Building Setbacks & Zoning in Thurston County, WA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Thurston County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Thurston County sets yard setbacks by zoning district under Title 21. In the Low-Density Residential District 0-6, single-family lots need a 16-foot front yard, 5-foot sides, and a 15-foot rear yard.
Thurston County Yard Setbacks by Zone
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code § 21.12.050
Minimum front yard1, 2 Garages facing the street 16 feet 20 feet Front yard on flanking street 10 feet Minimum side yards3 5 feet Minimum rear yard 15 feet4
Structure Height Limits
In Thurston County's Low Density Residential District 0-6, the maximum building height is 25 feet, set by the development standards table in Code Section 21.12.050. Building height is measured under Section 21.06.200 as the vertical distance from average finish grade to the highest point of a building or structure, excluding chimneys, antennas or other uninhabitable vertical projections. Accessory buildings are capped at the primary structure's height.
Thurston County Residential Height Limit
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code §§ 21.12.050, 21.06.200
Maximum height 9 25 feet ... 8 For primary and accessory buildings. Accessory building shall be limited to the height of the primary building. ... "Building height" means the vertical distance from average finish grade level to the highest point of a building or structure, excluding any chimney, antenna or other uninhabitable vertical appurtenances.
Lot Coverage Limits
In Thurston County's unincorporated Low-Density Residential District 0-6, Code Section 21.12.050 caps building footprint at 50% of the lot and total development coverage, every roofed structure and paved improvement combined, at 65%. The same development standards table sets a 25-foot height limit, a 10% contiguous open-space requirement, and yard setbacks that shrink for accessory buildings under 200 square feet.
Thurston County Max Lot Coverage Rule
Some RestrictionsThurston County Code Section 21.12.050
Minimum usable open space 7, 8 10% of total lot area and must be contiguous Maximum building area coverage 50% Maximum development coverage 65% Maximum height 9 25 feet 5 Setbacks for accessory buildings less than two hundred square feet: front - sixteen feet; side - five feet; rear - three feet.
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