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

Lot or building coverage in unincorporated Tehama County is set by zoning district. In the R-1 One-Family Residence District, Section 17.16.060(B) provides a 'maximum main building coverage, forty percent of lot area,' so the principal dwelling's footprint may not exceed 40% of the parcel. Accessory structures are limited separately: under Section 17.08.020, 'a detached garage or accessory building not exceeding one story in height and without living quarters may occupy not more than fifty percent of the area of a required rear yard,' and such an accessory building must be at least eight feet clear of the main building. The same section creates a coverage exception for designated lots in the River Lakes Ranch Subdivision (Lake California): 'notwithstanding the maximum building coverage requirements of Sections 17.16.060(B) and 17.18.070(B), a maximum building coverage of fifty percent of the lot area shall be allowed' on the specific enumerated lots in Tracts 1001, 1013, 1004, and 1006. Coverage limits work together with the yard setbacks and height limits to control building bulk; meeting the required front, side, and rear yards often constrains the buildable footprint before the percentage cap is reached. Because coverage percentages differ among districts and the rural AG districts emphasize large minimum lot sizes (for example, 160 gross acres in AG-1 under Section 17.10.050) rather than tight coverage caps, confirm the applicable figure for your parcel's zone with the Planning Department.