Riverside County · Zoning · R-2
Riverside County R-2 zoning: height, setbacks and lot size
In Riverside County's R-2 zone, generally buildings can be up to 40 ft (3 stories) tall, the front setback is 20 ft and the minimum lot size is 7,200 sq ft, with the conditions listed below (Riverside County code, read October 2026).
Key points
- Maximum building height: 40 ft
- Maximum number of stories: 3 stories
- Minimum front setback: 20 ft
- Minimum side setback: 10% of lot width, min 3 ft, max 5 ft (Interior and through lots; the yard need not exceed 5 feet.)
- Minimum rear setback: 10 ft
- Minimum lot size: 7,200 sq ft (Excludes the portion of a lot used solely for access to the portion used as a building site.)
- Maximum lot coverage: 60%
R-2 (Multiple-Family Dwelling Zone) is a zoning district in Riverside County. Every value below was read from the Riverside County 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-2
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 | 40 ft § 17.36.020 · code textBuilding height shall not exceed three stories, with a maximum height of forty (40) feet. |
|---|---|
| Maximum number of stories | 3 stories § 17.36.020 · code textBuilding height shall not exceed three stories, with a maximum height of forty (40) feet. |
| Minimum front setback | 20 ft § 17.36.040 · code textThe front yard shall be not less than twenty (20) feet, measured from the existing street line or from any future street line as shown on any specific plan of highways, whichever is nearer the proposed structure. |
| Minimum side setback | 10% of lot width, min 3 ft, max 5 ft Applies: Interior and through lots; the yard need not exceed 5 feet. § 17.36.050 · code textSide yards on interior and through lots shall be not less than ten (10) percent of the width of the lot, but not less than three feet in width in any event, and need not exceed a width of five feet. |
| Minimum rear setback | 10 ft § 17.36.060 · code textThe rear yard shall not be less than ten (10) feet. |
| Minimum lot size | 7,200 sq ft Applies: Excludes the portion of a lot used solely for access to the portion used as a building site. § 17.36.030 · code textLot area shall be not less than seven thousand two hundred (7,200) square feet. The minimum lot area shall be determined by excluding that portion of a lot that is used solely for access to the portion of a lot used as a building site. |
| Maximum lot coverage | 60% § 17.36.070 · code textIn no case shall more than sixty (60) percent of any lot be covered by buildings. |
When a different number applies
The code sets other values for particular lots, buildings or locations in R-2:
- Minimum side setback: 10 ft — corner and reversed corner lots, measured from the street line on which the main building sides; on lots under 50 ft wide, need not exceed 20% of the lot width § 17.36.050
- Minimum side setback: 20% of lot width — Corner and reversed corner lots less than 50 feet wide; yard need not exceed 20% of lot width. § 17.36.050
Not on this page
We did not find a general FAR, density limit for R-2 in the zoning tables we read. The code may still set one elsewhere — check the Riverside County Municipal Code.
Other Riverside County zoning districts
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum building height in Riverside County's R-2 zone?
40 ft — Riverside County Municipal Code § 17.36.020.
What is the maximum number of stories in Riverside County's R-2 zone?
3 stories — Riverside County Municipal Code § 17.36.020.
What is the minimum front setback in Riverside County's R-2 zone?
20 ft — Riverside County Municipal Code § 17.36.040.
What is the minimum side setback in Riverside County's R-2 zone?
10% of lot width, min 3 ft, max 5 ft (interior and through lots; the yard need not exceed 5 feet) — Riverside County Municipal Code § 17.36.050.
What is the minimum rear setback in Riverside County's R-2 zone?
10 ft — Riverside County Municipal Code § 17.36.060.
General information, not legal advice.
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