Yakima County, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- SR / R-1 coverage cap
- 60% (SR drops to 45% on 3+ acre plats without open space)
- R-2 coverage cap
- 60%
- R-3 coverage cap
- 65%, bonus to 80%
- R-3 bonus condition
- dedicate 20%+ of lot to landscaping/open space
- AG / FW districts
- no numeric cap specified
- Governing sections
- YCC 19.12.010, 19.12.020
Summary
Unincorporated Yakima County caps building and impervious lot coverage by residential zone: 60% in the SR, R-1 and R-2 districts, 65% in R-3, with an R-3 bonus to 80% for projects that dedicate at least 20% of the lot to landscaping and open space. The county's AG and FW resource districts set no numeric cap.
Table 19.12.010-2. Setbacks, Lot Coverage and Building Height Subject Zone SR R-1 Maximum lot coverage Exception: Lot coverage shall be restricted to 45% where park or recreational open space land is not reserved on plats three acres or larger in size, under Subsection 19.34.060(7) 60% 60% or less as required by Section 19.21.030 for sitescreening/landscaping Table 19.12.020-2. Setbacks, Lot Coverage and Building Height Subject Zone R-2 R-3 Maximum lot coverage Lot coverage bonus: In the R-3 district, lot coverage up to 80% is allowed for development that dedicates at least 20% of the total lot area to landscaping, greenery and open space 60% 65% or less as required by Section 19.21.030 for sitescreening/landscaping
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4871853; v6 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Yakima County Code defines lot coverage, at Section 19.01.070, as the percentage of a lot covered by buildings, accessory structures or other impervious surfaces. The county's development-standards tables translate that definition into numeric caps by zone. Table 19.12.010-2, tied to Section 19.12.010 governing the Suburban Residential and Single-Family Residential districts (SR and R-1), sets maximum lot coverage at 60% in both zones, though the SR district's coverage drops to 45% on plats of three acres or larger where the applicant has not reserved park or recreational open space land under Section 19.34.060(7).
Table 19.12.020-2, tied to Section 19.12.020 governing the Two-Family and Multi-Family Residential districts (R-2 and R-3), sets the cap at 60% in R-2 and 65% in R-3, with an express lot-coverage bonus: an R-3 project may reach 80% coverage if it dedicates at least 20% of the total lot area to landscaping, greenery and open space. In every district the county layers a second ceiling on top of the numeric percentage: actual coverage may still be reduced further where required for sitescreening or landscaping under Section 19.21.030.
Outside the residential zones, the county's resource districts do not carry a fixed percentage; Table 19.11.010-2 for the Forest Watershed and Agriculture (FW, AG) districts marks maximum lot coverage 'not specified,' subject instead to whatever sitescreening is required under Section 19.21.030(2)(f) and (g). Zero lot line developments, permitted under Section 19.18.510, remain bound by these same district-by-district percentages: Section 19.18.510(6) states that total lot coverage on a zero lot line lot may not exceed the district requirements established in Chapters 19.11 through 19.13.
Violations & Fines
A structure or paved area that pushes a lot's coverage above the applicable 45%, 60%, 65% or 80% ceiling is a zoning violation enforceable by the Yakima County Building Official as part of permit review and post-construction code compliance under Title 19. Building permits are reviewed against the district's Table 19.12.010-2 or 19.12.020-2 limit before issuance, and an as-built survey showing excess coverage can trigger a stop-work order, a correction requirement to remove impervious area, or civil code enforcement penalties until the parcel is brought back within the district's coverage limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum lot coverage in Yakima County's R-1 zone?
Can I get a lot coverage bonus in Yakima County's R-3 zone?
Is there a lot coverage limit on agricultural land in Yakima County?
Does landscaping or sitescreening reduce how much I can build even under the coverage cap?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima County
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