Building Setbacks & Zoning in Palm Springs, CA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Palm Springs, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Palm Springs sets yard setbacks by R-1 subzone under Zoning Code Section 92.01.03(B). A front yard facing a local or collector street must run at least 25 feet in the R-1-AH through R-1-D zones and 15 feet in R-1-E. Interior side yards range from 10 feet down to 6 feet, and every R-1 zone needs a 15-foot rear yard.
Palm Springs R-1 Yard Setback Minimums
Some RestrictionsPalm Springs, CA, Zoning Code Sec. 92.01.03(B) (R-1 Zones - Yards and Building Standards)
R-1-AH R-1-A R-1-B R-1-C R-1-D R-1-E 1. ... Front yards: a. Local/Collector street 25 25 25 25 25 15 ... ... 2. Side yards: a. Interior 10 10 10 10 7.5 6 ... ... 3. Rear yards: a. Backing on interior lot/local/ collector street 15 15 15 15 15 15
Structure Height Limits
R-1 zone homes in Palm Springs are capped at one story and 12 feet at the minimum setback line under Zoning Code Section 92.01.03(B)(5). From there, the roof can climb along a 4:12 slope up to a 18-foot maximum, with limited extra height for gables, dormers and entry features.
Palm Springs R-1 Building Height Envelope
Some RestrictionsPalm Springs, CA, Zoning Code Sec. 92.01.03(B)(5) (R-1 Zones - Building Envelope)
Buildings shall not exceed one story and 12 feet in height at the minimum setback. From the minimum setback, the height may be allowed to increase along a plane which has a slope of 4:12, until a building height of 18 feet is attained. Gable ends, dormers, shed-roof eaves, butterfly or folded-plate roofs, and front entrance treatments, not exceeding 15 feet in height, may encroach past the buil...
Lot Coverage Limits
Palm Springs caps how much of an R-1 single-family lot a building can cover at 35% in the R-1-AH, R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C and R-1-D zones, rising to 45% in R-1-E. The Department of Planning and Building checks this figure against the Zoning Code's dimensional table on every building permit application before construction can begin.
Palm Springs R-1 Zone Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsPalm Springs, CA, Zoning Code § 92.01.03(B), (D)(2) (R-1 Zones, Lot Coverage)
R-1-AH R-1-A R-1-B R-1-C R-1-D R-1-E ... 4. Lot coverage (max.) 35% 35% 35% 35% 35% 45% ... D. Exceptions—Lot Coverage (R-1-E Zone only). ... 2. Increased Lot Coverage. The maximum lot coverage in the R-1-E zone may be increased to 50% under either of the following conditions: a. An accessory dwelling unit is permitted and constructed in conformance to the requirements of Section 93.23.14; and/...
Looking for Riverside County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Palm Springs city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Riverside County →