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Building Setbacks & Zoning in Fall River, MA (2026)

3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Fall River, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Setback Rules

Fall River sets minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks by zoning district, from 12-foot fronts in dense business zones up to 75-foot yards in the low-density R-80 district.

Fall River Yard Setback Minimums

Some Restrictions

Fall River Code § 86-35, Table of Dimensional Regulations (Attachment 1)

Single-Family S: Minimum Front Yard 25 ft, Minimum Side Yard 15 ft, Minimum Rear Yard 25 ft. Single-Family R-80: Minimum Front Yard 75 ft, Minimum Side Yard 50 ft, Minimum Rear Yard 75 ft. Two-Family R-4: Minimum Front Yard 15 ft, Minimum Side Yard 10 ft, Minimum Rear Yard 20 ft.

Structure Height Limits

Fall River limits building height to 35 feet in its single- and two-family districts and 45 feet in multi-family residence districts, per the zoning code's dimensional table.

Fall River Residential Building Height Cap

Some Restrictions

Fall River Code § 86-35, Table of Dimensional Regulations (Attachment 1)

Single-Family S: Maximum Building Height 35 feet. Two-Family R-4: Maximum Building Height 35 feet. General Residence G: Maximum Building Height 45 feet. Apartment A-2: Maximum Building Height 45 feet. Multiple-Family Residence M: Maximum Building Height 45 feet.

Lot Coverage Limits

Fall River caps maximum lot coverage by zoning district, ranging from 25% in most single-family and residence districts up to 80% in the Waterfront and Transit-Oriented Development District.

Fall River Max Lot Coverage Limits

Some Restrictions

Fall River Code § 86-35, Table of Dimensional Regulations (Attachment 1)

Single-Family S: Maximum Lot Coverage 25%. Single-Family R-8: Maximum Lot Coverage 25%. Two-Family R-4: Maximum Lot Coverage 30%. Waterfront and Transit-Oriented Development WTOD: Maximum Lot Coverage 80%.

Looking for Bristol County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fall River city rules.

Building Setbacks & Zoning in Bristol County