Building Setbacks & Zoning in Inglewood, CA

If you live in Inglewood or are thinking about moving there, building setbacks & zoning are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Inglewood has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of building setbacks & zoning, and some of them might surprise you.

Setback Rules

Inglewood's R-1 One-Family Zone requires a front yard equal to 25% of lot depth, capped at 25 feet, a side yard of at least 10% of lot width (never less than 3 feet, never more than 5 feet required), and a rear yard equal to 25% of lot depth, capped at 25 feet, with no main building closer than 5 feet to the rear line.

Key details: Front yard: 25% of lot depth, max 25 feet required. Side yard: 10% of lot width, 3-5 feet range. Rear yard: 25% of lot depth, max 25 feet. Minimum rear setback: 5 feet from rear property line always. Reversed corner lot floor: 28 feet buildable width for pre-1946 lots.

Building closer to the front, side or rear line than Sections 12-18.2 through 12-18.4 allow, without a variance or zone adjustment, is a code violation the Planning and Building Department can cite during plan check or after a field inspection. Encroachments discovered after construction can require a variance application, retroactive approval, or physical removal of the offending portion of the structure.

Structure Height Limits

Inglewood's R-1 One-Family Zone caps building height at two and one-half stories and thirty-five feet under Section 12-18.1, the baseline height limit for the city's standard single-family lots. The limit applies unless another part of Chapter 12 provides otherwise, such as the R-1Z zero-lot-line zone's separate height section.

Key details: Height cap: 2.5 stories and 35 feet. Zone: R-1 One-Family Zone (city's main residential zone). R-1Z comparison: Same 2.5-story/35-foot cap under Sec. 12-18.12. R-1½ comparison: Lower cap: 1 story, 20 feet. Enforcing department: Planning and Building Department.

A structure that exceeds two and one-half stories or thirty-five feet in the R-1 zone without an approved variance is built in violation of Section 12-18.1 and can be red-tagged during plan check or, if already built, cited by the Planning and Building Department for correction, which can mean cutting down the offending portion or seeking after-the-fact variance approval.

Lot Coverage Limits

In Inglewood's R-M Residential and Medical Zone, Section 12-22.26 caps total lot coverage by main and accessory buildings at sixty percent when the tallest building on site is six stories or fewer. Each additional story beyond six shaves four more percentage points off the allowed coverage, tightening the limit as buildings get taller, except for R-3-conforming residential buildings.

Key details: Base coverage cap: 60% of lot, buildings up to 6 stories. Coverage reduction: -4% per story above 6 stories. R-3 exception: R-3-conforming residential buildings use R-3 rules. Zone height ceiling: 75 feet / 6 stories under Sec. 12-22.21. Enforcing department: Planning and Building Department at plan check.

Covering more of an R-M zone lot with building footprint than Section 12-22.26 allows, sixty percent up to six stories, with four points shaved off for every story above that, without a variance is a zoning violation the Planning and Building Department can catch at plan check or, if already built, cite for correction or require partial removal of the excess coverage.

The Bottom Line

Inglewood's building setbacks & zoning rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Inglewood is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Inglewood's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.