setback question for building a deck

Moving forward on my deck replacement. Current deck is 14′ x 14′ and would like to bump it out to 16′ The existing footings were not poured to code and I want nothing to do with them, so we have to get past them. Plus I’ve always wanted a little bit bigger of a deck, anyway.

I’ve been looking at my town setback reference sheet and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me… setback for backyards says 30′. I assume that’s structures; but my current deck and MOST decks in our neighborhood are closer than 30′ from the lot line. Is the setback measured to the footing or the structure itself? I could actually come closer by a foot with my footings and cantilever but Id like a small garden shed under the deck eventually and the beam might get in the way of that.

I’m planning on calling the city inspector tomorrow, but curious for those of you that work construction, do you ever have to deal with this and what do you normally see?

You are just buying the old footing and drilling a new tube past them ?

ThunderLund78 wrote:

I’m planning on calling the city inspector tomorrow

Best advice so far. ^^^

Where I live the minimum distance to a home (or any part of) is 7 feet from the lot line.

yes, leaving the current footings in the ground… Desired plan is to go two feet past current footings – The new footings will be the Helical style, not poured. so should have plenty of clearance past the old ones.

According to city setback sheet, 7″ is setback for “side yard” but this is the backyard.

Set back usually is measured from the closest part of bldg. Like the overhang would be closest to property line.

Different regs even within the same cities, small lots may have tighter requirements than large. The ONLY way is to check with your city.

City office said 20′, which isn’t on any of the documentation that I could find online. But the good news is that I should be OK with an extra two feet. It’s close, but I should be outside of that.

If you have to pull the old ones I got a great tip on how to do it

Eelpoutguy wrote:

If you have to pull the old ones I got a great tip on how to do it

Dig around it, choke them with a strap, rock back and forth and pull. Or anchor in the top with hilti anchor and do the same thing.

What trick do you have

ThunderLund78 wrote:

City office said 20′,

Get it in writing and also noted on your building permit paperwork.