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Brentwood, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

RE zone height
2 stories / 35 ft, all buildings
R-1-E zone height
2 stories / 30 ft main; barns to 35 ft w/ CUP
R-1 zone height
2 stories / 30 ft main
R-3 zone height
3 stories / 36 ft
Detached ADU height
16 ft (up to 20 ft near transit)
Attached ADU height
25 ft or zone limit, whichever is lower

Summary

Brentwood caps residential building height by zone. In the RE (ranchette estate) zone, Municipal Code § 17.110.004(G) limits "any accessory or main building" to "two stories and thirty-five feet," the tallest ceiling among the city's standard single-family zones.

Maximum Building Height Limit. No accessory or main building shall exceed a height of two stories and thirty-five feet.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4604307; v5 updated 2025-12-09).

Full Breakdown

Height limits step down as lots get smaller and multifamily density rises. 004(G)). 004(G)). 004(I)). 004(I)). 050(E): 16 feet for a standard detached ADU, up to 20 feet near major transit, and 25 feet or the underlying zone's limit (whichever is lower) for an ADU attached to the primary home, capped at two stories. 004 regardless of which zone's height table applies.

Violations & Fines

A structure built above its zone's height limit is subject to correction, redesign, or removal at plan check or through code enforcement. Beyond that, violating any Municipal Code height standard is a misdemeanor under § 1.20.010 unless charged as an infraction, with infraction fines from $100 to $500 depending on repeat offenses, and each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the tallest a house can be built in Brentwood's RE zone?
Two stories and thirty-five feet under § 17.110.004(G), which applies the same limit to "any accessory or main building" on ranchette-estate lots, the largest single-family parcels in the city.
Is the standard R-1 height limit different?
Yes, lower. Section 17.130.004(I) caps "the height of two stories and thirty feet" for main buildings in the R-1 zone and its R-1-6 through R-1-12 subzones, five feet shorter than the RE zone ceiling.
Can accessory buildings be taller than the main house?
Generally no. In the R-1-E and R-2 zones, accessory buildings are limited to one story and fifteen feet under § 17.120.004(G) and § 17.140.006(C), though R-1-E allows conditional-use-permitted barns up to thirty-five feet for large-livestock subdivisions.
How tall can an ADU be?
A detached ADU tops out at sixteen feet under § 17.715.050(E)(1), rising to eighteen or twenty feet near major transit, while an ADU attached to the main house can reach twenty-five feet or the underlying zone's height limit, whichever is lower.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Brentwood

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsSetback RulesSome RestrictionsLot Coverage LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Pet Groomer RulesSignificant RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Pet LimitsSome Restrictions

All Brentwood rules

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