Blue Lake · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Blue Lake

Blue Lake sets a general fence limit, with lower limits in front of the building and at corners. The city limits accessory buildings in the rear yard setback and requires a permit and business license for home businesses.

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Key points

Fence height: Blue Lake limits fences, walls and hedges to 7 feet, and to 4 feet above the curb between the front building line and street.
Rear-yard buildings: In the rear yard setback, Blue Lake limits detached accessory buildings to 256 square feet and 7 feet, rising with more setback to 16.
Home business: Blue Lake home businesses may use 25% of the lot's floor space and employ 1 person outside the family, with a permit and license.

Each rule below is marked Blue Lake code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Fences and walls

Blue Lake code What Blue Lake's code adds
Corner visibility	No higher than 3 feet above the street curb, in the triangle between points 20 feet from the corner. Applies: Corner lots, within a required yard. Applies to fences, walls, hedges, landscaping and other obstructions. § 17.24.190 · code text On a corner lot, no fence, wall, hedge, ornamental landscaping or other obstruction, except the natural grade of the site, shall exceed a height of three feet above the top of the existing or proposed street curb, within a required yard in a triangular area formed by a line drawn between points 20 feet from the intersecting property lines of a corner lot.
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 7 feet. Applies: Any fence, wall, hedge or other obstruction. The Planning Commission may waive this for good cause. § 17.24.190 · code text No fence, wall, hedge or other obstruction shall be erected, moved or altered to exceed seven feet in height, except as provided in subsection E of this section.
Front yard height	No more than 4 feet above the top of the street curb. Applies: Along the street in front of the building, from the front building line to the street line. Corner lots also follow this rule. § 17.24.190 · code text On all other lots, no fence, wall, hedge, ornamental landscaping or other obstruction, except the natural grade of the site, shall exceed a height of four feet above the top of the street curb, along the street in front of the building and/or dwelling located on the property, and from the point where the property line and the front building line and/or front dwelling line intersect to the street line.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Blue Lake code What Blue Lake's code adds
Maximum height	At most 7 feet, plus 1 foot for each extra foot of setback, up to 16 feet. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in the rear yard setback, no more than 256 square feet. § 17.24.180 · code text do not exceed seven feet in height, except that the height may be increased one additional foot for each additional foot the structure is set back from the nearest applicable minimum setback line No more than 16 feet. Applies: Private garages in the rear yard setback. § 17.24.180 · code text Private garages may be located within the rear yard setback provided they are not closer than four feet to the rear property line and do not exceed 16 feet in height.
Size or lot coverage	No more than 256 square feet of lot coverage. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in the rear yard setback. § 17.24.180 · code text do not exceed 256 square feet in lot coverage Site plan approval is required above 640 square feet or 60% of the main building's floor area, whichever is less. Applies: Any accessory structure. § 17.24.180 · code text Any accessory structure that exceeds 640 square feet or 60% of the floor area of the main building on the lot, whichever is less, shall be required to obtain site plan approval
Side and rear setback	At least 3 feet from the rear property line and 4 feet from the side property line. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in the rear yard setback, no more than 256 square feet of lot coverage. § 17.24.180 · code text are not closer than three feet to the rear property line and four feet to the side property line At least 4 feet from the rear property line. Applies: Private garages in the rear yard setback. § 17.24.180 · code text Private garages may be located within the rear yard setback provided they are not closer than four feet to the rear property line and do not exceed 16 feet in height.
Distance from the house	At least 10 feet from the main building. Applies: Detached accessory buildings, unless built with a fire wall as the Uniform Building Code requires. § 17.24.180 · code text Detached accessory buildings shall not be closer than 10 feet to the main building, unless constructed with a fire wall as required in the Uniform Building Code (UBC).

Running a business from home

Blue Lake code What Blue Lake's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the total floor space of all structures on the lot. Applies: Residentially zoned lots. § 17.24.060 · code text Occupy not more than 25% of the total floor space of all the structures on a residentially zoned lot,
Customer visits	Groups of 4 or fewer people per class, home party sale, swimming lesson or tutoring session. Applies: Qualifies for Planner approval; groups of 5 or more need Planning Commission review. § 17.24.060 · code text Conducting of groups or classes of four or fewer persons;
Employees	No more than 1 employee on the premises besides family members living in the home. § 17.24.060 · code text Be conducted by members of the family occupying the dwelling with no more than one additional other person employed on the premises;
Permit	Yes. A home occupation permit, business license, and any state and county permits the use needs. § 17.24.060 · code text Not be conducted without first obtaining all licenses and permits, including but not limited to a home occupation permit, business license and state and county permits as indicated by the type of use; The Planner grants the home occupation permit. Applies: Home businesses that qualify for administrative approval, if no one asks for a referral within 15 days. § 17.24.060 · code text If no such request is made within such 15-day period, the Planner shall approve the application and grant a home occupation permit. The Planning Commission grants the home occupation permit after a hearing. Applies: Home businesses that need Planning Commission review, including applications referred to it. § 17.24.060 · code text Following the conclusion of the hearing, the Planning Commission shall grant, conditionally grant, or deny the home occupational permit.
Businesses not allowed	Animal hospitals or kennels; Antique shops; Auto body work or painting; Auto repair or servicing; Bakeries; Day care of more than 12 children; Eating establishments; Food processing; Medical, dental offices; Residential care homes for seven or more persons; Rest homes; Retail establishments, boutiques, gift shops; Taxi, limousine service § 17.24.060 · code text The following uses are not allowed as home occupations: Animal hospitals or kennels; Antique shops; Auto body work or painting; Auto repair or servicing; Bakeries;

Swimming pools

Blue Lake code What Blue Lake's code adds
Pool barrier	No openings larger than 4 inches, except self-closing, self-latching gates. § 17.24.130 · code text containing no openings greater than four inches except for self-closing and self-latching gates
Barrier height	A wall or fence at least 6 feet high must fully enclose the pool or property. § 17.24.130 · code text Such pool or the property on which it is located shall be completely enclosed by a wall or fence not less than six feet in height, containing no openings greater than four inches except for self-closing and self-latching gates on which the latch is at least six feet above ground level, in order that full control of access by children may be maintained.
Equipment and alarms	Supplemental lighting must not cause annoying glare on adjacent properties. § 17.24.130 · code text Supplemental lighting shall be so installed as to prevent annoying glare on adjacent properties.
Gates	Gates must be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch at least 6 feet above ground. § 17.24.130 · code text except for self-closing and self-latching gates on which the latch is at least six feet above ground level
Permit	A use permit is required. Applies: Non-commercial pools, ponds, lakes or open tanks that can normally hold water deeper than 18 inches. § 17.24.130 · code text shall be permitted with a use permit in any zone
Setback from property lines	At least 5 feet from any lot line. Applies: Side and rear yards. § 17.24.130 · code text Side and rear yards shall be as required for accessory buildings, but in no case within five feet of any lot line. At least 50 feet from the front lot line, on the rear part of the lot. Applies: Front lot line; portable pools are exempt. § 17.24.130 · code text Such pool shall be located on the rear part of a lot and in any case not less than 50 feet from the front lot line.

Other Blue Lake rules on this

Blue Lake's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

Parking trailers and boat trailers on streets (§ 10.04.020) — public streets only

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Blue Lake?

Blue Lake limits fences, walls and hedges to 7 feet, and to 4 feet above the curb between the front building line and street.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Blue Lake?

In the rear yard setback, Blue Lake limits detached accessory buildings to 256 square feet and 7 feet, rising with more setback to 16.

Can I run a business from my home in Blue Lake?

Blue Lake home businesses may use 25% of the lot's floor space and employ 1 person outside the family, with a permit and license.

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Blue Lake?

Blue Lake's code: No openings larger than 4 inches, except self-closing, self-latching gates. (§ 17.24.130); A wall or fence at least 6 feet high must fully enclose the pool or property. (§ 17.24.130).

General information, not legal advice.

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