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

Lot coverage, the share of a parcel that may be covered by buildings and structures, is set per land use designation in the Mono County General Plan Land Use Element rather than by a single county-wide figure. For common residential designations, the standard is comparatively generous: Rural Residential (RR), Estate Residential (ER), and Rural Mobile Home (RMH) each list a maximum lot coverage of 40%. More protective resource and open-space designations apply much lower limits; for example, the Resource Management (RM) designation specifies a maximum lot coverage of about 5%, along with a low maximum site-disturbance threshold, reflecting its conservation purpose. Because the allowed coverage swings widely between residential and resource designations, the controlling number for any given parcel is the one tied to its specific designation. Lot coverage works together with the county's yard setbacks and the 35-foot building height limit to shape what can be built. Owners should confirm their parcel's designation and its exact coverage limit with the Mono County Community Development Department before designing an addition or new structure. These standards apply to unincorporated land; the Town of Mammoth Lakes sets its own coverage rules within town limits.