Building Setbacks & Zoning in Bernalillo County, NM (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Unincorporated Bernalillo County's 1973 zoning ordinance sets a 20-foot front, 14-foot combined side, and 15-foot rear yard in the R-1 zone, with wider 25/10/25-foot setbacks in the rural A-1 and A-2 zones.
Bernalillo County Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code, App. A (Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance), § 9
2.Front Yard:a.There shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 20 feet except as provided in the Supplementary Height and Area Regulations Section of this ordinance....3.Side Yard:a....there shall be a side yard on both sides of a building the aggregate width of which shall be not less than 14 feet, provided, however, that neither such yard shall be less than six feet in width....4....
Structure Height Limits
Unincorporated Bernalillo County caps single-family homes at 26 feet or two-and-a-half stories in the A-1, A-2, R-1, and M-H zones under the county's 1973 zoning ordinance; Albuquerque properties fall under the city's own Integrated Development Ordinance instead.
Bernalillo County Residential Building Height Limit
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code, App. A (Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance), § 9
Height Regulations. Buildings and structures shall not exceed 26 feet or 2½ stories in height, except as provided in The Supplementary Height and Area Regulations Section of this ordinance.
Lot Coverage Limits
Bernalillo County's only lot-coverage ceiling in its zoning ordinance applies to special-use industrial parks: under § 18(15)(c), principal and accessory buildings on an approved industrial park special use permit may cover no more than 60 percent of the lot, alongside fixed yard and height standards.
Bernalillo County Industrial Park Lot Coverage
Some RestrictionsBernalillo County Code, App. A (Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance), § 18(15)(c)
15.Industrial park, that provides suitable sites for a wide range of industrial and commercial uses, provided uses are conducted in a compatible and harmonious manner within commercial and industrial environments achieved through a development plan and further provided it complies with the following requirements:a.Yard Requirements. Unless otherwise approved in the development plan, all buildin...
Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Bernalillo County
1 cities in Bernalillo County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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