Fairfield, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Lot coverage cap, RLM
- 50% (Table 25-5)
- Lot coverage cap, RM/RH
- 60% (Table 25-5)
- RVL/RL bulk control
- 0.5 max Floor Area Ratio
- Private open space, RLM
- 450 sq ft per unit
- Common open space
- 3% of net project area
Summary
Fairfield's small-lot single-family standards cap lot coverage at 50% in the RLM zone and 60% in the RM and RH zones under Table 25-5. The standard RVL/RL district tables instead control building bulk through a 0.5 maximum Floor Area Ratio rather than a coverage percentage.
Lot Coverage (maximum) 50% in RLM, 60% in RM and RH
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4962673; v0 updated 2026-02-17).
Full Breakdown
2 governs small-lot single-family development in the RLM, RM, and RH zoning districts through Table 25-5, and its Lot Coverage (maximum) line sets the limit at 50 percent of the lot in RLM and 60 percent in RM and RH. That table pairs the coverage cap with reduced setbacks: a home whose front faces a monolithic sidewalk needs only a 10-foot front setback (5 feet if the sidewalk is separated or the home faces a private courtyard), and interior side and rear yards can go to zero or four feet, or as needed to provide the required private open space.
5, calculated per footnote 14 by dividing the total square footage of all floors, including an attached garage, by the total lot area. Open space requirements layer on top of the coverage cap in the small-lot table: RLM projects must provide 450 square feet of private open space per unit (280 square feet in RM/RH) plus three percent of net project area in common open space, with at least half of that common area developed for active recreation. The Community Development Department checks coverage and FAR figures at building permit plan check against the applicable table for the parcel's zoning district.
Violations & Fines
A building permit application that exceeds the 50%/60% lot-coverage cap in Table 25-5, or the 0.5 Floor Area Ratio in Table 25-2, is rejected at plan check by the Community Development Department until the design is revised. Construction completed over the limit without correction is subject to the City's administrative citation process under Chapter 1, Article I.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum lot coverage allowed in Fairfield?
How is Floor Area Ratio calculated in the RVL and RL zones?
Does the coverage cap include private open space?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fairfield
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Lot Coverage Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle lot coverage limits.