San Luis Obispo County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Single-family cap
- 35 feet
- Multi-family high intensity cap
- 45 feet
- Downtown commercial cap
- 45 feet
- Governing section
- County Code § 22.10.090(C)
- Downhill lot bonus
- Up to 5 extra feet
- Residential adjustment cap
- Up to 45 feet with added setbacks
Summary
Unincorporated San Luis Obispo County caps building height by land use category, from 25 feet in Open Space to 45 feet Downtown, with single-family homes capped at 35 feet and adjustments available for steep or downhill lots.
C.Height limits. The maximum height for new structures is as follows, except where other height limits are established by planning area standards of Chapter 22.09 (Community Planning Standards). ... 1.Maximum allowed height by land use category. Agriculture, Rural Lands 35 feet. Commercial: In Central Business District 45 feet; Elsewhere 40 feet. Industrial 45 feet. Office & Professional 40 feet. Open Space 25 feet. Recreation 40 feet. Public Facilities 45 feet. Residential: Single Family, Rural and Suburban 35 feet; Multi-Family: Low intensity 40 feet, Medium Intensity 40 feet, High intensity 45 feet.
Full Breakdown
090(C) of the Land Use Ordinance sets the maximum new-structure height by land use category: Agriculture and Rural Lands, and Single-Family/Rural/Suburban Residential, are capped at 35 feet; Open Space at 25 feet; Commercial and Recreation at 40 feet outside a Central Business District (45 feet within one); Office & Professional at 40 feet; Industrial and Public Facilities at 45 feet; and Multi-Family Residential ranges from 40 feet at low and medium intensity up to 45 feet at high intensity. Height is measured under Subsection B as the vertical distance from the structure's highest point to the average of the highest and lowest points where the exterior wall plane meets natural grade, with finished grade substituted only for specific approved-grading scenarios. 32 are exempt from the base limits entirely.
Violations & Fines
A structure built above its land use category's height limit without a Conditional Use Permit or an approved adjustment under Section 22.10.090.C.2 is a Land Use Ordinance violation the county can pursue through code enforcement, up to requiring the excess height be removed or the project brought into compliance with an approved permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a single-family home be in unincorporated SLO County?
Can I build taller than the base height limit on a residential lot?
Are flagpoles and antennas subject to the height limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Luis Obispo County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Luis Obispo County to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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