Building Setbacks & Zoning in Butte County, CA (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Butte County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Unincorporated Butte County sets minimum building setbacks by zone in Table 24-20-2 of the Zoning Ordinance. Front setbacks are 20 feet in most residential zones, dropping to 10 feet in High and Very High Density Residential. Interior side and rear setbacks range from 5 to 10 feet depending on zone, while street side setbacks hold at 10 feet across every residential zone in the county.
Butte County Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsButte County Code of Ordinances § 24-20(C) (Table 24-20-2)
C.Structure Setbacks and Height. Table 24-20-2 (Setback and Height Standards for Residential Zones) identifies structure setback and height standards that apply in residential zones. ... Primary Structure Setbacks (min.) Front 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 10 ft. 10 ft. ... Rear 10 ft. 10 ft. See Table 24-20-3 10 ft. 10 ft. 10 ft. 5 ft. 5 ft. 5 ft. ... Primary Structure Heigh...
Structure Height Limits
Butte County Code of Ordinances Section 24-20(C) and Table 24-20-2 cap primary structure height at thirty-five feet across every residential zone in the unincorporated area, from the one-acre-minimum Foothill Residential and Rural Residential zones down to the multi-family High Density and Very High Density Residential zones.
Butte County Residential Zones 35-Foot Height Cap
Some RestrictionsButte County Code of Ordinances § 24-20(C), Table 24-20-2
C.Structure Setbacks and Height. Table 24-20-2 (Setback and Height Standards for Residential Zones) identifies structure setback and height standards that apply in residential zones. FR/FCR RR/RCR VLDR VLDCR LDR MDR MHD HDR VHDR Primary Structure Height (max.) 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. Article 11 (Height Measurements and Exceptions)
Lot Coverage Limits
For new development within the Butte Creek Canyon (-BCC) overlay zone, Butte County Code of Ordinances Section 24-34.1(D)(8)(b) caps impervious surface, meaning asphalt, concrete, and structures, at fifteen percent of a parcel's total size for lots of one acre or larger, with a sliding square-footage cap for smaller parcels.
Butte Creek Canyon 15% Impervious Surface Cap
Some RestrictionsButte County Code of Ordinances § 24-34.1(D)(8)(b)
b.Maximum Impervious Surface. Impervious surfaces are those surfaces that prevent normal water infiltration and/or cause runoff to other areas, such as asphalt, concrete, and structures (surfaces that are one hundred (100) percent impermeable to water percolation). For new development within the -BCC overlay zone, impervious surfaces shall be limited in accordance with the following standards:i...
Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Butte County
1 cities in Butte County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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