Spokane Valley, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)

SVMC § 19.70.020 sets the density and dimensional standards for every residential zone in Table 19.70-1, and lot coverage is one of the table's 'Maximum' standards alongside density and building height. The percentages step up as zones get denser: R-1 (Single-Family Residential Estate) tops out at 30.0 percent coverage, R-2 (Single-Family Residential Suburban) and R-3 (Single-Family Residential) both allow 50.0 percent, and R-4 (Single-Family Residential Urban) and MFR (Multifamily Residential) allow 60.0 percent. Lot coverage is calculated on the combined footprint of every structure on the parcel, so a house, attached garage, and any accessory building all count against the same percentage.

The table pairs coverage with a minimum lot size for each zone, from 40,000 square feet in R-1 down to 4,300 square feet in R-4, and a footnote to the table excludes single-family development in the MFR zone from the open space requirement while still holding it to the MFR coverage cap. Because coverage, setbacks, and lot size in Table 19.70-1 interlock, a building permit application that exceeds the applicable coverage percentage for its zone is rejected at plan review under SVMC § 24.40.010 before construction can start, regardless of whether the setbacks are otherwise met.