Westminster, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Table 2-3 (§ 17.210.015); § 17.300.025(B)
- R1 height limit
- 2 stories, not to exceed 35 feet
- Multifamily near R1
- 2 stories/25 feet within 100 feet of R1
- Architectural feature exception
- Up to twice district height limit, non-habitable only
- Accessory structures
- Capped at 15 feet to the roof peak
Summary
A house or other main structure in Westminster's R1 zone cannot exceed 2 stories or 35 feet under Table 2-3 of the Municipal Code, and Section 17.300.025(B) applies that district-specific standard citywide, with a narrow exception in (C)(1) letting non-habitable features like towers and spires rise to twice the district height limit.
Maximum building height: 2 stories not to exceed 35 feet. ... B. Height Limits. All structures shall meet the following standards relating to height limits, except for fences and walls, which shall comply with the provisions of Section 17.300.030, Fences, Hedges, and Walls, and the allowable exceptions identified in Section 17.300.025.C, Measurement and Height Limit Exceptions. 1. Maximum height. The height of structures shall not exceed the standard established by the applicable zoning district as outlined in Article 2. ... C. Exceptions to Height Limits. 1. Architectural features that are non-habitable design elements such as towers, gables, spires, cupolas, antennas (except wireless communication facilities), artificial windbreaks, and similar structures may be built not higher above the street than twice the building height limit established for the district in which such structures are located; provided that no such structure in excess of the district building height limit shall be used for sleeping or eating quarters, or for any commercial purpose other than such as may be incidental to the permitted use of the main building.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
015, sets the R1 zone's maximum building height at 2 stories not to exceed 35 feet, the baseline figure for the city's single-family neighborhoods; the R2 through R5 multifamily districts use a separate step-down standard tied to proximity to an R1 zone (2 stories/25 feet within 100 feet of R1, 3 stories/35 feet between 100 and 150 feet, and a street-width-based cap beyond that). 030. Subsection C then lists the only exceptions. Non-habitable architectural features, towers, gables, spires, cupolas, antennas other than wireless facilities, and windbreaks, may rise not higher above the street than twice the building height limit established for the district, but only if the extra height is never used for sleeping or eating quarters or any commercial purpose beyond what is incidental to the main building; oil-drilling derricks get a flat 160-foot allowance under the same subsection.
050. Accessory buildings and detached structures follow a separate, lower cap of 15 feet to the roof peak (10 feet for flat or shed roofs) under Table 2-3's accessory-structure row.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the district height limit is a Title 17 zoning violation. Under Section 17.650.010 the City may treat the oversized structure as a public nuisance subject to civil abatement, and any Title 17 violation is a misdemeanor the City Attorney may instead prosecute as an infraction; construction that continues after a height violation is identified can also draw a Stop Work Order, and violating that order is itself a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can I build a house in Westminster's R1 zone?
Can I add a decorative tower or spire above the 35-foot limit?
Do multifamily buildings near a single-family zone face a lower height cap?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
California rules heatmap·Compare Westminster to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle structure height limits.