Building Setbacks & Zoning in Las Cruces, NM (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Las Cruces, New Mexico, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Las Cruces zoning sets minimum yard setbacks by district. In the common R-1a medium-density zone: 15-foot front, 20-foot rear, and 5-foot side yards, and no garage or carport within 25 feet of the front property line.
Las Cruces Property Setback Requirements
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Land Development Code ch. 38, Sec. 38-31.D
No garage or carport shall be within 25 feet of the front property line, section 38-62.(f)Maximum number of attached townhouses by zoning district: R-1a and R-1aM districts (3), R-1b and R-1bM districts (5), R-2 districts (8), R-3 districts (10). Maximum number of attached apartments by zoning district (per building): R-2 districts (8), R-3 districts (10), R-4 districts (unlimited).(g)For all ...
Structure Height Limits
Most residential zoning districts in Las Cruces cap building height at 35 feet, but the R-4 high-density apartment district allows up to 60 feet, per the Matrix 1 dimensional standards table in Land Development Code Section 38-31.D. Height is measured from grade to the highest roof surface, and towers or antennas follow a separate section.
Las Cruces Residential Building Height Limits
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Land Development Code § 38-31.D (Matrix 1)
Max. height (feet)(c) 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 60 ... (c)See the antennas, towers, communications structures, and other vertical structures, section 38-59.
Lot Coverage Limits
Along University Avenue, the Land Development Code caps how much of a lot can be covered in pavement, buildings, and other impervious surface: 90 percent in the University Avenue Zone core and 80 percent in the surrounding Transition Zone. Outside this overlay, Las Cruces zoning does not set a separate citywide lot-coverage or impervious-surface percentage for other residential or commercial districts.
Las Cruces University District Lot Coverage Limit
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Land Development Code § 38-44(J)(1)(a), (J)(2)(a) (University District Overlay, impervious surface standards for UAZ and TZ)
Impervious Surfaces No more than 90 percent of the site shall consist of impervious surfaces. ... Impervious Surfaces No more than 80 percent of the site shall consist of impervious surfaces.
Looking for Doña Ana County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Las Cruces city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Doña Ana County →