Pasco, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- R-1 to R-4 max coverage (SFDU-Detached)
- 60 percent
- R-15 max coverage
- 45 percent
- R-S-12 / R-S-1 max coverage
- 40 percent
- R-T max coverage
- 20 percent
- Accessory buildings
- Capped per home type
- Governing table
- PMC 25.22.060, Table 25.22.060(1)
Summary
Pasco caps residential lot coverage at 60 percent for detached single-family and multifamily buildings across the R-1 through R-4 zones under PMC 25.22.060 and Table 25.22.060(1). Older suburban and transition zones run lower: 40 percent in R-S-12 and R-S-1, 45 percent in R-15, and just 20 percent in the large-lot R-T Residential Transition District.
25.22.060 Height and lot coverage. For all permitted housing types in the applicable zones, building height and lot coverage shall be according to Table 25.22.060(1). | SFDU – | 35' | 60% | 35' | 60% | 40' | 60% | 40' | 60% | | Detached | | | | | | | | |
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).
Full Breakdown
060(1) and applies to all permitted housing types in the applicable zones. That table sets a 60 percent maximum lot coverage for single-family detached dwellings (SFDU-Detached) in all four zones, and the same 60 percent cap for multifamily detached and multifamily attached buildings. Single-family attached (SFDU-Attached) coverage is fixed at 60 percent only in R-1; in R-2, R-3, and R-4 it is instead dependent on Comprehensive Plan density, site design, and parking requirements rather than a flat percentage. Accessory buildings are capped "per home type," meaning they draw on the same coverage envelope as the principal structure on the lot.
050(3) respectively. A property owner needs to confirm which zoning designation actually applies to a parcel, since Pasco's zoning map still carries both the newer R-1 through R-4 Zone District Standards areas and these legacy suburban/transition districts, and the applicable coverage percentage differs by as much as 40 points depending on which one governs.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the lot coverage maximum is enforced as a building and zoning code violation: PMC 25.10.030 puts enforcement in the hands of the City Planner, who cannot issue a building permit for construction that does not conform in all respects with the provisions of Title 25. An over-coverage structure already built triggers a notice of civil violation under PMC 1.40.050, a hearing before the Code Enforcement Board, and a daily monetary penalty set by the schedule in Chapter 3.35 PMC, doubled for repeat violations under PMC 1.40.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum lot coverage for a house in Pasco?
Does a garage count toward lot coverage?
Can I get an exception for higher lot coverage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasco
Compare Pasco to another location·View the Washington building setbacks & zoning overview
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