Building Setbacks & Zoning in West Jordan, UT

If you live in West Jordan 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. West Jordan has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of building setbacks & zoning, and some of them might surprise you.

Lot Coverage Limits

West Jordan caps maximum building coverage by zoning district under City Code section 13-5B-3(A). Standard R-1 lots run 35% to 45% depending on minimum lot size, R-2 duplex/twin-home lots cap at 40%, and R-3 small-lot single-family caps at 50%. The limit applies to any building or structure extending above ground level.

Key details: R-1-5 zone cap: 45% maximum building coverage. R-1-6/8/9/10 zones cap: 40% maximum building coverage. R-1-12/14 zones cap: 35% maximum building coverage. R-3 zone cap: 50% maximum building coverage. R-R/R-E 20/30/40 zones cap: 35% maximum building coverage.

A building or site plan that exceeds the zone's maximum coverage percentage does not qualify for a building permit; Community Development can deny the permit application or require the plans be revised to reduce footprint until the project meets the 13-5B-3(A) table for its zone. For work built without a compliant permit, the city's general code enforcement process applies: a notice of violation and correction period, followed by the option to pursue the matter through the Justice Court if the property owner does not bring the structure into compliance or obtain approval for a variance.

Structure Height Limits

West Jordan's standard residential zones, R-1-5 through R-1-14, R-2, R-3, and the rural R-R/R-E zones, cap building height at thirty five feet (35') under City Code § 13-5B-3's Lot and Bulk Standards table. The R-M zone is the exception: single-family and multi-family buildings there top out at thirty feet (30').

Key details: Standard height cap: 35 feet in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-R, R-E zones. R-M zone cap: 30 feet for single- and multi-family. Governing section: City Code § 13-5B-3(A). PC/PRD exception: 35' single-family, 45' multi-family per § 13-5C-5(D). Last amended: Ordinance 23-26, September 13, 2023.

Exceeding the 35 foot (30 foot in R-M) height cap without an approved variance is a Code violation. Under § 1-14B-1, a violation without an express penalty is punished as a Class B misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $5,000 for corporate violators; the Zoning Administrator can also require the offending structure be brought into compliance.

Setback Rules

West Jordan's R-1 subzones set minimum yards by lot size rather than a single citywide number. Section 13-5B-3 requires a 25-foot front yard (22 feet on cul-de-sacs) on the smallest R-1-5 lots, climbing to 30 feet in R-1-8 through R-1-14, with an 8-foot standard interior side yard and rear yards of 20 to 25 feet depending on the subzone.

Key details: R-1-5 front yard: 25 ft (22 ft on cul-de-sacs). R-1-8 to R-1-14 front yard: 30 ft (22 ft on cul-de-sacs). Standard interior side yard: 8 feet. Max building height, R-1 zones: 35 feet. Min street frontage: 50 feet.

Building within a required yard or exceeding the maximum coverage percentage is a zoning violation the development services department enforces under sections 13-4-1 and 13-4-4, including stop-work orders and permit revocation. Section 13-4-11 makes the violation a Class C misdemeanor, with each day the structure remains out of compliance treated as a separate offense enforceable administratively under title 16 or criminally in court.

The Bottom Line

West Jordan'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 West Jordan is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from West Jordan's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.