Commerce · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Commerce

Commerce sets fence heights by yard and material and sets setbacks for accessory buildings in residential zones. Only residents may work in a home business.

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Key points

Fence height: Fences are limited to 6 feet in side and rear yards and, if decorative wrought iron, in front yards; 10 feet beside a freeway.
Accessory buildings: In residential zones, accessory buildings need a 3-foot rear yard setback unless they meet fire-resistance, opening and drainage rules.
Home businesses: City rule: only a resident of the dwelling may work in a home business.

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

Fences and walls

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 10 feet. Applies: Fences, hedges or walls next to a freeway right-of-way. § 19.07.050 · code text The maximum height for any fence, hedge, or wall adjacent to a freeway right-of-way is ten feet.
Front yard height	Up to 6 feet for decorative wrought iron. Applies: Required front yard, except lots in recorded Tract No. 37889. § 19.07.050 · code text In any required front yard, except lots included within recorded Tract No. 37889, fences, hedges, and walls shall not exceed three and one-half feet in height, or six feet in height if the fence is made of decorative wrought iron.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet. Applies: Fences, hedges and walls in a required side or rear yard, or behind the front yard setback. § 19.07.050 · code text In any required side or rear yard, or at the rear of the front yard setback, fences, hedges and walls shall not exceed six feet in height.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
Side and rear setback	At least 3 feet from the street side line. Applies: Accessory buildings 50 feet or more from the front line in R-1 and R-2 zones, along a side line next to a public street. § 19.07.060 · code text An accessory building located fifty feet or more from the front property line shall require a minimum side yard setback of three feet; otherwise, the side yard setback shall be the same as required for the main building. At least 3 feet from the street side line. Applies: Accessory buildings 70 feet or more from the front line in the R-3 zone, along a side line next to a public street. § 19.07.060 · code text An accessory building located seventy feet or more from the front property line shall require a minimum side yard setback of three feet; otherwise, the side yard setback shall be the same as required for the main building. At least 3 feet from the rear line. Applies: Residential zones, unless the building has no opening on the line, 1-hour fire-resistive construction on all sides, and keeps roof drainage on the lot. § 19.07.060 · code text Otherwise, a minimum rear yard setback of three feet is required. At least 5 feet from the rear line. Applies: Reverse corner lots, where the rear line is also a neighbor's side line. § 19.07.060 · code text On a reverse corner lot, the accessory building must have a minimum setback of five feet from the rear property line, which is also the side property line of an adjoining property.

Running a business from home

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
Employees	Only residents of the home may be employed. § 19.39.850 · code text No one other than a resident of the dwelling may be employed by a home occupation operating within that dwelling.

RV and boat parking

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
Size limit	Over 25 feet long, 80 inches wide or 82 inches high is oversized; RVs of any size are not permitted. Applies: Oversized vehicles may not park where signs post the limit; an RV needs a temporary RV parking permit. § 10.44.130 · code text which exceeds twenty-five feet in length, or eighty inches in width, or eighty-two inches in height

Pets, chickens and bees

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
Bees	No beehives, except at schools and physicians' offices or labs for specified purposes, if bees cannot fly at large. Applies: Applies to premises owned or controlled in the city. § 8.04.560 · code text No person shall keep or maintain, or suffer or permit to be kept or maintained, upon premises owned or controlled by him or it in the city, a hive of bees.
Chickens	Allowed with limits: no more than 5 live fowls or rabbits in total per lot or parcel. Applies: Not within 50 feet of a street line, 25 feet of a property line, or 25 feet of listed dwellings and buildings. § 8.04.520 · code text No person shall keep or maintain more than a total of five live fowls or rabbits on any lot or parcel within the city.
Coop setback	At least 25 feet from any property line. Applies: Applies to fowls, rabbits and similar animals. § 8.04.520 · code text It is declared to be a nuisance, and it is unlawful for any person to keep, own and/or control hens, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls or rabbits, within fifty feet of any street line or within twenty-five feet of any property line, or within twenty-five feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public. At least 50 feet from any street line. Applies: Applies to fowls, rabbits and similar animals. § 8.04.520 · code text It is declared to be a nuisance, and it is unlawful for any person to keep, own and/or control hens, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls or rabbits, within fifty feet of any street line or within twenty-five feet of any property line, or within twenty-five feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public. At least 25 feet from any home, church, school, hospital or place where food is kept or served. Applies: Applies to fowls, rabbits and similar animals. § 8.04.520 · code text It is declared to be a nuisance, and it is unlawful for any person to keep, own and/or control hens, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls or rabbits, within fifty feet of any street line or within twenty-five feet of any property line, or within twenty-five feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Commerce?

Fences are limited to 6 feet in side and rear yards and, if decorative wrought iron, in front yards; 10 feet beside a freeway.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Commerce?

In residential zones, accessory buildings need a 3-foot rear yard setback unless they meet fire-resistance, opening and drainage rules.

Can I run a business from my home in Commerce?

City rule: only a resident of the dwelling may work in a home business.

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

Commerce's code: Over 25 feet long, 80 inches wide or 82 inches high is oversized; RVs of any size are not permitted. (Oversized vehicles may not park where signs post the limit; an RV needs a temporary RV parking permit.) (§ 10.44.130).

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Commerce?

Commerce's code: No beehives, except at schools and physicians' offices or labs for specified purposes, if bees cannot fly at large. (Applies to premises owned or controlled in the city.) (§ 8.04.560); Allowed with limits: no more than 5 live fowls or rabbits in total per lot or parcel. (Not within 50 feet of a street line, 25 feet of a property line, or 25 feet of listed dwellings and buildings.) (§ 8.04.520).

General information, not legal advice.

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