Pole barns and barndominiums in Cambridge, Maryland.
Building in Cambridge.
Cambridge’s old core sits on a ridge that rises to about 20 feet above sea level, the City’s Comprehensive Plan says, and to the southeast the land drops into low ground cut by tidal streams. Settled in 1684, the town grew as a trading port on the Choptank and later as a canning center for oysters, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Today it is the Dorchester County seat on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and the drive from our Dover office runs about 63 miles, about 95 minutes.
That slope matters. Rain at high tide on a strong southerly wind floods parts of the city, so where your lot sits decides how much of the design goes into flood and shoreline rules. Inside city limits, permits come from the City, not the County, and we sort out which rules touch your lot before we draw anything.
- County
- Dorchester County, Maryland
- Population
- 13,096 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 21613
- From our office
- About 1 hr 35 min (63 miles) by car
- Permits
- City of Cambridge Building Safety Services and Planning & Zoning Division
- Main roads
- US 50, MD 16, MD 341 (Race Street), MD 343
Permits and rules in Cambridge.
Permits come from the City of Cambridge Building Safety Services and Planning & Zoning Division at 1025 Washington Street. Building Safety Services (410-228-8811) issues construction permits, including a separate shed permit, and does the inspections. Planning & Zoning (410-228-1955) handles zoning certificates, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Critical Area program and floodplain rules. No accessory building goes up until the house exists or its permanent foundation is in place.
Under the Unified Development Code as posted, an accessory building stays out of the required front yard and side street yard, generally sits at least 6 feet from side lines and 5 feet from the rear line, and covers no more than 35% of the rear yard. Outside the Industrial district it tops out at 18 feet, and past a 12-foot peak it moves 2 more feet off the rear line for each extra foot. Near tidal water, the City’s own Critical Area program adds a 100-foot buffer and a 15% lot coverage limit in Limited Development Areas.
Who issues the permit
City of Cambridge Building Safety Services and Planning & Zoning Division
- Address
- 1025 Washington Street, Cambridge, MD 21613
- Phone
- 410-228-8811 (Building Safety Services); 410-228-1955 (Planning & Zoning)
- Website
- Permit information(opens in a new tab)
Where this comes from
- choosecambridge.com (opens in a new tab)
- dorchestermd.gov (opens in a new tab)
- choosecambridge.com (opens in a new tab)
- choosecambridge.com (opens in a new tab)
- fema.gov (opens in a new tab)
- choosecambridge.com (opens in a new tab)
Permit details checked October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm the current requirements for your parcel before anything is drawn.
What people build around Cambridge.
Inside the city, a building has to fit a town lot, so a detached garage, a workshop or a storage building in the back yard, kept within the 18-foot limit, is the natural fit. On low ground near the creeks and the Choptank, a pole barn for a boat or an RV has to work with flood and Critical Area rules from the start. Past the city line, where Dorchester County Planning & Zoning takes over, a horse barn, an equipment building or a barndominium follows the County’s rules instead.
Cambridge questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
Does a garage in the Cambridge historic district need approval?
Yes. The Historic Preservation Commission must issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior work in the local historic district, including new construction and changes not visible from the street or water. The district covers much of downtown and runs northwest along the waterfront. The commission meets on the third Wednesday, and you apply online.
Can I build in the floodplain in Cambridge?
Check first. The City’s posted floodplain text says no permit is issued for new development in the regulatory floodplain, apart from substantial improvement of existing buildings within their footprint, and it sets the flood protection elevation at 2 feet above base flood elevation. We confirm current practice with Planning & Zoning before designing on low ground.
How far is Cambridge from your office?
About 63 miles, or about 95 minutes by car, from our office on North Dupont Highway in Dover. That puts Cambridge well within reach for site visits and the build itself.
Let’s plan your building in Cambridge.
Tell us what you’d like to build and where, and we’ll come back with drawings and a free quote.
- info@pbuincde.com
- Office
- 575 N Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE 19901 (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
- Hours
- Mon to Fri, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- We build in
- Cambridge and all of Dorchester County