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Santa Rosa, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

RR-40/RR-20 front setback: 20 feet
R-1-6 front setback: 15 feet
Interior side (1-story): 5 feet
Interior side (2-story addition): 10 feet
Garage facing street: 19 feet from sidewalk
Relief process: Variance or Minor Adjustment, Sec. 20-52.060

Summary

Santa Rosa's RR and R-1 zoning districts each carry their own minimum yard setbacks under City Code Section 20-22.050, Table 2-4. Rural RR-40 and RR-20 lots need a 20-foot front setback, while the compact R-1-6 district drops to 15 feet. Interior side setbacks run 5 feet for one-story walls but jump to 10 feet once a second story is added.

TABLE 2-4—RR AND R-1 DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS ... RR-40 RR-20 R-1-6 R-1-7.5 R-1-9 R-1-15 Setbacks, primary structures (1) Minimum setbacks required. See Section 20-30.110 for setback measurement instructions, and exceptions to these requirements. Front 20 ft 20 ft 15 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft Side—Interior 5 ft 5 ft 5 ft for 1-story parts of structures 10 ft for 2-story parts of structures 5 ft for 1-story parts of structures 10 ft for 2-story parts of structures 10 ft 10 ft Side—Corner 20 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft Rear 20 ft 20 ft 15 ft 15 ft 20 ft 20 ft

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Full Breakdown

5, R-1-9, and R-1-15. 5, R-1-9, and R-1-15, but drop to 15 feet in the smaller-lot R-1-6 district. 5 the interior side setback is 5 feet for one-story portions of a structure but climbs to 10 feet once any part of the building rises to two stories, while R-1-9 and R-1-15 hold a flat 10-foot interior side setback regardless of height. Corner side setbacks are 20 feet in RR-40 and 15 feet in every other district on the table. 5. A garage or carport with its entrance facing a public or private street must be set back 19 feet from the rear of the sidewalk, street property line, or street plan line, whichever is greatest; a garage facing an alley or driveway needs only 3 to 5 feet, or 19 feet if the space doubles as alley-accessed parking.

Accessory structures get their own, generally shallower setbacks under the same table, down to 0 feet for attached or zero-lot-line units on the interior side. 110 governs how every one of these distances is measured and lists the exceptions that can encroach into a required setback. 060.

Violations & Fines

Building an addition or new structure inside a required setback without approval blocks future permitting on the parcel: Section 20-50.080 bars the Director from accepting any application as complete while an uncorrected Zoning Code violation exists on the site, whether or not the current owner caused it. The Building Official can also red-tag work built without the required setback, and the owner must either remove the encroachment or obtain a Variance or Minor Adjustment under Section 20-52.060 before the project can proceed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum front yard setback in Santa Rosa's R-1 zones?

R-1-6, the smallest-lot district, requires a 15-foot front setback under Table 2-4 of Section 20-22.050. R-1-7.5, R-1-9, and R-1-15 each require 20 feet, the same distance the RR-40 and RR-20 rural districts require.

Can I add a second story if my side setback is only 5 feet?

Not without more room. Table 2-4 requires a 5-foot interior side setback for one-story portions of a house in R-1-6 and R-1-7.5, but any part of the structure built to two stories must sit at least 10 feet from that side property line.

How close can a garage sit to the street in Santa Rosa?

A garage or carport entrance facing a public or private street must be set back 19 feet from the rear of the sidewalk, the street property line, or the street plan line, whichever is greatest, so a parked car does not block the sidewalk.

What if I want to build inside the required setback?

You need a Variance or Minor Adjustment approved under Section 20-52.060 before the City will process a building permit. Section 20-50.080 also bars the Planning Division from deeming any application complete while an uncorrected setback violation sits on the property.

Sources & Official References

[1]Santa Rosa City Code § 20-22.050 (qcode.us)

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