Building Setbacks & Zoning in El Monte, CA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for El Monte, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
El Monte sets minimum yard setbacks for one-family homes in Table 17.20-2 of Section 17.20.050: 20 feet at the front, 10 feet on a street side, 5 feet on an interior side, and 10 to 35 feet at the rear depending on district and lot depth. Second stories must sit an extra 5 feet back from every first-story line except in R-1C.
Yard Setback Minimums for El Monte Homes
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 17.20.050(A), Table 17.20-2 (Minimum Yard Setbacks)
Minimum Yard Setbacks 3 1 st story front 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 2 nd story front 5 ft. additional from the 1 st story 5 ft. additional from the 1 st story N/A 1 st story street side 10 ft. 10 ft. 10 ft. 1 st story interior side 5 ft. 5 ft. 5 ft. Rear 10 ft. 20 ft. Parcel <100 ft. deep: 20 ft. All other parcels: 35 ft.
Structure Height Limits
El Monte caps one-family home height in Table 17.20-2 of Section 17.20.050: 2 stories and 30 feet in the R-1A and R-1B districts, 1½ stories and 25 feet in R-1C. Top plate height is limited to 14 feet on the first story and 24 feet on the second in R-1A/R-1B, or 18 feet total in R-1C.
Residential Building Height Limits in El Monte
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 17.20.050(A), Table 17.20-2 (Maximum Height)
Maximum Height Height 2 stories & 30 ft. 2 stories & 30 ft. 1½ stories & 25 ft. Top plate height 1 story: 14 ft. 2 story: 24 ft. 1 story: 14 ft. 2 story: 24 ft. 18 ft.
Lot Coverage Limits
El Monte caps how much of a residential lot a house and other roofed structures may cover under Table 17.20-2 of the R-1 zoning code: 35 percent in the R-1A district and 30 percent in both R-1B and R-1C. The ratio measures net roofed footprint against net lot area, with several features excluded from the count.
El Monte Lot Coverage Limits for One-Family Homes
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 17.20.050(A), Table 17.20-2 (Maximum Lot Coverage)
Development Standard R-1A R-1B 2 R-1C ... Other Standards Maximum lot coverage 35% 30% 30%
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement El Monte city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Los Angeles County →