Gardena · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Gardena

Gardena sets its own fence heights for residential lots and lists businesses that may not run from a home. Fence height depends on the yard and on whether the lot is an interior or corner lot.

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Key points

Fence height: Gardena limits fences in the required front setback to 3½ ft on interior lots, 3 ft on corner lots; side and rear 8 ft.
Home businesses: Gardena does not allow real estate, insurance, law or medical offices, beauty shops, vehicle repair or on-premises sales as home businesses in any zone.

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

Fences and walls

Gardena code What Gardena's code adds
Corner visibility	Fences, hedges or walls no more than 3 feet tall, or a 10-foot by 10-foot corner cutback area. Applies: Reversed corner lots, rear yards of two corner lots that touch, or wherever visibility is impaired. § 18.42.070 · code text a reduction in fence, hedge or wall height to a maximum of three feet or a corner cutback area of ten feet by ten feet shall be required for safety purposes.
Height anywhere on the lot	Fences may be no more than 8 feet tall. Applies: Front yards on residential lots, outside the required front yard setback. § 18.42.070 · code text Fences in the front yard beyond the setback shall not exceed eight feet in height.
Front yard height	Fences and hedges may be no more than 3.5 feet tall. Applies: Residential interior lots, in the required front yard setback. § 18.42.070 · code text fences and hedges in the front yard setback shall have a maximum height of three and one-half feet for interior lots Fences and hedges may be no more than 3 feet tall. Applies: Residential corner lots, in the required front yard setback. § 18.42.070 · code text three feet for corner lots in the required front yard setback area. Fences in the front yard setback may be up to 8 feet tall. Applies: Cluster developments with perimeter fencing: wrought iron or tubular steel, masonry at least every 8 feet, and at least 5 feet of landscaping in front. § 18.42.070 · code text In cluster developments that provide perimeter fencing, fences in the front yard setback may be up to eight feet in height provided the following requirements are met:
Side and rear yard height	Fences may be no more than 8 feet tall. Applies: Residential uses, along side or rear property lines. § 18.42.070 · code text A fence not more than eight feet in height may be located along the side or rear property lines.

Running a business from home

Gardena code What Gardena's code adds
Businesses not allowed	Real estate, insurance, law and medical offices Applies: any zone § 18.56.030 · code text Real estate, insurance, law and medical offices; Beauty shops, massage parlors, private clubs, dance studios and dating services Applies: any zone § 18.56.030 · code text Beauty shops, massage parlors, private clubs, dance studios and dating services; The repair or construction of motor vehicles and appliances, machine shops and cabinet shops Applies: any zone § 18.56.030 · code text The repair or construction of motor vehicles and appliances, machine shops and cabinet shops; On-premises sales and vending Applies: any zone § 18.56.030 · code text On-premises sales and vending;

RV and boat parking

Gardena code What Gardena's code adds
Parking on the street	No parking between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Applies: Applies to RVs on any public street, park, alley or public way, unless a valid RV or RV guest permit is shown. § 10.60.030 · code text It is unlawful for a person to park or leave standing any recreational vehicle on any public street, park, square, avenue, alley or public way in the city between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Up to 48 hours for emergency repairs. Applies: Applies to an RV left on the street after a mechanical breakdown. § 10.60.030 · code text Recreational vehicles parked or left standing as a result of a mechanical breakdown so as to allow the performance of emergency repairs on the vehicle for a period not to exceed forty-eight hours. RV guest permits last up to 2 weeks, with one more 1-week extension on request. Applies: Applies to overnight street parking of an out-of-town visitor's RV. § 10.60.050 · code text RV guest permits will be issued for a period not to exceed two weeks. At most 60 total days in any 12 months in a row. Applies: Applies to RV guest permits for one home address, no matter how many visitors. § 10.60.050 · code text No RV guest permit will be issued for a residential address for more than sixty total calendar days in any consecutive twelve-month period, regardless of the number of out-of-town visitors during that period of time.
Living in an RV	Not allowed; living in the RV is grounds to revoke the parking permit. Applies: Applies to an RV parked under an RV permit or RV guest permit. § 10.60.120 · code text There has been evidence that the recreational vehicle is being used for habitation.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Gardena code What Gardena's code adds
EV charger permit	Administrative, nondiscretionary review to speed approval. Applies: Applies to electric vehicle charging stations. § 15.36.050 · code text The community development department shall implement an administrative, nondiscretionary review process to expedite approval of electric vehicle charging stations as set forth in Section 15.36.040.
Review time	Same day. Applies: Applies to complete over-the-counter applications for small rooftop home solar that meet the checklist and standard plan. § 15.28.060 · code text The building division shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit the same day for over-the-counter applications or within one to three business days for electronic applications of receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan. Within 1 to 3 business days. Applies: Applies to complete electronic applications for small rooftop home solar that meet the checklist and standard plan. § 15.28.060 · code text The building division shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit the same day for over-the-counter applications or within one to three business days for electronic applications of receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan.

Tree removal

Gardena code What Gardena's code adds
Permit to remove	Removal needs the Director's approval. Applies: Applies to street trees in the public parkway. § 13.60.110 · code text The Director shall authorize the removal of a Street Tree subject to the provisions of this Chapter

Swimming pools

Gardena code What Gardena's code adds
Setback from property lines	At least 5 feet from any lot line or building; not in any front yard. Applies: Applies to swimming pools and related equipment. § 18.42.090 · code text A swimming pool and related equipment shall not be located in any front yard, nor closer than five feet to any lot line or any building or structure, nor within the limits of any public utility easement or within planned rights-of-way.

Other Gardena rules on this

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

Keeping animals at home (§ 18.42.020)
Keeping pigeons and doves (Ch. 6.20)
Parcel maps for SB 9 urban lot splits (§ 17.08.270)
Two-unit housing developments (SB 9) (§ 18.12.060)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Gardena?

Gardena limits fences in the required front setback to 3½ ft on interior lots, 3 ft on corner lots; side and rear 8 ft.

Can I run a business from my home in Gardena?

Gardena does not allow real estate, insurance, law or medical offices, beauty shops, vehicle repair or on-premises sales as home businesses in any zone.

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

Gardena's code: No parking between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (Applies to RVs on any public street, park, alley or public way, unless a valid RV or RV guest permit is shown.) (§ 10.60.030); Up to 48 hours for emergency repairs. (Applies to an RV left on the street after a mechanical breakdown.) (§ 10.60.030).

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

Gardena's code: Administrative, nondiscretionary review to speed approval. (Applies to electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 15.36.050); Same day. (Applies to complete over-the-counter applications for small rooftop home solar that meet the checklist and standard plan.) (§ 15.28.060).

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Gardena?

Gardena's code: Removal needs the Director's approval. (Applies to street trees in the public parkway.) (§ 13.60.110).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Gardena?

Gardena's code: At least 5 feet from any lot line or building; not in any front yard. (Applies to swimming pools and related equipment.) (§ 18.42.090).

General information, not legal advice.

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