Building Setbacks & Zoning in Hawthorne, CA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Hawthorne, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Hawthorne's R-1 zone requires a 15-foot front setback, a 5-foot interior side yard (10 feet on a street side), and a 5-foot rear yard for single-family homes under the Use and Bulk Table in Hawthorne Code § 17.14.020, with a garage facing the street needing an extra three feet for an 18-foot setback.
Hawthorne Residential Yard Setback Minimums
Some RestrictionsHawthorne Code § 17.14.020 (Table of Uses and General Standards for R-1 Zone, Notes 2-4)
Table of Uses and General Standards for R-1 Zone Minimum Lot Size Minimum Lot Width Minimum Lot Depth Minimum Front Setback Side Setback Interior/Street Minimum Rear Setback Maximum Lot Coverage Maximum Building Height Minimum Open Space Per Unit Single-family detached dwelling 5,000 50 100 15 5/10 5 50% 22 —... Notes: 2 For garage facing street, minimum setback of 18 feet required. 3 Side setb...
Structure Height Limits
Hawthorne caps residential building height at 12, 22, or 50 feet depending on the Use and Bulk Table for the zone, and ties each ceiling to a story count: 12-foot buildings can't exceed one story, 22-foot buildings two stories, and 50-foot buildings four stories, under Hawthorne Code § 17.20.025.
Hawthorne Residential Building Height Limits
Some RestrictionsHawthorne Code § 17.20.025
Building height shall be limited to the measurement indicated in the Use and Bulk Table and the permitted number of stories. Buildings limited to twelve feet in height shall not be greater than one story in height. Buildings limited to twenty-two feet in height shall not be greater than two stories in height. Buildings limited to fifty feet in height shall not be greater than four stories in he...
Lot Coverage Limits
In Hawthorne's R-1 Low Density Residential zone, a single-family detached dwelling cannot cover more than fifty percent of the lot under the § 17.14.020 development table. The city's Urban Open Space (UOS) zone caps building coverage at forty percent unless the planning commission approves a conditional use permit for more.
Hawthorne R-1 Zone 50% Lot Coverage Cap
Some RestrictionsHawthorne Code § 17.14.020 (Table of Uses and General Standards for R-1 Zone); § 17.24.060
Table of Uses and General Standards for R-1 Zone1 Minimum Lot Size Minimum Lot Width Minimum Lot Depth Minimum Front Setback2 Side Setback Interior3/Street4 Minimum Rear Setback5 Maximum Lot Coverage Maximum Building Height6 Minimum Open Space Per Unit Single-family detached dwelling 5,000 50 100 15 5/10 5 50% 22 — § 17.24.060. Lot coverage. In the UOS zone the maximum lot coverage permitted by...
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Hawthorne city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Los Angeles County →