Brentwood, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R-1-6 side setback
- 5 ft min / 15 ft combined
- R-1-12 side setback
- 12 ft min / 30 ft combined
- R-1 front yard
- 20 feet minimum
- R-1 rear yard
- 20 feet minimum
- RE zone rear yard
- 40 feet minimum
- R-1 corner lot side yard
- 10 feet minimum
Summary
Brentwood's R-1 single-family zone sets a flat twenty-foot front and rear yard, but side yards scale with lot size. Municipal Code § 17.130.004 requires a five-foot minimum (fifteen-foot combined) in R-1-6, rising to a twelve-foot minimum (thirty-foot combined) in the larger-lot R-1-12 subzone.
The following regulations shall apply to the R-1 zone and subzones: ... D. Minimum front yard: twenty feet; ... F. Minimum side yards: for each subzone as follows except as provided for in H-2 and H-3: 1. R-1-6 zone: minimum—five feet, sum of both sides—fifteen feet, 2. R-1-8 zone: minimum—seven feet, sum of both sides—twenty feet, 3. R-1-10 zone: minimum—nine feet, sum of both sides—twenty-five feet, 4. R-1-12 zone: minimum—twelve feet, sum of both sides—thirty feet; G. Minimum rear yard: twenty feet;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4604307; v5 updated 2025-12-09).
Full Breakdown
004 sets the R-1 zone's front yard at twenty feet (subsection D) and rear yard at twenty feet (subsection G) across all four subzones. Side yards scale under subsection F: five feet minimum with a fifteen-foot combined total in R-1-6, seven feet/twenty feet in R-1-8, nine feet/twenty-five feet in R-1-10, and twelve feet/thirty feet in R-1-12. Corner lots must keep a ten-foot side yard on the street side (subsection H(3)), and lots on culs-de-sac or curvilinear streets measure their width thirty feet back from the front property line (subsection H(1)). 004, with corner lots at fifteen feet. 004(J), tying the general design standards back to whichever zone-specific setback table applies to that lot.
Violations & Fines
Constructing a structure that encroaches into a required setback triggers a stop-work order and required correction or removal at the owner's expense. Beyond that, violating any Municipal Code standard is a misdemeanor under § 1.20.010 unless charged as an infraction, with infraction fines running $100 for a first offense up to $500 for repeat violations within twelve months, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the front yard setback in Brentwood's standard single-family zone?
Do side yard setbacks change with lot size?
Are corner lots treated differently?
What happens if I build too close to the property line?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brentwood
California rules heatmap·Compare Brentwood to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Contra Costa County handle setback rules.