Building setback measurements.
Riverside Municipal Code § 19.630.030
in effect19.630.030 - Building setback measurements.
A. General. Except as otherwise specified in this section, all building setback distances shall be measured at right angles from the designated property line, and the building setback line shall be drawn parallel to the designated property line at the required building setback distance.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 19.630.030.A
Building Setback Measurements
B. Front yard setbacks. The front setback building line is a line parallel to the front property line abutting the street, at a minimum distance specified by the base zone measured at right angles from the front property line, except as follows:
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 19.630.030 B
Front Yard Setbacks
1. Corner lots. The front yard setback shall be measured from the narrowest street frontage, subject to approval of the Community & Economic Development Director or his/her designee. Where a lot or parcel of land at the junction of two intersecting streets in any residential zone has frontage on each street over 130 feet in length, front yards of the depth required in the appropriate zone shall be required on both frontages. The Community & Economic Development Director or his/her designee may determine that the front setback shall be established from the longer street frontage if the primary orientation of the building is to that frontage.
2. Flag lots. Regardless of the orientation of the main building, the measurement shall be taken from a parallel line established where the access strip meets the buildable area of the parcel closest to the public street or right-of-way.
3. Through lots. The front yard setback on the street side of a through lot is a line parallel to the property line abutting both streets. In other words, a through lot has two front yards.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 19.630.030.B
Front Yard Setbacks
4. Averaging. For the R-1-7000 Zone, where lots comprising 50 percent or more of the frontage on one side of a street between intersecting streets are developed with front yards setbacks of a greater depth. The average of such front yard setbacks shall establish the front yard setback for the entire frontage on that side of the street within that block.
C. Side yard setbacks. The side setback building lines are the lines parallel to the side yard property lines and perpendicular to the front and rear property lines, at a minimum distance specified by the base zone and measured horizontally from the nearest part of the side lot line to the main building.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 19.630.030.C
Side Yard Setbacks
D. Rear yard setback. The rear setback building line is a line parallel to the rear property line, at a minimum distance specified by the base zone measured at right angles from the rear property line, that extends between the side yards, except as follows:
1. Irregular, triangular or gore shaped lots. The rear yard setback is measured from a line that is opposite, parallel to and at a maximum distance form the front building setback line, having a length of not less than 10 feet.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 19.630.030.D.2
Rear Yard Setback—Gore Lot
(Ord. 7331 §99, 2016; Ord. 6966 §1, 2007)
Source: City of Riverside, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/riverside/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_TIT19ZO_ARTVIIISIPLGEDEPR_CH19.630YAREEX_19.630.030BUSEMEFetched: 11/1/2026