UR · Urban Residential District
UR zoning in Sussex County, Delaware
UR is the Urban Residential District, written for incorporated towns that have no zoning of their own and choose the county code. A single-family lot needs 10,000 square feet, 75 feet of width and 100 feet of depth, or 3/4 acre without central sewer. Height is capped at 42 feet.
Purpose
The district gives zoning to towns that lack their own, and its rules are meant to prevent decline of built-out areas while keeping existing buildings from becoming nonconforming. The code says the "UR regulations are broadly flexible." § 115-52
Permitted uses
Detached single-family homes (not manufactured homes) are the main use. Churches, unlit golf courses, parks and forests, private-membership recreation, development amenities, open space, one accessory dwelling unit and Sussex County Rental Program developments are also listed. § 115-53
Conditional or special uses
Conditional uses need Article XXIV approval and include commercial beaches, cemeteries, institutions, marinas, multifamily dwellings, nursing facilities, private clubs, public buildings and utilities, certain poultry structures and swimming or tennis clubs. § 115-55
Lot and building rules
| Rule | Requirement | Code section |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot area, single-family | 10,000 sq ft | § 115-58A |
| Minimum lot width | 75 ft; 90 ft where the lot fronts a numbered road on the 1964 General Highway Map, as revised | § 115-58A |
| Minimum lot depth | 100 ft | § 115-58A |
| 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 | § 115-58A |
| Front yard | 30 ft from the street right-of-way, or the average setback of existing buildings on the same side within 300 ft if that is smaller | § 115-58B(1) |
| Side yard | 10 ft minimum | § 115-58B(2) |
| Rear yard | 10 ft minimum | § 115-58B(3) |
| Maximum height, single-family | 42 ft | § 115-58C |
Each value links to the Article VIII 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
UR parcels are typically inside towns that use the county code. The front yard can follow the average of nearby buildings, which helps older lots. The numbered-road width minimum here is 90 feet, lower than the 150 feet used in most other districts.
Official text
Read the district's own article: Article VIII, §§ 115-52 to 115-59, 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.