Building Setbacks & Zoning in Berkeley, CA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Berkeley, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Berkeley residential setbacks require 20-foot front, 4-foot side, and 15-foot rear yards in R-1 zones under Title 23 Zoning Ordinance, with ADU exceptions under SB 9 and state ADU law.
Berkeley Setback Rules
Heavy RestrictionsStructure Height Limits
Berkeley caps residential heights at 28 feet in R-1 zones with average height 25 feet, while downtown zones permit high-rise buildings up to 180 feet under the Downtown Area Plan.
Berkeley Height Limits
Heavy RestrictionsLot Coverage Limits
Berkeley R-1 zones limit main building lot coverage to 40 percent and total structure coverage to 50 percent, with ADUs and SB 9 units subject to state-law overrides.
Berkeley Lot Coverage
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Alameda County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Berkeley city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Alameda County →