Building on your lot in Ione

Q: How big can a shed or accessory building be in Ione?

Ione limits accessory buildings of 120 sq ft or less to 16 ft and larger ones to 35 ft or 2 stories.

Q: Can I run a business from my home in Ione?

Ione has a city chapter on home occupations (Ch. 17.110). Ione also has a related rule: Home occupations (Ch. 17.110).

Q: What are the pool fence and setback rules in Ione?

Ione's code: A barrier meeting the California Swimming Pool Safety Act must separate the pool from the public, plus other state rules. (§ 15.08.085).

Q: Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Ione?

Ione's code: Yes, on residential property, in a pen with at least 4 square feet of coop space per bird. (§ 6.08.030); At least 15 feet. (Poultry pens, from all property lines.) (§ 6.08.030).

Each rule below is marked Ione 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

Ione code What Ione's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 8 feet high. Applies: Accessory buildings of 120 square feet or less and under 8 feet tall. § 17.38.040 · code text ≤ 120 s.f. and < 8 ft. tall \| 60% or 90 ft., whichever is less 2 \| 10 ft. 3 \| 3 ft. \| No minimum 5 \| 8 ft. No more than 16 feet high. Applies: Accessory buildings of 120 square feet or less and 8 feet tall or more. § 17.38.040 · code text ≤ 120 s.f. and ≥ 8 ft. tall \| 60% or 90 ft., whichever is less 2 \| 10 ft. 3 \| 5 ft. \| No minimum 5 \| 16 ft. No more than 35 feet and 2 stories high. Applies: Accessory buildings over 120 square feet, fully enclosed or partly or not enclosed. § 17.38.040 · code text > 120 s.f. and fully enclosed \| 60% or 90 ft., whichever is less 2 \| 10 ft. 3 \| 5 ft. \| No minimum 5 \| 35 ft./2 stories
Size or lot coverage	No more than 30% of the actual rear yard area. Applies: The total size of all accessory structures on a lot. § 17.38.040 · code text The total size of all accessory structure(s) on a lot may not exceed 30 percent of the actual rear yard area.
Side and rear setback	At least 3 feet from interior and rear property lines. Applies: Accessory buildings of 120 square feet or less and under 8 feet tall. § 17.38.040 · code text ≤ 120 s.f. and < 8 ft. tall \| 60% or 90 ft., whichever is less 2 \| 10 ft. 3 \| 3 ft. \| No minimum 5 \| 8 ft. At least 5 feet from interior and rear property lines. Applies: Accessory buildings of 120 square feet or less and 8 feet tall or more. § 17.38.040 · code text ≤ 120 s.f. and ≥ 8 ft. tall \| 60% or 90 ft., whichever is less 2 \| 10 ft. 3 \| 5 ft. \| No minimum 5 \| 16 ft. At least 5 feet from interior and rear property lines. Applies: Accessory buildings over 120 square feet, fully enclosed or partly or not enclosed. § 17.38.040 · code text > 120 s.f. and fully enclosed \| 60% or 90 ft., whichever is less 2 \| 10 ft. 3 \| 5 ft. \| No minimum 5 \| 35 ft./2 stories
Distance from the house	No zoning minimum. The city's building code sets separation rules. Applies: Accessory buildings. § 17.38.040 · code text ≤ 120 s.f. and < 8 ft. tall \| 60% or 90 ft., whichever is less 2 \| 10 ft. 3 \| 3 ft. \| No minimum 5 \| 8 ft.

Swimming pools

Ione code What Ione's code adds
Pool barrier	A barrier meeting the California Swimming Pool Safety Act must separate the pool from the public, plus other state rules. § 15.08.085 · code text A barrier complying with, California Swimming Pool Safety Act AV100.3, shall be installed to separate the pool from the general public in addition to the requirements of California Swimming Pool Safety Act AV100.2.

Pets, chickens and bees

Ione code What Ione's code adds
Chickens	Yes, on residential property, in a pen with at least 4 square feet of coop space per bird. § 6.08.030 · code text All poultry kept on residential property shall be kept consistent with the following standards:
Coop setback	At least 15 feet. Applies: Poultry pens, from all property lines. § 6.08.030 · code text Pens shall be setback from all property lines a minimum of 15 feet.

Other Ione rules on this

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

Home occupations (Ch. 17.110)
Parking a travel trailer on streets and private land (Ch. 10.10) — trailers built for sleeping in

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

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

Ione limits accessory buildings of 120 sq ft or less to 16 ft and larger ones to 35 ft or 2 stories.

Can I run a business from my home in Ione?

Ione has a city chapter on home occupations (Ch. 17.110). Ione also has a related rule: Home occupations (Ch. 17.110).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Ione?

Ione's code: A barrier meeting the California Swimming Pool Safety Act must separate the pool from the public, plus other state rules. (§ 15.08.085).

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

Ione's code: Yes, on residential property, in a pen with at least 4 square feet of coop space per bird. (§ 6.08.030); At least 15 feet. (Poultry pens, from all property lines.) (§ 6.08.030).

General information, not legal advice.