Sierra Madre · Zoning · R-3-20
Sierra Madre R-3-20 zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In Sierra Madre's R-3-20 zone, generally buildings can be up to 30 ft tall and the minimum lot size is 11,000 sq ft, with the conditions listed below (Sierra Madre code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 30 ft (for any project containing a third story)
- Minimum lot size: 11,000 sq ft (New development)
- Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 100% (developments containing more than eleven dwelling units)
- Maximum density: 20 to 24 units per acre (the code sets a range: at least 20, at most 24)
R-3-20 (High Density Residential Zone) is a zoning district in Sierra Madre. Every value below was read from the Sierra Madre 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 R-3-20
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 | 30 ft Applies: for any project containing a third story § 17.29.030 · code textFor any project containing a third story, the height limit shall be measured in compliance with the calculation method described in Section 17.20.040 for the R-1 zone, except that the maximum height shall be thirty feet instead of twenty-five feet. |
|---|---|
| Minimum lot size | 11,000 sq ft Applies: New development § 17.29.030 · code textThe minimum lot size for new development shall be eleven thousand square feet. |
| Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) | 100% Applies: developments containing more than eleven dwelling units § 17.29.030 · code textThe floor area ratio of developments containing more than eleven dwelling units shall be limited to one hundred percent of the gross lot area, except that pursuant to Government Code 65913.11, the floor area of developments containing eight to ten units shall be limited to one hundred twenty-five percent of the gross lot area. |
| Maximum density | 20 to 24 units per acre Applies: the code sets a range: at least 20, at most 24 § 17.29.030 · code texta. R-3-20: Minimum twenty dwelling units/acre, up to twenty-four dwelling units/acre. |
When a different number applies
The code sets other values for particular lots, buildings or locations in R-3-20:
- Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 125% — developments containing eight to ten units; pursuant to Government Code 65913.11 § 17.29.030
Not on this page
We did not find a general stories, front setback, side setback, rear setback, lot coverage limit for R-3-20 in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Sierra Madre Municipal Code.
Other Sierra Madre zoning districts
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in Sierra Madre's R-3-20 zone?
30 ft (for any project containing a third story) — Sierra Madre Municipal Code § 17.29.030.
What is the minimum lot size in Sierra Madre's R-3-20 zone?
11,000 sq ft (new development) — Sierra Madre Municipal Code § 17.29.030.
What is the maximum floor area ratio (far) in Sierra Madre's R-3-20 zone?
100% (developments containing more than eleven dwelling units) — Sierra Madre Municipal Code § 17.29.030.
What is the maximum density in Sierra Madre's R-3-20 zone?
20 to 24 units per acre (the code sets a range: at least 20, at most 24) — Sierra Madre Municipal Code § 17.29.030.
General information, not legal advice.
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