Bonneville County, ID Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max height
- 20 feet
- Min height
- 1 story above grade
- Zone
- RA-1, Residential Agricultural
- Excluded features
- Chimneys, flagpoles, antennas, towers
- Relief path
- Variance under § 156.030
Summary
In the RA-1 Residential Agricultural Zone, Bonneville County caps building height at 20 feet and requires every building to be at least one full story above grade, excluding roof features, chimneys, flagpoles, antennas, and church towers from the measurement.
No building shall be erected to a height of greater than 20 feet, and no building shall be erected to a height of less than one story above grade, except as permitted under the provisions of § 156.030. Roofs above the square of the building, chimneys, flagpoles, television antennas, church towers and similar structures not used for human occupancy are excluded in determining height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-1: Ordinance 280-26, passed 1-20-2026).
Full Breakdown
153, "Height of Buildings," governs the RA-1 Residential Agricultural Zone, the district applied to rural areas with residential potential that also allow agricultural uses. 030, the code's variance provision. The section excludes several features from the height calculation entirely: roofs above the square of the building, chimneys, flagpoles, television antennas, church towers, and similar structures not used for human occupancy. That exclusion matters for anyone adding a chimney or antenna to an otherwise compliant 20-foot structure, since those add-ons do not push the building over the cap. 134. 090 rather than assume the 20-foot cap is negotiable at the building-permit counter.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a building above 20 feet or below one story in the RA-1 Zone without an approved variance under Section 156.030 is a zoning infraction under the code's general penalty provisions, enforceable by the Zoning Administrator with referral to the County Prosecuting Attorney for continued noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a building be in Bonneville County's RA-1 zone?
Does a chimney or antenna count toward the height limit?
What if I want to build taller than 20 feet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bonneville County
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