Lot Coverage and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Standards for RS-5 Single-Family Residential District in Concord
The RS-5 single-family residential district in Concord maintains a maximum lot coverage of 25 percent for single-family structures. While the Development Code establishes specific lot coverage and density standards for the RS district, it does not assign a specific Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limit to single-family residential properties, as FAR is primarily applied to office, commercial, and industrial districts within the Concord Development Code.
Development Standards for RS Districts
The RS (Residential Single-Family) zoning district is intended for single-family residential uses with densities ranging from two and one-half to 10 units per net acre [Section 18.30.010]. Specific development standards for the RS-5 district, including lot coverage and building height, are established in the following table.
Table 1: Development Standards for RS-5 District
| Standard | RS-5 Requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum Lot Coverage | 25 percent |
| Maximum Building Height | 30 feet |
Note: The RS-5 district is grouped with other RS designations (RS-12, RS-10, RS-8, RS-7.5, RS-7, RS-6, RS-5) for development standards in the provided tables [Section 18.15.020; Section 18.30.030].
Clarification on FAR and Lot Coverage
Within the Concord Development Code, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is a metric utilized primarily for office, commercial, downtown, and industrial districts, as indicated in Table 18.15.020. Residential districts are instead regulated by dwelling units per net acre (density) and maximum lot coverage percentages rather than FAR.
For the RS-5 district, lot coverage is defined as the portion of a lot covered by structures, including principal and accessory buildings, garages, carports, and roofed porches, but excluding unenclosed and unroofed decks, landings, or balconies [Section 18.15.030].
For nonresidential uses within the RS district, lot coverage and building height are established by the permit for the specific project, or by the regulations of the abutting district if no permit is required [Section 18.30.030].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.15.020 (Zoning map and districts)
- Section 18.30.010 (Purpose)
- Section 18.30.030 (Table 18.30.030 – RR and RS districts – Development standards)