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Glenn County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

R-1 front yard minimum
20 feet
R-1 interior side yard
5 feet
R-1 corner-lot street side yard
10 feet
R-1 rear yard
25 feet (5 feet accessory)
RZ/FA zone front yard
30 feet
RZ/FA zone side/rear yards
25 feet
FA animal-structure setback
100 feet

Summary

In the R-1 Single-Family Residential Zone across unincorporated Glenn County, Glenn County Code § 15.37.070 sets a twenty-foot front yard, a five-foot interior side yard (ten feet on a corner lot's street side), and a twenty-five-foot rear yard, with a separate five-foot rear setback for accessory buildings.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Glenn County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Front Yard. The minimum front yard shall be twenty feet. Side Yard, Corner Lots. On corner lots, the side yard which is contiguous to the street shall not be less than ten feet in width, except that a garage or carport having an entrance fronting on the street shall be set back at least twenty feet from the street property line. Side Yard, Interior. The minimum side yard of interior lots shall be five feet. Side Yard, Driveway. When used for access to a parking facility, a side yard shall be wide enough for a ten foot wide unobstructed driveway. The handle portion of a panhandle lot shall be considered as a side yard driveway. A side yard driveway shall be paved the entire length and width with cement or asphaltic concrete. Side Yard, Accessory Buildings. The side yard of any accessory building shall be the same as that required-for the main building. Rear Yard. The minimum rear yard shall be twenty-five feet. Rear Yard, Accessory Buildings. An accessory building shall be located not less than five feet from the rear property line.

Full Breakdown

Yard setbacks in unincorporated Glenn County depend on the zone. 070 sets a twenty-foot minimum front yard, a five-foot minimum interior side yard, and a twenty-five-foot minimum rear yard. Corner lots carry an extra rule: the side yard along the street must be at least ten feet, except a garage or carport with an entrance facing the street, which must sit back twenty feet from the street property line. A side yard used to access a parking area must leave a ten-foot-wide unobstructed driveway, paved its full length and width with cement or asphaltic concrete, and the handle portion of a panhandle lot counts as that side-yard driveway.

Accessory buildings, garages, sheds and similar structures, must observe the same side-yard setback as the main house but only need five feet from the rear property line. Rural and agricultural zones require substantially deeper yards. 080. 070: any stable, barn, shed, shelter, paddock or exercise yard for animals must sit at least one hundred feet back from every property and street right-of-way line, far beyond the standard yard minimum. 010, checks setback compliance alongside building arrangement, fences, parking, and landscaping before a permit issues. A property owner should confirm their parcel's zoning designation with the Glenn County Planning Department before measuring setbacks, since the minimums shift by zone.

Violations & Fines

Building within a required front, side, or rear yard without a variance under § 15.27.010 is a Title 15 zoning violation. Under Glenn County Code § 1.12.010 a first setback violation is an infraction, becoming a misdemeanor on a third violation of the same requirement within 12 months, and § 1.13.010 punishes a misdemeanor with up to $5,000 in fines, up to one year in county jail, or both.

Frequently Asked Questions

How close to my property line can I build in the R-1 zone?
Glenn County Code § 15.37.070 requires a twenty-foot front yard, a five-foot interior side yard, and a twenty-five-foot rear yard in the R-1 Single-Family Residential Zone. A detached accessory building only needs to clear the rear property line by five feet.
Do corner lots get different setback rules?
Yes. On a corner lot, the side yard facing the street must be at least ten feet under § 15.37.070, except a garage or carport with a street-facing entrance, which must be set back twenty feet from the street property line.
Are setbacks bigger outside the R-1 zone?
Much bigger. The RZ Recreation Zone and FA Foothill Agricultural/Forestry Zone both require a thirty-foot front yard and twenty-five-foot side and rear yards under §§ 15.31.080 and 15.32.080, and the FA zone pushes animal structures like barns and stables back one hundred feet from every property line under § 15.32.070.
What is the rule for a driveway running through my side yard?
Section 15.37.070 requires a side-yard driveway used to access parking to be at least ten feet wide, unobstructed, and paved its full length and width with cement or asphaltic concrete; the handle portion of a panhandle lot is treated as that side-yard driveway.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Glenn County

All Glenn County rules

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