§ 30.32

It is the intent of this article to establish regulations which apply to yard areas on parcels in the City of Gilroy. (Ord. No. 2013-08, § 2 (Exh. A), 8-5-13)

Every building hereafter constructed upon a building site shall be located on the site so as to provide for the yards specified in the regulations for the district in which the site is located.

(a) Every front or rear yard shall extend along a lot line the full width of the lot and every side yard shall extend along a lot line from the front yard or the front lot line to the rear yard. A required yard shall be open and unobstructed from the ground upwards, except as otherwise provided herein. The required minimum depth or width of any yard shall be measured generally at right angles to the lot line and from the nearest point of the building. Where the side lot lines converge to a point, a line five (5) feet long within the lot parallel to and at a maximum distance from the front lot line shall be deemed to be the rear lot line for the purpose of determining the depth of the rear yard.

(b) Where the building wall is not parallel to a side or rear lot line, the building’s average setback shall be used to determine compliance with minimum building setback requirements. The building shall have a minimum three (3) foot side yard setback at any point and a minimum ten (10) foot rear yard setback at any point.

(c) The required front yard setback or side yard setback on the street side of a corner lot shall be measured from the face of curb of the adjacent public right-of-way.

(d) Paving in the front yard shall be limited to a maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the front yard area. Greater than fifty percent (50%) may be allowed in circumstances where the driveway is the same width as that of the garage frontage. The planning manager may grant minor exceptions when in substantial conformance with the intent of this section. (Ord. No. 2013-08, § 2 (Exh. A), 8-5-13)

The following exceptions shall apply to all required yards:

(a) In any residential district where twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the lots in any block have been improved with at least six (6) buildings at the time of the passage of the ordinance codified in this chapter, and the front yard setbacks on these lots vary to an extent not greater than six (6) feet, then the required front yard setback for these districts shall be not less than the average front yard setback of the existing buildings. In no case shall the required setback be greater than the setback required by section 30.11.20(c). In addition, in no case shall any building be erected closer to any street than permitted by any official plan line or by any future width line designated by the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Dwellings that have a rear yard abutting an alley shall be permitted to use one-half (1/2) the width of the alley in their rear yard setback measurement; provided, that the dwelling has a minimum ten (10) foot setback to the rear yard property line. (Ord. No. 2013-08, § 2 (Exh. A), 8-5-13)

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The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2026-01, passed January 5, 2026.

Disclaimer: The City Clerk's Office has the official version of the Gilroy City Code. Users should contact the City Clerk's Office for ordinances passed subsequent to the di it d b