Greensboro Site Plan Requirements | Permits & Zoning Guide

By Site Plan Creator Team •

Everything you need to know about creating a site plan for building permits in Greensboro, NC. Covers zoning requirements, setbacks, stormwater management, and submission procedures.

Greensboro Site Plan Requirements: Complete Guide for Building Permits

Creating a site plan for a building permit in Greensboro, North Carolina requires meeting specific requirements set by the Planning and Development Services Department. Greensboro's development is governed by the Greensboro Development Ordinance (GDO), with considerations for watershed protection, stream buffer requirements, Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) compatibility zones, and North Carolina's unique extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) planning authority.

Required Site Plan Elements

  • Property boundaries with dimensions and total lot area
  • Setbacks per GDO
  • Existing and proposed structures
  • Lot coverage and impervious surface calculations
  • Parking per GDO
  • Watershed protection overlay if applicable
  • Stream buffer and floodplain delineation
  • Stormwater management per city and state requirements
  • Tree conservation
  • North arrow, scale, vicinity map
  • Guilford County PIN

Greensboro Zoning and Setback Requirements

  • R-3 (Single-Family, 12,000 sq ft lot): Front 30 feet, side 8 feet, rear 30 feet. Lot coverage max 30%. Height max 40 feet.
  • R-5 (Single-Family, 7,200 sq ft lot): Front 25 feet, side 6 feet, rear 25 feet. Lot coverage max 36%. Height max 40 feet.
  • R-7 (Single-Family, 5,000 sq ft lot): Front 20 feet, side 5 feet, rear 20 feet. Lot coverage max 40%.
  • RM-8/RM-12 (Multi-Family): Front 25-30 feet, side 10-15 feet, rear 25-30 feet.
  • MX (Mixed-Use): Variable standards with build-to lines and enhanced design standards.
  • CD (Conditional District): Custom standards through conditional rezoning.

Watershed Protection

Greensboro has extensive watershed protection overlays:

  • Water Supply Watershed (WS): Overlays protecting Lake Brandt, Lake Higgins, Lake Townsend, and other drinking water supplies
  • WS-II Critical Area: Maximum 6% built-upon area for low-density development; no new landfills or waste facilities
  • WS-II Balance of Watershed: Maximum 12% built-upon area for low density; 30% for high density with engineered stormwater
  • WS-III and WS-IV: Less restrictive but still with impervious surface limits
  • Impervious surface calculations: Critical for watershed compliance — include driveways, patios, and all hard surfaces

Stream Buffer Requirements

  • NC riparian buffer rules: 50-foot buffers on each side of perennial and intermittent streams in certain watersheds
  • Greensboro enhanced buffers: City may require additional buffer width in sensitive areas
  • No disturbance: Limited activity allowed within riparian buffers
  • Buffer determination: Required before development near streams

PTI Airport Compatibility

  • Height restrictions: FAA Part 77 surfaces near Piedmont Triad International Airport
  • Noise contours: Residential restrictions in high-noise areas
  • Airport overlay district: Special standards in the GDO for properties near PTI

Tree Conservation

  • Tree conservation ordinance: Requires preservation of existing trees on development sites
  • Tree conservation plan: Required for projects disturbing 1+ acres
  • Specimen trees: Enhanced protection for significant specimens
  • Mitigation: Replanting or payment in lieu for trees removed

Stormwater Management

  • NC DEQ stormwater rules: Phase II NPDES MS4 permit requirements
  • City stormwater management: On-site detention and water quality treatment for regulated projects
  • Stormwater utility fee: Monthly fee based on impervious surface

How to Submit

Submit through Greensboro's online portal at greensboro-nc.gov/permits. Walk-in at 300 W. Washington Street.

Fees and Timeline

  • Fees: Per NC fee schedule; includes water/sewer fees, stormwater utility, transportation impact
  • Timeline: Residential 2-4 weeks. Commercial 4-8 weeks. Watershed and stream buffer reviews concurrent.

Creating Your Greensboro Site Plan with Site Plan Creator

Site Plan Creator makes it easy to generate a professional, permit-ready site plan for your Greensboro property. Simply enter your address, and the tool automatically loads your property boundaries, building footprints, and aerial imagery. You can then add setback lines, label structures, draw proposed construction, and export a scaled PDF ready for submission.

ADU and Housing Options

  • Accessory dwelling units: Greensboro's GDO allows ADUs in residential zones with specific standards for size, setback, and design compatibility
  • Tiny homes: Greensboro has been a leader in North Carolina for tiny home development, with specific regulations for permanent tiny home construction on foundation
  • Manufactured housing: Allowed in certain zones per GDO with specific standards for foundation, skirting, and orientation

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the typical residential setbacks?
R-5 zones (7,200 sq ft) have 25-foot front, 6-foot side, 25-foot rear with 36% coverage. R-7 (5,000 sq ft) has 20-foot front, 5-foot side, 40% coverage. R-3 (12,000 sq ft) has 30-foot front, 8-foot side with 30% coverage. Height max 40 feet. Check Guilford County GIS.
What watershed protection requirements apply?
Watershed overlays protect Lake Brandt, Higgins, and Townsend. WS-II Critical Area allows max 6% built-upon. WS-II Balance allows 12% low-density or 30% high-density with engineered stormwater. Calculate all impervious surfaces including driveways.
What stream buffer rules exist?
NC riparian buffer rules require 50-foot buffers on perennial and intermittent streams. Greensboro may require wider buffers in sensitive areas. Buffer determination required before development near streams. Limited disturbance in buffers.
What airport restrictions apply?
PTI Airport imposes FAA Part 77 height restrictions, noise contour residential limits, and airport overlay standards in the GDO.
What tree conservation is required?
Tree conservation ordinance protects existing trees. Conservation plans required for 1+ acre projects. Specimen trees have enhanced protection. Mitigation through replanting or payment for removed trees.
What stormwater management is needed?
NC DEQ Phase II NPDES rules apply. On-site detention and water quality treatment for regulated projects. Monthly stormwater utility fee based on impervious surface.
How do I submit?
Submit through greensboro-nc.gov/permits. Walk-in at 300 W. Washington Street. Residential 2-4 weeks.
How long does review take?
Residential 2-4 weeks. Commercial 4-8 weeks. Watershed and stream buffer reviews concurrent. Tree conservation review concurrent. NC has efficient permitting.

How to Create a Site Plan in Greensboro

  1. Look Up Property: Use Guilford County GIS to find zoning, watershed overlay, stream buffers, PTI overlay, flood zone, and lot dimensions. Note your PIN.
  2. Assess Environmental Overlays: Determine watershed protection tier (WS-II through IV), stream buffer requirements, flood zone, and impervious surface limits.
  3. Create Site Plan: Enter your Greensboro address in Site Plan Creator to load property data. Add setback lines per GDO.
  4. Include Required Elements: Include boundaries, setbacks, lot coverage, impervious surface calculation, watershed overlay, stream buffers, stormwater, tree conservation, and north arrow with scale.
  5. Prepare Documents: Prepare watershed compliance calculations. Stream buffer determination. Tree conservation plan for 1+ acre projects. Stormwater management plan.
  6. Submit: Upload through greensboro-nc.gov/permits. Pay fees including stormwater utility.
  7. Obtain Permit: Respond to comments. Navigate watershed and buffer reviews. Once approved, pay fees, receive permit, schedule inspections.