Lacey, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard
- 16 feet; 20 feet for street-facing garages
- Flanking street yard
- 10 feet
- Side yards
- 5 feet on one side, 10 feet total
- Rear yard
- 15 feet; alley garages within 3 feet
- Accessory building under 200 sq ft
- 16 feet front, 5 feet side, 3 feet rear
- Porch projection
- Up to 6 feet into front yard
Summary
In the City of Lacey, Washington, a lot in the Low Density Residential District needs a 16 foot front yard, 20 feet in front of a street-facing garage, 5 feet on one side with 10 feet total across both sides, and a 15 foot rear yard. Accessory buildings and detached accessory dwelling units carry their own setback numbers under Lacey Municipal Code § 16.13.050.
A. The size and shape of lots shall be as follows, provided they adhere to the density requirements: ... 3. Minimum front yard: Sixteen feet. ... Garages facing the street, twenty feet. On front yard flanking streets, ten feet. Unenclosed porches may project up to six feet into the front yard, provided the porches are at least forty-eight square feet in area with no dimension less than six feet. 4. Minimum side yards: Minimum on one side, five feet. Minimum total both sides, ten feet. ... 6. Minimum rear yard, fifteen feet, provided garages may be within three feet of the rear yard line, alley easement or paved surface when adjacent to an alley.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 16.13 of the Lacey Municipal Code governs the Low Density Residential District in the City of Lacey, Thurston County, and section 16.13.050 prints the yard minimums. The front yard is 16 feet. A garage that faces the street must sit 20 feet back, and a front yard along a flanking street is 10 feet. Unenclosed porches can project up to 6 feet into the front yard, provided the porch is at least 48 square feet in area with no dimension under 6 feet. Side yards are 5 feet on one side and 10 feet in total for both sides. The rear yard is 15 feet, except that a garage opening onto an alley can sit within 3 feet of the rear yard line, alley easement or paved surface.
Accessory buildings must meet the chapter's building setbacks unless the building is under 200 square feet. Those smaller buildings are allowed a 16 foot front yard, a 5 foot side yard and a 3 foot rear yard. Attached accessory dwelling units follow the main setbacks. A single-story detached accessory dwelling unit needs 16 feet in front, 5 feet on the side, 5 feet in the rear and 10 feet on a flanking street. If the detached unit has more than one story, the side and rear yards each become 10 feet.
Other Lacey districts print different numbers. The McAllister Springs Geologically Sensitive Area Residential District, section 16.10.050, sets a 10 foot front yard with a 10 foot planter strip where alleys serve the lot and 20 feet where they do not, side yards of 5 feet on one side and 10 feet in total, and a 15 foot rear yard. Section 16.21.050 in the urban agriculture chapter prints 25 foot front, 8 foot side and 25 foot rear yards for residential structures and accessory buildings, plus 100 foot and 50 foot setbacks for structures housing animals or poultry. A planned residential development waives the standard setbacks but keeps a 20 foot minimum from its exterior boundary under section 11.10.090.
Violations & Fines
Section 16.13.050 prints no penalty clause of its own. The general penalty in section 1.12.010 applies except where a different penalty is specifically provided: a misdemeanor conviction under Lacey ordinances carries a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or imprisonment not to exceed ninety days, or both. A gross misdemeanor carries up to $5,000.00 or one year. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back must a garage sit in Lacey's Low Density Residential District?
What setbacks apply to a small shed in the City of Lacey?
What are the setbacks for a detached accessory dwelling unit in Lacey?
Do porches count against the front yard in Lacey?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lacey
Compare Lacey to another location·View the Washington building setbacks & zoning overview
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