San Bernardino | Parking, setbacks and height

San Bernardino, California Parking, Setbacks and Height: Yards by Zone, Lot Coverage, Building Height, Garages, Fences and Exceptions

A setback is the distance a building must keep from a lot line. In the City of San Bernardino the setbacks, heights and lot coverage for homes are in one table, Table 04.02 of the Development Code. Parking is in Chapter 19.24, and the rules on fences, height measurement and what may stand in a yard are in Chapter 19.20. This page puts those numbers side by side and lists the ways to get relief from them. The San Bernardino overview has the summary.

Yards, Coverage and Height by Zone

Source: San Bernardino Development Code, Section 19.04.030, Table 04.02 and its notes 5 and 8 (pages dated Feb. 2025).

The standards in the table "shall be determined to be minimum requirements, unless states as maximum by this Development Code." Four points help in reading it.

• The two front setback numbers. The front setback row prints two numbers for each zone but RE: 25 with a reference to note 8 and 20 below it, or 20 and 15 in RMH and RH. Note 8 reads "A 5-foot reduction in the minimum front yard setback is allowable for individual lots when yard averaging is used in conjunction with new subdivisions." The table gives no other label for the lower number, so this guide reads it as the averaged minimum. Confirm it for an existing lot.
• Yard averaging. Section 19.04.030(2)(E): "The front/rear yard setback of a group of five adjacent dwelling units may vary up to five feet from that required. The average setback of all five units shall equal the minimum required for the base zone."
• Side yards that increase with wall length. In RM, RMH and RH a one-story building needs "5' plus 1' for ea. 15' of wall length" and a two-story building 10 feet plus the same. A two-story wall 60 feet long needs 14 feet (VanPlex arithmetic: 10 plus 60 divided by 15).
• Houses in apartment zones. "Single-Family Dwellings located in the RU, RM, RMH, or RH zones shall be constructed in compliance with the development standards for the RS zone."

The table also sets a "DU Separation" of 15 feet in RE, RL, RS and RU, which is the space between dwelling units, and a distance between buildings of 10 feet in RE, RL and RS and 20 feet in RU and the multi-family zones.

How Height Is Measured and Limited

• Measurement. Section 19.20.030(13): "The structure height shall be determined from the finished grade to the highest point of the structure, excluding chimneys and vents."
• Pad elevation. The Director and the City Engineer set the elevation of the building pad, using criteria that include flood control, site drainage, "Viewshed protection from both public and private property," and "Protection of privacy of surrounding properties including consideration of the location of windows, doors, balconies, and decks."
• Above 35 feet. "Where the maximum permitted height of a new structure exceeds 35 feet," the code calls for "A visual analysis relating structure proportions, massing, height and setback," and says "Above 35 feet, additional structural setbacks (step back) may be required."
• Next to RS. In RM, RMH and RH, height is held to 2.5 stories or 35 feet "within 75 feet of the Residential Suburban (RS) zone."
• A story. Chapter 19.02 defines a story as "That portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface of" the floor above, and a half story as "A story under a gable, hip or gambrel roof, plates of which are not more than 2 feet above the floor of such story." The plate is the top of the wall that the roof rests on.
• Hillsides. In the Hillside Management Overlay a second story on an infill house can be limited by the height of the house on the next lot uphill. See the hillside, fire and flood zones page.
• Transit station areas. The Transit Overlay District sets its own heights, from 30 feet and 2 stories to 100 feet and 7 stories by station area.

What May Stand in a Setback

Section 19.20.030(17) lists "the only projections, construction, or equipment that shall be permitted within the required setbacks."

• Front and side. "Roof overhangs, fireplace chimney, awnings & canopies."
• Rear. "Roof overhangs, pools, patio covers, tennis courts, gazebos, and awnings & canopies, provided there is no projection within 10 feet of the property line."
• Accessory structures. They "may be built to the interior side or rear property lines provided that such structures are not closer than 10 feet to any other structures." Section 19.04.030(2)(A) adds that an accessory structure "may be a maximum of 50% of the main structure footprint and a maximum of 16 feet in height" and "may only be constructed on a lot containing a main dwelling unit."
• Guest houses. A guest house "shall conform to all of the setback regulations outlined in the applicable zone" and "shall not exceed the height of the main dwelling."
• ADUs. State law and Ordinance MC-1659 give ADUs their own setbacks: four feet at the side and rear. See the ADUs and SB 9 page.

Parking by Use

Sources: San Bernardino Development Code, Section 19.24.040 (pages dated Oct. 2019), Section 19.04.030(2)(X) and Section 19.19-B.040; Ordinance MC-1659, Exhibit A, subsection 7.g.

• Garages. Section 19.24.030: "In any residential zone, a garage with a garage door shall be provided, and permanently maintained." The Director may make exceptions "for apartments and affordable housing."
• Garage size. "A minimum unobstructed inside dimension of 20 feet by 20 feet shall be maintained, for a private two-car garage or carport. The minimum unobstructed ceiling height shall be 7 feet, 6 inches."
• Converting a garage. "If a required residential garage is proposed to be converted to a different use, then a new, two-car garage (with minimum unobstructed inside dimensions of 20 feet by 20 feet) shall be constructed on the site prior to converting the existing garage." The ADU ordinance overrides this for an ADU.
• Rounding. "Fractional space requirements shall be rounded up to the next whole space."
• Guest spaces. "Required guest parking in residential zones shall be designated as such and restricted to the use of guests."
• Where parking may go. "No parking space required by this Chapter shall be located in the front, side of rear setback area of any land use district except for a detached garage or carport structure and driveways which may be located in interior (non-street) side or rear setback areas."
• Paving. "All parking, including recreational vehicle parking in residential zones, shall occur on paved areas."
• Additions. When a structure is enlarged "in excess of 25% of the floor area," added parking must be provided to the current standard.

An example by VanPlex arithmetic: ten two-bedroom apartments need 20 covered spaces and 2 guest spaces. Ten one-bedroom apartments need 15 covered spaces and 2 guest spaces.

Driveways and Vehicles on the Lot

• House driveways. "Driveways for an attached 2-car garage shall have a minimum width of 16 feet and a minimum length of 24 feet measured from the inside sidewalk or apron to the front of the garage." A detached two-car garage needs a driveway 10 feet wide and a backup area 16 feet wide by 24 feet deep at the garage door.
• Apartment driveways. "a minimum width of 15 feet for a one-way driveway and 24 feet for a two-way driveway."
• Slope. "Driveways shall not exceed an 8% slope or as approved by the City Engineer," and parking areas 5 percent.
• Large lots on busy streets. "Existing residential lots of record, 10,800 square feet or larger which front on a major or secondary arterial shall provide circular drives or turnarounds."
• Recreational vehicles. "A recreational vehicle may only be parked on a lot behind the front line of the house" and must be screened to a height of 6 feet. On the street in front of a home the limit is "48 continuous hours for the purposes of loading and unloading."
• Commercial vehicles. A commercial vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds may not be parked on residentially zoned property except for immediate loading and unloading.
• Shade. "All parking areas shall provide 25% permanent shading for parked vehicles."

Where State Law Lowers the Parking Count

• Near a major transit stop. Government Code 65863.2: "A public agency shall not impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirement on a residential, commercial, or other development project if the project is located within one-half mile of public transit." The section defines public transit as "a major transit stop as defined in Section 21155 of the Public Resources Code," and it lets a city keep its requirement on written findings made "within 30 days of the receipt of a completed application."
• The City's own transit overlay. Inside the Transit Overlay District, Table 19-A.02 asks for "1 space per unit" in the RU, RM, RMH, RH and RL base zones and "2 spaces per unit" in RS. The chapter says "The parking requirements reflect the immaturity of the transit system along the corridor."
• ADUs. No parking for an ADU within one-half mile walking distance of public transit, and none to replace a converted garage.
• Density bonus projects. On request, no more than one space for a unit of zero to one bedroom and one and one-half for two to three bedrooms. See the three or more homes page.

Fences, Walls and Corners

• Front and street side yards. Table 20.01 allows 3 feet for "Solid structures" and 4 feet for "Open work structures," which must pass at least 90 percent of light.
• Other yards. 6 feet, and 8 feet outside the required yard area. Next to a non-residential district the table lists a 6-foot "Solid, decorative masonry wall."
• Barbed wire. "The use of barbed wire, razor wire, or concertina wire fencing in conjunction with any other fence, wall, roof, or by itself within any land use district, is prohibited" except as the table shows or another law requires.
• Corners and driveways. "No fence, wall, hedge, sign or other structure, shrubbery, mounds of earth, or other visual obstruction over 36 inches in height above the nearest street curb elevation shall be erected or placed within a Traffic Safety Sight Area." At the corner of two streets the triangle runs "along the intersecting property lines for 20 feet."
• Hillside retaining walls. 8 feet on an uphill slope and 3 feet 6 inches on a down slope.
• Fee. The Planning Division fee schedule lists a Fence / Wall Permit at $62.40.

House Size and Other Standards

• Minimum house size. Section 19.04.030(2)(H) sets 1,700 square feet in RE, 1,200 in RL and RS and 1,000 in RU, with a "Minimum Average Livable Area" of 1,500 in RL. An infill single-family dwelling needs 1,000 square feet. The area is "measured from the outside of walls and excludes garages, carports, exterior courtyards, patios, or balconies."
• Garage room size. The minimum room size table lists "Garage 400" square feet.
• Manufactured homes. A manufactured home used as a house needs a permanent foundation, eaves of at least 1 foot, a roof pitch of at least 1:4 and "a minimum width (across the narrowest portion) of 20 feet."
• Street frontage. "Every structure or use shall have frontage upon a public street or permanent means of access to a public street by way of a public or private easement, or recorded reciprocal access agreement."
• Street dedication. "Any new construction or construction of 2,500 square feet or more of the structure floor area of the primary structure shall require the dedication of public right-of-way for public street purposes."
• Utilities. "Utilities shall be placed underground pursuant to Section 19.30.110."

Minor Exceptions and Variances

Two procedures change a number in the table for one lot.

• Minor Exception. Section 19.58.030: "The Director may grant Minor Exception up to a maximum of 10% governing only the following measurable design/site considerations": distance between structures, lot dimensions, on-site parking, loading and landscaping, setbacks, and structure heights. A hearing is held with notice, and the Director must find "special circumstances applicable to the property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings."
• What 10 percent means. By VanPlex arithmetic, a 25-foot front setback could drop to 22.5 feet and a 5-foot side setback to 4.5 feet.
• Life of the approval. "A Minor Exception shall be exercised within one year from the date of approval, or the Minor Exception shall become null and void."
• Variance. Above 10 percent, "The Commission may grant a Variance" on dimensional standards such as distance between structures, lot area, lot coverage and lot dimensions. Chapter 19.72 says "The power to grant Variances does not extend to use regulations."
• Fees. The Planning Division fee schedule lists a Minor Exception at $109.20, and a Variance at $260.00 for a single-family residence, $2,147.60 for all others and $1,029.60 when filed with another application.
• Changes to an approved project. A Minor Modification, listed at $395.20, lets the Director adjust an approved permit by up to 10 percent, "which in no case would result in a reduction from any minimum standard outlined in this Development Code."

Where the Code Is Unclear or Disagrees With Itself

• The front setback row. Table 04.02 prints two unlabeled numbers for most zones, as described above.
• Perimeter fence height. Section 19.20.030(13) says "Perimeter fences, or walls, shall not exceed six feet in height, unless as otherwise provided in this Development Code." Table 20.01 allows 8 feet outside the required yard area.
• Front yard obstructions. Section 19.20.030(13) limits sight-obscuring fences in a front setback to 36 inches. Table 20.01 allows open work fences of 4 feet there. The two rules fit together if the 4-foot fence does not obscure sight.
• Garage conversions. Section 19.24.030 requires a replacement garage. Ordinance MC-1659 and state ADU law say no replacement parking for an ADU, and they control for an ADU.

Limits of This Page

Chapter 19.04 is the City's posted copy with pages dated Feb. 2025, Chapter 19.20 is dated July 2020, and Chapter 19.24 is dated Oct. 2019. City Council agendas through October 7, 2026 list no ordinance amending the parking chapter or Table 04.02. The figures and drawings in the chapters, the landscaping chapter, the design guidelines at the end of Chapter 19.04, the building and fire codes, and the specific plans were not read, and each can add a limit. The Planning fees are labeled effective July 20, 2020 on pages dated February 2024. Ask the Planning Division which standards apply to your lot.

Where to Go Next

Related on VanPlex: the San Bernardino overview, the three or more homes page and the California ADU law page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official sources (checked October 2026)