MR · Medium-Density Residential District
MR zoning in Sussex County, Delaware
MR is Sussex County's Medium-Density Residential District. A single-family lot needs at least 10,000 square feet, 75 feet of width and 100 feet of depth, or 3/4 acre without central sewer. Detached homes, churches and golf courses are permitted, and building height is capped at 42 feet.
Purpose
The district provides for medium-density residential development in generally urban areas, whether or not sanitary sewers and public water are available. It also allows compatible churches, recreation and accessory uses and protects vacant land suited to later development. § 115-28
Permitted uses
Detached single-family homes (not manufactured homes) are the core use. The list also includes churches, unlit golf courses, public parks and forests, private-membership recreation on two or more acres, greenhouses on five or more acres, development amenities, utility transmission lines, one accessory dwelling unit, and Sussex County Rental Program developments that meet the location, density and height criteria in § 115-29M. § 115-29
Conditional or special uses
Conditional uses need Article XXIV approval and include commercial beaches, cemeteries, marinas and yacht clubs, multifamily dwellings, nursing and care facilities, private clubs, public buildings, some public utility structures, and swimming or tennis clubs. § 115-31
Lot and building rules
| Rule | Requirement | Code section |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot area, single-family | 10,000 sq ft | § 115-34A |
| Minimum lot width | 75 ft; 150 ft where the lot fronts a numbered road on the 1964 General Highway Map, as revised | § 115-34A |
| Minimum lot depth | 100 ft | § 115-34A |
| Minimum lot area without central sewer | 3/4 acre where the lot is not on central sewer or lies in a sewer planning area approved by County Council | § 115-34A |
| Yards, single-family | Front 40 ft (the code prints this as 40 (30)), side 10 ft, rear 10 ft | § 115-34B |
| Maximum height, single-family | 42 ft | § 115-34C |
| Rental program developments (SCRP) | Up to one unit per 3,630 sq ft of gross area and height up to 60 ft, with a stepback above 42 ft next to a residential district | § 115-29M(4), § 115-29M(6), § 115-34D |
Each value links to the Article V page on eCode360. Where the code shows a front yard as 40 (30), this page reports the code's own notation. The explanatory district table (Table I, § 115-156A) is a PDF attachment that this summary did not read, so ask Planning and Zoning what the 30 figure means for your lot. Lot-size figures assume the standard option unless a row says otherwise.
What this means for a parcel owner
An MR parcel on public sewer can usually be platted at 10,000 square feet, but one on septic needs 3/4 acre. The 42 foot height limit and 10 foot side and rear yards apply to a single-family house. Check the sewer status of your parcel first, since it decides the lot size.
Official text
Read the district's own article: Article V, §§ 115-28 to 115-35, Sussex County Code Chapter 115 on eCode360. The county zoning map shows which district a parcel is in: Sussex County online map.
Summary as of 2026-10-24; the code controls.