Rohnert Park, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

020 sets minimum front, side and rear yard setbacks for every zoning district, read across the row for the district in question. In the R-L (Residential-Low Density) district the minimum front yard is 20 feet, the interior side yard is 5 feet, the corner side yard is 10 feet, and the rear yard is 20 feet (reducible to 10 feet for one-story additions no wider than half the buildable lot width, per footnote 13). R-M (Residential-Medium Density) carries the same front and rear figures but the interior side setback may be eliminated entirely for attached dwelling units under footnote 10.

R-H (Residential-High Density) uses the same 20-foot front and rear yards, with the interior side setback increased one foot for every foot a building exceeds 35 feet in height under footnote 11. Front porches may project up to five feet into the required front setback, and front and street-side setback areas are reserved for landscaping only, excluding driveways, per footnote 5. 030 allows that nonconforming setback to continue when a structure is expanded, provided lot coverage limits are still met, but this does not apply to expansions into the front yard.

040 permits limited projections into required yards: balconies, bay windows, chimneys and similar features up to two feet into a side yard and four feet into a front or rear yard, and unenclosed decks and patios low to grade up to within three feet of the property line. 050 requires a 10-foot minimum separation between main structures (with an added foot for every foot of height over 35 feet) and a 5-foot minimum separation between a main structure and a detached accessory structure.