Mendocino County · Zoning · MC
Mendocino County MC zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In Mendocino County's MC zone, buildings can be up to 28 ft tall and the minimum lot size is 12,000 sq ft (Mendocino County code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 28 ft
- Minimum lot size: 12,000 sq ft
- Maximum lot coverage: 25%
- Maximum density: 1 unit for the first 6,000 sq ft of lot area (each of the second through fifth units needs another 3,000 sq ft; each unit after the fifth needs another 6,000 sq ft)
MC (Mendocino Commercial) is a zoning district in Mendocino County. Every value below was read from the Mendocino County 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 MC
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 | 28 ft § 20.664.050 · code textStructures shall be limited to a maximum height of twenty-eight (28) feet above natural grade. |
|---|---|
| Minimum lot size | 12,000 sq ft § 20.664.025 · code textTwelve thousand (12,000) square feet. |
| Maximum lot coverage | 25% § 20.664.060 · code textTwenty-five (25) percent. |
| Maximum density | 1 unit for the first 6,000 sq ft of lot area Applies: each of the second through fifth units needs another 3,000 sq ft; each unit after the fifth needs another 6,000 sq ft § 20.664.030 · code textOne (1) additional dwelling unit for each additional six thousand (6,000) square feet of lot area. |
Not on this page
We did not find a general stories, front setback, side setback, rear setback, FAR limit for MC in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Mendocino County Municipal Code.
Other Mendocino County zoning districts
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in Mendocino County's MC zone?
28 ft — Mendocino County Municipal Code § 20.664.050.
What is the minimum lot size in Mendocino County's MC zone?
12,000 sq ft — Mendocino County Municipal Code § 20.664.025.
What is the maximum lot coverage in Mendocino County's MC zone?
25% — Mendocino County Municipal Code § 20.664.060.
What is the maximum density in Mendocino County's MC zone?
1 unit for the first 6,000 sq ft of lot area (each of the second through fifth units needs another 3,000 sq ft; each unit after the fifth needs another 6,000 sq ft) — Mendocino County Municipal Code § 20.664.030.
General information, not legal advice.
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