Building Setbacks & Zoning in Multnomah County, OR (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Multnomah County, Oregon.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
In the county's LR-5 low-density residential zone, homes need a 20-foot front yard, 5-foot side yard, 10-foot street-side yard and 15-foot rear yard, with a limited corner-lot reduction.
Yard Setbacks in Unincorporated Multnomah Co.
Some RestrictionsMultnomah County Code § 39.4830(H)(3)
(H) Minimum Yard Dimensions – Feet ... Maximum Structure Height 35 feet. ... (3) The rear yard of a corner lot may be reduced to five feet, provided that the front yard is not less than 20 feet, the street side yard is not less than 10 feet, and the interior side yard is not less than 15 feet.
Structure Height Limits
In unincorporated Multnomah County's Rural Residential zone, homes are capped at 35 feet, though barns, silos, windmills, and antennas are exempt from the cap when set back 30 feet from property lines. Portland sets its own separate rules.
Multnomah County Home Height Limit: 35 Feet
Some RestrictionsMultnomah County Code § 39.4375(C), (E)
Maximum Structure Height – 35 feet Minimum Front Lot Line Length – 50 feet. ... Structures such as barns, silos, windmills, antennae, chimneys, or similar structures may exceed the height requirement if located at least 30 feet from any property line.
Lot Coverage Limits
In unincorporated Multnomah County's MR-4 residential zone, buildings can cover no more than 40 percent of the lot, on top of a 4,500-square-foot minimum lot size.
Multnomah County Lot Coverage Limit
Some RestrictionsMultnomah County Code § 39.4990(I)
(I) The maximum lot coverage shall be 40 percent. (J) Minimum Yard Dimensions – Feet Front Side Street Side Rear Interior 20 5 N/A 15 Lot Corner 20 5 10 15 Lot Maximum Structure Height - 35 feet. (1) The minimum yard and other setbacks for a mobile home park shall be as required under MCC 39.9610. (2) In the event a front yard less than the minimum has been legally established on one or both of...
Building Setbacks & Zoning by City in Multnomah County
2 cities in Multnomah County have their own building setbacks & zoning rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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