Los Altos · Zoning · R3-1.8
Los Altos R3-1.8 zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In Los Altos's R3-1.8 zone, buildings can be up to 36 ft (3 stories) tall and the front setback is 20 ft (Los Altos code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 36 ft
- Maximum number of stories: 3 stories
- Minimum front setback: 20 ft
- Minimum rear setback: 25 ft
- Maximum lot coverage: 65%
R3-1.8 (R3-1.8 MULTIPLE-FAMILY DISTRICT) is a zoning district in Los Altos. Every value below was read from the Los Altos Municipal Code and links to its section (read October 2026). State laws such as the ADU and SB 9 rules can allow more on a residential lot. General information, not legal advice — read the code text and check with the city before you build.
Development standards in R3-1.8
The general rule for a typical lot in this zone. Zoning tables often attach notes, such as rules for corner lots, lots next to a residential zone, or new subdivisions only. Open “code text” under a value to see the table cell or sentence it was read from.
| Maximum building height | 36 ft § 14.22.090 · code textNo structure shall exceed three stories or thirty-six (36) feet in height as measured from the existing natural grade immediately adjacent to the proposed structure. |
|---|---|
| Maximum number of stories | 3 stories § 14.22.090 · code textNo structure shall exceed three stories or thirty-six (36) feet in height as measured from the existing natural grade immediately adjacent to the proposed structure. |
| Minimum front setback | 20 ft § 14.22.050 · code textThe minimum depth of front yards shall be twenty (20) feet. |
| Minimum rear setback | 25 ft § 14.22.070 · code textThe minimum depth of rear yards shall be twenty-five (25) feet. |
| Maximum lot coverage | 65% § 14.22.040 · code textThe maximum coverage for all structures shall be sixty-five (65) percent of the total gross site. |
Not on this page
We did not find a general side setback, lot size, FAR, density limit for R3-1.8 in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Los Altos Municipal Code.
Other Los Altos zoning districts
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in Los Altos's R3-1.8 zone?
36 ft — Los Altos Municipal Code § 14.22.090.
What is the maximum number of stories in Los Altos's R3-1.8 zone?
3 stories — Los Altos Municipal Code § 14.22.090.
What is the minimum front setback in Los Altos's R3-1.8 zone?
20 ft — Los Altos Municipal Code § 14.22.050.
What is the minimum rear setback in Los Altos's R3-1.8 zone?
25 ft — Los Altos Municipal Code § 14.22.070.
What is the maximum lot coverage in Los Altos's R3-1.8 zone?
65% — Los Altos Municipal Code § 14.22.040.
General information, not legal advice.
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