Building Setbacks & Zoning in Alameda County, CA (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 5 cities in Alameda County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Unincorporated Alameda County requires 20-foot front and rear yards in R-1 single-family districts, with side yards scaling from five feet up to a 10-foot maximum based on lot width.
R-1 Yard Setbacks in Alameda County
Some RestrictionsAlameda County Code § 17.08.070
Except as otherwise specified in the case of a combining district, the minimum requirements for yards in R-1 districts shall be as follows, subject to the provisions of Section 17.52.330: A. Depth of front yard: Twenty (20) feet; B. Depth of rear yard: Twenty (20) feet; C. Width of side yards: not less than five feet plus one foot for each full ten feet by which the median lot width exceeds fif...
Structure Height Limits
Unincorporated Alameda County caps R-1 single-family homes at two stories and 25 feet, though wide, deep lots can earn extra height up to a 30-foot ceiling.
R-1 Height Limits in Alameda County
Some RestrictionsAlameda County Code § 17.08.100
No dwelling shall have a height of more than two stories... nor shall any building or structure have a height in excess of twenty-five (25) feet, except as provided...by Section 17.52.090. Provided the parcel has a median lot depth of at least one hundred (100) feet, a median lot width of at least seventy (70) feet...the height of a dwelling may be increased by two feet for each full ten feet t...
Lot Coverage Limits
R-4 four-family lots in unincorporated Alameda County cannot be more than 40 percent covered by structures, and must set aside 600 square feet of usable open space per unit.
R-4 Lot Coverage Limits in Alameda County
Some RestrictionsAlameda County Code § 17.16.080
The lot coverage in R-4 districts, calculated as provided in Section 17.52.380, shall not exceed forty (40) percent of the area of the lot. It is also required that there be provided on the lot no less than six hundred (600) square feet of useable open space for each dwelling unit thereon, except as otherwise provided in Section 17.16.090.
Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Alameda County
5 cities in Alameda County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
2 verified rules • Lot Coverage Limits, Setback Rules
3 verified rules • Lot Coverage Limits, Setback Rules
3 verified rules • Lot Coverage Limits, Setback Rules
3 verified rules • Lot Coverage Limits, Setback Rules
3 verified rules • Lot Coverage Limits, Setback Rules
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