Setbacks & Height Limits in Spokane

This guide explains the basic setback and height rules that apply to residential construction in Spokane. These numbers depend on your exact zoning district, overlay zones, and lot geometry, so always confirm with the City of Spokane Planning Services before finalizing plans.

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 wall, but eaves, bay windows, and chimneys can have their own allowances).

Spokane Municipal Code Title 17C (Land Use Standards) specifies front, side, and rear setbacks separately for each zoning district. Corner lots have two "front" setbacks (one per street frontage) and typically one interior side and one rear setback.

Typical Residential Setbacks

For Spokane's most common single-family residential zones, Title 17C sets the following minimums:

Corner lots must provide a street-side setback on the second frontage — generally the same as the front setback for that block face. Higher-density residential zones, Center & Corridor districts, and commercial zones all have separate setback schedules in Title 17C.

Height Limits

Maximum building height in Spokane's RSF, RSF-C, and RTF zones is 35 ft, measured from average grade to the highest point of the roof. The RMF district and Center & Corridor commercial districts allow taller structures depending on the specific sub-district and any applicable overlay.

Height rules get more complicated in:

• Steep slope / hillside areas — height can be measured from existing grade, with additional limits
• Airport Hazard Overlay (Felts Field / Spokane International) — height is restricted to protect flight paths
• Centers & Corridors design standards — building form, step-backs, and transitions apply near residential zones
• Historic districts — height may be capped by context in designated districts like Browne's Addition

Lot Coverage

Beyond setbacks and height, Spokane regulates how much of the lot may be covered by buildings. In RSF and RSF-C districts, maximum lot coverage is generally capped by Title 17C — check the specific chapter for your zone. Decks under 30 inches, at-grade patios, and driveways are typically excluded from lot coverage calculations.

Common Exceptions and Encroachments

Spokane Municipal Code allows certain features to project into required setbacks. Typical allowances include:

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

Fences, retaining walls, and accessory structures have separate standards — see Title 17C's chapters on accessory structures and fences.

State Middle Housing Override — HB 1110

In 2023, Washington adopted HB 1110, which requires larger cities — including Spokane — to allow middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, and in some cases sixplexes) on lots that were previously zoned single-family. Key points:

• Cities cannot impose stricter setback, height, or lot coverage requirements on middle housing than on detached single-family homes on the same lot
• Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limits and lot coverage rules cannot be used to effectively prohibit middle housing
• Parking minimums are limited for middle housing units near transit

Spokane has been updating its municipal code to comply with HB 1110. Before designing a duplex, triplex, or fourplex project, confirm the current middle housing standards with Planning Services.

State ADU Overrides — HB 1337

If your project is an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), Washington HB 1337 (2023) overrides many local restrictions. Spokane must allow up to 2 ADUs per lot in most residential areas, cannot require owner occupancy, and cannot impose setback or height standards stricter than those that apply to the primary residence. See the ADU rules page for details.

How to Look Up Your Specific Requirements

1. Find your zoning district — use the Spokane GIS/zoning map at my.spokanecity.org
2. Read the district regulations — your zone chapter in Spokane Municipal Code Title 17C lists setbacks, height, and lot coverage
3. Check for overlays — airport, hillside, and historic overlays can modify the base rules
4. Ask planning staff — Spokane Planning Services at (509) 625-6300 offers pre-application guidance before you commit to design

Variances

If your project cannot meet the strict letter of the zoning code, you may apply for a variance — a formal request to deviate from the rules based on hardship specific to your lot. Variances are discretionary and typically require public hearings before the Hearing Examiner. See the Variance Application Guide for the general process.

Official Sources

See the sources linked in the frontmatter for Spokane Municipal Code Title 17C and the Planning Services department. This guide is informational and is not a substitute for direct confirmation from planning staff.

Disclaimer: Zoning codes change. Always verify current regulations with the City of Spokane Planning Services or Spokane Municipal Code before making development decisions.