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David Babakaiff
Written by David Babakaiff · Co-Founder, VanPlex | 25+ Years BC Construction Last reviewed: October 2026

Menifee | Parking, Setbacks and Height

Menifee, California Parking, Setbacks and Height: Yards, Height Limits, Coverage, Open Space, Accessory Structures, Fences and Parking by Zone

This page collects the numbers that decide how much building fits on a Menifee lot: setbacks, which are the required open distances between a building and the lot lines; height limits; building coverage, the share of the lot covered by buildings; open space; accessory structures; fences; and parking. The zone tables are in Article 3 of the Development Code and the general rules in Article 4. Municipal Code Amendment No. LR24-0135, adopted July 16, 2025, changed the rules on patio covers, accessory structures, pools and parking distance, and this page uses the amended text. ADUs and SB 9 homes follow their own setback rules, set out on the ADUs and SB 9 page. The Menifee overview has the summary.

Menifee building rules in six facts

Residential Zone Standards

Table 9.130.040-1 sets the setbacks, heights, coverage and open space for the six residential zones. The 2025 amendment did not change it. Two footnotes apply: setback projections for architectural features are in Section 9.160.030, and "Garages with entrances facing the street shall be set back no less than 20 feet." "5 min., 15 combined" means each interior side yard is at least 5 feet and the two together at least 15 feet.

Standard LDR-1 LDR-2 LMDR MDR MHDR HDR
Front yard 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft
Street-facing garage 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft
Corner side yard 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft
Interior side yard 5 ft 5 ft 5 ft 5 ft min., 15 ft combined 5 ft min., 15 ft combined 5 ft min., 15 ft combined
Rear yard 10 ft 10 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft
Height 40 ft 40 ft 40 ft 40 ft 50 ft 50 ft
Building coverage 50% 50% 50% 50% 60% 60%
Open space 30% 30% 30% 30% 25% 20%
Private open space per unit N/A N/A N/A 100 sq ft 100 sq ft 100 sq ft

Source: Table 9.130.040-1, Menifee Development Code Article 3, PDF file dated 8-15-24.

Article 6 defines two coverage terms that are easy to confuse. "Coverage, Building" is "The area of a parcel covered by a structure or structures, expressed as a percentage of the total lot area," and that is what the zone table limits. "Coverage, Lot" also counts "buildings, sidewalks, driveways or other impervious surface." Section 9.165.040 adds that "Lot coverage calculations shall include all enclosed accessory structure area on a lot or parcel." The open space row is the minimum share of the lot left open, and MDR to HDR also require 100 square feet of private open space for each home, such as a patio or balcony.

Rural Zone Standards

Standard AG RM RR5 RR2 RR1 RR1/2
Front yard 40 ft 40 ft 40 ft 25 ft 25 ft 20 ft
Corner side yard 40 ft 40 ft 20 ft 15 ft 15 ft 15 ft
Interior side yard 25 ft 25 ft 15 ft 15 ft 10 ft 10 ft
Rear yard 25 ft 25 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft 20 ft
Height 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft 35 ft
Building coverage 10% 10% 15% 20% 25% 25%
Open space 75% 75% 70% 60% 50% 40%

Source: Table 9.125.040-2, Menifee Development Code Article 3, as amended by Ordinance LR24-0135.

In the RR1/2 zone the 20-foot front yard carries a footnote: "Side-loaded garages may have a front yard setback of 15 feet." A side-loaded garage is one whose door faces the side of the lot instead of the street. The rural zones allow up to 35 feet of height everywhere but cap building coverage between 10 and 25 percent, so a one-acre RR1 lot of 43,560 square feet can have 10,890 square feet of buildings (VanPlex arithmetic: 25 percent of 43,560).

How Setbacks Are Measured

Section 9.160.030(C) explains where each yard starts. A front setback is measured "at right angles from the front property line." On a corner lot, which touches two streets, "the front yard shall be the shortest length of the lot abutting a street, unless otherwise designated by the Community Development Director," and the longer street side becomes the corner side yard. On a flag lot the front measurement starts "where the access strip meets the bulk of the parcel." On a through lot, which runs between two parallel streets, either street side may be the front, and "the minimum rear yard shall not be less than a required front yard in the zone."

Section 9.160.030(A) says required yards "shall be kept free of buildings and structures" except as the code allows, and that eaves and roof overhangs may never extend past a property line or into an access easement or street right-of-way. Section 9.160.060 keeps a sight triangle clear at street corners and at major driveways into shared parking areas, but excludes single-family homes: nothing taller than "36 inches from the top of the curb" may block the view there.

Projections, Height and Measurement

Section 9.160.030(D) lists what may extend into the required yards, as amended in 2025:

  • Chimneys. A chimney up to 6 feet wide may extend 2 feet into a setback, "but no closer than 3 feet to a side or rear property line."
  • Eaves, bay windows and balconies. Features that add no floor area "may extend 2 feet into required yards."
  • Porches and stairs. Unenclosed porches and outside stairs may extend 3 feet, "with a minimum 5-foot setback to the rear property line."
  • Patio covers. Covered, unenclosed patios and pergolas attached to the house "may extend no more than 50% into a required rear yard setback." Before 2025 the limit was 6 feet.
  • Equipment. Air conditioners, pool equipment and solar equipment may extend "3 feet into the rear yard and 2 feet into the side yard," and none is allowed in the front yard.
  • Low features. Decks, steps and terraces no higher than 18 inches above grade, and retaining walls under 3 feet, are exempt from setbacks.

Section 9.160.040 measures height "from the average finished grade at the perimeter of the structure to the highest point of the structure." Chimneys, cupolas, flagpoles and similar features may exceed "the zone's building height limits by no more than 15 feet," wording added in 2025. One noncommercial antenna up to 52.5 feet and one noncommercial windmill up to 35 feet are allowed per residential parcel, each set back at least 1.25 times its height. Hillside lots have their own height rules, covered on the hillside, Quail Valley and fire zones page.

Accessory Structures and Outdoor Amenities

Chapter 9.165, renamed "Accessory Structures & Amenities" in 2025, covers garages, sheds, carports, patio covers, gazebos and guest houses in the agricultural and residential zones. Under Section 9.165.040 an accessory structure must stay in the rear or interior side yard or the buildable area, may not exceed 16 feet in the residential zones, and must be "at least 10 feet from the primary building and at least 5 feet from another accessory structure." Since 2025, "No accessory structure shall be erected unless a primary building exists on the parcel."

Structure Front yard Rear yard Interior side yard
ADU Not permitted 4 ft 4 ft
Carport Not permitted 5 ft for support column 5 ft for support column
Garage 20 ft (entrance faces street); 10 ft (entrance from side) 10 ft 5 ft
Gazebo or garden structure Not permitted 5 ft 5 ft
Patio cover Not permitted See underlying zone See underlying zone
Detached guest house Not permitted 10 ft 5 ft
Solar equipment Not permitted 3 ft 3 ft
Storage shed Not permitted 5 ft 5 ft

Source: Table 9.165.040-1, as amended by Ordinance LR24-0135, Exhibit C. If the zone sets a smaller setback, the smaller one applies; structures of 120 square feet or less need only 3 feet.

Size limits also apply. No accessory structure, or group of them, may cover more than 30 percent of the rear yard, and none may exceed "600 square feet for lots less than one-half acre, 900 square feet for one-half to 1 acre, or 3,000 square feet for lots greater than 1 acre." In the RR1, RR1/2, LDR-1, LDR-2, LMDR and MDR zones, metal and aluminum siding and roofing may be used only as accents. Sheds and playhouses of 120 square feet or less with no electrical, plumbing or mechanical parts "may be exempt from building permit requirements" where the California Building Code exempts them, and Section 9.80.020 now exempts accessory structures from plot plan review.

Pools moved in 2025 into a new outdoor amenities table, Table 9.165.050-1. Measured from the water's edge, a pool needs 10 feet from the front line and 5 feet from the rear and side lines in AG, RM, RR5 and RR2; is "Not permitted" in the front yard in RR1, RR1/2, LDR-1, LDR-2, LMDR and MDR, with 5-foot rear and side setbacks; and needs 10 feet on all sides in other zones. Permanent barbecues and outdoor kitchens need 5 feet from rear and side lines.

Fences and Walls

Table 9.185.040-1 sets fence and wall heights in the agricultural and residential zones at 36 inches inside the front setback and 6 feet at or behind it. Side and rear fences may be 6 feet. A corner side fence may be 6 feet with "a minimum 5-foot-wide landscape planter strip" between the sidewalk and the wall. Hedges and screening plants, other than trees, "shall not exceed the maximum height of walls permitted in the zone."

Parking

Use Spaces Notes
Single-family home 2 per home Enclosed in a two-car garage, 20 by 20 ft minimum
Duplex 2 per home Enclosed in a two-car garage, 20 by 20 ft minimum
Apartment, studio or 1 bedroom 1.00 per unit At least one space per unit in a garage or carport
Apartment, 2 bedrooms 1.50 per unit The same
Apartment, 3 or more bedrooms 2.50 per unit The same
Planned residential development 1.25 (studio or 1 bedroom); 2.5 (2 or more) The same
Senior citizen development 1.25 per unit
Guests, multi-family and mixed use 1 per 10 homes Marked and spread through the site
ADU See Section 9.295.020 One space, with six exemptions

Source: Table 9.215.040-1 and Section 9.215.040(A), Menifee Development Code Article 4, as amended by Ordinance LR24-0135.

Residential spaces "shall be provided within a parking structure or enclosed one- and two-car garages," except that apartments, condominiums and planned developments need at least one garage or carport space per unit. A garage must keep a clear area of at least "10 feet by 20 feet for a one-car garage and not less than 20 feet by 20 feet for a two-car garage," with no storage cabinets, trash cans, water heaters, washers or dryers in that area. Driveways for one- and two-family homes are 12 feet wide and for other uses 24 feet. Fractions of a space are rounded up.

Recreational vehicles may be parked on a single-family lot only in the rear or side yard beyond the front setback, on a paved or stabilized surface, screened from public view, with a current registration and no utility hookups or added curb cut. A Minor Exception under Section 9.70.020 may "Reduce off-street parking requirements (excluding stall and aisle dimensions) to a maximum of 10 percent," and a density bonus project may use the state parking ratios set out on the three or more homes page.

Small Relief: Minor Exceptions

Section 9.70.020 lets the Director approve small changes without a variance: reducing setbacks by up to 10 percent, increasing height by up to 10 percent, increasing lot coverage by up to "10 percent or up to 1,000 square feet, whichever is less," raising fence height by up to 10 percent, and placing an ADU in front of the house. Minor exceptions "do not apply to land use or density." The FY26/27 fee schedule lists a Minor Exception at $568.25. A larger change needs a variance, decided by the Planning Commission after a hearing, which "shall expire one year from the date the approval was granted" unless used.

Where the Code Disagrees With Itself

  • ADU front yard. Table 9.165.040-1 marks an ADU in the front yard "Not permitted." Section 9.295.020 lets the front setback shrink so an 800 square foot ADU fits, and Section 9.70.020 allows an ADU in front of the house by minor exception.
  • Fee total. The FY26/27 fee table lists the Minor Exception amount as $568.25 and the "Total to City of Menifee" as $550.43. Ask the cashier which figure is charged.
  • Cross-references. Section 9.165.040 points to "Section 9.65.050-110" for shipping containers, which are in Sections 9.165.060 to 9.165.080 after the 2025 renumbering.

Best For

  • ✓ MHDR and HDR lots, where buildings may reach 50 feet and cover 60 percent of the lot.
  • ✓ Lots needing a small setback, height or coverage change of 10 percent or less, which the Director can grant as a minor exception.
  • ✓ Rear yards with room for a patio cover reaching halfway into the rear setback under the 2025 rule.

Usually Fails When

  • ✕ A garage door faces the street with less than 20 feet of driveway in front of it.
  • ✕ Garage space is used for storage, laundry or a water heater inside the 20 by 20 foot clear area.
  • ✕ A shed or garage is built on a lot with no main home, which the 2025 rule prohibits.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

  • → Whether the lot is in a specific plan or planned development with its own setbacks and heights.
  • → Whether the lot is in the hillside area, where homes are limited to two stories.
  • → The fee the City actually charges for a minor exception.

Where to Go Next

Zoning Districts
The zones these standards belong to and what each allows.
ADUs and SB 9
The four-foot setbacks and heights for ADUs and SB 9 homes.
Three or More Homes
Apartment parking, plot plans and the density bonus.

Related on VanPlex: the Menifee overview, the California ADU law page and the California SB 9 page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the setbacks in Menifee residential zones? +
Every Menifee residential zone requires a 15-foot front yard and a 15-foot corner side yard under Table 9.130.040-1, with 20 feet in front of a street-facing garage. Interior side yards are 5 feet in LDR-1, LDR-2 and LMDR, and 5 feet each with 15 combined in MDR, MHDR and HDR. Rear yards are 10 feet in LDR-1 and LDR-2 and 20 feet elsewhere.
How tall can a house be in Menifee? +
A Menifee house may be 40 feet tall in LDR-1, LDR-2, LMDR and MDR, and 50 feet in MHDR and HDR, under Table 9.130.040-1. The rural zones allow 35 feet. Height is measured from the average finished grade around the building to its highest point. On hillside lots no building may have more than two stories.
How much of my lot can I cover in Menifee? +
Menifee allows building coverage of 50 percent in LDR-1, LDR-2, LMDR and MDR and 60 percent in MHDR and HDR, and requires open space of 30, 25 or 20 percent depending on the zone. Rural zones allow 10 to 25 percent coverage. Enclosed accessory structures count toward coverage, and a minor exception can add up to 10 percent or 1,000 square feet.
How many parking spaces does a house need in Menifee? +
A Menifee single-family home needs 2 parking spaces enclosed in a two-car garage of at least 20 by 20 feet under Table 9.215.040-1, and each unit of a duplex needs the same. The garage must stay clear of storage, trash cans, water heaters and laundry equipment. ADUs and SB 9 homes follow their own lower parking rules.
How far into my backyard can a patio cover go in Menifee? +
A Menifee covered, unenclosed patio or pergola attached to the house may extend no more than 50 percent into the required rear yard setback, under Section 9.160.030 as amended on July 16, 2025. Before the amendment the limit was 6 feet. Table 9.165.040-1 says patio covers follow the underlying zone setbacks.
How big can a shed or garage be in Menifee? +
A Menifee accessory structure may not exceed 600 square feet on a lot under one-half acre, 900 square feet on one-half to 1 acre, or 3,000 square feet on a larger lot, and accessory structures together may not cover more than 30 percent of the rear yard, under Section 9.165.040. Height is 16 feet in the residential zones.
How far must a pool be from the property line in Menifee? +
A Menifee pool, measured from the water edge, needs 5 feet from the rear and side lines in RR1, RR1/2, LDR-1, LDR-2, LMDR and MDR and is not allowed in the front yard there, under Table 9.165.050-1 added in 2025. In AG, RM, RR5 and RR2 it needs 10 feet from the front line, and in other zones 10 feet on all sides.
How tall can a fence be in Menifee? +
A Menifee fence or wall may be 36 inches tall inside the front setback and 6 feet at or behind it, and 6 feet along side and rear lines, under Table 9.185.040-1 for agricultural and residential zones. A 6-foot corner side fence needs a 5-foot landscape strip between the sidewalk and the wall. Hedges follow the same limits.
Can I park an RV at my house in Menifee? +
Yes, with limits. Section 9.215.110 lets a Menifee owner park a recreational vehicle in a single-family zone only in the rear or side yard beyond the front setback, on a paved or stabilized surface, screened from public view, with current registration. Nobody may live in it, it may not connect to utilities, and no extra curb cut may be made.
What is a minor exception in Menifee? +
A Menifee minor exception, under Chapter 9.70, lets the Community Development Director approve small changes without a hearing: setbacks reduced by up to 10 percent, height or fence height increased by up to 10 percent, lot coverage raised by up to 10 percent or 1,000 square feet, parking reduced by up to 10 percent, or an ADU placed in front of the house.
Do the rural zones in Menifee have different setbacks? +
Yes. Menifee rural zones under Table 9.125.040-2 require front yards of 40 feet in AG, RM and RR5, 25 feet in RR2 and RR1 and 20 feet in RR1/2, interior side yards of 10 to 25 feet, and rear yards of 20 or 25 feet. Buildings may be 35 feet tall, and coverage is limited to 10 to 25 percent.

Official sources (checked October 2026)

Menifee Development Code, Article 2: Administration, Permits and Procedures (City PDF, file dated 8-15-24)
https://www.menifee.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20970/Article-2-Administration-Permits-and-Procedures_8-15-24
Menifee Development Code, Article 3: Zones (City PDF, file dated 8-15-24)
https://www.menifee.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20967/Article-3-Zones_8-15-24
Menifee Development Code, Article 4: Site Development Regulations (City PDF, file dated 8-15-24)
https://www.menifee.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20971/Article-4-Site-Development-Regulations-and-Performance-Standards_8-15-24
Menifee Development Code, Article 6: Definitions (City PDF, file dated 8-15-24)
https://www.menifee.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20969/Article-6-Definitions_8-15-24
City of Menifee, City Council packet of July 16, 2025, item 10.6, Ordinance LR24-0135 and Exhibit C (PDF)
https://cityofmenifee.primegov.com/Public/CompiledDocument?compileOutputType=1&meetingTemplateId=11952
City of Menifee Planning Division, Application Fees FY26/27 (PDF)
https://www.menifee.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/25561/APPLICATION-FEES---FY26-27
General information, not legal advice. California housing law changes every year, and each city adds its own rules on top of state law. Confirm current requirements with the city or county planning department, and with a California-licensed attorney or architect, before you buy land or file plans.

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