Downey, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R-1 front & rear setback
- 20 feet minimum, both yards
- R-1 side setback
- 10% of lot width, 5-14 ft
- R-2 front setback
- 20 feet minimum
- R-3/R-3-O front setback
- 15 feet minimum
- R-3 rear setback vs. R-1
- 20/30/46 ft by story count
- Governing table
- Tables 9.3.3 and 9.3.4, § 9312.08
- Modification floor
- Rear setback never below 10 feet
Summary
Downey sets minimum yard setbacks by residential zone in Municipal Code Section 9312.08, Tables 9.3.3 and 9.3.4. Single-family R-1 lots require a 20-foot front and rear yard and a side yard equal to 10 percent of lot width, never less than 5 feet or more than 14 feet. R-2 lots need a 20-foot front yard; R-3 and R-3-O lots need 15 feet, with rear setbacks that grow with building height near R-1 property.
Front setback (1st floor) - minimum (feet) c, d 20′ ... Rear setback - minimum (feet) d 20′ ... Side setback (1st floor) - minimum (feet) e, f Ten percent lot width, but not less than 5 feet and not to exceed 14 feet ... Street side setback (1st floor) - minimum (feet) d 10′ ... Yard setbacks - minimum (feet) front 20 15 15 rear 20 see noteb see noteb ... Yard setbacks (side) - minimum (feet) interior 5 5c 5c street 10 7.5 7.5 ... When the rear yard area abuts an R-1 Zone, the following minimum setbacks are required: 20 feet for a one story building, 30 feet for a two story building, and 46 feet for a three story building.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4807734; v5 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
3 governs the R-1 single-family sub-zones (R-1-5,000 through R-1-10,000): every sub-zone carries the same 20-foot minimum front-yard and rear-yard setback, plus a 10-foot minimum street-side setback on corner lots. The interior side setback is calculated as 10 percent of lot width, floored at 5 feet and capped at 14 feet, and second-floor facades facing a front, side, or street-side yard must step back an additional 5 feet once they cover more than 40 percent of the first-floor facade width below. 4 covers the multi-family R-2, R-3, and R-3-O zones.
R-2 requires a 20-foot front setback, a 5-foot interior side setback, a 10-foot street-side setback, and a 20-foot rear setback. 5 feet (10 feet if abutting the R-1 Zone). Their rear setback depends on what the rear yard abuts: 20 feet for a one-story building, 30 feet for two stories, and 46 feet for three stories when abutting an R-1 Zone; no setback, 10 feet, or 26 feet respectively when abutting a dedicated public alley; and 10, 15, or 20 feet when abutting another R-3 Zone.
14 lets eaves project 18 inches and architectural features (not chimneys) 6 inches into any required setback, while R-1 uncovered steps and landings may project up to 48 inches. 20 lets the Planning Commission modify a rear setback down to no less than 10 feet on irregularly shaped lots, or permit a zero-lot-line interior side setback in R-1/R-2 subdivisions if the opposite side setback stays at 10 feet or more.
Violations & Fines
Section 9534.04 makes the property owner responsible for accurate setback measurements; submitting inaccurate dimensions that put a lot or structure out of compliance is itself a code violation and voids any permit issued on that basis. Beyond that, Section 1200 treats an uncorrected zoning violation as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or, if charged as an infraction, escalating fines of $100, $200, and $500 for repeat offenses within 12 months, or an administrative citation issued directly by a code enforcement officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum front yard setback in Downey's R-1 zone?
How is the side yard setback figured for an R-1 house?
What rear setback applies to an R-3 apartment building next to a single-family zone?
Can Downey approve a smaller setback than the zoning code requires?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Downey
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