Unincorporated Orange County's zoning code under Title 7, Division 9 establishes setback requirements for all residential zones. The R-1 Single Family Residence district requires a 25-foot front setback, 25-foot rear setback, and 6-foot interior side setbacks for lots platted prior to March 3, 1997.
Orange County's Zoning Code (Title 7, Division 9, Article 2) establishes building setback requirements for unincorporated areas. Setback lines are parallel to and at specified distances from corresponding property lines. All setback distances are measured along a horizontal plane, not following topography or slope. For the R-1 Single Family Residence district, standard setbacks for lots platted prior to March 3, 1997 are 25 feet front, 25 feet rear, and 6 feet interior side. If a side lot line abuts an alley, it is considered an interior side setback rather than a corner side setback. When computing rear setback depth where the setback opens onto an alley, private street, public park, or public beach, one-half of the width may be counted. Structures entirely underground are excluded from setback measurements. The OC Public Works Director may determine specific setbacks under Section 7-9-128.10 for unusual lot configurations.
Construction within required setbacks without a variance requires correction. Unpermitted encroachments may require demolition or after-the-fact variance applications. Administrative citations range from $100 to $1,000.
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