Garden Grove · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Garden Grove

Garden Grove sets its own limits for fences in residential zones, detached accessory structures in the R-1 zone, and home businesses. Fence height depends on the yard, and home businesses may not serve customers on site.

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Key points

Fence height: In Garden Grove's R zones, fences are limited to 36 inches in the front yard and 7 ft behind the required front yard.
Accessory structures: In R-1, Garden Grove limits detached accessory structures to 1 story and 17 ft, 800 sq ft each and 1,000 sq ft combined.
Home businesses: Garden Grove home businesses need a home occupation permit, may have no customers on site, and may employ only people living on the lot.

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

Fences and walls

Garden Grove code What Garden Grove's code adds
Corner visibility	No fence, shrub or other obstruction over 36 inches in a corner triangle with two 25-foot sides. Applies: Corner and reverse corner lots that have yard requirements. § 9.12.040.130 · code text The third side of said triangle shall be a straight line connecting those points that are distant 25 feet from the intersection of the lot front and side lines or the intersection of their projection, and within the area comprising said triangle, no tree shall be allowed nor any fence, shrub or other physical obstruction higher than 36 inches above the established grade shall be permitted.
Height anywhere on the lot	Walls, fences and hedges: up to 36 inches anywhere; up to 7 feet behind the required front yard. Applies: Any R zone; interior, corner and reverse corner lots. § 9.12.040.140 · code text In any "R" zone a wall, fence or hedge 36 inches in height may be located and maintained on any part of a lot.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Garden Grove code What Garden Grove's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 1 story and 17 feet tall. Applies: Detached accessory structures in the R-1 zone. § 9.08.040.030 · code text Maximum height of a detached accessory structure shall not exceed one story and 17 feet;
Size or lot coverage	Each detached accessory structure may have no more than 800 square feet, measured inside. Applies: Single-family lots in the R-1 zone. § 9.08.040.030 · code text Maximum floor area for any detached accessory structure shall not exceed 800 square feet inside dimension; All detached accessory structures together may have no more than 1,000 square feet of floor area. Applies: Single-family lots in the R-1 zone. § 9.08.040.030 · code text The combined floor area of all detached accessory structures on a lot shall not exceed 1,000 square feet; The house, accessory structures, driveways and uncovered parking may cover no more than 50% of the lot. Applies: Single-family (R-1) plan approval. § 9.08.040.030 · code text The total footprint coverage of the primary structure, any accessory structure(s), driveways and uncovered parking does not exceed 50% of the total lot area.
Distance from the house	Detached accessory building walls must be at least 6 feet from the main building or other accessory buildings. Applies: Single-family (R-1) lots. Eaves must be at least 4 feet apart. If closer, both buildings must meet main-building setbacks. § 9.08.040.030 · code text No detached accessory building walls shall be closer than six feet to any main building walls or other accessory building walls on the same lot or building site,

Running a business from home

Garden Grove code What Garden Grove's code adds
Customer visits	No customers on site at any time. § 5.07.190 · code text no customers on site at any time
Employees	Only people who live on the lot may be regularly employed in the business. § 9.18.030.210 · code text No one other than persons residing on the lot where the home occupation is located may be regularly employed in such occupation. Immediate family or caregivers of the disabled person who live on the premises may take part. Applies: When a disabled person applies for a home occupation. § 9.18.030.210 · code text Exceptions shall be made for a disabled person applying for a home occupation, whereby immediate members of the disabled person's family living on the premises or other persons responsible for the care of the disabled person and living on the premises shall be permitted to participate in the home occupation.
Permit	A home occupation permit is required. Applies: The request goes to the hearing body after fire department and planning staff review. The permit cannot be transferred. § 9.18.030.210 · code text The home occupation permit is not transferable.
Businesses not allowed	providing or rendering any service or selling any products involving in-person interaction with customers in the home; dispatching employees or independent contractors at or from the residential premises § 9.18.030.210 · code text The provision or rendering of any service or sale of any products that involves in-person interaction with customers in the home is prohibited.

Lot splits under SB 9

Garden Grove code At most 2 new lots of about equal area; neither may be smaller than 40% of the original lot. At most 800 square feet of floor area.

All 14 Garden Grove rules on lot splits under sb 9, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Solar panels and EV chargers

Garden Grove code What Garden Grove's code adds
EV charger permit	Administrative, nondiscretionary review limited to health and safety rules. § 18.57.060 · code text Review of the permit application shall be limited to the Chief Building Official's review of whether the application meets local, State and Federal health and safety requirements. The application shall be administratively reviewed by the Chief Building Official as a nondiscretionary permit. The permit can be issued once the Chief Building Official finds the application meets every checklist requirement. Applies: Applies to electric vehicle charging stations. § 18.57.060 · code text An application for an electric vehicle charging station shall be deemed complete and the permit available for issuance, when the Chief Building Official determines that the application satisfies all the requirements found in the checklist. A written correction notice within 10 working days. Applies: Applies when an application is found incomplete. § 18.57.060 · code text If an application is deemed incomplete, a written plan check correction notice will be available to the applicant within 10 working days, detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information or documentation required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance shall be given to the applicant for resubmission.
Solar permit process	Administrative, nondiscretionary review; a permit issues when the application meets the checklist and standard plan; only one inspection. Applies: Applies to small rooftop home solar systems eligible for fast review. § 18.56.060 · code text For an application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan for a small residential rooftop solar energy system, the Building Services Division shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit within three business days.
Review time	Within 3 business days. Applies: Applies when the application meets the approved checklist and standard plan. § 18.56.060 · code text For an application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan for a small residential rooftop solar energy system, the Building Services Division shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit within three business days.

Swimming pools

Garden Grove code What Garden Grove's code adds
Pool barrier	The gap from the ground to the bottom of the enclosure is at most 2 inches. § 18.18.130 · code text A maximum vertical clearance from the ground to the bottom of the enclosure of two inches. Gaps must not let a sphere 4 inches or wider pass through. § 18.18.130 · code text Gaps or voids, if any, do not allow passage of a sphere equal to or greater than four inches in diameter. The outside must have no bumps, holes or features that could help a child under 5 climb over. § 18.18.130 · code text An outside surface free of protrusions, cavities, or other physical characteristics that would serve as handholds or footholds that could enable a child below the age of five years to climb over. At least 2 of 7 drowning safety features, such as an enclosure, mesh fence, safety cover or door exit alarms. Applies: Applies with a permit for a new or remodeled pool or spa at a private single-family home, except as state law provides. § 18.18.120 · code text when a building permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa at a private single-family home
Barrier height	At least 60 inches tall. Applies: Applies to the pool or spa enclosure. § 18.18.130 · code text A minimum height of 60 inches.
Equipment and alarms	Exit alarms on house doors to the pool count as one safety feature; they may sound or give spoken warnings. Applies: Applies to new or remodeled pools or spas at a private single-family home, which need at least 2 of 7 safety features. § 18.18.120 · code text The exit alarm may cause either an alarm noise or a verbal warning, such as a repeating notification that "the door to the pool is open."
Gates	Gates open away from the pool, self-close, and self-latch with the latch at least 60 inches above the ground. § 18.18.130 · code text Any access gates through the enclosure open away from the swimming pool and are self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground. The gate must be self-closing, self-latching, and able to take a key lock. Applies: Applies when removable mesh fencing is used as one of the required safety features. § 18.18.120 · code text Removable mesh fencing that meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specifications F2286 standards in conjunction with a gate that is self-closing and self-latching and can accommodate a key lockable device.

Other Garden Grove rules on this

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

Street parking of RVs, trailers and oversize vehicles (§ 10.56.110) — on public and private streets

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Garden Grove?

In Garden Grove's R zones, fences are limited to 36 inches in the front yard and 7 ft behind the required front yard.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Garden Grove?

In R-1, Garden Grove limits detached accessory structures to 1 story and 17 ft, 800 sq ft each and 1,000 sq ft combined.

Can I run a business from my home in Garden Grove?

Garden Grove home businesses need a home occupation permit, may have no customers on site, and may employ only people living on the lot.

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Garden Grove?

Garden Grove's code: Administrative, nondiscretionary review limited to health and safety rules. (§ 18.57.060); The permit can be issued once the Chief Building Official finds the application meets every checklist requirement. (Applies to electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 18.57.060).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Garden Grove?

Garden Grove's code: The gap from the ground to the bottom of the enclosure is at most 2 inches. (§ 18.18.130); Gaps must not let a sphere 4 inches or wider pass through. (§ 18.18.130).

General information, not legal advice.

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