Building Setbacks & Zoning in Bothell, WA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Bothell, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
In the City of Bothell, Washington, BMC 12.14.030 sets yard setbacks zone by zone in a development standards table. Garages and carports stay at least 20 feet from streets and access tracts, side yards are 5 feet in every listed residential zone, and rear yards with no alley run from 35 feet in R-C down to 10 feet in R-M1 through R-M4.
Bothell Residential Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 12.14.030
4. Setbacks. a. “Setback” shall mean the distance from the lot line to the point where a structure may be constructed, not including those structures permitted under BMC 12.14.090 to project into the setback. The area between a lot line and a setback is a yard. Setbacks shall be in accordance with BMC 12.14.050 through 12.14.100. b. Garages, carports, and other structures whose intent is to hou...
Structure Height Limits
In the City of Bothell, Washington, BMC 12.14.110 measures building height vertically from the average city-approved finish grade to the highest point of the structure. The residential table caps height at 35 feet in R-C through R-M2, 45 feet in R-M3 and 55 feet in R-M4, and a surveyor is required on sloping lots.
Bothell Building Height Limits and Measurement
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 12.14.110
A. Building height shall be measured vertically from the average city-approved finish grade to the highest point of the structure. B. The average city-approved finish grade shall be measured by first delineating the smallest rectangle which can enclose the building and then averaging the existing ground elevations taken at the midpoint of each side of the rectangle. ... D. Compliance with the h...
Lot Coverage Limits
In the City of Bothell, Washington, BMC 12.14.140 defines building coverage and hard surface coverage as percentages of lot area, and the BMC 12.14.030 table caps hard surface coverage at 35 percent in R-C, 55 percent in R-L1 and 60 percent in R-L2, rising to 90 percent in R-M4.
Bothell Lot Coverage and Hard Surface Limits
Some RestrictionsBothell Municipal Code § 12.14.140
A. Building coverage shall mean that portion of a lot that is occupied by the principal building and its accessory buildings, including all projections except eaves. Decks are exempted from the building coverage provisions. Building coverage shall be expressed as a percentage of the total lot area. B. Hard surface coverage shall mean the ground areas of the entire development site covered by an...
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Bothell city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in King County →