Yorba Linda, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R-A front/rear setback
- 40 ft / 45 ft
- R-M/R-M-20/R-M-30 front/rear
- 20 ft / 20 ft
- R-A/RLD/R-E side yard
- 10% of lot width (10-20 ft)
- Setback from active railroad track
- 225 ft
- Public/semi-public use setback
- 50 ft from residential
- Front setback averaging allowed
- up to 25% reduction
Summary
In the City of Yorba Linda, Table 18.10-2 sets minimum yard setbacks by residential zone: 40 feet front and 45 feet rear in the R-A zone, tapering to 20 feet front and rear in the R-M, R-M-20 and R-M-30 zones. Interior side yards in the largest-lot zones scale with lot width instead of a flat number.
TABLE 18.10-2 RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS ... R-A RLD R-E R-S R-U R-M R-M-20 R-M-30 ... Minimum front yard setback 40 ft. 35 ft. 30 ft. 25 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. ... Minimum side yard setback (interior) —3 —3 —3 10 ft. —4 —4 —4 —4 ... Minimum ... rear yard setback 45 ft. 40 ft. 25 ft. 25 ft. 25 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. ... 3 Side yard setbacks in R-A, RLD and R-E zones shall be 10 percent of the lot width, but not less than 10 feet, and need be no more than 20 feet. 4 Interior side yard setbacks in R-U and R-M, R-M-20, and R-M-30 zones shall have a cumulative total of both side yards of 20 feet; however, in no case shall a side yard be less than five feet.
Full Breakdown
Municipal Code Section 18.10.090 and Table 18.10-2 fix front, side and rear yard setbacks for each of Yorba Linda's eight residential zones. The R-A zone, the City's largest-lot agricultural district, requires a 40-foot front setback and a 45-foot rear setback; RLD requires 35 feet front and 40 feet rear; R-E requires 30 feet front and 25 feet rear; and R-S, R-U, R-M, R-M-20 and R-M-30 step down to a 25-foot or 20-foot front setback with a 20-to-25-foot rear setback. Interior side yards work differently in the estate zones: Table footnote 3 sets the R-A, RLD and R-E side yard at 10 percent of lot width, with a floor of 10 feet and a ceiling of 20 feet, while R-S carries a flat 10-foot interior side yard.
Footnote 4 requires the R-U, R-M, R-M-20 and R-M-30 zones to keep a combined total of 20 feet across both side yards, with neither side yard smaller than five feet. Section 18.10.100.A layers additional setbacks on top of the table: any building over 15 feet tall in an R-M zone must sit at least 50 feet from a single-family zone, public or semi-public uses must keep 50 feet from any adjacent residential lot, dwellings must stay a minimum of 225 feet from an active railroad track, and a five-foot setback applies from any driveway, trail or ingress-egress easement.
Subdivision developments may reduce individual front setbacks by up to 25 percent as long as the development-wide average meets the zone minimum. Porches, eaves, chimneys and similar architectural projections may extend up to four feet into a required front or rear yard.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining a structure that violates the Table 18.10-2 setbacks is an unlawful public nuisance under Section 18.40.020 of the zoning code. Section 18.40.050 makes the violation a misdemeanor, punishable under Section 1.12.010 by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day the encroachment continues charged as a separate offense; the City may also pursue civil remedies, including injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the required front yard setback in Yorba Linda's R-S zone?
Can I build closer to the street than the table allows?
How close can a home be built to a railroad track in Yorba Linda?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yorba Linda
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