Alhambra, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- RL front setback
- 25 feet
- Street side setback (all zones)
- 10 feet
- Interior side setback
- 5 ft first story, 6 ft above
- RL rear setback
- 20% of lot depth, max 15 ft
- RM/RH rear setback
- 10 feet
- Curtis/Electric Lanes rear setback
- 15 feet
Summary
Alhambra's Table 23.04.030 sets a 25-foot minimum front setback in the Low Density (RL) zone and a 10-foot street side setback in every residential district. Interior side setbacks run 5 feet at the first story and 6 feet above, while rear setbacks range from 20% of lot depth, capped at 15 feet, in RL down to a flat 10 feet in Medium and High Density zones, with special 15-foot rules for lots on Curtis or Electric Lanes.
Minimum front setback (feet): 25(A) [RL]. Minimum street side setback (feet): 10 10 10. Minimum interior setback (feet): First story: 5 Second story: 6 [RL]; First story: 5 Upper stories: 6 [RM]; First story: 5 Upper stories: 6 [RH]. Minimum rear setback: 20% of lot depth, up to 15 feet [RL]; 10 [RM]; Properties which have rear yards on Curtis or Electric Lanes: 15, otherwise 10 [RH].
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 4851, passed 10-27-25).
Full Breakdown
The Zoning Code measures every yard setback from the property line unless the table states otherwise. In the RL zone the front setback is 25 feet; in RM and RH it instead runs to the greater of the average of the two adjacent front setbacks or a flat minimum (20 feet in RM, 15 feet in RH), except that properties fronting Curtis or Electric Lanes get a flat 15-foot front setback. Street side setbacks are a uniform 10 feet in all three residential districts. Interior side setbacks step up with height: 5 feet for a first story and 6 feet for a second story or upper stories, in every district.
Rear setbacks are the most district-specific figure: RL requires 20% of lot depth up to a 15-foot maximum, RM requires a flat 10 feet, and RH requires 10 feet citywide except lots with a rear yard on Curtis or Electric Lanes, which must keep 15 feet. 030(B)(2). 040.
Violations & Fines
A building permit under § 20.05.010 is required before any structure is placed within a required yard, and plan check enforces the setback table before a permit issues. A structure built inside a required setback without an approved modification is subject to a correction order or removal at the owner's expense. Absent a setback-specific penalty in Title 23, a violation falls under the citywide general penalty of § 1.12.010, fined by City Council resolution or up to six months' imprisonment, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep must a front yard be in Alhambra's RL zone?
What is the side yard setback in Alhambra's residential zones?
Is the rear setback the same in every residential zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alhambra
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