Franklin County, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback
- 25 ft from ROW or 55 ft from centerline
- Side setback
- 10 ft, 25 ft on corner lots
- Rear setback
- 25 ft primary, 10 ft accessory
- Zone
- AP-20 agricultural production
- Max civil penalty
- $500 per violation
Summary
In the AP-20 agricultural production zone of unincorporated Franklin County, primary buildings must sit at least 25 feet from the road right-of-way, or 55 feet from the road centerline (whichever is greater), 10 feet from each side lot line, and 25 feet from the rear lot line.
C.Minimum Yard Setbacks (Primary).1.Front. No building shall be located closer than twenty-five (25) feet from a road right-of-way, or fifty-five (55) feet from the centerline of the adjoining road or whichever is greater.2.Side. There shall be a side yard of not less than ten (10) feet in width on each side of a building, providing that the side yard on a corner lot shall not be less than twenty-five (25) feet wide, or fifty-five (55) feet wide from the centerline of an existing/future road, access easement, or whichever is greater.3.Rear. There shall be a rear yard having a minimum depth of twenty-five (25) feet.
Full Breakdown
050(C) sets the minimum yard setbacks for primary structures in the AP-20 agricultural production zone, the county's 20-acre-minimum agricultural district. No building can be located closer than 25 feet from a road right-of-way, or 55 feet from the centerline of the adjoining road, whichever distance is greater. Each side yard must be at least 10 feet wide, except on a corner lot, where the side yard must be at least 25 feet, or 55 feet from the centerline of an existing or future road or access easement, whichever is greater.
The rear yard must have a minimum depth of 25 feet. 050(D): the same 25-foot/55-foot front setback applies, but the side yard drops to 10 feet with no corner-lot enhancement, and the rear setback shortens to 10 feet. 050(C)-(D), since both agricultural production zones share the same dimensional-standards template; only the minimum lot size, 20 acres versus 40 acres, differs between them. These setbacks are measured from the road right-of-way or centerline rather than the property line alone, which matters on county arterials where the platted right-of-way is narrower than the distance actually needed for future road widening.
A landowner planning a barn, shop or dwelling in AP-20 needs to confirm both the right-of-way distance and the centerline distance and use whichever produces the larger setback.
Violations & Fines
Building closer to a lot line than § 17.10.050 allows is a violation under § 17.04.040. The Planning and Building Director can issue a notice of voluntary correction, then a notice and order requiring the structure be moved or removed, and ultimately a notice of infraction with a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation (§ 17.04.080(E)); a second setback violation on the same property is a misdemeanor (§ 17.04.100(N)).
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back must a house sit from the road in Franklin County's AP-20 zone?
What's the side yard setback for a primary building in AP-20?
Are accessory building setbacks smaller than primary building setbacks?
Does the AP-40 zone use the same setback numbers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin County
Compare Franklin County to another location·View the Washington building setbacks & zoning overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.