Setbacks & Height Limits in Paradise

This guide explains the basic setback and height rules that apply to residential construction in Paradise, Nevada. Because Paradise is an unincorporated township, these rules come from Clark County Title 30 — not from a city code. Always confirm your specific numbers with the Clark County Department of Comprehensive Planning before finalizing plans.

Governed by Clark County (Unincorporated)

Paradise is not a city. It is an unincorporated township within Clark County that contains much of the Las Vegas Strip, Harry Reid International Airport, and UNLV. There is no City of Paradise, no mayor, and no Paradise planning department. All land use, zoning, setbacks, height limits, and building permits are administered by Clark County under Title 30, the Unified Development Code.

This means:

• The code that governs your lot is Clark County Title 30, accessed through the Clark County Municode library
• Applications, plan reviews, and inspections go through the Clark County One-Stop Center at 500 S. Grand Central Pkwy, Las Vegas
• The zoning map is the Clark County GIS portal at maps.clarkcountynv.gov
• City of Las Vegas rules do not apply in Paradise, even though the mailing address often says "Las Vegas, NV"

What Are Setbacks?

A setback is the minimum required distance between a building and a lot line. Setbacks are measured from the property line to the nearest point of the building (typically the exterior wall, though eaves, bay windows, and chimneys have their own encroachment rules).

Clark County Title 30 specifies front, side, and rear setbacks separately for each zoning district. Corner lots have two "front" setbacks (one per street frontage) plus an interior side and rear.

Typical Residential Setbacks

For the most common residential zones in Paradise under Title 30, the approximate minimum setbacks are:

These are typical base values. Your specific lot may have additional requirements from overlay districts, airport environs zones, or recorded plat notes. Commercial (C-1, C-2, C-P), industrial (M-1, M-2), and the H-1 resort district have entirely different setback schedules.

Height Limits

Maximum building height in most Paradise single-family residential zones (R-D, R-E, R-1) is 35 ft, measured from average finished grade to the highest point of the roof. R-2 allows up to about 40 ft, and multi-family R-3 and R-4 permit greater height.

Height rules get more complicated because of Paradise's unique geography:

• Airport environs overlay — large parts of Paradise sit under FAA Part 77 surfaces around Harry Reid International Airport. Even where Title 30 allows greater height, FAA airspace review can restrict it.
• H-1 Limited Resort and Apartment district — the Strip corridor's signature district has no fixed height cap in the code itself, which is how casino towers reach 1,000+ ft; FAA determinations, not zoning, set the real ceiling.
• Hillside and escarpment areas — in the western and southern fringes, additional massing limits apply.

Lot Coverage and FAR

Beyond setbacks and height, two other numbers shape how much you can build:

• Lot coverage — the percentage of the lot covered by buildings. Typical Paradise single-family zones allow roughly 40–50% coverage for the primary structure plus accessory buildings.
• Floor Area Ratio (FAR) — Title 30 uses FAR mainly in the higher-density residential, commercial, and H-1 districts rather than in the base R-1 and R-2 zones.

Common Exceptions and Encroachments

Clark County Title 30 allows certain features to project into required setbacks. Typical allowances include:

• Eaves and gutters (usually up to 2 ft)
• Chimneys (up to 2 ft)
• Uncovered porches, stoops, and steps
• Air conditioning condensers (subject to sound limits and minimum clearances)
• Bay windows (limited projection)

Fences, walls, and accessory structures like detached garages and casitas have their own rules — see the accessory structures section of Title 30.

State ADU Overrides

Nevada has no enacted statewide ADU preemption. AB 383 is an appliance-energy-efficiency bill, not ADU. ADU rules are set locally — contact the city or county planning department.

How to Look Up Your Specific Requirements

1. Find your zoning district — use the Clark County GIS portal at maps.clarkcountynv.gov
2. Read the district regulations — open Title 30 on Municode and find your zone chapter
3. Check for overlays — airport environs, Strip corridor, and hillside overlays can modify the base rules
4. Ask Clark County planning staff — the Department of Comprehensive Planning takes zoning questions at (702) 455-4314

Variances

If your project cannot meet the strict letter of Title 30, you may apply for a variance — a formal request to the Clark County Board of County Commissioners or a hearing body to deviate from the rules based on hardship specific to your lot. Variances are discretionary and typically require public hearings. See the Variance Application Guide for the general process.

Official Sources

See the sources linked in the frontmatter for the Clark County Department of Comprehensive Planning and Title 30 of the Clark County Code. This guide is informational and is not a substitute for direct confirmation from Clark County planning staff.