Can I build a backyard home in Pacific?
Since 2023, Washington law lets most city lots hold up to two more homes. Pacific writes its own rules on top. Here’s what the code says, in plain English — and a free report on what may fit on your lot.
What Pacific allows.
The headline standards. Tap any one for the full wording and the code section.
ADUs per lot2Full wording
2 — 'Maximum Number of Accessory Dwelling Units per Lot: Two accessory dwelling units' in RS 6 and RS 11 (PMC 20.40.050 table). In RS 6, no ADU on a lot with two or more principal units, and no more than one principal unit on a lot with two or more ADUs (PMC 20.40.040–.050 notes). The code does not limit the attached/detached mix
Max size1,000 sq ftFull wording
1,000 sq ft — 'The size of an attached or detached ADU shall be no more than 1,000 square feet' (PMC 20.92.060(B)); the code states no exclusions
Max height25 ftFull wording
25 ft — 'The maximum height of an ADU shall be 25 feet' (PMC 20.92.060(G), Ord. 2107, 2025). The older accessory-building table holds buildings over 200 sq ft in RS 6 to the principal building's height, max 24 ft (PMC Table 20.06.100a, Ord. 1952, 2017) — see Notes
Front setback22 ft (or the two nearest lots’ average, if less)Full wording
22 ft, or the average front setback of the two nearest lots on the same side of the street if less; 15 ft on a corner lot's second street side (PMC 20.40.050 accessory-building table, RS 6 and RS 11 — same as the principal-building front setback in 20.40.040)
Side setback5 ft — accessory-building standard in RS 6 and RS 11Full wording
5 ft — accessory-building standard in RS 6 and RS 11; 3 ft for accessory buildings of 200 sq ft or less (PMC 20.40.050). Accessory buildings must be at least 10 ft from the principal building (PMC 20.06.100(D)). The house: 15 ft combined, one side at least 10 ft (PMC 20.40.040)
Rear setback5 ft in RS 6 and RS 11Full wording
5 ft in RS 6 and RS 11 (PMC 20.40.050). 'If abutting a public alley, detached accessory dwelling units shall be exempt from these setback requirements' (PMC 20.40.050 note 3). The house: 20 ft
Lot coverage35% on interior lots, 40% on corner lotsFull wording
35% building lot coverage on interior lots and 40% on corner lots, RS 6 and RS 11 (PMC 20.40.040). Accessory buildings in RS 6 are limited to 15% of lot area combined (PMC Table 20.06.100a)
Parking1 space for an ADU on a lot of 6,000 sq ft or lessFull wording
1 space for an ADU on a lot of 6,000 sq ft or less (gross area); 2 spaces on lots over 6,000 sq ft, in addition to the principal unit's (PMC 20.92.060(C)). Can drop to 1 space per unit within 1/4 mile of a stop served at least twice an hour for 12+ hours a day (PMC 20.72.160(E)). State law: none within 1/2 mile of a major transit stop (RCW 36.70A.681)
Where a city figure reads stricter than the state floor (RCW 36.70A.681), the floor may control — the report flags it for your parcel.
Living there, selling it, plans, time and fees.
Each answer is the code’s own wording, with the section it comes from. “Not published yet” means the city hasn’t posted a figure — the report asks the city, not the internet.
Are backyard homes allowed?
Yes — 'ADUs shall be permitted in the RS residential zones when all the ADU requirements are met' (PMC 20.92.050); attached or detached (PMC 20.92.060(A)); listed as an accessory use in RS 6 and RS 11 (PMC 20.40.020(A)(6)) (Ord. 2107, 2025)
Minimum lot size
None for an ADU; zone minimum applies — 6,000 sq ft in RS 6, 11,000 sq ft in RS 11 (PMC 20.40.040)
Do you have to live there?
No — PMC Chapter 20.92 has no owner-occupancy rule, and Ord. 2107 (2025) repealed the deed-restriction section (20.92.070). The application asks for a title report or other proof of ownership (PMC 20.92.057(C))
Can it be sold on its own?
Not addressed; RCW 36.70A.681 floor applies
Pre-approved plans
None found
How long the city takes
Not published
Impact fees
Not found; RCW 36.70A.681 caps ADU impact fees at 50% of the principal unit's. The 2026 Fee Schedule lists the ADU permit fee ($1,080) but no ADU impact-fee rate
Plans Pacific has already approved.
A pre-approved plan skips the design review: Pacific has already checked the drawings, so the permit review is about your lot.
Loading the plans…
Pictures are the official pages’ own. A pre-approved plan is not a permit: the city still reviews your site.
The code is half the answer. Your parcel is the other half.
Lines and easements
Where the lot lines really are, which setbacks apply on each side, and whether a utility or access easement takes the corner you had in mind.
Critical areas and slope
Steep slopes, wetlands and streams come with buffers that no citywide number shows. The report reads the county’s maps for your parcel.
Sewer, septic, water, trees
Whether sewer reaches the lot or it’s on septic, where the water service is, and which trees a city protects — the things that decide where a unit can actually go.
What Pacific allows, what could fit on your lot, and a planning cost range. If something won’t fit, the report says so — and shows what might.
Where this page comes from.
Read from the Pacific municipal code and the city’s own pages on November 6, 2026. The same table feeds the HousUp report, so the report and this page never disagree. Cities amend their codes; before you design anything, confirm the current wording with the city.
9 sources, read November 6, 2026
- www.zoneomics.com/code/pacific-WA/chapter_37 (PMC 20.92)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/pacific-WA/chapter_13 (20.40)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/pacific-WA/chapter_3 (20.06.100)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/pacific-WA/chapter_28 (20.72.160)
- www.zoneomics.com/code/pacific-WA/chapter_2 (20.04.028)
- www.pacificwa.gov/services/building/permits.php
- www.pacificwa.gov/Documents/Services/City%20Clerk/Forms%20&%20Licenses/2026%20Fee%20Schedule.pdf
- ecode360.com/PA4576 (official code host, not readable by automated tools)
- RCW 36.70A.681 — the state floor for accessory dwelling units
Find out what your property could become.
Type your address. Within a few hours: what Pacific allows, what could fit, and a planning cost range. Free, no obligation.