of stormwater infiltration.
Setbacks also allow for major thoroughfare
s to be expanded when traffic
increases. If a road is widened, thus reducing the setback to less than minimum, the existing structure may be grandfathered
into the new situation. If the setback is made so narrow as to be dangerous, the structure may be forcibly taken from the owner via eminent domain
. Some homeowners find themselves in the extremely difficult position of having a new highway
nearly up to their front door because the setback has been so severely reduced, and business
es may also suffer greatly by having most of their parking lot
s taken.
Mailbox
es, on the other hand, often have a maximum setback instead of a minimum one. A postal administration or postmaster
may mandate that if a mailbox on a street is too far from the curb
for the letter carrier to insert mail
, without having to get out of the vehicle
, the mail may not be delivered to that address at all until the situation is corrected.
Setback can also be important for security
purposes. Embassies or other government buildings may be placed further from the street to reduce the risk of terrorist attack.
Land use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
, a setback is the distance which a building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
or other structure
Structure
Structure is a fundamental, tangible or intangible notion referring to the recognition, observation, nature, and permanence of patterns and relationships of entities. This notion may itself be an object, such as a built structure, or an attribute, such as the structure of society...
is set back from a street
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
or road, a river or other stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
, a shore or flood plain, or any other place which needs protection. Depending on the jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
, other things like fence
Fence
A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...
s, landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
, septic tank
Septic tank
A septic tank is a key component of the septic system, a small-scale sewage treatment system common in areas with no connection to main sewage pipes provided by local governments or private corporations...
s, and various potential hazards or nuisances might be regulated. Setbacks are generally set in municipal ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
s or zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
. Setbacks along state, provincial, or federal highways may also be set in the laws of the state or province, or the federal government
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
.
Home
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
s usually have a setback from the property boundary, so that they cannot be placed too close together. This would not only be psychologically uncomfortable to residents staring through window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
s into each others' blank exterior walls (or even into windows, causing a privacy
Privacy
Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively...
problem), but would present a fire hazard, particularly during windy conditions. Setbacks may also allow for public utilities to access the buildings, and for access to utility meter
Utility meter
A utility meter is any of the following metering devices used on utility mains:* electricity meter* water meter* gas meter...
s. In some municipalities, setbacks are based on street right-of-ways, and not the front property line.
Older houses have smaller setbacks between properties, as walking was a primary mode of transportation and the distance people walked to actual destinations and eventually streetcar stops to had to be kept short out of necessity. Distances of one to five feet at most are common in neighborhoods built in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
before 1890, when the electric streetcar first became popular. Most suburbs laid out before 1920 have narrow lots and setbacks of five to fifteen feet between house. As automobile ownership became common, setbacks increased further, as distance from main streets became less important. Recently, in some areas of the United States, setback requirements have been lowered so as to permit new homes and other structures to be closer to the street, one facet of the low impact development
Low impact development
Low-impact development is a term used in the United States to describe a land planning and engineering design approach to managing stormwater runoff. LID emphasizes conservation and use of on-site natural features to protect water quality...
urban design movement. This permits a more usable rear yard and limits new impervious surface areas for the purposes of stormwater infiltration.
Setbacks also allow for major thoroughfare
Thoroughfare
A thoroughfare is a place of transportation intended to connect one location to another. Highways, roads, and trails are examples of thoroughfares used by a variety of general traffic. On land a thoroughfare may refer to anything from a rough trail to multi-lane highway with grade separated...
s to be expanded when traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
increases. If a road is widened, thus reducing the setback to less than minimum, the existing structure may be grandfathered
Grandfather clause
Grandfather clause is a legal term used to describe a situation in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations, while a new rule will apply to all future situations. It is often used as a verb: to grandfather means to grant such an exemption...
into the new situation. If the setback is made so narrow as to be dangerous, the structure may be forcibly taken from the owner via eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
. Some homeowners find themselves in the extremely difficult position of having a new highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
nearly up to their front door because the setback has been so severely reduced, and business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
es may also suffer greatly by having most of their parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
s taken.
Mailbox
Letter box
A letter box, letterbox, letter plate, letter hole, mail slot, or mailbox is a receptacle for receiving incoming mail at a private residence or business...
es, on the other hand, often have a maximum setback instead of a minimum one. A postal administration or postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
may mandate that if a mailbox on a street is too far from the curb
Curb (road)
A curb, or kerb , is the edge where a raised pavement/sidewalk/footpath, road median, or road shoulder meets an unraised street or other roadway.-Function:...
for the letter carrier to insert mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
, without having to get out of the vehicle
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, the mail may not be delivered to that address at all until the situation is corrected.
Setback can also be important for security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
purposes. Embassies or other government buildings may be placed further from the street to reduce the risk of terrorist attack.