Cathedral City · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Cathedral City

Cathedral City sets setbacks and height limits for accessory structures and limits home businesses. A fence or hedge in a right-of-way needs a permit.

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Key points

Accessory structures: Detached accessory structures must be at least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines and 10 feet from other buildings.
Home businesses: City rule: a home business needs a permit, may use at most 25% of the main building, and may employ only the resident.
Fences: City rule: a hedge, fence or similar structure in a right-of-way needs a permit, unless Section 14.16.440 provides otherwise.

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

Fences and walls

Cathedral City code What Cathedral City's code adds
Permit	Yes. A permit is required, except as another section of the code provides. Applies: For a hedge, fence or similar structure planted, built or kept in a public right-of-way. § 14.16.420 · code text No hedge, fence or similar structure, except as provided in Section 14.16.440, shall be planted, erected or maintained in a right-of-way without a permit.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Cathedral City code What Cathedral City's code adds
Maximum height	At most 10 feet above grade. Applies: For open, non-living structures such as play equipment, gazebos and arbors, set back as far as they are tall, at least 5 feet. § 9.80.020 · code text Open, non-habitable, structures, including, but not limited to, playground equipment, gazebos, arbors and trellises, are permitted with a maximum height of ten feet above grade if set back from property lines a distance equal to the structure's height, but no less than five feet. Elevated platforms can be at most 5 feet high. Applies: For playground equipment and other structures with elevated platforms. § 9.80.020 · code text Playground equipment and other structures with elevated platforms are limited to a maximum platform height of five feet.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from a side or rear lot line. Applies: For detached accessory structures. § 9.80.020 · code text Detached accessory structures shall be at least five feet from a side or rear lot line. Set back from property lines as far as the structure is tall, but at least 5 feet. Applies: For open, non-living structures such as playground equipment, gazebos, arbors and trellises. § 9.80.020 · code text Open, non-habitable, structures, including, but not limited to, playground equipment, gazebos, arbors and trellises, are permitted with a maximum height of ten feet above grade if set back from property lines a distance equal to the structure's height, but no less than five feet.
Distance from the house	At least 10 feet from other buildings, including the main building. Applies: For detached accessory structures. § 9.80.020 · code text Detached accessory structures shall be at least ten feet from other buildings including the main building.

Running a business from home

Cathedral City code What Cathedral City's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the total area of the whole building. Applies: For a home business in the main building. § 9.70.070 · code text The home occupation shall not occupy more than twenty-five percent of the total area of the entire structure.
Customer visits	No more than 1 student at a time. Applies: For music lessons. § 9.70.020 · code text Music instruction provided no more than one student is instructed at one time; No office open to the public. Applies: No wholesale or retail sales on site, except mail order sales. § 9.70.070 · code text There shall be no sales activity, either wholesale or retail, except mail order sales, nor shall there be an office open to the general public.
Employees	Only the resident of the home may work in the business on the property. § 9.70.070 · code text No one other than the resident of the dwelling shall be employed on the premises in the conduct of the home occupation.
Permit	A home occupation permit is required. § 9.70.090 · code text The home occupation permit shall be deemed revoked ten days from the date of mailing of said notice.
Businesses not allowed	Automotive repair (body or mechanical), upholstery and painting; barber, beauty, manicuring, masseuse, and similar enterprises; carpentry, cabinet-making and furniture repair; machinery, equipment or appliance repair; professional and medical offices and laboratories; construction offices where there is storage of material and equipment, and the transporting of employees; storage for fee; and any similar use and those uses not listed as a permitted use. § 9.70.030 · code text To add emphasis to the types of uses that are not permitted as home occupations, the following uses are specifically prohibited:

Lot splits under SB 9

Cathedral City code Each new lot must be between 40% and 60% of the original lot's area. Each new lot must be at least 1,200 square feet.

All 13 Cathedral City rules on lot splits under sb 9, with the code text and the state law underneath →

RV and boat parking

Cathedral City code What Cathedral City's code adds
Parking on the street	Only for loading, unloading or cleaning, for up to 36 hours in a row. Applies: An RV, motorhome, boat or trailer on a public street. § 12.28.160 · code text When parked for purposes of loading, unloading or cleaning, a recreational vehicle, motorhome, boat or trailer of any kind may not be parked or left standing on a public street for longer than thirty-six consecutive hours. Cannot be parked again within ½ mile until 48 hours after it was moved. Applies: An RV, motorhome, boat or trailer on a public street. § 12.28.160 · code text A recreational vehicle, motorhome, boat or trailer of any kind shall not be re-parked or returned to any location within one-half mile of the location where such recreational vehicle, motorhome, boat or trailer was first parked sooner than forty-eight hours following the time that the recreational vehicle, motorhome, boat or trailer was first moved. No more than 6 days per month in total. Applies: An RV, motorhome, boat or trailer on a public street. § 12.28.160 · code text The total number of days a recreational vehicle, motorhome, boat or trailer of any kind may be parked on a public street shall not exceed a total of six days per month.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Cathedral City code What Cathedral City's code adds
EV charger permit	Administrative, nondiscretionary review by the chief building official; the permit can issue once the application meets all checklist requirements. Applies: Applies to electric vehicle charging stations. § 8.64.050 · code text The application shall be administratively reviewed by the chief building official as a nondiscretionary permit.
Review time	Same day for complete over-the-counter applications; 1 to 3 business days for complete electronic applications. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems that meet the approved checklist and standard plan. § 8.60.060 · code text The building department shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit on the same day of receipt of a complete over-the-counter application or within one to three business days of receipt of a complete electronic application which meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan.

Swimming pools

Cathedral City code What Cathedral City's code adds
Pool barrier	The pool must be fully enclosed by buildings, fences or walls. Applies: R1 zone properties. § 9.80.080 · code text Swimming pools for R1 zone properties shall be entirely enclosed by buildings, fences, or walls
Barrier height	At least 5 feet high. Applies: R1 zone; measured on the side away from the pool. § 9.80.080 · code text Swimming pools for R1 zone properties shall be entirely enclosed by buildings, fences, or walls which are not less than five feet in height at any point
Gates	Self-latching gates or doors at least 5 feet high, with latches at least 4 feet above the ground. Applies: R1 zone properties. § 9.80.080 · code text Said fence or wall shall have self-latching gates or doors not less than five feet in height, and each such gate or door shall have latches not less than four feet above the ground level.
Maintenance and empty pools	You cannot keep a pool that is abandoned, unattended, unfiltered or unmaintained so the water becomes polluted. § 13.80.120 · code text It is unlawful and it shall be a public nuisance for any person owning, leasing, occupying or having charge or possession of any premises or property in the city to maintain upon any such premises or property any swimming pool, pond, or other body of water which is abandoned, unattended, unfiltered, or not otherwise maintained resulting in the water becoming polluted. Fences and walls must be in place and approved by the building inspector before the pool is filled. Applies: R1 zone properties. § 9.80.080 · code text All fencing and walls must be in place and approved by the building inspector before water shall be allowed in a pool.

Pets, chickens and bees

Cathedral City code What Cathedral City's code adds
Large animals	RE zone only: at most 3 total, at least 60 feet from property lines and 40 feet from the home. Applies: Pigs, horses, cows, goats, sheep and similar animals. § 9.100.030 · code text such animals may be kept in an RE zone not to exceed a total combination of three and providing all of them are kept at least sixty feet from any property line and forty feet from the residence of the property in which they are kept.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Cathedral City?

City rule: a hedge, fence or similar structure in a right-of-way needs a permit, unless Section 14.16.440 provides otherwise.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Cathedral City?

Detached accessory structures must be at least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines and 10 feet from other buildings.

Can I run a business from my home in Cathedral City?

City rule: a home business needs a permit, may use at most 25% of the main building, and may employ only the resident.

Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Cathedral City?

Cathedral City's code: Only for loading, unloading or cleaning, for up to 36 hours in a row. (An RV, motorhome, boat or trailer on a public street.) (§ 12.28.160); Cannot be parked again within ½ mile until 48 hours after it was moved. (An RV, motorhome, boat or trailer on a public street.) (§ 12.28.160).

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Cathedral City?

Cathedral City's code: Administrative, nondiscretionary review by the chief building official; the permit can issue once the application meets all checklist requirements. (Applies to electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 8.64.050); Same day for complete over-the-counter applications; 1 to 3 business days for complete electronic applications. (Small residential rooftop solar systems that meet the approved checklist and standard plan.) (§ 8.60.060).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Cathedral City?

Cathedral City's code: The pool must be fully enclosed by buildings, fences or walls. (R1 zone properties.) (§ 9.80.080); At least 5 feet high. (R1 zone; measured on the side away from the pool.) (§ 9.80.080).

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Cathedral City?

Cathedral City's code: RE zone only: at most 3 total, at least 60 feet from property lines and 40 feet from the home. (Pigs, horses, cows, goats, sheep and similar animals.) (§ 9.100.030).

General information, not legal advice.

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