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

Unlike many jurisdictions, the Calaveras County Zoning Code (Title 17, adopted July 16, 2024) does not impose a general percentage 'maximum lot coverage' standard in its Residential Zones (Table 17.05.030) or Resource Zones (Table 17.04.030). Instead, building intensity on a parcel is shaped by other standards: minimum parcel size (set by the General Plan or a parcel-specific hyphenated number in the zoning designation), maximum density (for example, one dwelling unit per legal lot in RR and the resource zones), the required setbacks in Sections 17.04.030, 17.05.030, and 17.16.080, and building-height limits. For Commercial and Industrial zones, the Code uses a Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) rather than a coverage percentage; the commercial table lists FAR values of 2.0 and 1.0 for the non-residential portion of development, calculated under Section 17.02.030.G. The only explicit site-coverage cap located in the Code is a special rule for mobile home parks, where Section 9543-area standards provide that 'The mobile home and accessory structures shall not cover more than 75 percent of the mobile home site.' Steep-slope parcels (50 percent or more) are subject to additional requirements under Section 17.16.050. Because the county relies on parcel size, density, setbacks, and FAR rather than a flat lot-coverage percentage, owners planning large or multiple structures should confirm the controlling standards for their zone with the Calaveras County Planning Department.