Division 3 — SETBACK REGULATIONS
El Centro Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · El Centro
Sec. 29-113. - Yards, general conditions. ¶
(a)
Yards shall be measured perpendicular to the property line or from a future street or highway line as shown in the general plan.
(b)
Yards shall apply to both main and accessory structures.
(c)
No required yard or other open space around an existing building or any building hereafter erected shall be considered as providing a yard or other open space for any other building on an adjoining lot or building site.
(d)
Garage doors shall not, when open or being opened, project beyond any lot line.
(Ord. No. 24-03, § 2, 9-17-24)
Sec. 29-114. - Exceptions to setback regulations. ¶
(a)
Partially built-up blocks. Where lots comprising fifty-one (51) percent or more of the block frontage are developed with a front yard less than that prescribed herein, the average of such existing front yards shall establish the front yard for the remaining lots in the block frontage provided that a front yard determined in this manner shall be not less than fifteen (15) feet on local streets and twenty (20) feet on major highways and select city streets. Existing front yards greater than twenty-five (25) feet shall be considered as twentyfive (25) feet when computing said average.
(b)
Neighborhood unit plans. Where the entire block frontage is designed and developed as a unit, the front yard requirements may be varied by not more than five (5) feet in either direction provided that the average front yard for the entire block frontage is not less than that required in the zone.
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(c)
Sidewalk arcades. In view of the climatic conditions, the community development director will require the construction of an arcade over all or part of the sidewalks on Main Street, State Street and Broadway Avenue between 8th Street and 4th Street in connection with any new building or major alteration of an existing building. The community development director may specify the general character and architectural appearance of such arcades as recommended in the Urban Design Study: Downtown El Centro (1978).
(d)
Where alleys are provided—residential or mixed-use zones. The following applies where a dedicated public alley granting access to the rear yard in a residential or mixed-use zone is provided:
(1)
The side yard setback shall be five (5) feet on both sides except where a side yard setback is adjacent to a public street or where a greater setback is required by a conditional use permit or site plan;
(2)
One-half (½) the width of said alley may be considered as applying to not more than one-half (½) of the required rear yard setback of twenty-five (25) feet for a two (2) story building.
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(e)
Existing lots abutting a freeway. Any lot in an R1 (single-family residential) zone that contains an existing single-family residence on the effective date of this chapter shall have a rear yard requirement of twentyfive (25) feet when abutting a freeway.
(f)
Exception by variance or conditional use permit. When a conditional use permit or variance for a use or structure is otherwise required by this chapter, the permit may authorize an exception to the setback regulations of the zone and establish greater or lesser setback and spacing requirements subject to the permit.
(g)
Street facades in mixed-use zones. Certain frontage design elements specified in section 29-91(d)(1) may encroach no more than ten (10) feet into the required front setback for a maximum of fifty (50) percent of the building front facade length.
(Ord. No. 24-03, § 2, 9-17-24)
Sec. 29-115. - Additional setback required. ¶
(a)
Future street line. Where the public works director has determined a future right-of-way line for an arterial or collector street designated in the general plan circulation element, or for the necessary widening of a local street, the required yard setback for lots abutting such streets shall be measured from the future rightof way line.
(b)
Vision clearance of corner lots. All corner lots shall maintain, for safety vision purposes, a triangular area, one (1) angle and two (2) sides of which shall be formed by the intersection of the front and side lot lines, excepting corner lots located within the CD zone. The third side of said triangle shall be a straight line connecting two (2) points on the property lines which are distant twenty (20) feet from the intersection of the front and side lot lines. Within the area comprising said triangle, no portion of the building or any sign, tree, fence, shrub, or other feature higher than three (3) feet above the estimated curb grade, which obstructs vision, shall be permitted (see illustration in section 29-143(11)a.)
(c)
Through lots to have two (2) front yards. A through lot shall maintain a front yard adjacent to each street upon which it fronts and to which it has access rights.
(d)
Setback line on recorded map. Where a recorded map has a specific building setback line delineated which is greater than the requirements set forth in the zone, the delineated setback line shall apply.
(e)
Required distance between detached accessory buildings and main buildings. Except as otherwise permitted in section 29-168, no detached accessory building wall shall be closer than six (6) feet to any main building wall or other accessory building wall on the same lot or building site. No detached accessory building eaves shall be closer than five (5) feet to any main building eaves or other accessory building eaves on the same lot or building site. Swimming pools which do not extend more than three (3) feet above the level of the ground adjacent thereto are exempt from this provision.
(f)
4th Street South of Orange Avenue. A setback of twenty-five (25) feet is required on both sides of the segment of 4th Street south of Orange Avenue for all nonresidential development.
(Ord. No. 24-03, § 2, 9-17-24)
Sec. 29-116. - Exceptions to the required openness of required yards. ¶
Every part of each required yard shall be open and unobstructed from finished grade to the sky except for buildings, structures, and projections allowed in said yard by the following table. Any building, structure or projection not specifically allowed in a required yard by table 29-116.1 is prohibited.
Table 29-116.1 Permitted Buildings, Structures, and Projections in Required Yards
| Buildings, Structure or Projection |
Front Yard | Interior Side Yard |
Exterior Side Yard |
Rear Yard of Interior Lot |
Rear Yard of Corner Lot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Accessory buildings |
Not permitted | Permitted in residential zones but not in front 50 feet of the lot. |
Permitted if a minimum front yard setback of 50 feet is maintained. |
Permitted in residential zones but may not cover more than 50% of the required yard |
Permitted in residential zones but shall not cover more than 50% of the required yard or be within a minimum 50 feet of the front lot line |
| (b) Outdoor swimming pools |
Not permitted | Permitted in residential zones but not in the front 50 feet of the lot and must maintain a minimum 3-foot property line setback. |
Not permitted | Permitted in residential zones, but must maintain a minimum 3- foot property line setback. |
Permitted in residential zones, but must maintain a minimum 3- foot property line setback. |
| (c) Private garages |
Not permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | Permitted in residential zones but may not cover more than 50% of the required yard |
Permitted in residential zones but may not cover more than 50% of the required yard |
| (d) Carports | Not permitted except per section 29- 55(g)(4) |
Permitted if a 3-foot property line setback and corner cutback are maintained, and in residential zones per the requirements of section 29-55(g)(4)(ii). |
Permitted in residential zones per the requirements of section 29- 55(g)(4)(ii) but |
Permitted in residential zones per the requirements of section 29- 55(g)(4)(ii) but |
|
| Buildings, Structure or Projection |
Front Yard | Interior Side Yard |
Exterior Side Yard |
Rear Yard of Interior Lot |
Rear Yard of Corner Lot |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| may not cover more than 50% of the required yard. |
may not cover more than 50% of the required yard. |
||||
| (e) Living units including accessory dwellings |
Not permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | Permitted in residential zones |
Permitted in residential zones but may not cover more than 50% of the required yard. |
| (f) Fences | Permitted in all zones if in conformance with fencing commencing atsection 29-142. |
and landscaping regulations | |||
| (g) Roofed, open-sided patios with a foor surface not more than 30 inches above grade and are attached to the main building. |
Permitted in all zones but may not extend more than 5 feet into required front yard. |
Permitted in all zones if a minimum 5-foot property line setback is maintained. |
Permitted in all zones but may not cover more than 50% of the required yard in combination with all detached accessory buildings and must maintain a 5-foot setback from the rear lot line. The sides of such patios may be enclosed with solid walls not more than 30 inches in height above the patio foor, or by insect screening or plastic windows or a combination thereof. |
||
| (h) Sidewalk arcades and similar architectural features of buildings containing principal commercial use types |
Permitted if conforming to section 29- 114(c). |
Not permitted | Permitted if conforming to section 29- 114(c). |
Not permitted | Not permitted |
| (i) Uncovered unenclosed porches, platforms, or |
Permitted in all zones but may not extend more than 5 feet into required front or side yards. |
Permitted in all zones but may not cover more than 50% of the required yard in combination with all detached accessory buildings. |
|||
| Buildings, Structure or Projection |
Front Yard | Interior Side Yard |
Exterior Side Yard |
Rear Yard of Interior Lot |
Rear Yard of Corner Lot |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| landing places not extending above level of frst foor of building |
|||||
| (j) Cornices, eaves, belt courses, water tables, sills, buttresses, capital, bases, freplaces |
Permitted in all zones but may not extend more than and may not extend more than 2 feet into a required |
4 feet into a required front yard; side or rear yard. |
|||
| (k) Fire escapes | Not permitted | Permitted in all zones but may not into the required yard. |
extend or project more than 3 feet | ||
| (l) Open, unenclosed stairways or balconies, not covered by a roof or canopy |
Permitted if not more than 4 feet into the required front yard. |
Not permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted |
(Ord. No. 24-03, § 2, 9-17-24)