Olympia, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Olympia prints its residential yard setbacks in Table 4.04, Residential Development Standards, at OMC § 18.04.080 (Revised 5/26). The table runs 14 district columns in this order: R1/5, R4, R-4CB, RLI, R 4-8, R 6-12, MR 7-13, MR 10-18, RM-18, RM-24, RMH, RMU, MHP, and UR. The setback rows print one value cell per column, and a dash cell marks a column with no entry.

Front yards start at 20 feet with an exception of 5 feet for agricultural buildings with farm animals in the R1/5 column. Reading the columns in printed order, R 4-8 and R 6-12 both print 10 feet, with 5 feet for agricultural buildings with farm animals. The UR column prints 0-10 feet, with 10 feet on the Capitol House Block. Rear yards print 10 feet across the first eight columns, with 15 feet for large multifamily, 20 feet next to an R 4-8 or R 6-12 district, 20 feet for structures 35 feet or higher, and 10 feet for structures over 42 feet appearing as exceptions in later columns. The side yard row prints 5 feet, with an exception of 10 feet along flanking streets and 3 feet for cottages in several columns.

Subsection H explains how the numbers work. The required setback area is measured from the outermost edge of the building foundation to the closest point on the applicable lot line. Front yard setbacks are a minimum of 10 feet when garage or parking lot access is from the rear of the lot, when the garage sits at least 10 feet behind the front facade, or when the driveway gives a 20 foot long parking space between the sidewalk edge and the garage door.

Side yards can shrink only through a plat: a final short or long plat can provide reduced or zero setbacks if the minimum distance between residences is three feet, but side yards may not be less than five feet along a property line next to a lot not approved for reduced setbacks, and not less than 10 feet along a public right-of-way. Accessory structures may sit anywhere in the rear 40 feet of a lot, except that a garage door facing a rear or side line requires 10 feet. An accessory dwelling unit may not encroach into a side yard and sits five feet from the rear line, or zero if the lot abuts an alley.