How far away from property line can I build a shop?

[Relentless85]

I am looking to get some information about building/shop on my property. The building size could possibly be 18X24 in either steel or wood with concrete foundation. The residential property is located within Canadian county but inside Oklahoma City limits, zip code 73128.

I am looking for information about how far away the building needs to be located from my property lines. Specifically the property/fence line for my east neighbor and the back fence/property line. I know there is some sort of easement on the back property line, but I am unsure where I can find this information for each of the property lines.

I need to know where I can place the building/shop because this will affect the size or the shop.

Also, if anyone knows or has done business with a steel building company here in OKC that could build me one from scratch, send the recommendations my way. I have toyed around with building it myself, I am pretty handy but this would be a large project for me and knowing who to call for dirtwork, concrete, permits, codes, etc is a little daunting to me.

Thanks in advance.

[Zuplar]

I had a 30x40 shop built a year ago in OKC, I have an acre and was told
For acre and larger that it was 10 foot. Mine was 15 so no issue. I was told for smaller lots it was more I believe they said 20 feet but I’m not 100% since it didn’t apply to me.

[Relentless85]

I had a 30x40 shop built a year ago in OKC, I have an acre and was told
For acre and larger that it was 10 foot. Mine was 15 so no issue. I was told for smaller lots it was more I believe they said 20 feet but I’m not 100% since it didn’t apply to me.

I have been trying to find the info on the okc.gov and other city websites but so far I have found nothing. My neighbor to the east is real “picky”. He told me that he “made” the previous owner of my house move a wood fence they had installed because it was over or too close to his property line. He even went as far as to take me out in to our street to look at a piece of rebar that was in the asphalt telling me that the rebar was my property line.

Unfortunately the only area where I would want to build a shop is where this property line is.

[rezman]

I once had a next door neighbor that was like that. Made life miserable for us ... just waiting to pounce on something we did wrong. Called the city on us multiple times, and even called the police for the one time my wife pulled my truck on the grass.

[Roger S]

5’ is typically the minimum building setback but it can vary. You would also want to check to see if any easements are on your property. Nothing stopping you from building in an easement but if work ever needed to be done in the easement. You would have an issue to deal with... Best advice is to hire a surveyor.

[Relentless85]

5’ is typically the minimum building setback but it can vary. You would also want to check to see if any easements are on your property. Nothing stopping you from building in an easement but if work ever needed to be done in the easement. You would have an issue to deal with... Best advice is to hire a surveyor.

I wish I could find the information on the okc.gov or a site associated with it, there are so many documents to look through I don’t know where to start or what website to look at that would have the info.

On the side where I would want to install the building there is what looks like to be a grey plastic boundary marker and then there is the piece of rebar that was pointed out to me by the neighbor. There is also a vinyl fence on my property separating our yards.

Should I be looking at okc.gov for this info or the Canadian county accessor website since I am in Canadian county but OKC city limits?

[oklip955]

Also you need to check to see if you have a restrictive covenents that say how far from the property line and if and what kind of building can be built.

[stile99]

If we're taking bets, my money is on that piece of rebar being approximately as indicative of the property line as a half-eaten Toblerone. Once you find the info regarding distance, also gather info regarding where the line actually is, and then build accordingly. If that's not in agreement with what neighbor's opinion regarding the property line might be, that's on him.

[Relentless85]

Also you need to check to see if you have a restrictive covenents that say how far from the property line and if and what kind of building can be built.

I have reached out to our HOA in my neighborhood. I found some old documentation about the covenants. However I want to make sure they still apply since the HOA hasn’t really kept up with them. I believe they are in the process of finding new HOA people since most of them have apparently moved on.

[rezman]

I know you can go to Oklahaoma County Assessors web site and enter the address of any property and pull up the information and its coordinates. If you’re in Canadian County, you should be able to do the same thing. Enter your address and see what comes up. Pull your legal description and then pay to have a pin survey done, then you’ll know exactly where the property lines are. That may also be where you need to go to get info on your set back and easement codes, if any.

[oklip955]

I agree with rezman. I would get the survey. Better to spend the money upfront then have to do a tear it down because the building is a foot too far in one direction. Also know that covenents alot of times will renew unless the HOA votes them out. I could be only one person with a bur under their saddle to make an issue out of it and cause you a big$$$ headache.

[Zuplar]

I would just call the city and ask, they will know because they are the ones that do the inspection. Like I said I did mine a little over a year ago. For an acre plus lot the setback was 10 feet. Of course they don't come inspect till after the concrete was poured, so really it was a little too late cause where it was was where it was.

[SoonerDave]

Concur with BBQ that OKC setbacks are generally 5'. The exceptions are generally those areas where, by design, they've platted the lots for "zero lot line" construction.

Definitely get utility easements checked and underground presence identified. HOA's can be a real pain because they're so variably enforced from addition to addition - I know our area limits outside buildings to a single 10'x10' structure limited to a particular height, but there are larger yards with drastically larger buildings throughout the area and obviously no issue was raised with them. You get some HOAs run by anal-retentive folks on a power trip, some that ignore them and do nothing, and then a few who actually run down the middle and navigate them with some sense. I think the majority of them just die off over time as a neighborhood ages. Details on restrictive covenants from an HOA *should* have been included with the sales contract and closing materials over your purchase of the property.

[rezman]

A neighborhood's HOA may die off over time, but the Covenants, Rules & Restrictions remain in place. When bringing an HOA back to life, enforcement and reversing years of neglect and violations is the hard part.

[Relentless85]

Well...I believe I found the official answer by searching through the OKC subdivision and zoning site. It directed me to chapter 59 of the OKC municipal code. Here is what it says:

The structure shall be located a minimum of five feet from all property lines or a minimum of ten feet from any adjacent structure.

Required Distance Between Buildings. (1) Required Distance Between Main Buildings. No main building two stories or less in height shall be closer than ten feet to any other main building to which it is not attached on the same lot or building site. No main building exceeding two stories in height shall be closer than 15 feet to any other main building to which it is not attached on the same lot or building site. (2) Required Distance Between Detached Accessory Buildings and Main Buildings. No detached accessory building walls shall be closer than six feet to any building walls or other accessory building walls on the same lot or building site. No detached accessory building eaves shall be closer than five feet to any main building or other accessory building eaves on the same lot or building site.

So, if I am understanding this correctly, the shop/building must be a minimum of 5 feet from all property lines and the side wall of the building must not be closer than 6 feet to my house? What about the utility easement on the rear of my lot, is that different than the minimum 5ft requirement in the municipal code? The further back I can build the shop on my lot, the better chance i have of meeting the set back requirements.

[Roger S]

So, if I am understanding this correctly, the shop/building must be a minimum of 5 feet from all property lines and the side wall of the building must not be closer than 6 feet to my house? What about the utility easement on the rear of my lot, is that different than the minimum 5ft requirement in the municipal code? The further back I can build the shop on my lot, the better chance i have of meeting the set back requirements.

Easement in back is more than likely 7.5’ (15’ Total) or 10’ (20’ Total).

If you are in a subduvision there should be a plat of it you can reference.

Remember that a 5’ b/l at the back of the lot is typical but not always the case. Once again if you can find the plat of you can verify that.

[stick47]

In 1990 I built a 2 car garage behind my home in Mustang. The idiots who put in the gas meters when the addition was set up thought it would be a great idea to run the line to my house diagonally across the back yard so there was the added expense of $400 plus my plumbers connection charge (I dug the new ditch for the line) to move the meter. (not allowed to build a structure on top of a gas line). Anyway the setback requirement in Mustang was 5 feet from the side property line and 10 ft from the back property line (easement),. Good luck with your build Relentless85