Kennewick, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- RS/RL/RMH max height
- 35 ft or 2.5 stories, whichever is less
- RM district max height
- 35 feet
- RH district max height
- 45 feet
- Accessory building height cap
- 20 feet (most districts)
- Exempt-structure lot coverage limit
- 25% of lot, 25-ft setback from lines
- Sloped-lot measurement point
- highest point of structure on slope
- Violation penalty
- misdemeanor under KMC 18.54.090
Summary
Kennewick caps residential building height by zoning district in the Table of Residential Site Development Standards at KMC 18.12.010(A)(2): 35 feet or 2.5 stories, whichever is less, in the RS, RL and RMH districts, and 45 feet in the RH district. The Planning Director enforces the table through the building permit process, and exceeding it is a Title 18 misdemeanor.
Minimum and maximum residential standards are identified in the following table. RS 5,8,9 | RL 5,8,9 | RM 3, 4, 5, 6,8,9 | RH 3, 4, 5, 6,8,9 | RTP 3, 4, 5 | RMH 6,8,9 | UMU 3, 7 -- Max. Height | 35' or 2.5 stories, whichever is less | 35' or 2.5 stories, whichever is less | 35' | 45' | N/A | 35' or 2.5 stories, whichever is less | N/A
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
The zoning code's residential standards table sets a hard numeric ceiling that varies by district. " The multi-family RM district gets a flat 35-foot limit, while the higher-density RH district is allowed 45 feet, ten feet taller, reflecting its greater permitted density. 80. 30 supplies the measurement and exception rules that sit alongside the table. 010 lets specific accessory features, church spires, belfries, cupolas, domes, monuments, water towers, observation towers, flagpoles, communication towers, smokestacks, cooling towers and licensed amateur radio antenna structures, rise above the district limit if the structure covers no more than 25 percent of the lot area and sits at least 25 feet from every lot line in all its parts.
020 fixes how height is measured on a sloped lot: vertically from ground level at the point on the structure that is highest on the slope, not from the low side. 030: no more than 20 feet high in most districts (the limit doesn't apply in C, I, PF, UMU and OS districts), plus separation and setback rules from the main dwelling. 070 if a larger departure is needed.
Violations & Fines
Building over the district's height limit without an approved variance or minor variation violates Title 18 and is a misdemeanor under KMC 18.54.090, which applies to any person violating a Title 18 provision or failing to comply with a permit condition. The City can withhold, condition or revoke the building or land use permit under KMC 18.54.010 until the structure is brought into conformance with the applicable district's table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Kennewick's RS or RL zone?
Is the height limit different in RH multi-family zoning?
Can a flagpole or water tower exceed the district height limit?
How is height measured on a sloped residential lot?
What happens if a structure is built over the height limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kennewick
Compare Kennewick to another location·View the Washington building setbacks & zoning overview
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