Jackson · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Jackson

Jackson sets its own fence heights and home business rules, and has a city section on accessory structures. Fence height in front and street side setbacks depends on fence type, parcel size and traffic visibility.

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Key points

Fence height: Jackson limits front and street side setback fences to 3 ft; open fences 4 ft if the City Engineer finds visibility unaffected.
Home businesses: Jackson home businesses may use 25% of the home or 400 sq ft, whichever is greater; over 2 daily trips needs a permit.
Accessory structures: Jackson has a city section on accessory uses and structures.

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

Fences and walls

Jackson code What Jackson's code adds
Front yard height	No more than 3 feet high. Applies: Parcels under 1 acre, within the front or street side setback. § 17.30.070 · code text Less than 1 acre \| 3 ft. (1,2,3) No more than 3 feet high. Applies: Parcels of 1 acre or more, within the front or street side setback. § 17.30.070 · code text 1 acre or more \| 3 ft. (2,5) Open fences up to 4 feet high may be allowed. Applies: Front and street side setbacks, if the City Engineer finds no harm to traffic safety visibility. § 17.30.070 · code text Open fences up to a maximum of four feet in height may be allowed in front and street side setbacks if the City Engineer finds that the fence will not adversely affect a front or street side setback traffic safety visibility area. Up to 6 feet high may be allowed. Applies: Street side setbacks, outside the traffic safety visibility area. § 17.30.070 · code text Fences up to a maximum of six feet in height may be allowed in street side setbacks if the fence is located outside the traffic safety visibility area. Up to 6 feet high may be allowed. Applies: Front and street side setbacks of homes facing commercial or industrial property, if the City Engineer finds no harm to traffic visibility. § 17.30.070 · code text Fences up to a maximum of six feet in height may be allowed in front and street side setbacks on residential properties that face commercial or industrial properties if the City Engineer finds that the fence will not adversely affect a front or street side setback traffic visibility area. Up to 6 feet high may be allowed. Applies: Parcels of 1 acre or larger, front and street side setbacks, if the City Engineer finds no harm to traffic safety visibility. § 17.30.070 · code text On parcels of one acre or larger, fences up to a maximum of six feet in height may be allowed in front and street side setbacks if the City Engineer finds that the fence will not adversely affect a front or street side traffic safety visibility area;
Side and rear yard height	No more than 3 feet high. Applies: Parcels under 1 acre, in the rear setback of a through lot. § 17.30.070 · code text Less than 1 acre \| 3 ft. Open agricultural fences up to 8 feet high. Applies: RS district side and rear setbacks, only if the City Planner finds the fence essential to farming or animal keeping on the site. § 17.30.070 · code text An open agricultural fence shall be allowed to a maximum height of eight feet in the side and rear setbacks and outside the required front and street side setback areas for property located in the RS district, provided that the City Planner first determines that the fence is essential to a legitimate agricultural operation or animal keeping on the site.
Permit	Yes. Fences need Zoning Clearance in all zoning districts, except exempt fences and walls. § 17.30.070 · code text Fences require Zoning Clearance in compliance with Chapter 17.72 (Zoning Clearance) in all zoning districts except where exempted from this requirement by following subsection B. No Zoning Clearance is needed. Applies: Fences in residential districts that meet the height limits. § 17.30.070 · code text Fences within the residential zoning districts are exempt, provided that they comply with the height limits in following subsection C. No Zoning Clearance is needed. Applies: Walls and retaining walls under 48 inches from footing bottom to top, retaining only earth with no surcharge, and needing no Building Permit. § 17.30.070 · code text Walls and retaining walls less than 48 inches in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall.

Running a business from home

Jackson code What Jackson's code adds
Space used	Up to 25% of the main home floor area or 400 square feet, whichever is greater. Not in accessory structures. § 17.58.120 · code text The home occupation shall be confined to not more than 25 percent of the floor area of the main dwelling nor more than 400 square feet of floor area, whichever is greater, and not within an accessory structure.
Customer visits	No more than 2 trips per day. Applies: General standard for customer or delivery traffic, on foot or by vehicle. § 17.58.120 · code text The home occupation shall not generate pedestrian or vehicular customer or delivery greater than two trips per day. Visits by 3 or more clients, patients or pupils at a time need a Minor Use Permit. § 17.58.120 · code text a use which involves home visits for three or more clients, patients or pupils at a time; direct product distribution; pet grooming; or any other use or occupation which the City determines is similar in nature to the previously listed uses; More than 2 trips per day needs a Minor Use Permit. § 17.58.120 · code text A use which generates pedestrian or vehicular customer or delivery traffic exceeding more than two trips per day. No more than 10 trips each day. Applies: Vehicle customer and delivery traffic, even with Minor Use Permit approval. § 17.58.120 · code text In no case shall vehicular customer and delivery traffic exceed more than 10 trips each day.
Employees	Up to 1 off-site person working at the home at any one time, only with a Minor Use Permit. § 17.58.120 · code text A use employing no more than one person living off-site and working at the dwelling at any one time, or more than two of the permanent residents; More than 2 permanent residents working in the business needs a Minor Use Permit. § 17.58.120 · code text A use employing no more than one person living off-site and working at the dwelling at any one time, or more than two of the permanent residents;
Permit	No Home Occupation Permit is needed. Applies: Businesses run only by residents, using only a desk, phone, computer or similar office equipment, with no customer or delivery trips. § 17.58.120 · code text Home occupations conducted solely by residents of a housing unit that are limited to the use of a desk, telephone, personal computer and computer accessories, or other similar home office equipment and do not generate pedestrian or vehicular customer or delivery trips shall be exempt from the requirements for a Home Occupation Permit. A Home Occupation Permit is required. Applies: Home businesses allowed as accessory uses in residential districts. § 17.58.120 · code text A Home Occupation Permit shall be obtained and posted in compliance with this Section for home occupations, which are allowed as accessory uses in all residential zoning districts. Minor Use Permit approval is required. Applies: Activities that may not meet the operating standards, including the listed activities. § 17.58.120 · code text The following are activities that may not comply with the operating standards in subsection C above, but may be allowed with Minor Use Permit approval, in compliance with Chapter 17.76 (Use Permits and Minor Use Permits):

Solar panels and EV chargers

Jackson code What Jackson's code adds
EV charger permit	Electronic submittal is allowed. § 17.28.050 · code text The building official shall allow for electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this chapter and associated supporting documentations.

Tree removal

Jackson code What Jackson's code adds
Permit to remove	Planning Commission approval is required. Applies: Applies to a development proposal that removes a tree 8 inches or more in diameter. § 17.40.120 · code text Any development proposal which calls for the removal of any tree having a diameter of eight inches or greater shall require Planning Commission approval. Advance Planning Commission approval is required. Applies: Removing a tree with a trunk at least 8 inches across from an undeveloped parcel before development. § 17.40.140 · code text Removal of any trees having a minimum trunk diameter of eight inches measures from grade on any undeveloped parcel within the city in anticipation of developing that parcel without advance approval of the Planning Commission is strictly prohibited.
Protected trees	Any tree with a trunk at least 8 inches in diameter, measured from grade. Applies: Applies on undeveloped parcels when development is planned. § 17.40.140 · code text Removal of any trees having a minimum trunk diameter of eight inches measures from grade on any undeveloped parcel within the city in anticipation of developing that parcel without advance approval of the Planning Commission is strictly prohibited.
Replacement trees	At least 3 replacement trees for each 1 removed (3:1). Applies: Applies to trees over 16 inches in diameter, measured 4.5 feet above grade. § 17.40.120 · code text A minimum of 3:1 replacement ratio shall apply upon removal of any such tree having a diameter greater than 16 inches at four and one-half feet from grade. Replace with the same species. Applies: Applies to oak trees removed. § 17.40.120 · code text Oak trees removed shall be replaced with like species. Replacement trees must be maintained for 5 years, and replaced and maintained again if they die in that time. Applies: Applies to trees planted as replacements. § 17.40.120 · code text Trees planted as replacements shall be maintained for five years, and again replaced and maintained if they fail to survive within that period.

Other Jackson rules on this

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

Accessory uses and structures (§ 17.58.040)
Keeping pets, fowl and other animals (§ 17.58.060)
Draining a pool to the sewer (§ 13.20.210)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Jackson?

Jackson limits front and street side setback fences to 3 ft; open fences 4 ft if the City Engineer finds visibility unaffected.

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

Jackson has a city section on accessory uses and structures. Jackson also has a related rule: Accessory uses and structures (§ 17.58.040).

Can I run a business from my home in Jackson?

Jackson home businesses may use 25% of the home or 400 sq ft, whichever is greater; over 2 daily trips needs a permit.

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

Jackson's code: Electronic submittal is allowed. (§ 17.28.050).

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

Jackson's code: Planning Commission approval is required. (Applies to a development proposal that removes a tree 8 inches or more in diameter.) (§ 17.40.120); Advance Planning Commission approval is required. (Removing a tree with a trunk at least 8 inches across from an undeveloped parcel before development.) (§ 17.40.140).

General information, not legal advice.

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