Zoning & entitlements
Setback
The minimum required distance between structures and lot lines — the front, side, and rear yards fixed by each zoning district's standards.
Definition
Setbacks are the required yards between a building and the property lines, set district-by-district in the zoning ordinance. Together with height and lot-coverage limits they define the buildable envelope.
State law overrides them in spots: a qualifying density-bonus project can shrink setbacks by concession, or waive them entirely where they physically preclude the bonus units, under § 65915 — and the ADU statute caps side and rear setbacks at four feet for most ADUs.
Why it matters in an underwrite
On narrow infill lots the setback math is the site plan: two 5-foot side yards on a 50-foot-wide parcel consume 20% of the buildable width before design starts. A setback concession is one of the cheapest, best-supported asks in a density-bonus application — it converts required yard directly into unit area at no cost to the city. Model the envelope with and without relief before setting unit count.
Sources & related guides
See also
See the term in the law itself
Read the controlling text in the Code Library, or ask the AI how it applies to your project.
Last reviewed 2026-07-29. General information, not legal advice.