Pima County, AZ Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback
- 30 feet
- Side setback
- 10 feet
- Rear setback
- 40 feet
- Max height
- 34 feet, 2 stories
- Between main buildings
- 20 feet minimum
- Max civil penalty
- $750 individual / $10,000 corp, per day
Summary
In unincorporated Pima County's GR-1 Rural Residential Zone, homes must sit at least 30 feet from the front line, 10 feet from the sides, and 40 feet from the rear, under Pima County Code § 18.14.040(C). The zone also caps building height at 34 feet and two stories.
C. Minimum setback requirements:
1. Front: Thirty feet;
2. Side: Ten feet;
3. Rear: Forty feet.
D. Height limitations:
1. Maximum height: Thirty-four feet;
2. Maximum stories: Two.
E. Minimum distance between main buildings: Twenty feet.
F. Maintenance of stock-tight fences: A stock-tight fence and necessary cattle guards shall be erected along the boundaries of any property on which livestock is pastured, herded or cared for and which either abuts a public-maintained road or abuts the boundary of any zone other than IR. This provision shall not apply to open range as determined under Arizona Revised Statutes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
040 sets the development standards for the GR-1 Rural Residential Zone, the county's baseline large-lot rural zoning district covering unincorporated land outside Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita and South Tucson (each of which zones under its own code). Subsection C fixes the minimum yard setbacks for a GR-1 lot: 30 feet at the front, 10 feet at the side, and 40 feet at the rear. Subsection D caps building height at 34 feet and two stories, and subsection E requires a minimum 20-foot separation between main buildings on the same site.
Subsection F adds a livestock-specific rule: any property in GR-1 that pastures, herds or cares for livestock must maintain a stock-tight fence and necessary cattle guards along any boundary that abuts a public-maintained road or the boundary of any zone other than IR, though the requirement does not apply to open range as determined under Arizona law. 050, which requires 30 feet from the front line and either 10, 50, or (with abutting-owner consent) 10 feet from side and rear lines depending on whether the structure houses animals. 070.
Violations & Fines
A structure built or maintained in violation of the GR-1 setback standards is a zoning violation under Pima County Code § 18.95.040, and each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense. The maximum civil penalty is $750 per offense for an individual and $10,000 per offense for a corporation, association, labor union or other legal entity. Paying the penalty does not excuse the property owner from correcting the encroachment; the Board of Supervisors, the County Attorney, the zoning inspector, or an adjacent property owner who is specially damaged may separately seek an injunction, mandamus, abatement or other court action to force removal of the noncompliant structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the GR-1 zone setbacks in unincorporated Pima County?
Do these setbacks apply inside Tucson?
Can I get relief from the GR-1 setback if my lot is oddly shaped?
What happens if I build inside the required setback without a variance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona building setbacks & zoning overview
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