Clovis, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Main structure height limit
- 35 ft. or 2.5 stories, whichever is less
- Height measured from
- finish grade to highest point
- Roof-mounted equipment allowance
- up to 15 ft. above limit
- Roof equipment area cap
- 25% of total roof area
- Extra height for habitable space
- prohibited
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 9.24.080
Summary
Clovis caps residential structure height at 35 feet or 2.5 stories, whichever is less, in its single-family zoning districts. Roof-mounted equipment like chimneys and elevator housings can exceed that limit by up to 15 feet if screened from public view.
All structures shall meet the following standards relating to height, except for fences, walls, and hedges, which shall be in compliance with Section 9.24.060 (Fences, walls, and hedges). A. Maximum height. The height of structures shall not exceed the standard established by the applicable zoning district in Division 2 of this title... B. Height measurement. Maximum height shall be measured as the vertical distance from finish grade to the highest point on the structure. C. Exceptions to height limits... 1.a. Roof-mounted structures for the housing of chimneys, church steeples, elevators, flagpoles, lofts, silos, stairways, towers, ventilating fans, water tanks, or similar equipment...shall be allowed, up to a maximum of fifteen feet (15') above the allowed structure height, but only when properly screened from public view subject to the approval of an over height exception by the Commission. b. The total square footage of all roof-mounted structures that are allowed to exceed the maximum height shall not occupy more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total roof area of the structure.
Full Breakdown
080 (Height measurement and height limit exceptions) governs how structure height is calculated and where it can be exceeded. 5 stories, whichever is less, across the R-1, R-1-A, R-1-AH, R-1-B, and R-1-C single-family districts. Subsection B measures height as the vertical distance from finish grade to the highest point on the structure. Subsection C allows roof-mounted equipment, including chimneys, church steeples, elevator housings, flagpoles, stairways, towers, ventilating fans, and water tanks, to rise up to 15 feet above the district's height limit, but only if the Commission approves an over-height exception and the equipment is properly screened from public view; the combined footprint of all such roof-mounted structures cannot exceed 25% of the total roof area.
Subsection (C)(2) blocks any use of that extra height, or any space above the district limit, for additional habitable living or floor area. 060. 030 rather than this section's main-structure standard.
Violations & Fines
A structure built above the district's height limit, or roof-mounted equipment exceeding the 15-foot allowance or 25% roof-area cap without Commission approval, fails building plan check and cannot be permitted as submitted; if height violations are discovered after construction, the City can require the structure to be modified or the offending portion removed through code enforcement under Chapter 92 of Title 9.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Clovis?
Can a chimney or elevator tower exceed the height limit in Clovis?
Can I use extra roof height for a living space in Clovis?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clovis
California rules heatmap·Compare Clovis to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fresno County handle structure height limits.