Berkeley, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

BMC section 23.304.030 governs setback reductions and permitted projections citywide, while each district's minimum distances sit in its own development-standards table. Table 23.202-2 sets the flatland R-1 district at 5 feet front, 5 feet rear (the two must add up to at least 20 feet total), 4 feet interior side, and 4 feet street side. The R-1H hillside variant in Table 23.202-3 is stricter on front and rear, requiring 20 feet each, while keeping the same 4-foot side setbacks.

Reductions are allowed only in the situations listed in Table 23.304-1: on an R-1 lot less than 100 feet deep, the front setback can shrink to 20 percent of lot depth with a routine Zoning Certificate, and on an R-1 lot narrower than 40 feet, the interior side setback can drop to 10 percent of lot width or 3 feet, whichever is greater, also by Zoning Certificate. Certain features may project into any required setback: chimneys, flues and HVAC equipment up to 2.5 feet (1.5 feet on an interior side), eaves and bay windows up to 2.5 feet, and uncovered decks, porches and balconies 30 inches or higher up to 6 feet, all subject to a 3-foot minimum clearance from an interior side lot line under section 23.304.030(B)(3). A subterranean structure may project into any setback if its roof sits 3 feet or less above grade and is landscaped as usable open space, but it must still keep 6 feet back from every lot line.