Tigard, OR Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback
- 20 ft RES-A, 15 ft RES-B, 10 ft RES-C, RES-D, RES-E
- Side setback
- 5 feet in RES-A through RES-E
- Rear setback
- 25 ft in RES-A; 15 ft in RES-B through RES-E
- Garage setback
- 20 feet; zero where access is from an alley
- Tree preservation reduction
- 25 percent front, 20 percent other setbacks
- Eave projection
- Maximum 3 feet into a setback
Summary
In the City of Tigard, Oregon, Table 18.290.1 sets minimum setbacks for small form residential lots: front 20, 15, 10 and 10 feet across RES-A through RES-D/E, side 5 feet in every residential zone, rear 25 feet in RES-A and 15 feet in RES-B through RES-E, and 20 feet for garages.
Table 18.290.1 Development Standards for Small Form Residential Standard RES-A RES-B RES-C RES-D and RES-E [1] MUC-1 Minimum Setbacks (ft) - Front 20 15 10 10 0 [2] - Street side 20 15 10 10 0 [2] - Side 5 5 5 5 0 - Rear 25 15 15 15 0 - Garage [3] 20 20 20 20 20 ... [2] The maximum front and street side setback is 20 feet. [3] The minimum garage setback applies to garages and carports. The minimum setback may be reduced to zero feet where vehicle access is taken from an alley.
Full Breakdown
The City of Tigard, Washington County, Oregon, publishes its residential yard setbacks by housing type in the Community Development Code. For small form residential development, meaning one to three attached dwelling units on a lot, Section 18.290.040.B and Table 18.290.1 set the minimums. Front setback is 20 feet in RES-A, 15 in RES-B, 10 in RES-C and 10 in RES-D and RES-E, and 0 in MUC-1 with a 20 foot maximum. Street side setback runs the same numbers as front. Side setback is 5 feet in all four residential columns and 0 in MUC-1. Rear setback is 25 feet in RES-A, 15 feet in RES-B, RES-C, RES-D and RES-E, and 0 in MUC-1. Garages and carports must be set back 20 feet in every column, and the minimum garage setback can be reduced to zero feet where vehicle access is taken from an alley. In RES-E the table applies only to lots with existing nonconforming development. Apartments, cottage clusters, courtyard units, quads and rowhouses follow the tables in their own chapters, such as Table 18.230.1 for apartments.
Setbacks are measured from the corresponding property line, so a side setback is measured from a side property line (Section 18.40.070). Section 18.210.030 lists the exceptions for residential lots. Where the Transportation System Plan shows a wider ultimate right-of-way, setbacks are measured from the ultimate right-of-way width. Required setbacks for all buildings except garages can be reduced to preserve healthy noninvasive trees, by a maximum of 25 percent for front setbacks and 20 percent for other setbacks. Eaves, cornices, sills and similar features can project a maximum of 3 feet into a setback, and fireplaces and chimneys can do the same, provided the projection does not reduce the width of any setback to less than 3 feet. Unroofed porches, decks or balconies 3 feet or less in height can project into a required rear or side setback on the same 3 foot condition, and inground swimming pools can project if the setback stays at 5 feet or more. The front facade of the primary structure can be reduced to the average of the abutting lots' setbacks, but garage setbacks cannot be reduced.
Violations & Fines
A building placed inside a required setback violates the Community Development Code. In the City of Tigard, Section 6.01.030.B of the nuisance title declares violations of other titles of the code to be public nuisances unless another title characterizes them differently. Section 6.01.040 makes a Title 6 violation a Class 1 civil infraction, each day a separate infraction, and Section 1.16.640.A.1 caps a Class 1 penalty at an amount not to exceed $250 per day. Section 6.01.040.C makes multiple responsible parties jointly and severally liable for abatement costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the front setback for a house in the City of Tigard?
How close to the side and rear lot lines can I build?
Can eaves or a deck go into the setback?
Does a tree change the required setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tigard
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Washington County handle setback rules.