Concord | Parking, setbacks and height

Concord, California Parking, Setbacks and Height: House and Multifamily Yards, Lot Coverage, Height Limits, Garages, Driveways and Minor Exceptions

A setback is the open distance a building must keep from a lot line. Concord sets setbacks, height and lot coverage in one standards table for each group of districts, and puts the measuring rules and the parking ratios in two separate chapters of the Development Code. The house districts ask for large yards and garage parking. The medium and high density districts ask for five or six feet and allow up to 67 feet of height. This page gives the tables, how the City measures, the parking and driveway rules, and the ways to vary a standard. The Concord overview has the summary.

House Districts: Setbacks and Lot Coverage

Source: Concord Development Code, Table 18.30.030. Height is 30 feet in every column.

• Two side yards. In RS-6 through RS-10 the table prints the interior side setback as 5 and 10 feet, with a footnote "Minimum for each side," and a separate row for the two together. The row is labeled Aggregate, which means the sum of both sides.
• Where the line is. Setbacks are "Measured from property line or back of sidewalk (whichever is less) to the face of building or structure."
• Distance from the street center. "In no case shall any structure be erected closer than 45 feet (50 feet in RR-40) from the centerline of any street," with an averaging rule "where four or more lots in a block on the same side of the street have been improved with buildings."
• Planned developments. A footnote says the standards apply "Unless otherwise approved through a planned unit development (PUD) use permit."
• What coverage counts. Lot coverage is "the portion of a lot that is covered by structures, including principal and accessory buildings, garages, carports, and roofed porches, but not including unenclosed and unroofed decks, landings, or balconies." An accessory dwelling unit counts, subject to the state floor of 800 square feet described on the ADUs and SB 9 page.
• No floor area cap for houses. The RS table has no floor area ratio. A ratio matters only as a review step: an addition that results in "a single-family dwelling with an FAR greater than 30 percent" needs design and site review.

Multifamily, Commercial and Downtown Districts

Sources: Concord Development Code Tables 18.30.040, 18.35.030(B), 18.40.030, 18.45.030 and 18.120.060(A). Residential figures only.

• Heights changed in 2026. The Ordinance List describes Ordinance 26-1, adopted February 10, 2026, as amending "Tables 18.30.040 and 18.40.030, residential and mixed-use building heights." The tables now read 40 feet for RM, 67 feet for RH, and 37 feet for residential and mixed-use buildings in CO and CMX.
• More height by permit. "Additional height may be approved with a use permit" in RL, RM and RH, and "Additional height may be allowed with a use permit" in CO, CMX and NC.
• Garages. In RL and RM a garage with street access needs a 20-foot setback and must sit "Minimum five feet behind primary building facade." A garage on an alley needs 4 feet.
• Landscaped front. "The area between the street improvements and street setback line shall be landscaped."
• North Todos Santos. NTS adds stepped setbacks: 10 feet for porches, 20 feet for garages and for a second story, and 25 feet for a third story and above.
• Downtown Pedestrian. DP has a maximum as well as a minimum: the front and street side yard may be no more than 10 feet. A footnote adds "For residential uses five to 10 feet, with at least 50 percent of facade at 10 feet." The first floor must be at least 15 feet from floor to floor.
• RH applies to the whole site. "Standards for RH apply to aggregate sites only and not to individual fee simple/condominium units which may be created on a subdivided RH site."
• Next to a house district. Section 18.150.180 sets the side and rear setbacks of a multifamily building next to a residential district. At 30 feet or less the building uses that district's setbacks. Above 30 feet it needs "a minimum setback of 20 feet, plus one additional foot of setback for every foot of building height over 30 feet, up to a maximum setback of 40 feet," and a six-foot fence is required between two residential uses.
• Small lots. Lots under 6,000 square feet follow their own table, which is on the lot size and subdivisions page.

How Concord Measures Height

• The method. Section 18.150.070: "The maximum height shall be measured as the vertical distance from finished grade at the base of the structure to an imaginary plane located at the allowed number of feet above and parallel to the finished grade at any point."
• No raised pads. "Finished grade shall be established in a manner consistent with other parcels in the vicinity and shall not be artificially raised to gain additional building height."
• Small roof features. "Chimneys may exceed the height limit by three feet," and "Skylights or vents may exceed the height limits by three feet."
• Solar and railings. "Rooftop solar panels may exceed the height limit by eight feet," and so may open railings.
• Towers and penthouses. Cupolas, elevator penthouses and similar features covering "less than 10 percent of the roof area may exceed the height limit by 10 feet with approval of a minor exception."
• Stories. A story is the space between one floor and the next. "Subgrade parking structures and basements shall not be considered stories."
• Airport. In the Airport Overlay around Buchanan Field, height must also comply with the Contra Costa County airport land use plan.

How Concord Measures Setbacks

• Corner lots. Section 18.150.140: "The front property line on a corner lot shall be the most narrow lot line abutting a street."
• Flag lots. On a flag lot, "the front setback shall be measured from the nearest point of the wall of the structure to the point where the access strip meets the bulk of the lot."
• Front averaging. "On a site situated between two developed lots, the minimum front yard setback shall be the average depth of the two front yards on either side." In the count, "a depth of 10 feet shall be used for lots with front yard setbacks that are less than 10 feet."
• Rear averaging. The rear setback of a house may be met by averaging when "No more than 50 percent of the residence extends closer than the required setback" or "No portion of the residence extends closer than 15 feet to the rear property line."
• One-story additions. "For single-story additions to existing single-family homes in the RS-7, RS-7.5, and RS-8 zoning districts, the rear yard setback may be reduced to 15 feet," if the side yards conform, a usable rear yard at least 20 feet across remains, and lot coverage is met.
• Projections. Table 18.150.140 lets eaves and roof overhangs extend 24 inches into a setback, bay windows 30 inches, and covered but unenclosed porches 6 feet into a front or rear setback and 30 inches into an interior side setback. A porch enclosed by roof and walls is "Not allowed in any setback."
• Decks. Decks and paving that "do not exceed a height of 18 inches above finished grade" are outside the setback rules. A deck more than 30 inches above grade must be 15 feet from the rear line.
• Equipment. "Ground-mounted mechanical equipment shall comply with the setback requirements of the applicable district."
• Access strips. Setbacks are measured from the edge of any road easement or flag lot strip, since those areas are "excluded from the required setback area."

Parking by Housing Type

Sources: Concord Development Code, Table 18.160.040, as amended by Ordinance 25-4 of May 27, 2025, and Section 18.155.060(J).

• Fractions. "one parking or loading space shall be required for a fraction of one-half or more than one-half, and no additional space shall be required for a fraction that is less than one-half."
• Bedrooms. "any rooms having the potential of being a bedroom and meeting the standard of the Uniform Building Code as a bedroom shall be counted as a bedroom."
• A maximum as well as a minimum. "The parking standards established in this chapter are both minimum and maximum standards." A minor exception allows up to 10 percent more, and a use permit more than that.
• Additions to houses. "All existing homes shall provide 2 spaces, at least 1 covered, none within required front yard setback, prior to the construction of additional bedrooms." More spaces are required only where the addition does not conform to coverage, height and setback rules.
• Older buildings. "No existing use or structure shall be deemed to be nonconforming solely because of the lack of off-street parking," as long as the existing spaces are kept and the use does not intensify.
• Senior and special needs housing. The review authority "may reduce the number of spaces" for these projects "based on quantified information provided by the applicant."
• Affordable projects. A project with 40 percent affordable homes under Section 18.185.060 may use 0.67 spaces for a studio, 1 for a one-bedroom home and 1.5 for a two-bedroom home, with no guest spaces.
• Downtown. In DP and DMX, spaces may be on another site "within 700 feet walking distance of a principal entrance," or the Planning Commission may accept a fee. The fee schedule lists $25,000 per space for new multifamily residential development.
• Bicycles. "A minimum of one bicycle parking space shall be provided for every four residential units, unless a separate enclosed garage space is provided for each unit," and short-term bicycle spaces equal to five percent of the vehicle spaces.
• State law near BART. Government Code 65863.2 prohibits a minimum parking requirement on a project "located within one-half mile of public transit," which the statute defines as "a major transit stop as defined in Section 21155 of the Public Resources Code." The Development Code has no section on that statute. Near the two BART stations, ask the Planning Division how it applies the table.

Garages, Carports and Driveways

• Where parking sits. Section 18.160.080: "Parking shall not be located within a required front or street-facing side yard, except within an enclosed garage that complies with the setback requirements."
• Garage sizes. A one-car garage is "A minimum of 10 feet wide by 22 feet deep (with a nine-foot door opening)," and a two-car garage "A minimum of 20 feet wide by 22 feet deep (with a 16-foot door opening or two nine-foot door openings)."
• Carports. A single carport is at least 10 by 19 feet and a double 20 by 19 feet, with a solid waterproof roof, and it must be placed "so that parked vehicles are screened and not visible from a street."
• Tandem. Tandem parking means one car parked behind another. "The minimum dimension for a tandem space (two vehicle lengths) shall be 10 feet wide by 35 feet long. Tandem spaces may be provided for up to 50 percent of any single-family development and up to 25 percent of any other residential development."
• One driveway. Section 18.160.110: outside the large rural lots, "All other single-family residential properties and duplexes shall be allowed one driveway." Section 18.160.100 adds "On lots less than 100 feet in width, driveways and curb cuts shall be limited to one per frontage."
• Driveway size. "Driveways shall be a minimum length of 20 feet." A single-car or tandem garage needs a driveway 12 to 20 feet wide, and a two-car garage 22 to 24 feet.
• Front paving. "The total area of front yard paving (e.g., driveway, parking areas, walks, etc.) shall not exceed 50 percent of the required front setback area or yard area, whichever is greater."
• Corners. "No driveway shall be located less than 60 feet from the nearest street intersection."
• Multifamily driveways. A multifamily project "shall have no more than two driveways on the same frontage," and a driveway serving six or fewer residential spaces must be at least 10 feet wide.
• Sight lines. Nothing over three feet tall may stand in the visibility triangle, which runs 40 feet along both curb lines at a street corner and 15 feet each way at a driveway.

Accessory Structures, Fences and Open Space

• Sheds and detached garages. Section 18.200.030: "Accessory structures shall not be located within any front or street side yard." They "shall occupy no more than 25 percent of a required rear yard area," up to 480 square feet on a 6,000 square foot lot and 800 on a 10,000 square foot lot.
• Height and distance. "Accessory structures six to 12 feet in height shall maintain a minimum five-foot side and rear setback," and one that meets the setbacks of the house "shall not exceed 16 feet in height." Structures must be five feet apart.
• ADUs are separate. These limits "do not apply to accessory dwelling units, which are allowed in addition to an accessory structure."
• Fences. "Fences and walls located along a front property line and/or within a required front setback shall not exceed a height of three feet." Elsewhere on a residential lot the limit is six feet, or seven "if the top one foot is constructed of lattice."
• Retaining walls. "Retaining walls shall not exceed a height of four feet."
• Open space. Section 18.150.100 requires 200 square feet per home in projects of three or more homes, with 60 square feet private. "Off-street parking and loading areas, driveways, and service areas shall not be considered as required open space areas."

Design Review for Houses and Ways to Vary a Standard

Most single-family houses are exempt from design and site review. Section 18.415.020 brings four cases back in: new houses in a proposed subdivision, "Any addition resulting in a single-family dwelling with an FAR greater than 30 percent," "Second-story additions where the area of the second floor portion is 40 percent or more than the area of the original structure located on the second floor, or second stories that are set back less than 10 feet from a side property line," and houses on sloped lots under the hillside chapter. FAR, or floor area ratio, is building floor area divided by lot area.

Source: Concord Development Code, Table 18.425.020.

• Who decides. "The planning division may render a decision a minor exception if a public hearing is not requested." The City mails notice within 100 feet, and "a public hearing will be held only if requested in writing by any interested person."
• Findings. Four findings are required, among them that "No practical alternative exists that will result in a superior project" and that "No negative impact will result."
• Fee. The fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 lists a Minor Exception at $1,236, and a Minor Exception Hearing at actual hours with a $2,000 deposit.
• Variance. "A request that exceeds the limitations identified in this section shall require a variance." A variance needs a finding of "special circumstances applicable to the property, including location, shape, size, surroundings, topography, or other conditions." The schedule lists it at actual hours with a $3,000 deposit.

Where the Code and City Documents Differ

• The handout and the code. The City's residential standards handout is dated 1/22/16. It prints RL at "2-1/2 Stories or max. 30 ft." and RH at "6 Stories or max 60 ft." The code table has no story counts for these districts and gives RH 67 feet. The code controls.
• An outdated cross-reference. The single-family row of the parking table points to "except as provided in CDC 18.160.050(F)" for an exception. Subsection (F) of that section now covers religious institution affiliated housing.
• Driveway spacing. Section 18.160.110 says single-family driveways "shall be separated by at least 28 feet," and the next sentence calls it "The six-foot separation." Ask the Engineering Division which figure it uses.
• Residential parking near BART. Section 18.105.040 says reductions are available within one-half mile of a BART station, but Section 18.160.050(A) now limits its 25 percent reduction to "nonresidential uses."
• The handout's section numbers. The handout cites "Section 18.50.140" for the rear setback reduction. The rule is in Section 18.150.140.

Limits of This Page

The code text is the publisher's copy, current through Ordinance 26-2 of September 8, 2026. The figures in the code are images and were not read, including the height and setback diagrams. The landscaping chapters, the 2023 Objective Design Standards document, the City's design guidelines, the county airport land use plan and the City's standard plans for driveways were not read. Standards for a house in an old Planned District come from that project's approval. The City's agenda system did not answer on October 10, 2026, so agendas were not read. Ask the Planning Division at (925) 671-3152 to confirm the standards for your parcel.

Where to Go Next

Related on VanPlex: the Concord overview, the three or more homes page and the California duplex to fourplex page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official sources (checked October 2026)