Novato · Zoning · R1-20
Novato R1-20 zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In Novato's R1-20 zone, buildings can be up to 30 ft tall, the front setback is 30 ft and the minimum lot size is 20,000 sq ft (Novato code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 30 ft
- Minimum front setback: 30 ft
- Minimum side setback: 15 ft
- Minimum rear setback: 30 ft
- Minimum lot size: 20,000 sq ft
- Maximum lot coverage: 40%
- Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 50%
R1-20 is a zoning district in Novato. Every value below was read from the Novato 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 R1-20
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 See note 2 below the table in the code. § 19.10.050 · code textTable row “R1-20”, column “Height Limit (ft) (2)”: 30 Note 2: Maximum allowed height of structures. See also 19.20.070 (Height Limits and Exceptions), and Division 19.26 (Hillside and Ridgeline Protection). |
|---|---|
| Minimum front setback | 30 ft § 19.10.050 · code textTable row “R1-20”, column “Front (ft)”: 30 |
| Minimum side setback | 15 ft § 19.10.050 · code textTable row “R1-20”, column “Side (ft)”: 15 |
| Minimum rear setback | 30 ft § 19.10.050 · code textTable row “R1-20”, column “Rear (ft)”: 30 |
| Minimum lot size | 20,000 sq ft § 19.10.050 · code textTable row “R1-20”, column “Area (sf)”: 20,000 |
| Maximum lot coverage | 40% See note 1 below the table in the code. § 19.10.050 · code textTable row “R1-20”, column “Max. Building Coverage (1)”: 40% Note 1: Maximum percentage of site area that may be covered by structures. |
| Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) | 50% § 19.10.050 · code textTable row “R1-20”, column “Floor Area Ratio”: 50% |
Not on this page
We did not find a general stories, density limit for R1-20 in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Novato Municipal Code.
Other Novato zoning districts
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in Novato's R1-20 zone?
30 ft — Novato Municipal Code § 19.10.050.
What is the minimum front setback in Novato's R1-20 zone?
30 ft — Novato Municipal Code § 19.10.050.
What is the minimum side setback in Novato's R1-20 zone?
15 ft — Novato Municipal Code § 19.10.050.
What is the minimum rear setback in Novato's R1-20 zone?
30 ft — Novato Municipal Code § 19.10.050.
What is the minimum lot size in Novato's R1-20 zone?
20,000 sq ft — Novato Municipal Code § 19.10.050.
General information, not legal advice.
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