HomeMy WebLinkAboutBLG_SETBACK_BROCHURE_REV2019Setback Requirements
for Residential &
Agricultural Districts
Do you know where your property
lines are located?
Is your house in the right spot?
Is that new porch or deck encroaching?
What can you extend into the setbacks?
Get a Survey, Not Pin-Finding
Knowing where your property boundary
lines are located is extremely important in
order to prevent accidentally building
within your minimum yard setbacks or on
your neighbor’s property.
Make sure you get a proper survey done
on your property.Just locating pins may
not be good enough.Pins can be moved.
“It’s my property and I can do
anything I want with it !”
Just imagine what our neighborhoods would
look, sound and smell like if everyone did what
they wanted with no regard for their neighbor.
You could be subject to odors, chemical fumes,
dust, noise, unpleasant sights, encroachments,
and loss of open space. Our State and County
zoning regulations seek to develop harmonious,
safe and healthy communities so everyone can
enjoy their piece of land and the community they
live in.
When people from all walks of life and interests
come together, the act of living in harmony gets
more complicated. Add to that the responsibility
of taking care of our land and limited resources,
and the challenge becomes enormous.
We hope you will join us in the effort in making
our Big Island a Paradise for all.
Three things to keep in mind with setbacks:
#1 The location of your building or house.
#2 Any projections* entering the setback.
#3 The setback area or “clear space” that
must be maintained.
*Refer to Table on inside for details.
Why are setbacks important?
•Improve visual appeal
•Provide for sufficient light
•Provide openness
•Enhance privacy
•Maintain uniformity
•Eliminate encroachments
•Restrict over-building
•Protect public health
•Provide fire protection
•Increase safety
County of Hawai‘i Planning Department
101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 961-8288
http://www.hiplanningdept.com
Our goal is to be good stewards
of our land, to build safe and
harmonious communities, and to
serve you in the best way
possible.
Getting Along as a Good Neighbor
Most of us consider our home as our refuge
and we want to enjoy our space. That
personal space can be affected by noise,
smells, visual distractions or actual
encroachments.
We recommend that you try to solve your
complaints and problems directly with your
neighbor or with the help of a community
association or respected mutual friend first
before resulting to the enforcement process.
When we all comply with the zoning laws it
preserves the integrity and livability of our
neighborhoods.
It makes for a better community!
We hope this brochure will help answer some of
your questions on setbacks. But if you are still
not sure about setbacks, or your parcel layout is
different from the samples given here, please
visit us in the Planning Department.
Important Note:
If you have a structure built prior to Sept. 21, 1966
call the Planning Department for assistance.
East Hawai‘i (808) 961-8288
West Hawai‘i (808) 323-4770
Rev. April 2019
Here is how to figure out your minimum yard
setbacks.First, you need to know the size and zoning
of your lot. (If you do not know, please call the
Planning Department). As an example, let’s select an
RS-10 (10,000 -19,999 sf in size) lot using the table
below:
Column A shows the front setback as 20 ft. and the
sides 10 ft.. Line “A” in the picture shows that the
setback is from the property line to the exterior wall.
Column B shows that open projections, like a roof or
stairs, can enter the min yard setback area by 6 ft. for the
front and a maximum of 5 ft. for the sides. Refer to line
“B” in the picture. Other projections may include:
porches, balconies, terraces, fire escapes, ramps, and
other similar features. None of these features shall be
enclosed. Posts or beams for support and open or grille-
type railings shall not exceed 4’ in height.
Column C is the clear space that must be kept open and
unobstructed from the ground up. In this example
nothing can be in the area within 14 ft. from the front
and rear yards or 5 ft. for each side.
This outline is the
boundary of the lot.
The dotted area inside the
boundary represents the area
inside the required setbacks.
This is your buildable area.
Accessory buildings shall observe the same yards as
required of the main building. Accessory buildings
may include sheds, water tanks, carports, etc..
Note:It is possible to have parcel size and zoning with
different values. Such as a 7,500 sf parcel in a A-3a
(Agricultural 3 acre) lot. If you are not sure what to do
please contact us.
The layouts are a cut-away drawings of various parcel
designs. Find the one closest to your own property.
If you still have questions, please give us a call.
Table
Confused?
Call Us!
Note:In the event a
building site is so
irregular in shape that
it is impossible to
establish side and rear
yards, the director shall
view the relationship between the building site and
surrounding property and shall specify the required yards.