Hollister · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Hollister

Hollister sets its own fence heights and home business rules. Fence height depends on the setback, and taller front fences need City Engineer approval.

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Key points

Fence height: Hollister limits fences to 3 ft in front and corner street side setbacks; side and rear setbacks 6 ft plus 2 ft of lattice.
Home businesses: Hollister home businesses must stay in 1 room of up to 200 sq ft and see 1 client at a time, 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

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

Fences and walls

Hollister code What Hollister's code adds
Corner visibility	No more than 3 feet high. Applies: The street side setback of a corner lot. Up to 6 feet in the 10-foot street side setback with City Engineer approval. § 17.16.050 · code text Within street side setback/corner lot \| Three feet.
Front yard height	No more than 3 feet high. Applies: Front yard setback. 4 feet with City Engineer approval, rising farther back to 6 feet at the setback line with approval. § 17.16.050 · code text Within front yard setback \| Three feet or four feet with administrative approval from the City Engineer.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet, plus 2 more feet of lattice. Applies: Side and rear yard setbacks, as seen from the neighboring lot or street. No solid fence over 6 feet. § 17.16.050 · code text Within side and rear yard setbacks \| Six feet with an additional two feet lattice as the fence appears from a parcel or right-of-way abutting the site.
Permit	Yes. A land use permit is required. Applies: Fences over the general height limit or setback rules of the zone. § 17.16.050 · code text Fences exceeding the general height limit or setback requirements in the applicable zoning Districts will require a land use permit. Yes. A building permit is required. Applies: A fence or wall in a flood area shown on a Federal Flood Insurance Rate Map. § 17.16.050 · code text A fence or wall in an area subject to flooding identified on a Federal Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) on file in the Department shall require a Building Permit, and shall comply with all requirements of the City Engineer in addition to the requirements of this section. Yes. Administrative approval is required. Applies: Retaining walls taller than 2 feet. § 17.16.050 · code text Retaining walls greater than two feet in height shall be subject to administrative engineering approval.

Running a business from home

Hollister code What Hollister's code adds
Space used	No more than 200 square feet. Applies: The business must stay in 1 room of the main home. More than 200 square feet needs a Conditional Use Permit. § 17.22.130 · code text Use exceeding 200 square feet;
Customer visits	Only 1 client, patient or pupil at a time, by appointment only, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Applies: State-licensed small care homes and family care centers for 8 or fewer people are the exception. § 17.22.130 · code text A home occupation shall be limited to only one client, patient or pupil present on the premises at any time; except small residential care homes, small family home care centers, etc. licensed by the state for care of eight or fewer persons. Home visits by 2 or more clients or patients at a time need a Conditional Use Permit. § 17.22.130 · code text One-chair barber shop or beauty salon, home visits for two or more clients, patients at a time, direct product distribution, pet grooming or any other use or occupation which the Director determines is similar in nature to the previously listed uses;
Employees	Only up to 2 residents may carry on the business. Applies: Employing more than 2 people on site who live elsewhere needs a Conditional Use Permit. § 17.22.130 · code text A "home occupation" is any use customarily conducted entirely within an enclosed dwelling and carried on only by up to two of its residents.
Permit	A business license and an Administrative Permit are required. Applies: Home occupations, allowed as accessory uses in residential zones. § 17.22.130 · code text A business license shall be obtained/posted in compliance with the Hollister Municipal Code for home occupations, which are allowed as accessory uses in all residential zoning districts. A statement of compliance with the following operating standards shall be signed prior to issuance of an Administrative Permit. A Conditional Use Permit is required. Applies: Using an accessory structure, using over 200 square feet, more than 2 on-site employees living elsewhere, or other listed uses. § 17.22.130 · code text The following list presents land use activities that may not be in compliance with the operating standards outlined in subsections C and D of this section but may be allowable subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit by the Planning Commission:
Businesses not allowed	Adult businesses; animal hospitals or commercial harboring, raising, training, or treatment of animals or birds; gun or ammunition sales; medical and dental offices, clinics, and laboratories, except chiropractors and counselors/psychotherapists; massage; mini storage; print shops and photo shops; sale of products except artist's originals or products individually made-to-order on the premises; storage and delivery of materials and accessories for construction and service trades; vehicle repair, upholstery, automobile detailing and painting, and display or sale of any vehicle; welding § 17.22.130 · code text The following are examples of uses that are not incidental to or compatible with residential activities, and are therefore prohibited as home occupations:

Lot splits under SB 9

Hollister code At least 4 feet. At least 4 feet.

All 15 Hollister rules on lot splits under sb 9, with the code text and the state law underneath →

RV and boat parking

Hollister code What Hollister's code adds
Where it may be parked	Beside or behind the home. Applies: One boat of 30 feet or less; not at a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel. § 10.20.080 · code text except one boat, 30 feet or less in length, may be parked, stored, left, kept or maintained in the rear or to the side of any residential unit, other than a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel, provided: Fully inside a garage that belongs to the home. Applies: One boat; not at a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel. § 10.20.080 · code text This section shall not be construed to prohibit parking, storing, leaving, keeping or maintaining of one boat completely within any garage appurtenant to any residential unit, other than a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel At least 18 inches from property lines and 3 feet from occupied buildings or buildings attached to them. Applies: Applies to a boat without an enclosed cabin kept beside or behind a home. § 10.20.080 · code text If such boat does not have an enclosed cabin, it is located at least 18 inches from any property line, at least three feet from any building used for human occupancy and at least three feet from any building attached to a building used for human occupancy; At least 4 feet from property lines and 5 feet from occupied buildings or buildings attached to them. Applies: Applies to a boat with an enclosed cabin kept beside or behind a home. § 10.20.080 · code text If such boat has an enclosed cabin, it is located at least four feet from any property line, at least five feet from any building used for human occupancy and at least five feet from any building attached to a building used for human occupancy.
Front-yard parking	Up to 7 days in the driveway. Applies: Temporary parking of a boat 30 feet or less; not at a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel. § 10.20.080 · code text nor to prohibit the temporary parking, storing, leaving, keeping or maintaining, for a period not in excess of seven days, any boat 30 feet or less in length in the driveway of any residential unit, other than a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel.
Size limit	One boat only, 30 feet or less in length. Applies: Applies to a boat kept beside or behind a home, not a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel. § 10.20.080 · code text except one boat, 30 feet or less in length, may be parked, stored, left, kept or maintained in the rear or to the side of any residential unit
Parking on the street	RVs and boats may not be parked or stored on any public right-of-way. Applies: Subject to another part of the city code. § 10.10.020 · code text No habitation or occupancy of the recreational vehicle or boat shall be allowed at any time that the recreational vehicle or boat is located on the public right-of-way except when a person is actively loading or unloading the recreational vehicle or boat.
Living in an RV	Not allowed: no living in or occupying the RV or boat. Applies: Applies on a public right-of-way, except while actively loading or unloading. § 10.10.020 · code text No habitation or occupancy of the recreational vehicle or boat shall be allowed at any time that the recreational vehicle or boat is located on the public right-of-way except when a person is actively loading or unloading the recreational vehicle or boat.

Swimming pools

Hollister code What Hollister's code adds
Equipment and alarms	Pool equipment: at least 10 feet from any window or opening into a dwelling or habitable building on adjacent property. Also not in the required front yard or side yard in front of the main building, and screened from view. § 17.22.230 · code text To minimize the potential impact of noise, equipment shall be located not less than ten feet from any window or other opening into a dwelling or other habitable building on an adjacent property.
Setback from property lines	At least 5 feet from a property line. § 17.22.230 · code text A swimming pool shall not be located within five feet of a property line.

Pets, chickens and bees

Hollister code What Hollister's code adds
Chickens	No more than 6 poultry, rabbits or similar small animals in all, over 4 months old. Applies: Applies in residential zones; not within 50 feet of any residence. § 6.04.070 · code text No more than six live poultry, rabbits, or other small fur-bearing animals, excluding cats, over four months of age shall be kept on any premises which are in a residential zone.
Coop setback	At least 5 feet from side and rear property lines. Applies: Not needed with a solid fence or wall at least 5 feet high, or where the line borders an alley. § 6.04.070 · code text All poultry and rabbits shall be kept, harbored and maintained not less than five feet from all lateral and rear property lines, unless there is a solid fence, solid side of a building or wall not less than five feet in height between such poultry or rabbits and the adjoining property; except that where the property line abuts upon an alley, the distance requirement may be dispensed with.
Large animals	Only on unimproved property 1 acre in size, and at least 100 feet from any residence. Applies: Applies to sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, mules, ponies, cows or other large animals in the city. § 6.04.080 · code text No person shall keep one or more sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, mules, ponies, cows or other large animals within the city unless they are kept on unimproved property one acre in size. None of the animals specified in this section shall be allowed within 100 feet of any residence.
Pet limit	No more than 3 cats over 4 months old. Applies: Applies to any premises in the city. § 6.04.070 · code text No persons shall keep more than three cats of more than four months of age on any premises within the city.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Hollister?

Hollister limits fences to 3 ft in front and corner street side setbacks; side and rear setbacks 6 ft plus 2 ft of lattice.

Can I run a business from my home in Hollister?

Hollister home businesses must stay in 1 room of up to 200 sq ft and see 1 client at a time, 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

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

Hollister's code: Beside or behind the home. (One boat of 30 feet or less; not at a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel.) (§ 10.20.080); Fully inside a garage that belongs to the home. (One boat; not at a duplex, apartment, motel or hotel.) (§ 10.20.080).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Hollister?

Hollister's code: Pool equipment: at least 10 feet from any window or opening into a dwelling or habitable building on adjacent property. (Also not in the required front yard or side yard in front of the main building, and screened from view.) (§ 17.22.230); At least 5 feet from a property line. (§ 17.22.230).

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

Hollister's code: No more than 6 poultry, rabbits or similar small animals in all, over 4 months old. (Applies in residential zones; not within 50 feet of any residence.) (§ 6.04.070); At least 5 feet from side and rear property lines. (Not needed with a solid fence or wall at least 5 feet high, or where the line borders an alley.) (§ 6.04.070).

General information, not legal advice.

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Hollister Municipal Code — full text

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Hollister overview