Bellevue residential zoning
Bellevue residential zoning and setbacks by zone
Bellevue's residential zone tells you the starting setbacks and site limits, but it does not create the final building envelope. Corner lots, access routes, easements, critical areas, shoreline rules, overlays, and retained trees can all push construction farther inward.
Reviewed against official Bellevue sources in August 2026Bellevue residential base-zone table
The city renamed many residential zones in 2025. Current and former names are shown together.
| Zone | Lot or density | Front | Rear | Side yards | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LL1 / LL-1 (formerly R-1) | 35,000 sq ft | 35 ft | 25 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 20 ft combined | 35% building; 45% impervious |
| LL2 / LL-2 (formerly R-1.8) | 20,000 sq ft | 30 ft | 25 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 15 ft combined | 35% building; 45% impervious |
| SR1 / SR-1 (formerly R-2.5) | 13,500 sq ft | 20 ft | 25 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 15 ft combined | 35% building; 45% impervious |
| SR2 / SR-2 (formerly R-3.5) | 10,000 sq ft | 20 ft | 25 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 15 ft combined | 35% building; 45% impervious |
| SR3 / SR-3 (formerly R-4) | 8,500 sq ft | 20 ft | 20 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 15 ft combined | 35% building; 45% impervious |
| SR4 / SR-4 (formerly R-5) | 7,200 sq ft | 20 ft | 20 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 15 ft combined | 40% building; 55% impervious |
| LDR1 / LDR-1 (formerly R-7.5) | 4,700 sq ft | 20 ft | 20 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 10 ft combined | 40% building; 55% impervious |
| LDR2 / LDR-2 (formerly R-10) | 10 homes per acre | 20 ft | 20 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 10 ft combined | 40% building; 65% impervious |
| LDR3 / LDR-3 (formerly R-15) | 15 homes per acre | 20 ft | 20 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 10 ft combined | 40% building; 65% impervious |
| MDR1 / MDR-1 (formerly R-20) | 20 homes per acre | 20 ft | 20 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 10 ft combined | 40% building; 65% impervious |
| MDR2 / MDR-2 (formerly R-30) | 30 homes per acre | 20 ft | 20 ft | 5 ft minimum each, 10 ft combined | 40% building; 65% impervious |
Parcel-specific checks
What can change the table
- The common base height screen for a house is 30 feet for a flat roof or 35 feet to a pitched-roof ridge, plus a 40-foot individual-facade cap. Confirm the measurement method and exceptions.
- A required yard adjoining an access route is generally at least 10 feet. A corner lot can have more than one street-facing yard.
- Building coverage, impervious surface, and hard surface are different calculations. Do not treat the largest percentage as the buildable footprint.
- Middle-housing, multifamily, shoreline, critical-area, and overlay provisions may add standards not captured here.
How to use this guide
Turn a zone row into a useful screen
- 1
Find the parcel on the city's current zoning map and copy the complete zone name.
- 2
Read the full row, table footnotes, and definitions. Do not use only the front setback.
- 3
Check corner-lot yards, access easements, critical areas, shorelines, trees, overlays, and recorded restrictions.
- 4
Use a boundary and topographic survey to place the setbacks against the actual lot.
- 5
Have the city or project team confirm any uncertainty before the design is fixed.
Official resources