Setbacks vary by zoning district and lot size. In the common RS single-family district, front and rear yards run 15 to 25 feet and side yards 8 to 15 feet, increasing with lot area. Required yards must stay open and unobstructed from the ground up.
The County Zoning Code calls setbacks "yards" and sets them per district. In the RS single-family district (25-5-7): lots of 7,500–9,999 sq ft need 15-foot front and rear yards and 8-foot side yards; lots of 10,000–19,999 sq ft need 20 feet front/rear and 10-foot sides; lots of 20,000 sq ft or more need 25 feet front/rear and 15-foot sides. Section 25-4-40 requires every yard to be open and unobstructed from the ground up. Each district (RD, RM, agricultural, commercial) has its own yard section, applied island-wide by the County.
Building into a required yard is a zoning violation; the Planning Department may deny permits, require a variance, or order correction.
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