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Building Setbacks & Zoning in Lewis County, WA (2026)

3 rules for unincorporated Lewis County, Washington.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Lewis County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Setback Rules

Outside the incorporated cities and small-town urban growth areas, LCC § 15.15.040 sets a minimum building setback of 55 feet from the centerline on any county road right-of-way 60 feet wide or less, and 25 feet from the edge of any right-of-way wider than 60 feet. The county engineer can approve a reduced setback where topography or an unlikely-to-expand road justifies it.

Lewis County Road Right-of-Way Building Setbacks

Some Restrictions

Lewis County Code § 15.15.040(1)-(2)

Minimum Setback, 60-Foot Right-of-Way. Except as otherwise stated in Chapter 17.15 LCC, Urban Growth Areas - Cities, or Chapter 17.17 LCC, Urban Growth Areas - Small Towns: ... The minimum building setback from any county road right-of-way, 60 feet in width or less, shall be 55 feet from the right-of-way centerline, as established by the records of the Lewis County engineer; provided, that this...

Structure Height Limits

Across the residential and commercial zones of Lewis County's Packwood and Onalaska Small Town Urban Growth Areas, habitable building space is capped at 35 feet, while nonhabitable elements like chimneys and antennas can reach 50 feet, measured from mean ground level.

Lewis County Small-Town UGA Height Limit

Some Restrictions

Lewis County Code § 17.17.120(1), Table 3

Table 3: General Standards Development Standard RL RM RH MU CBZ AX IND OS ... Maximum building height (feet)1 Habitable space 35 35 35 35 35 35 N/A 35 ... 1 Height shall be measured as feet above the mean ground level. See Chapter 17.80 LCC, Airport Obstruction Zone, for additional requirements.

Lot Coverage Limits

In the Packwood and Onalaska Small Town Urban Growth Areas, commercial lot coverage is capped by zone rather than by percentage. Mixed Use (MU) parcels max out at 10,000 square feet of commercial building per development, while Commercial Business District (CBZ) and Airport District (AX) parcels max out at 20,000 square feet, excluding parking and loading areas.

Lewis County Small-Town Lot Coverage Caps

Some Restrictions

Lewis County Code § 17.17.120(3)

(3) Building Lot Coverage. (a) Within the Mixed Use (MU) zone, commercial uses shall have a maximum lot coverage not to exceed 10,000 square feet per development, excluding parking and loading. Developments that contain multiple lots but are developed as one project shall be considered to be one development. (b) Within the Commercial Business District (CBZ) and Airport District (AX) zones, comm...

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