Hidden Hills · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Hidden Hills

Hidden Hills lets the Planning Director allow minor structures in the required setbacks of the RA-S zone.

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Key points

Minor structures: In the RA-S zone, minor structures allowed by the Planning Director in required setbacks have a 6-foot limit.
What is excluded: Play houses, built-in barbecues and solid fences do not count as minor structures.

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Hidden Hills code What Hidden Hills's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 6 feet. Applies: Minor structures in required setbacks of the RA-S zone, if the Planning Director allows. Playhouses, built-in barbecues and solid fences are not minor structures. § 5-2C-4 · code text Minor structures may be allowed by the Planning Director, but in no event shall they exceed six feet in height.

Lot splits under SB 9

Hidden Hills code What Hidden Hills's code adds
How the lot may be divided	Each new lot must be at least 40% of the original lot's area. § 5-2O-4 · code text The newly created lots shall not be smaller than 40 percent of the area of the original lot.
Unit size	No more than 800 square feet of gross floor area. Applies: Applies to new SB 9 units, which also may be no more than one story and 16 feet high. § 5-2O-3 · code text No residential unit shall exceed 800 square feet in gross floor area.
Minimum new lot size	Each new lot must be at least 1,200 square feet. § 5-2O-4 · code text Each lot created by the parcel map shall have a minimum area of 1,200 square feet.
Setbacks	At least 4 feet from side and rear property lines. Applies: Except as allowed by state law. § 5-2O-3 · code text Each residential unit shall have a minimum setback of four feet from side and rear property lines except as allowed by Government Code Section 65852.21.
Standards	At least 20 feet of street frontage or 40% of the original lot's frontage, whichever is greater. Applies: Applies to each new lot. § 5-2O-4 · code text Each lot created by the parcel map shall have a minimum street frontage of 20 feet or 40 percent of the street frontage of the original lot, whichever is greater. Units must sit one behind the other, as seen from the street. Applies: Detached units; the front unit must be at least as wide and tall as the rear, which may not be visible from the front. § 5-2O-3 · code text The units shall be located one in front of the other in relation to the street. One unit's door faces the street, the other's a side or rear line; units may not be mirror images. Applies: Applies to attached residential units. § 5-2O-3 · code text One residential unit shall have a door facing the street and one residential unit shall have a door facing the side or rear property line. No more than 2 residential units per new lot, including any ADU or JADU. Applies: Applies to lots created by the parcel map. § 5-2O-3 · code text No lot created by the parcel map shall have more than two residential units inclusive of any ADU or JADU. New driveways may be no wider than 12 feet, or the Fire Code minimum, whichever is greater. Applies: Applies to SB 9 development. § 5-2O-3 · code text Any new driveway or driveway extension constructed to serve development pursuant to this Article shall not exceed 12 feet in width, or the minimum necessary to meet Fire Code standards, whichever is greater.
Parking	At least 1 off-street parking space. Applies: Applies to each new residential unit. § 5-2O-3 · code text A minimum of one off-street parking space shall be provided for each new residential unit, except that no off-street parking is required if either of the following apply: No off-street parking is required. Applies: Applies to lots within 1/2 mile walk of a high-quality transit corridor or major transit stop. § 5-2O-3 · code text The lot is located within one-half mile walking distance of either: (i) a high-quality transit corridor as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21155(b); or (ii) a major transit stop as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21064.3. No off-street parking is required. Applies: Applies when a car-share vehicle is within 1 block of the lot. § 5-2O-3 · code text There is a car share vehicle located within one block of the lot.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Hidden Hills code What Hidden Hills's code adds
EV charger permit	The Building Official issues all needed permits when the application meets the city checklist. Applies: Applies to EV charging stations; the station may not be energized until the city approves it. § 5-5L-4 · code text A permit application that satisfies the information requirements in the City's adopted checklist shall be deemed complete and be promptly processed. Electronic applications and electronic signatures are accepted. Applies: Applies to EV charging station permit applications. § 5-5L-4 · code text the Building Official shall allow for electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this Ordinance and associated supporting documentations.
Solar permit process	A nondiscretionary building permit for a complete application that meets the approved checklist and standard plan. Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems. § 5-5K-6 · code text The Building Official shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, on the same day for over the counter applications or within one to three business days for electronic applications Applications may be sent by email, internet or fax; electronic signatures are accepted. Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems. § 5-5K-5 · code text Electronic submittal shall mean submission of the application by email, the internet or facsimile as determined by the Building Official.
Review time	Same day. Applies: Applies to over-the-counter applications for small residential rooftop solar systems. § 5-5K-6 · code text The Building Official shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, on the same day for over the counter applications or within one to three business days for electronic applications 1 to 3 business days. Applies: Applies to electronic applications for small residential rooftop solar systems. § 5-5K-6 · code text The Building Official shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, on the same day for over the counter applications or within one to three business days for electronic applications

Tree removal

Hidden Hills code Exempt: emergency removal when an official finds a tree is an imminent threat to public safety or welfare. Exempt: removal or relocation needed for adequate line-of-sight distances.

All 11 Hidden Hills rules on tree removal, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Swimming pools

Hidden Hills code No more than 2 inches between the ground and the bottom of the barrier. No more than 4 inches between the pool top and the barrier bottom.

All 14 Hidden Hills rules on swimming pools, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Other Hidden Hills rules on this

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

Beekeeping not allowed (§ 3-6-48)
Parking or storing oversize vehicles and RVs (§ 4-4D-10)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Hidden Hills?

In the RA-S zone, minor structures allowed by the Planning Director in required setbacks have a 6-foot limit. Play houses, built-in barbecues and solid fences do not count as minor structures.

Can I split my lot under SB 9 in Hidden Hills?

Hidden Hills's code: Each new lot must be at least 40% of the original lot's area. (§ 5-2O-4); No more than 800 square feet of gross floor area. (Applies to new SB 9 units, which also may be no more than one story and 16 feet high.) (§ 5-2O-3).

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

Hidden Hills's code: The Building Official issues all needed permits when the application meets the city checklist. (Applies to EV charging stations; the station may not be energized until the city approves it.) (§ 5-5L-4); Electronic applications and electronic signatures are accepted. (Applies to EV charging station permit applications.) (§ 5-5L-4).

General information, not legal advice.

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