Rancho Cordova, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback range
- 18 to 30 feet by zoning district
- Interior side setback range
- 3 to 25 feet by zoning district
- Rear setback range
- 10 to 25 feet by zoning district
- Flag lot access corridor
- Minimum 20 feet wide
- Governing table
- RCMC § 23.310.040, Table 23.310-2
Summary
Rancho Cordova's Table 23.310-2 sets minimum yard setbacks by residential zoning district: front yards run 18 to 30 feet, interior side yards 3 to 25 feet, and rear yards 10 to 25 feet. RCMC § 23.704.020 governs how those distances are measured and requires flag lots to keep a 20-foot-wide access corridor.
Setbacks (minimum) Front – General 30 ft 20 ft 18 ft 18 ft2 18 ft ... Side – Interior Lot/Detached Units 15 ft 5 ft 5 ft 25 ft 3 ft 20 ft 5 ft ... Rear – In General6 25 ft4 20 ft 20 ft 10 ft 20 ft 20 ft ... Setback Measurement. ... The setbacks of all buildings and structures shall be measured at right angles from the designated property line, and the building setback line shall be drawn parallel to the designated property line at the required building setback distance. ... Flag Lots. Flag lots shall have a minimum frontage width at the entrance to the parcel from the public right-of-way of 20 feet. No portion of the access corridor shall have a width less than 20 feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4660102; v2 updated 2026-03-02; through 03-02-2026).
Full Breakdown
Table 23.310-2 under RCMC § 23.310.040 lists the required yards for each of the city's residential zoning districts. Front setbacks range from 18 feet in the higher-density districts up to 30 feet in the rural-residential (RR) district. Interior side yards for detached units run from 3 feet up to 25 feet, and rear yards run from 10 feet up to 25 feet, with a note that lots under 125 feet deep in the RD-1 through RD-10 districts get a reduced rear setback equal to 20 percent of the lot's depth.
RCMC § 23.704.020 (Yard and Setback Regulations) fixes how those numbers are applied. Setbacks are measured at right angles from the property line, with the setback line drawn parallel to it; a lot must have at least one designated front property line and one rear property line, and the rear line is whichever lot line runs parallel, or most nearly parallel, to the front line. A lot that fronts on two streets must keep both street-facing yards clear of encroachment, and a through lot 125 feet deep or more must meet front-yard standards on its secondary street frontage as well as its primary one. Flag lots get their own rule: the access corridor connecting the buildable portion of the lot to the public right-of-way must be at least 20 feet wide for its full length, per RCMC § 23.704.020(G).
Violations & Fines
Setback violations are enforced under RCMC § 1.01.190 as code violations. Building an addition or structure into a required yard without an approved encroachment can draw a misdemeanor citation of up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or the city can charge it as an infraction with fines starting at $100 and rising to $500 for repeat violations within a year; each day the encroachment stands counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum front yard setback in Rancho Cordova?
How is a setback measured on an oddly shaped lot?
What setback applies to a flag lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rancho Cordova
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sacramento County handle setback rules.