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

Maximum building height in the City of Tustin is set by zoning district in Chapter 2 (Zoning) of the Tustin City Code, separate from the 6'-8" fence/wall height limit. In the R1 Single-Family Residential district and the E4 Residential Estate district, the maximum building height is generally 30 feet. The R2 Duplex and R3 Multiple-Family Residential districts allow taller buildings, generally up to about 35 feet, subject to district-specific restrictions. Commercial districts such as CG (Commercial General) likewise use a 35-foot maximum. The City's zoning code includes a customary exception allowing certain rooftop appurtenances - penthouse or roof structures housing elevators, stairways, tanks, ventilating fans or similar equipment, plus fire/parapet walls, skylights, towers, roof signs, flagpoles, chimneys, smokestacks and wireless masts - to exceed the height limit, provided no usable floor space is created above the limit. Within the Old Town Cultural Resources District, new construction and additions are reviewed against design guidelines and a Certificate of Appropriateness for compatibility (mass, scale and height relative to historic neighbors), which can effectively constrain height below the base zoning maximum. Special overlay and Planned Community districts can establish their own height standards. Because heights vary by district and overlay, owners should verify the applicable limit through a zoning verification or with the Community Development Department.