National City · Zoning · I
National City I zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In National City's I zone, buildings can be up to 65 ft (5 stories) tall, the front setback is 10 ft and the minimum lot size is 5,000 sq ft (National City code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 65 ft
- Maximum number of stories: 5 stories
- Minimum front setback: 10 ft
- Minimum side setback: 0 ft
- Minimum rear setback: 0 ft
- Minimum lot size: 5,000 sq ft
- Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 3.0
I (Institutional Zone) is a zoning district in National City. Every value below was read from the National City 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 I
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 | 65 ft See note b below the table in the code. § 18.26.030 · code textTable row “I”, column “Maximum Building Height”: 65' and 5 stories (b) Note b: When adjacent to a residential zone, the maximum height shall not exceed the maximum height in the adjacent zone within one hundred feet of the adjacent zone boundary. |
|---|---|
| Maximum number of stories | 5 stories See note b below the table in the code. § 18.26.030 · code textTable row “I”, column “Maximum Building Height”: 65' and 5 stories (b) Note b: When adjacent to a residential zone, the maximum height shall not exceed the maximum height in the adjacent zone within one hundred feet of the adjacent zone boundary. |
| Minimum front setback | 10 ft § 18.26.030 · code textTable row “I”, column “Front Yard”: 10' |
| Minimum side setback | 0 ft See note a below the table in the code. § 18.26.030 · code textTable row “I”, column “Interior Side Yard”: 0' (a) Note a: Or, when adjacent to a residential zone, the interior side or rear yard setback shall be the same as the interior side or rear year setback required in the residential zone. |
| Minimum rear setback | 0 ft See note a below the table in the code. § 18.26.030 · code textTable row “I”, column “Rear Yard”: 0' (a) Note a: Or, when adjacent to a residential zone, the interior side or rear yard setback shall be the same as the interior side or rear year setback required in the residential zone. |
| Minimum lot size | 5,000 sq ft § 18.26.030 · code textTable row “I”, column “Minimum Lot Area”: 5,000 SF |
| Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) | 3.0 § 18.26.030 · code textTable row “I”, column “FAR”: 3.0 |
Not on this page
We did not find a general lot coverage, density limit for I in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the National City Municipal Code.
Other National City zoning districts
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in National City's I zone?
65 ft — National City Municipal Code § 18.26.030.
What is the maximum number of stories in National City's I zone?
5 stories — National City Municipal Code § 18.26.030.
What is the minimum front setback in National City's I zone?
10 ft — National City Municipal Code § 18.26.030.
What is the minimum side setback in National City's I zone?
0 ft — National City Municipal Code § 18.26.030.
What is the minimum rear setback in National City's I zone?
0 ft — National City Municipal Code § 18.26.030.
General information, not legal advice.
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