Marysville, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Street setback
- 20-25 ft, varies by zone
- Side yard setback
- 5-10 ft, varies by zone
- Rear yard setback
- 20-25 ft, varies by zone
- Ag-zone buffer
- 50 ft minimum, no reduction
- Street setback reduction
- To 10 ft with 20-ft driveway
- Governing section
- MMC § 22C.010.080(2)
Summary
Marysville's density and dimension table at Marysville Municipal Code § 22C.010.080(2) sets minimum street, side and rear yard setbacks for every residential zone. Street setbacks run 20 to 25 feet, side yards 5 to 10 feet, and rear yards 20 to 25 feet depending on the zone, with case-by-case reductions and a mandatory 50-foot buffer against adjoining agricultural land under § 22C.010.090.
(2) General Densities and Dimension Standards.
NR-4.5 NR-6.5 R-12 (13) R-18 (13) R-28 (13) WR-R-6-18 (13)(16)(17) Minimum street setback (15) 20 ft
(8) 20 ft
(8) 20 ft 25 ft 25 ft 20 ft Minimum side yard setback 5 ft
(10) 5 ft
(10) 10 ft (10, 11, 12) 10 ft (10, 11, 12) 10 ft
(10) 10 ft (10, 11, 12) Minimum rear yard setback 20 ft 20 ft 25 ft 25 ft 25 ft 25 ft
... (8) On a case-by-case basis, the street setback may be reduced to 10 feet; provided, that at least 20 linear feet of driveway are provided between any garage, carport, or other fenced parking area and the street property line, or the lot takes access from an alley. ... (9) Residences shall have a setback of at least 50 feet from any property line if adjoining an agricultural zone either within or outside the city limits.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4922912; v1 updated 2026-06-08; through 06-08-2026).
Full Breakdown
The setback table in Marysville Municipal Code § 22C.010.080(2) runs across six residential zones: NR-4.5, NR-6.5, R-12, R-18, R-28 and WR-R-6-18. The minimum street setback is 20 feet in the NR-4.5, NR-6.5 and R-12 zones and 25 feet in R-18, R-28 and WR-R-6-18. Side yard setbacks are 5 feet in the two NR zones and 10 feet in R-12 through R-28 and WR-R-6-18. Rear yard setbacks are 20 feet in NR-4.5 and NR-6.5 and 25 feet in every other listed zone.
Section 22C.010.090 supplies the footnoted conditions behind those numbers. Footnote (8) lets the director cut the street setback to 10 feet on a case-by-case basis if at least 20 linear feet of driveway separates the garage, carport or fenced parking area from the street property line, or if the lot takes access from an alley; no more than two consecutive platted lots may use this reduction. Footnote (9) is a hard floor, not a discretionary one: any residence must sit at least 50 feet from a property line that adjoins an agricultural zone, whether that agricultural zone is inside or outside city limits. Footnotes (10) through (12) reduce townhouse side setbacks to zero on a shared wall or to 5 feet with a 10-foot building separation.
Measurement follows § 22C.010.100(1): street setbacks are measured from the existing edge of the street right-of-way, or from the planned ultimate right-of-way on a substandard street. Section 22C.010.160 allows an averaging adjustment when a lot sits between two lots with nonconforming street setbacks, and waives the setback entirely along a shared property line already covered by a building. Section 22C.010.210 permits limited projections into any required setback: fireplace bump-outs up to 24 inches into a side yard or 30 inches into a front or rear yard, eaves up to 24 inches into a side yard, and uncovered porches or decks up to 18 inches into a side yard or 5 feet into a front or rear yard.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required setback is enforced under Marysville Municipal Code § 4.02.040 as a Title 22C land use violation: a first offense runs $150 for a noncommercial property and $250 for a commercial one, a second offense $300 or $500, and a third violation within two years becomes a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and 90 days in jail. Each day of noncompliance is a separate infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build closer to the street if my garage sits back from the house?
What is the rear yard setback in Marysville's NR-6.5 zone?
Do setback rules change next to farmland?
Can a porch extend into my required setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marysville
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle setback rules.