Building Setbacks & Zoning in Bellingham, WA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Bellingham, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
In Bellingham's Residential Single (RS) zone, main buildings need a 5-foot side yard, a 10-foot rear yard, and a front yard set 50 feet from the street centerline.
Bellingham Residential Single Zone Setbacks
Some RestrictionsBellingham Municipal Code § 20.30.040(F), Table 20.30.040
Table 20.30.040 – Residential Single Minimum Yards. Front Yard Setback: 50 feet CL, setback measured from the centerline (CL) of the street right-of-way. ... Side Yard Setback: 5 feet PL, setback measured from each side property line (PL). Rear Yard Setback: 10 feet PL, setback measured from the rear property line (PL).
Structure Height Limits
Bellingham's Residential Single zone caps buildings at 35 feet measured to the roof peak from grade at the wall, or 20 feet under the alternate on-site grade method.
Bellingham Residential Structure Height Limit
Some RestrictionsBellingham Municipal Code § 20.30.040(E)
E. Height. No structure shall exceed 35 feet under BMC 20.08.020, height definition No. 1 or 20 feet under height definition No. 2.
Lot Coverage Limits
Bellingham caps standard multifamily lot coverage at 35% of the site under BMC 20.32.040(D), but BMC 20.32.050(C) lets developers build up to 45%, 55%, 65%, or 75% coverage by meeting stricter wall-to-property-line ratios and covered-parking requirements.
Bellingham Multifamily Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsBellingham Municipal Code § 20.32.050(C)
Lot Coverage Option. The 35 percent coverage requirement may be exceeded to the maximum allowed for the applicable level, provided the conditions for that level are satisfied... Lot Coverage Level 4 (Maximum 75 Percent Coverage) – Conditions... The wall to property line ratio on all property lines is at least 1:5... All required parking is covered.
Looking for Whatcom County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Bellingham city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Whatcom County →