Davis R-1-8 zoning: height, setbacks and lot size

R-1-8 is a zoning district in Davis. Every value below was read from the Davis Municipal Code and links to its section (read October 2026). State laws such as the ADU and SB 9 rules can allow more on a residential lot. General information, not legal advice — read the code text and check with the city before you build.

Development standards in R-1-8

The general rule for a typical lot in this zone. Zoning tables often attach notes, such as rules for corner lots, lots next to a residential zone, or new subdivisions only. Open “code text” under a value to see the table cell or sentence it was read from.

Maximum building height	30 ft § 40.03.050 · code text No principal building shall exceed two stories or thirty feet in height.
Maximum number of stories	2 stories § 40.03.050 · code text No principal building shall exceed two stories or thirty feet in height.
Minimum front setback	20 ft § 40.03.060 · code text Zone R-1-8, twenty feet, except as provided in Section 40.27.050 and projections as permitted by Section 40.27.060.
Minimum side setback	5 ft Applies: Interior side yard; both sides together at least 12 ft; street side yard 15 ft § 40.03.060 · code text Zones R-1-6 and R-1-8: street side yard, fifteen feet; interior side yard, five feet; side yards of three feet may be allowed if a tentative development plan showing twelve feet between future buildings is submitted by the subdivider and approved by the director.
Minimum rear setback	20 ft Applies: 25 ft for any portion of a building over one story, or any single-story portion over 20 ft in height § 40.03.060 · code text Zones R-1-6, R-1-8, R-1-15, twenty feet, except for any portion of a building over one story (or any portion of a single-story building over twenty feet in height as measured to the exterior), that portion must meet the following minimum setback: twenty-five feet.
Minimum lot size	8,400 sq ft § 40.03.060 · code text Zone R-1-8, eight thousand four hundred square feet.
Maximum lot coverage	40% § 40.03.060 · code text Not in excess of forty percent.
Maximum floor area ratio (FAR)	40% plus up to 500 sq ft for garage or carport § 40.03.060 · code text Up to forty percent plus up to five hundred square feet for garage or carport.

When a different number applies

The code sets other values for particular lots, buildings or locations in R-1-8:

Minimum side setback: 3 ft — may be allowed if a tentative development plan showing twelve feet between future buildings is submitted by the subdivider and approved by the director § 40.03.060
Minimum rear setback: 25 ft — portion of a building over one story, or portion of a single-story building over twenty feet in height as measured to the exterior § 40.03.060
Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): more than 40% plus up to 500 sq ft for garage or carport — only with approval of a discretionary design review application (Article 40.31) § 40.03.060

Not on this page

We did not find a general density limit for R-1-8 in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Davis Municipal Code.

Other Davis zoning districts

Who this affects

HomeownersArchitects and designersDevelopersReal estate agents

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum building height in Davis's R-1-8 zone?

30 ft — Davis Municipal Code § 40.03.050.

What is the maximum number of stories in Davis's R-1-8 zone?

2 stories — Davis Municipal Code § 40.03.050.

What is the minimum front setback in Davis's R-1-8 zone?

20 ft — Davis Municipal Code § 40.03.060.

What is the minimum side setback in Davis's R-1-8 zone?

5 ft (interior side yard; both sides together at least 12 ft; street side yard 15 ft) — Davis Municipal Code § 40.03.060.

What is the minimum rear setback in Davis's R-1-8 zone?

20 ft (25 ft for any portion of a building over one story, or any single-story portion over 20 ft in height) — Davis Municipal Code § 40.03.060.

General information, not legal advice.