Sacramento · Zoning · RE
Sacramento RE zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In Sacramento's RE zone, generally buildings can be up to 35 ft tall and the front setback is 20 ft, with the conditions listed below (Sacramento code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 35 ft
- Minimum front setback: 20 ft (There is no other building with a front-yard setback on the same side of the street on the same block.)
- Minimum side setback: 5 ft
- Minimum rear setback: 15 ft
- Maximum density: 1 dwelling per lot
RE (Rural Estates Zone) is a zoning district in Sacramento. Every value below was read from the Sacramento 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 RE
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 | 35 ft § 17.204.120 · code textThe maximum height is 35 feet. |
|---|---|
| Minimum front setback | 20 ft Applies: There is no other building with a front-yard setback on the same side of the street on the same block. § 17.204.140 · code textIf there is no other building with a front-yard setback on the same side of the street on the same block, the minimum front-yard setback is 20 feet. |
| Minimum side setback | 5 ft § 17.204.140 · code textThe minimum interior side-yard setback is five feet. |
| Minimum rear setback | 15 ft § 17.204.140 · code textThe minimum rear-yard setback is 15 feet. |
| Maximum density | 1 dwelling per lot § 17.204.120 · code textThe maximum of 1 single-unit dwelling is allowed per lot. |
When a different number applies
The code sets other values for particular lots, buildings or locations in RE:
- Minimum front setback: the average of the 2 nearest front-yard setbacks — There are at least 2 other buildings with front-yard setbacks on the same side of the street on the same block. § 17.204.140
Not on this page
We did not find a general stories, lot size, lot coverage, FAR limit for RE in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Sacramento Municipal Code.
Other Sacramento zoning districts
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in Sacramento's RE zone?
35 ft — Sacramento Municipal Code § 17.204.120.
What is the minimum front setback in Sacramento's RE zone?
20 ft (there is no other building with a front-yard setback on the same side of the street on the same block) — Sacramento Municipal Code § 17.204.140.
What is the minimum side setback in Sacramento's RE zone?
5 ft — Sacramento Municipal Code § 17.204.140.
What is the minimum rear setback in Sacramento's RE zone?
15 ft — Sacramento Municipal Code § 17.204.140.
What is the maximum density in Sacramento's RE zone?
1 dwelling per lot — Sacramento Municipal Code § 17.204.120.
General information, not legal advice.
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