Building Setbacks & Zoning in Thousand Oaks, CA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Thousand Oaks, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Thousand Oaks requires a minimum 20-foot front yard setback on most residential lots (R-A, R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3), while the R-O zone instead uses a percentage-based formula: 25% of lot depth, capped at 35 feet. Separate sections of the same article set matching minimums for side and rear yards.
Building Setbacks: Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsThousand Oaks Municipal Code (TOMC) § 9-4.2504 (Front Yards)
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9-4.2510 of this article, in the R-A, R-E, R-1, R-2, and R-3 Zones, each lot shall have a front yard of not less than twenty (20') feet. ... In the R-0 Zone each lot shall have a front yard of not less than twenty-five (25%) percent of the depth of the lot, except that such front yard need not exceed thirty-five (35') feet.
Structure Height Limits
Thousand Oaks caps building height by zone: single-family homes in most residential zones (R-A, R-E, R-O, R-1, R-2) are limited to 25 feet, with a possible 10-foot bonus for homes with generous 15-foot side yards, capped at three stories. Commercial buildings are limited to 35 feet in the C-1/C-2/C-3 zones, but the C-4 zone allows up to 75 feet.
Building Setbacks: Structure Height Limits
Some RestrictionsThousand Oaks Municipal Code (TOMC) § 9-4.2501 (Building Height)
In the R-A, R-E, R-O, R-1, and R-2 Zones, except as described herein, no main building or structure shall exceed twenty-five (25') feet in height. The maximum height may be increased by not more than ten (10') feet provided that each such dwelling has two (2) side yards of not less than fifteen (15') feet each, but such dwellings shall in no event exceed three (3) stories. ... In the C-1, C-2, ...
Lot Coverage Limits
Thousand Oaks uses a 'space allocation formula' to guide how much of a Residential Planned Development (R-P-D) project can be structural coverage, paved area, or open space, with the target mix depending on the project's overall density. Low-density R-P-D projects are guided toward 40% structural coverage, 15% paved area, and 40% open space, while higher-density projects shift toward more paved area.
Building Setbacks: Lot Coverage
Light RestrictionsThousand Oaks Municipal Code (TOMC) § 9-4.904(f) (Residential Planned Development Zone — Development Standards, Space Allocation Formula)
The formula set forth in this subsection is an evaluative tool to assist in determining the adequacy of space relationships involving structural covering, paved areas, and the open space system based on the density category of each project...The definition of the space allocation components consists of: (1) Structural coverage: all buildings, including carports and garages; (2) Paved areas: dri...
Looking for Ventura County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Thousand Oaks city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Ventura County →