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Building Setbacks & Zoning in Kennewick, WA (2026)

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

Verified from official government sources

Setback Rules

Building setbacks in Kennewick are set by KMC 18.12.010 A.2 (Table of Residential Site Development Standards) in the Title 18 Zoning Code. Front yard / street setback is 15 feet in the RS, RL, RM, RH, RTP zones (20 feet in RMH); garage setback is 20 feet (15 feet for side-entry); side yard is 5 feet (0 feet in UMU); rear yard is 15 feet (5 feet in UMU). Setbacks are measured from the back of the sidewalk (or the right-of-way line where no sidewalk exists, and in the UMU district). State authority is RCW 35A.63 (planning powers).

Kennewick, WA Building Setback Rules

Some Restrictions

Structure Height Limits

Building height in Kennewick is set by KMC 18.12.010 A.2 (Table of Residential Site Development Standards). Maximum height is 35 feet or 2.5 stories (whichever is less) in the RS, RL and RMH zones; 35 feet in RM; 45 feet in RH (multi-family); 30 feet in RTP. The RTP cap reflects manufactured-home park scale; the RH cap reflects multi-family scale. Tall structures near the Tri-Cities Airport are also subject to the Crash and Approach overlay in KMC Chapter 18.58 and federal FAA notice under 14 CFR Part 77.

Kennewick, WA Structure Height Limits

Some Restrictions

Lot Coverage Limits

Kennewick's Title 18 Zoning Code regulates lot intensity primarily through minimum lot size, lot width, unit density and setback standards in KMC 18.12.010 A.2 - for example, 4,000 sf minimum lot in RM (3,500 sf in RH), 5,500 sf minimum in RS and RMH (8,000 sf in RL after the middle-housing update), and unit density of up to 6 units per lot in the RS/RL/RM/RH/RMH zones. Building Code coverage limits in WAC 51-50 (2021 IBC) and impervious surface limits in the City's stormwater code (Chapter 4.30 KMC) apply on top.

Kennewick, WA Lot Coverage Rules

Some Restrictions

Looking for Benton County county-wide rules?

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

Building Setbacks & Zoning in Benton County