Tulare County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Default setback
- 50 feet from highway centerline
- Governing section
- Ordinance Code § 7-19-1010
- Road-specific range
- 15 to 120 feet on named roads
- Applies to
- Every dedicated public highway, unincorporated county
- Prohibited in strip
- Buildings, wells, excavations, most signs
Summary
Every dedicated public highway in unincorporated Tulare County carries a building line setback under § 7-19-1010: fifty feet from the road's centerline unless a later section in the same Article lists a different distance for that specific road. Structures, wells, excavations and most signs are barred from the setback strip, which is kept clear between the building line and the right of way's edge.
A building line setback is hereby established along both sides of every highway in the County which has been dedicated to the public use. Except as otherwise provided in sections 7-19-1015 through 7-19-1175 of this Article, such building line setback shall be located parallel to, and fifty (50) feet from, the established centerline of the right of way of each such highway. The space between such building line setback and the nearest edge of the right of way shall be kept free of all structures as provided in section 7-19-1005 of this Article.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 19, Article 1 of the Ordinance Code establishes countywide building line setbacks, adopted, per § 7-19-1000, to prevent traffic safety hazards and keep light, view and air reasonably available while the county's General and Specific Plans of Streets and Highways are developed. Section 7-19-1010 sets the default rule: a building line setback runs along both sides of every highway dedicated to public use, located fifty feet from the established centerline of the right of way, except where a later section of the Article assigns a different distance to a named road.
Dozens of road-specific sections follow; for example, § 7-19-1065 sets a 60-foot setback along East Main Street between Visalia's city limits and Mineral King Avenue, and § 7-19-1020 sets a 120-foot setback on the west side of State Route 43 and a 15-foot setback on its east side. Section 7-19-1005 defines what the setback strip must stay clear of: no building or structure of any kind, including signs and advertising structures, no water, oil or hydrocarbon well, and no excavation or subsurface structure; movable structures are also barred if taller than three feet or wider than three and a half feet, and a vehicle or trailer carrying an advertising sign counts as a regulated structure too.
Later sections in the Article, including §§ 7-19-1180, 7-19-1185 and 7-19-1190, let the setback distance be modified for older frontages, specific recorded subdivisions and frontage roads under defined conditions. The Article governs only the unincorporated county; setbacks inside Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville and Woodlake are set by each city's own zoning code.
Violations & Fines
Building, erecting, excavating, drilling a well, or placing most structures, including signs, within the building line setback is unlawful under § 7-19-1005. Movable structures are barred from the setback strip if taller than three feet or wider than three and a half feet, and an advertising sign mounted on a vehicle or trailer counts as a regulated structure. A violation is punishable under Section 125 of the Ordinance Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard building setback from a road in unincorporated Tulare County?
Do all Tulare County roads have the same 50-foot setback?
What can't be built inside a Tulare County road setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulare County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tulare County to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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