Fresno County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R-1 front/rear setback
- 20 ft
- R-1 interior side setback
- 5 ft each side
- R-1 street side setback
- 10 ft
- R-A/R-R front setback
- 35 ft
- R-A / R-R interior side setback
- 15 ft / 20 ft
- Governing table
- Zoning Ordinance Table 2-5, §810.2.030
Summary
Fresno County's Zoning Ordinance sets minimum yard setbacks by zone in Table 2-5: an R-1 lot needs at least 20 feet front and rear, 5 feet on each interior side, and 10 feet on a street side, while R-A and Rural Residential parcels need 35-foot front yards and 15-to-20-foot side yards.
TABLE 2-5 RESIDENTIAL ZONES GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS REQUIREMENTS BY INDIVIDUAL ZONE. Development Feature: R-A / R-R. Setbacks Required: These are minimum setbacks required for primary structures. See Section 822.3.100 (Setback Regulations and Exceptions) for setback measurement, allowed projections into setbacks, and exceptions. Front 35 ft. / 35 ft. Front, curve lots/cul-de-sacs 25 ft. / 25 ft. Side (each) 15 ft. / 20 ft. Street side 25 ft. / 25 ft. Reversed corner (street side) 25 ft. / 25 ft. Rear 20 ft. / 20 ft.
Full Breakdown
030, Residential Zone General Development Standards) lists minimum setbacks separately for each residential zone. In the R-1 and R-2/R-2-A districts, the table requires a 20-foot front setback (also 20 feet on curved lots and cul-de-sacs), a 5-foot setback on each interior side yard, a 10-foot street-side setback, a 10-foot reversed-corner street-side setback, and a 20-foot rear setback; maximum lot coverage is 40 percent in R-1 and 50 percent in R-2/R-2-A. Larger-lot zones carry bigger numbers: R-A (Residential Agricultural) and R-R (Rural Residential) both require a 35-foot front setback (25 feet on curved lots/cul-de-sacs), a 25-foot street-side and reversed-corner setback, and a 20-foot rear setback, with interior side setbacks of 15 feet in R-A and 20 feet in R-R.
R-1-A/R-1-AH and R-1-B set a 35-foot front setback, 10-foot interior side setbacks, and a 20-foot rear setback. 100 governs how every one of these setbacks is measured: front setbacks run at right angles from the front property line to the nearest point of the structure, side setbacks run parallel to the side property line between the front and rear yards, and rear setbacks run parallel to the rear property line, with special rules where side lines converge to a point. A setback established for one structure cannot be borrowed to satisfy the setback requirement for a different structure on the same or an adjoining parcel. 1.
Violations & Fines
Building within a required setback without an approved Variance or other relief is a misdemeanor under Zoning Ordinance Section 878.6.030: a fine of up to $500, up to 180 days in County Jail, or both, with each day the encroaching structure remains counted as a separate violation. The Department of Public Works and Planning can require the structure be moved, altered, or removed to restore the setback.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a house sit from the front property line in an R-1 zone?
Do larger residential lots have bigger setbacks?
Can I use my neighbor's setback area to satisfy mine?
Are fences exempt from the setback rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno County
California rules heatmap·Compare Fresno County to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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