Ventura, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback
- 20% of lot depth, max 25 feet
- Side setback (interior lot)
- 10% of lot width, 3 to 5 feet
- Rear setback
- 25% of lot depth, max 25 feet
- Corner lot street side
- Half the front setback, max 10 feet
- Pierpont-Keys front/rear
- Flat 15 feet
- Fences/walls
- Governed separately by Chapter 24.410
Summary
In the City of Ventura's R-1 single-family zone, standard lots need a front setback of 20 percent of lot depth (capped at 25 feet), side setbacks of 10 percent of lot width (between 3 and 5 feet), and a rear setback of 25 percent of lot depth (capped at 25 feet), with different fixed numbers for Pierpont-Keys waterfront lots.
24.210.090 Standards – Setbacks. ... Buildings and other structures, not including fences or walls, on a lot in the R-1 zone shall comply with the following setback requirements: A. Front Setbacks. 1. Except for the Pierpont-Keys (Tract 1601) waterfront lots, each lot shall have a front setback of not less than 20 percent of the depth of the lot; provided, that such setback need not exceed 25 feet. ... B. ... Side Setbacks. 1. For interior lots, there shall be a side setback on each side of the lot of not less than 10 percent of the width of said lot; provided, that such side setback need not exceed five feet and shall not be less than three feet. ... C. ... Rear Setbacks. 1. Except for the Pierpont-Keys (Tract 1601) waterfront lots, each lot shall have a rear setback of not less than 25 percent of the depth of the lot; provided, that such rear setback need not exceed 25 feet.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
090 of the San Buenaventura Municipal Code sets the R-1 zone's yard setback formula as a percentage of lot dimensions rather than a flat number for most lots. The front setback must be at least 20 percent of the lot's depth, but the code caps that requirement at 25 feet so very deep lots do not face an oversized front yard. Side setbacks on interior lots must be at least 10 percent of the lot's width, with a floor of three feet and a ceiling of five feet regardless of how that percentage calculates.
Corner and reversed corner lots use the same interior-side formula for their interior side, but the street-side setback is pegged to one-half the required front yard, capped at 10 feet. The rear setback for a standard R-1 lot must be at least 25 percent of the lot's depth, again capped at 25 feet. 120 are excluded from that rear measurement. 410. 100, including allowing a detached accessory structure into up to 50 percent of a required rear yard. 040 governs how building height is measured in relation to these yards.
Violations & Fines
Building closer to a property line than the front, side or rear setback minimums in Section 24.210.090 allows is a zoning violation caught by Community Development at plan check or, for existing construction, referred to Code Enforcement. As a Title 24 provision not on the infraction list in Section 1.150.030, a violation defaults to a misdemeanor under Section 1.150.020: up to $1,000 in fines, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the front setback calculated in Ventura's R-1 zone?
What is the minimum side yard in the R-1 zone?
Do fences follow the same setback rules as houses?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle setback rules.