Glendale, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R1 front setback
- 25 feet minimum
- R1 side/interior setback
- 6 feet minimum
- ROS/R1R front & street side
- 15 feet minimum
- ROS/R1R interior setback
- 10 feet minimum
- Setback storage limit
- 72 hours max (infraction)
- Governing sections
- GMC §§ 30.11.030, 30.11.070
Summary
Table 30.11-B in Glendale Municipal Code § 30.11.030 sets the base yard setbacks for every residential zone: the R1 single-family zone requires 25 feet in front, 6 feet on the street side and 6 feet on interior lot lines, while the hillside ROS and R1R zones use 15 feet in front, 15 feet on the street side and 10 feet on interior lines.
Minimum Setbacks Required (1) ... Street Front 15 feet 25 feet Street Side 15 feet 6 feet Interior 10 feet 6 feet ... No required setback area shall be used to store any motor vehicle, trailer, camper, boat or parts thereof, equipment or any type of antenna for more than 72 hours at a time except as provided for in this title.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4983441; v20 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
030. In the R1 single-family zone a house must sit back 25 feet from the front property line, 6 feet from a street side line and 6 feet from an interior line; the hillside ROS and R1R zones use a shallower 15-foot front and street-side setback but a deeper 10-foot interior setback. 17. 070 lists what can still occupy a required setback: eaves and awnings may project up to 30 inches, uncovered steps and landings up to 4 feet high may project 3 to 4 feet for a run of 14 feet, retaining walls and planters up to 18 inches are allowed anywhere in the yard, and corner lots abutting a single-family zone must add 5 feet to the front and street-side setback on the side facing that zone.
The same section bars using any required setback, front, side or interior, to store a vehicle, trailer, camper, boat or other equipment for more than 72 hours, and circular driveways are allowed only on lots at least 80 feet wide with buildings set back 25 feet or more. 30, and swimming pools must clear interior lines by at least 3 feet, 4 feet in the denser multi-family zones.
Violations & Fines
Glendale downgrades one setback violation to an infraction: § 1.20.010(D) lists § 30.11.070(A)(4), (B)(5) and (C)(4), storing a vehicle, trailer or equipment in a required setback beyond 72 hours, as an infraction with fines of $100, $200 and $500 for a first, second and third offense in a year, rising to a misdemeanor after that. Building an addition that simply encroaches into a setback instead falls under the general § 1.20.010(A) misdemeanor: up to $1,000 or six months in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back from the street must a Glendale house sit?
Can I store a boat or trailer in my Glendale side yard?
What can legally encroach into my required yard setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glendale
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