Del Norte County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)

Del Norte County sets lot coverage and minimum-parcel standards by district in Title 20 (inland) and Title 21 (coastal). In the inland R-1 One Family Residence district, Section 20.16.70 limits lot coverage to 35 percent, where coverage is the portion of the lot area covered by buildings (Sec. 20.04.200 defines 'Coverage, Lot or Building'). Section 20.16.50 sets the minimum lot area in R-1 at 7,200 square feet where either a public or mutual water supply or a public sanitary sewer system is available, and 12,000 square feet where both are unavailable. Because coverage counts buildings, the dwelling and accessory buildings factor in; fences are regulated by height under Section 20.48.70 rather than counted as building coverage. Other zoning districts - rural residential, agriculture/forestry, commercial, and so on - have their own coverage percentages and minimum lot sizes in their Title 20 chapters, so the 35 percent and 7,200/12,000-square-foot figures are the R-1 standards, not universal numbers. Within the certified coastal zone, Title 21 and the Local Coastal Program govern, and coverage, lot area, and resource-protection limits there may differ and can require a Coastal Development Permit. Confirm the applicable district standard, water/sewer availability, and coastal status with the Planning Division.