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Delano · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Delano

Delano sets its own limits on fences, accessory buildings and home businesses. Fence height depends on the yard and the grade next to a sidewalk, and accessory buildings may not be higher than the main structure.

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Key points

  • Fence height: Delano limits residential fences to 40 inches in a required front yard and 6 feet in interior side and rear yards.
  • Accessory buildings: Delano limits detached accessory buildings in residential districts to 15 feet, and no higher than the main structure.
  • Home businesses: Delano requires a Home Occupation Permit and allows only resident family members who live on the premises as employees.

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

Fences and walls

Delano code What Delano's code adds
Front yard height
  • Walls and fences can be at most 40 inches tall.
    Applies: Residential districts: any required front yard, or the street side yard of a reversed corner lot.
    § 20.10.90 · code text
    In any required front yard or street side yard of a reversed corner lot, a wall or fence shall not exceed forty inches in height.
Side and rear yard height
  • Fences can be at most 6 feet tall, measured from the adjacent grade.
    Applies: Residential districts: interior side, rear or street side yards; not the required front yard or street side yard of a reverse corner lot.
    § 20.10.90 · code text
    A fence or fence wall not more than six feet in height, as measured from the adjacent grade on the same parcel may be maintained along any interior side yard, rear yard or street side yard
  • Fences can be up to 8 feet above the adjacent sidewalk grade.
    Applies: Residential lots next to a sidewalk whose final grade is at least 2 feet above the sidewalk, with the required landscaping.
    § 20.10.90 · code text
    that portion of section 20.10.90.1.b, above which provides for a six-foot high fence may be increased to a maximum height of eight feet above the grade of the adjacent sidewalk

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Delano code What Delano's code adds
Maximum height
  • Accessory buildings can be at most 15 feet tall.
    Applies: Detached accessory buildings in residential districts, and never higher than the main building.
    § 20.10.30 · code text
    Accessory buildings shall have a maximum height of fifteen feet; provided, however, that the accessory building is no higher than the main structure.
Side and rear setback
  • At least 30 inches from interior side and rear property lines.
    Applies: Detached accessory structures in residential districts; closer than 5 feet to the line requires 1-hour fire walls on those sides.
    § 20.10.30 · code text
    In no case, however, shall an accessory structure be located closer than thirty inches to an interior side property line or to a rear property line.

Running a business from home

Delano code What Delano's code adds
Space used
  • Up to 25% of the living space or 250 square feet, whichever is greater.
    Applies: Storage of materials and supplies for the home business.
    § 20.11.170 · code text
    Up to twenty-five percent of the living space or two hundred fifty square feet, whichever is greater, of the home may be used for storage of materials and supplies related to the home occupation.
Customer visits
  • Foot and car traffic is limited to what is normal for a residential area.
    § 20.11.170 · code text
    Pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be limited to that normally associated with residential districts.
Employees
  • All employees must be members of the resident family and live on the property.
    § 20.11.170 · code text
    All employees shall be members of the resident family and shall reside on the premises.
Permit
  • A Home Occupation Permit is required.
    Applies: Apply to the Community Development Department; the Director must find that the listed conditions are met.
    § 20.11.170 · code text
    Prior to approving a request for a home occupation, the applicant shall complete and submit a home occupation application to the Community Development Department.
Businesses not allowed
  • Direct sales of products or merchandise on the premises
    § 20.11.170 · code text
    There will be no direct sales of products or merchandise on the premises.

Pets, chickens and bees

Delano code Only with a conditional use permit; hives at least 400 feet from streets, public schools, parks, and other people's homes. At least 10 feet from a home on the same lot.

All 15 Delano rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Other Delano rules on this

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

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Delano?

Delano limits residential fences to 40 inches in a required front yard and 6 feet in interior side and rear yards.

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

Delano limits detached accessory buildings in residential districts to 15 feet, and no higher than the main structure.

Can I run a business from my home in Delano?

Delano requires a Home Occupation Permit and allows only resident family members who live on the premises as employees.

General information, not legal advice.

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