Private garage.
Columbus City Codes § 3333.35
in effect3333.35 - Private garage.
A private garage in a residential district shall be so located and constructed as to conform to one or more of the following as the case may require:
A. A private garage shall not be an accessory use to a lot in a residential district unless such lot is occupied by a dwelling or unless a building permit has been issued for and construction started on a dwelling on such lot;
B. When a private garage is built as an accessory use in a terrace or retaining wall on the front side of the lot, such private garage shall not project in front of the terrace or retaining wall more than three (3) feet, and in no case shall it project above the level of the ground (or main) floor of a residence on an adjoining lot;
C. A separate private garage building erected in a terrace or retaining wall, must be no closer than the required building line to the street line and no closer than the minimum side yard requirement or building line to an adjoining lot line. On a corner lot a separate private garage building shall not be closer than the building line of the side street to such side street;
D. An attached or semi-attached private garage shall have such separation from the dwelling as is specified in the Building Code;
E. A private detached garage shall not occupy more than forty-five (45) percent of the total rear yard.
F. Subject to the limitation of subsection (E.) above, no portion of the lot area devoted to a private garage or a carport shall exceed the greater of:
1. Seven hundred twenty (720) square feet; or
2. One-third (1/3) of the minimum net floor area for living quarters of the dwelling unit or units; and
G. No carport or detached private garage building shall exceed fifteen (15) feet in height, except for the following:
1. In the university impact district, as defined in Chapter 3325, C.C., in those areas having an architectural review commission as set out in Title 31, C.C., or in a district or listed property, as defined in Chapter 3116, C.C., the fifteen (15) foot height limit may be exceeded in order to achieve a compatible roof pitch provided the university impact district review board, the appropriate architectural review commission, or the historic resources commission, as the case may be, finds the increased roof pitch is compatible with the established architectural character of the district.
2. Habitable space expansion above a detached garage cannot result in a building height that exceeds 25 feet. Exception: the alteration of a legally existing private garage for the purpose of establishing habitable space shall not exceed 25 feet in height or the existing height of the garage, whichever is greater.
H. A private garage shall be considered attached to the dwelling only when directly attached to habitable space. Any habitable space in an attached garage must connect directly with habitable space in the dwelling.
I. Nothing in subsection H. above shall prevent habitable space expansion above or within a detached garage building or a breezeway connection between a house and detached garage. The area of the breezeway connection shall be utilized in calculating the percent of total rear yard which may be occupied by a private detached garage as stipulated in subsection E. above, but shall not be subject to the limitations of subsection F. above.
J. No maintenance, alteration, repair, reconditioning or reconstruction of, or connected in any way with, a motor vehicle, as defined by Ohio Revised Code Section 4511.01, registered to anyone other than a resident of the subject premises shall be carried on or conducted in a private garage.
(Ord. 1482-95; Ord. No. 0357-2009, §§ 4, 12, 4-6-2009; Ord. No. 1871-2023, § 1, 7-31-2023; Ord. No. 2526-2025, § 1, 11-24-2025)
Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT33ZOCO_CH3333APDI_3333.35PRGAFetched: 10/27/2026