Redmond residential zoning
Redmond residential zoning and setbacks by zone
Redmond consolidated many former residential zones into NR, NMF, and NMU. Confirm the parcel's current designation before applying an older R-zone name from a title report, permit, listing, or prior plan.
On this page4 sections
Official starting point: Redmond residential zones. Verify the parcel zone, current code, and every applicable footnote before fixing the design.
Redmond neighborhood-zone base table
| Zone | Height | Front | Rear | Side | Coverage | FAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NR / Neighborhood Residential (NR) | 38 ft | 10 ft | 5 ft | 3 ft | 50% building; 70% impervious | No base FAR listed |
| NMF / Neighborhood Multifamily (NMF) | 60 ft | 20 ft | 10 ft | 15 ft | 60% building; 75% impervious | 1.1 base; up to 1.5 with incentives |
| NMU / Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMU) | 38 ft | 10 ft | 5 ft | 3 ft | 70% building; 75% impervious | 1.0 base; up to 1.4 with incentives |
Other rules to check
Other rules that can change the answer
These items link to the city rules behind the guide. They are useful starting points, but they do not replace a property-specific review or a search for private covenants and easements.
| Topic | What it means | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| FAR | NR has no single base FAR in the City's summary. NMF is 1.1 base (up to 1.5 with incentives) and NMU is 1.0 base (up to 1.4). Parking and vehicle-circulation area is excluded where FAR applies. | Redmond residential zones ↗ |
| Setbacks | NR/NMU commonly use 10-ft front, 5-ft rear, and 3-ft interior side; NMF uses 20/10/15. Street-side, alley, garage, Lake Sammamish, and building-separation rules also apply. | RZC 21.08 ↗ |
| Lot coverage | Maximum building coverage is 50% in NR, 60% in NMF, and 70% in NMU. | RZC 21.08 ↗ |
| Impervious surface | Maximum impervious surface is 70% in NR and 75% in NMF/NMU; critical-area and shoreline rules can be stricter. | RZC 21.08 ↗ |
| Height | Base height is 38 ft in NR/NMU and 60 ft in NMF, subject to transition, shoreline, critical-area, and project-type standards. | RZC 21.08 ↗ |
| Trees | A permit is required for a significant tree of at least 6 in DBH. New development must retain at least 35% of significant trees and submit a tree-preservation plan and arborist report. | Redmond tree-removal guidance ↗ |
| Existing private views | No general citywide private-building-view right was identified in the reviewed neighborhood code. Check recorded covenants/easements and shoreline or design-overlay rules. | RZC 21.08 ↗ |
| Wetlands, slopes, and critical areas | Redmond's neighborhood-zone FAR and coverage percentages are base-zone numbers. Critical-area regulations separately require protected wetlands, streams, geologic hazards, and buffers to be established before a reliable buildable-area calculation can be made. Redmond's maps are a starting point, not a wetland delineation or geotechnical conclusion. A mapped wetland or geologic hazard should move the project to a site-specific critical-area report before the footprint, grading, access, or stormwater concept is fixed. | Redmond critical areas ↗ |
Property-specific checks
What can change the table
- Former R-1 through R-8 designations generally map to Neighborhood Residential. Former R-12 through R-30 designations generally map to Neighborhood Multifamily. Confirm the current city map.
- Neighborhood Residential does not use one base FAR for this screen. Where a Redmond FAR applies, the city definition excludes area devoted to parking or vehicle circulation, so an actual garage does not consume that FAR capacity; it still uses building coverage.
- NMF and NMU incentive FAR is not automatic. A project must qualify under the current incentive provisions.
- Critical areas, shorelines, neighborhood overlays, access conditions, easements, and project type can add standards.
- Multifamily and mixed-use projects require a broader code and design review than a detached-house screen.
How to use this guide
How to use the zoning table for a real property
- 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