Hesperia · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Hesperia

Hesperia sets its own limits for fences, accessory buildings and home businesses. Front-yard fence height depends on the fence type and the lot size, and accessory building height depends on the distance from lot lines.

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Key points

Fence height: Hesperia limits view-obscuring front-setback fences to 36 inches; open wire 4 ft, or 6 ft on lots of 15,000 sq ft or more.
Accessory buildings: Hesperia limits accessory buildings to 20 ft within 30 ft of a side or rear line, 35 ft beyond; other accessory structures 16 ft.
Home businesses: Hesperia home businesses may use 15% of the home, including the garage, or 1 room, whichever is less, with no customers or outside employees.

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

Fences and walls

Hesperia code What Hesperia's code adds
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 6 feet high. Applies: Rear and interior side yards in Agricultural and Residential zones. § 16.20.072 · code text 6 ft. max. height within street side yards \| 6 ft. max. height
Front yard height	No more than 36 inches above grade. Applies: Walls, fences or hedges that block the view, in the front yard setback. § 16.20.072 · code text The maximum height of a wall, fence or hedge shall be limited to a maximum of thirty-six (36) inches above grade when view-obscuring Up to 6 feet above grade. Applies: See-through estate fences of ornamental metal and masonry pillars in the front yard. Solid parts no higher than 36 inches; plot plan approval needed. § 16.20.072 · code text non-view-obscuring estate type fences (i.e., those constructed of ornamental metal and masonry pillars) may be constructed in the front yard up to a maximum of six (6) feet above grade No more than 36 inches high. Applies: Chain link fences with slats, unless the lot is at least 15,000 square feet. § 16.20.072 · code text Chain link with slats is not considered an ornamental fence, and is limited in height to thirty-six (36) inches unless on a lot at least fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet or larger No more than 4 feet high, open wire. Applies: Front yards of Agricultural and Residential lots under 15,000 square feet in net area. § 16.20.072 · code text 4 ft. open wire max. height in the front yard of lots under 15,000 square feet in net area. No more than 6 feet high. Applies: Open wire fences without slats in front yards of Agricultural and Residential lots of at least 15,000 square feet net. § 16.20.072 · code text 6 ft. max. height in front yards for open wire fencing without slats on lots at least 15,000 square feet in net area. Up to 6 feet high. Applies: Solid or slatted wire fences where the front yard overlaps the street side yard, outside any required clear sight triangle. Agricultural and Residential zones. § 16.20.072 · code text 6 ft. high solid or open wire fencing with slats shall be allowed in the area of the front yard which overlaps the street side yard if the fence does not encroach within a required clear sight triangle.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet high. Applies: Street side yards in Agricultural and Residential zones. § 16.20.072 · code text 6 ft. max. height within street side yards \| 6 ft. max. height A 6-foot-high block wall is required. Applies: Sides of residential lots in tracts zoned R1 or in the Main Street and Freeway Corridor Specific Plan. § 16.20.072 · code text Fencing for all residential lots shall consist of a 6 ft. high block wall on all sides.
Permit	Plot plan approval by the director of development services is required. Applies: Fences and walls in the front yard setback. § 16.20.072 · code text Fences and walls within the front yard setback may be approved by the director of development services or his designee as provided in subsection B and shall require the approval of a plot plan.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Hesperia code What Hesperia's code adds
Maximum height	thirty-five (35) feet Applies: Accessory buildings more than thirty (30) feet from any side or rear property line; maximum two and one-half stories § 16.20.410 · code text Accessory buildings shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height and a maximum of two and one-half stories. No more than 20 feet high. Applies: Accessory buildings within 30 feet of any side or rear property line. § 16.20.410 · code text Accessory buildings within thirty (30) feet of any side or rear property line shall not exceed twenty (20) feet in height. No more than 16 feet high. Applies: Accessory structures, except farm structures such as windmills, silos and water tanks, and other structures with their own rules. § 16.20.415 · code text Accessory structures shall not exceed sixteen (16) feet in height except agricultural accessory structures such as windmills, silos, water tanks and similar accessory farm structures, and other specific structures which are regulated by Section 16.20.060.
Size or lot coverage	No size limit. Applies: Lots in the A-2 (General Agricultural) zone. § 16.20.390 · code text The size of accessory buildings permitted upon lots within the A-2 (General Agricultural) zone district shall be unlimited. 1,000 square feet in total, up to 7.5% of the net lot area. Applies: Lots in all other residential and agricultural zones. § 16.20.390 · code text Lots within all other residential and agricultural zone districts shall be permitted a one thousand (1,000) square foot aggregate accessory building up to a maximum aggregate accessory building area not to exceed seven and one-half (7.5) percent of the net lot area.

Running a business from home

Hesperia code What Hesperia's code adds
Space used	No more than 15% of the garage area. Applies: Garage use for the business, only if it does not block required parking. § 5.44.030 · code text The garage may be used as long as no more than fifteen (15) percent of the total area of the garage is utilized for the business if such use does not obstruct required parking. No more than 15% of the home's total square footage, including the garage, or 1 room, whichever is less. § 5.44.030 · code text No more than fifteen (15) percent of the total square footage of the dwelling inclusive of the garage, or one room of the dwelling, whichever is less, shall be used for the home occupation.
Customer visits	No customers or clients may visit the home. Applies: Small uses such as music lessons, fruit and vegetable sales, and cottage food sales may be allowed if the city approves their intensity. § 5.44.030 · code text The use shall not allow customers or clientele to visit dwellings. However, incidental uses such as music lessons, the sale of fruits and vegetables, and the sale of food produced by a cottage food establishment, may be permitted if the intensity of such use is approved by the city.
Employees	Only family members who live on the property may work in the business. Applies: An employee of a cottage food business is the exception. § 5.44.030 · code text No persons, other than members of the family who reside on the premises, shall be engaged in such activity on the site, with the exception of an employee at a cottage food establishment.
Permit	A business license is required. § 5.44.020 · code text Any person desiring to obtain a license to operate a business as a home occupation shall submit a written application pursuant to Section 5.04.040 to the city.

Swimming pools

Hesperia code What Hesperia's code adds
Pool barrier	The barrier must meet California Building Code and ISPSC construction standards. § 15.04.050 · code text All swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs shall be protected by a barrier not less than 60 inches in height meeting the construction and gate standards of CBC Section 3109 and ISPSC requirements.
Barrier height	At least 60 inches high. Applies: Applies to swimming pools, spas and hot tubs with water over 18 inches deep. § 15.04.050 · code text All swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs shall be protected by a barrier not less than 60 inches in height meeting the construction and gate standards of CBC Section 3109 and ISPSC requirements.
Drain safety	Pools and spas must meet California Building Code and ISPSC anti-entrapment and circulation safety rules. § 15.04.050 · code text Pools and spas shall comply with anti-entrapment and circulation safety provisions per CBC Section 3109 and ISPSC.
Equipment and alarms	At least 2 of the drowning prevention safety features listed in state law. Applies: Applies when a building permit is issued for a new or remodeled pool or spa. § 15.04.050 · code text When a building permit is issued for a new or remodeled swimming pool or spa, the pool or spa shall be equipped with at least two of the drowning prevention safety features listed in California Health and Safety Code Section 115922, as locally amended herein.

Pets, chickens and bees

Hesperia code What Hesperia's code adds
Large animals	1 cow or 2 goats per acre, or 400 fowl per acre. Applies: Applies to a vacant property of 5 gross acres zoned R1. § 16.20.700 · code text On a vacant five gross acre property designated R1, one cow or two goats are allowed per acre or four hundred (400) fowl per acre.
Permit	An educational animal project permit is required. Applies: Applies to educational projects with cattle, calves, sheep or goats as a temporary accessory use. § 16.20.700 · code text An educational animal project may be permitted as a temporary accessory use on a lot and shall require approval of an educational animal project application in accordance with this chapter.

Other Hesperia rules on this

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

Installing an EV charger (§ 15.04.066)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Hesperia?

Hesperia limits view-obscuring front-setback fences to 36 inches; open wire 4 ft, or 6 ft on lots of 15,000 sq ft or more.

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

Hesperia limits accessory buildings to 20 ft within 30 ft of a side or rear line, 35 ft beyond; other accessory structures 16 ft.

Can I run a business from my home in Hesperia?

Hesperia home businesses may use 15% of the home, including the garage, or 1 room, whichever is less, with no customers or outside employees.

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Hesperia?

Hesperia's code: The barrier must meet California Building Code and ISPSC construction standards. (§ 15.04.050); At least 60 inches high. (Applies to swimming pools, spas and hot tubs with water over 18 inches deep.) (§ 15.04.050).

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

Hesperia's code: 1 cow or 2 goats per acre, or 400 fowl per acre. (Applies to a vacant property of 5 gross acres zoned R1.) (§ 16.20.700); An educational animal project permit is required. (Applies to educational projects with cattle, calves, sheep or goats as a temporary accessory use.) (§ 16.20.700).

General information, not legal advice.

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