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

Structure height in the unincorporated County is governed by LUDC Section 35.30.090 (Height Measurement, Exceptions and Limitations) and the applicable zone in Article 35.2. Outside the Summerland Community Plan Area, height is generally the vertical distance between the existing grade and the uppermost point of the structure directly above that grade (View Corridor overlay lots measure from average finished grade). Residential limits vary by zone: R-1/E-1 is 25 feet in the Coastal Zone and 35 feet inland (25 feet for a residential structure in the Toro Canyon Plan area); EX-1 is 25 feet coastal and 30 feet inland; RR is 35 feet (25 feet for a residential structure in the Toro Canyon Plan area); R-2 is 25 feet coastal and 35 feet inland. For structures subject to Chapter 35.62 (Ridgeline and Hillside Development), the maximum height is 32 feet measured from the highest part of the structure to the lowest point where an exterior wall meets finished or existing grade, increasable by up to three feet where the roof has a pitch of four-in-12 or greater. General height exceptions allow features like chimneys, spires, vents and flagpoles not used for human activity up to 50 feet in many zones, a three-foot allowance for steep roofs, and a limited architectural-element allowance of up to eight feet (subject to Board of Architectural Review). Confirm your zone, coastal status and any overlay with Santa Barbara County Planning & Development.