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

Redding sets maximum building height district by district. (1) Residential: RMC Chapter 18.31 establishes the RE, RS, and RM districts; the development standards tables in §18.31.030 list maximum heights — single-family RE and RS districts cap principal-building height at typical low-density residential limits, while the RM (Multiple-Family) district allows taller multi-story buildings to support apartments and condominiums. (2) Commercial and industrial: RMC Chapter 18.32 (Commercial Districts) and Chapter 18.33 (Industrial Districts) set higher height limits consistent with downtown and industrial uses. The Downtown / Mixed-Use districts allow taller buildings to support the City's downtown revitalization plans. (3) Accessory structures: RMC §18.43.020 requires detached accessory structures to meet the same setback requirements as the main building. The Development Services Director may apply the setback requirements for accessory structures 16 feet or less in height to a taller accessory structure when the additional height is necessary to achieve architectural compatibility with the main dwelling. (4) State Building Code overlay: California Building Code (Title 24 Part 2), adopted through Redding Municipal Code Title 16, adds height-and-area limits based on construction type and occupancy classification — the more restrictive of the zoning cap and the CBC cap controls. (5) Wildfire-prone areas: portions of Redding are in CAL FIRE State Responsibility Area or in Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones (a legacy of the 2018 Carr Fire); construction in those areas is subject to California Building Code Chapter 7A wildland-urban-interface standards on top of zoning. (6) Variances: height variances go through the RMC Chapter 18.15 Zoning Exception process or formal variance procedure.