Clovis, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R-1 front setback
- 20 ft. (25 ft. in R-1-C)
- R-1 / R-1-C side setback
- 5 ft. each side
- R-1 / R-1-C rear setback
- 20 ft.
- R-1-A/AH/R-1-B front setback
- 35 ft.
- Low deck/step exemption
- under 18 in. above grade
- Governing table
- Development Code Table 2-3
Summary
Clovis sets minimum front, side, street-side, and rear yard setbacks separately for each residential zoning district in Table 2-3. The City's standard R-1 single-family district requires a 20-foot front yard, 5-foot side yards, and a 20-foot rear yard.
Setbacks Required (1). Front: 25 ft. [R-1-C]; 20 ft. (reverse corner parcels); 20 ft. [R-1]. Side (Each): 5 ft. (with an aggregate side setback of 14 ft. minimum) (6) [R-1-C]; 5 ft. each side [R-1]. Street Side: 15 ft. (7)(12) [R-1-C]; 10 ft. (12) [R-1]. Reversed Corner (Street Side): 20 ft. (12)(26) [R-1-C]; 15 ft. (12)(26) [R-1]. Rear: 20 ft. Maximum Parcel Coverage (8): 40%; 40%.
Full Breakdown
030, Table 2-3 (Residential Zones General Development Standards Requirements by Individual Zoning District) sets minimum yard setbacks for every residential district. In the R-1-C and R-1 districts, the most common single-family zones, the front setback is 25 feet in R-1-C and 20 feet in R-1 (20 feet on reverse corner parcels), side setbacks are 5 feet each with a 14-foot aggregate minimum in R-1-C and 5 feet on each side in R-1, street-side setbacks run 15 feet in R-1-C and 10 feet in R-1, and the rear setback is 20 feet in both.
Larger-lot districts carry deeper setbacks: the R-1-A, R-1-AH, and R-1-B districts require a 35-foot front setback, 10-foot (or 5-foot with a 20-foot aggregate) side setbacks, 20 to 25-foot street-side setbacks, and a 20-foot rear setback. 100(C) sets measurement rules, generally from the nearest property line to the nearest point of the structure's wall, with special rules for corner, flag, and irregular parcels. Certain features are exempt from setbacks entirely, including fences within height limits, low decks and steps under 18 inches, and retaining walls under 4 feet, and Table 3-4 allows limited architectural encroachments, such as chimneys up to 30 inches into a setback and covered porches up to 5 feet into a front setback.
Violations & Fines
A structure built within a required setback, or an encroachment beyond the limits in Table 3-4, will not pass building plan check and the Building Division will require the plans or the built structure to be corrected; a structure discovered encroaching after construction is subject to code enforcement under Chapter 92 of Title 9, which can require the offending portion to be removed or relocated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the front setback requirement in Clovis?
How close to my property line can I build in Clovis?
Do sheds and decks need to meet setback requirements in Clovis?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clovis
California rules heatmap·Compare Clovis to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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