Building Setbacks & Zoning in Palmdale, CA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Palmdale, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Palmdale fixes minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks by zoning district under PMC § 17.82.010, with the actual footage set in Table 17.36.010-1 for single-family zones. Front setbacks run from 35 feet in the rural Equestrian Residential (ER) zone down to just 5 feet in Residential Neighborhood 3 (RN 3), and rear setbacks range from 45 feet to 15 feet across the same eight residential zones.
Palmdale Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.82.010 (Required Setbacks); Table 17.36.010-1 (Development Standards – Single-Family Residential)
(A) Each lot or parcel of land shall have minimum front, side, and rear setbacks as required for the zone in which the property is located (Divisions 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of this Title), for the specific use when applicable (Division 9 of this Title), or by this Chapter, whichever requirement is the greatest, except as modified by an adopted Specific Plan or planned development. (C) Except as othe...
Structure Height Limits
Palmdale caps single-family homes at 35 feet and 2 stories in most residential zones (ER, LDR, SFR 1-3), rising to 35 feet/2.5 stories in RN 1 and up to 50 feet/4 stories in the highest-density RN 3 zone. Accessory buildings top out at 17 to 40 feet.
Palmdale Residential Structure Height Limits
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.36.010, Table 17.36.010-1 (Development Standards - Single-Family Residential); see also § 17.17.030 (Measuring Heights)
Maximum Height (ft)/Stories - Primary Structure: 35/2 stories [ER]; 35/2 stories [LDR]; 35/2 stories [SFR 1]; 35/2 stories [SFR 2]; 35/2 stories [SFR 3]; 35/2.5 stories [RN 1]; 40/3 stories [RN 2]; 50/4 stories [RN 3]. Projects must comply with both stories and overall height maximums. See PMC § 17.17.030 (Measuring heights). Architectural features may project above the maximum height by five f...
Lot Coverage Limits
Palmdale caps single-family lot coverage at 20 to 75 percent of the parcel depending on zone under Table 17.36.010-1, with PMC § 17.17.050(C) defining what counts toward that footprint and excluding low decks, small eaves, open trellises, and unenclosed pools.
Palmdale Maximum Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.17.050(C) (Determining Lot Coverage); Table 17.36.010-1 (Development Standards - Single-Family Residential)
Determining Lot Coverage. Lot coverage is the ratio of the total footprint area of all structures on a lot to the net lot area, typically expressed as a percentage. The footprints of all principal and accessory structures, including garages, carports, covered patios, and roofed porches, shall be summed to calculate lot coverage. The following structures shall be excluded from the calculation: (...
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