Los Gatos · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Los Gatos

Los Gatos' town code limits fences in traffic view areas, sets accessory structure height, coverage and setbacks, and controls home businesses. Some uses, such as firearm sales and medical offices, are not allowed as home businesses.

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Key points

Fence height: In a traffic view area near streets and intersections, fences, walls and hedges are limited to 3 feet without a Town Engineer permit.
Accessory structures: In residential zones, accessory structures are limited to 15 feet and one story, and to 15% of the lot excluding setbacks.
Home businesses: Town code limits a home business to 1 customer and no employees outside the resident family; it needs a home occupation permit.

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

Fences and walls

Los Gatos code What Los Gatos's code adds
Corner visibility	Fences, walls, hedges and shrubs can be at most 3 feet tall. Applies: In a traffic view area: within 15 feet of a public street and 200 feet of an intersection. Taller needs a Town Engineer permit. § 23.10.080 · code text No person shall build, or keep in place, a fence, wall, hedge or shrub more than three (3) feet high in a traffic view area unless the person has a permit to do so from the Town Engineer.
Permit	Yes. A Town Engineer permit is needed for a fence, wall, hedge or shrub over 3 feet tall. Applies: In a traffic view area. § 23.10.080 · code text No person shall build, or keep in place, a fence, wall, hedge or shrub more than three (3) feet high in a traffic view area unless the person has a permit to do so from the Town Engineer.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Los Gatos code What Los Gatos's code adds
Maximum height	At most 15 feet tall and 1 story. Applies: For accessory structures in residential zones. § 29.40.015 · code text Are not over fifteen (15) feet high and are no more than one (1) story.
Size or lot coverage	Can cover no more than 15% of the lot. Applies: Lot area is counted without the required building setbacks. § 29.40.015 · code text Do not occupy more than fifteen (15) percent of the lot, to be calculated exclusive of the required building setbacks.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from any property line. Applies: In residential zones except R-M. Not allowed in a required front or side yard unless an exception applies. § 29.40.015 · code text Are at least five (5) feet from any property line, except in the R-M zone where no setback is required by this subsection (4). No setback is required. Applies: In the R-M zone. § 29.40.015 · code text Are at least five (5) feet from any property line, except in the R-M zone where no setback is required by this subsection (4). Side and rear yards can be reduced to no less than 3 feet from a property line. Applies: In R-1 zones, for structures other than detached ADUs, if approved through the Administrative Procedure for Minor Residential Projects. § 29.40.015 · code text In the R-1 zones, required side and rear yards for accessory structures other than detached accessory dwelling units, may be reduced to no less than three (3) feet from a property line, if an application is approved through the Administrative Procedure for Minor Residential Projects. The side yard setback can be reduced to 5 feet. Applies: In R-1 zones, for detached garages under 450 square feet, without Administrative Procedure approval. § 29.40.015 · code text In the R-1 zones, required side yard setbacks may be reduced to five (5) feet for detached garages less than four hundred fifty (450) square feet without obtaining approval through the Administrative Procedure for Minor Residential Projects (section 29.20.480).
No permit needed up to	One accessory structure under 120 square feet needs no zoning approval. Applies: In the required side or rear setbacks. § 29.40.015 · code text One (1) accessory structure less than one hundred twenty (120) square feet, is allowed in the required side or rear setbacks without any zoning approvals.
Distance from the house	At least 5 feet from any other structure on the same lot. § 29.40.015 · code text Are at least five (5) feet from any other structure located on the same lot.

Running a business from home

Los Gatos code What Los Gatos's code adds
Customer visits	No more than 1 customer on the property at any time. § 29.10.09025 · code text The home occupation shall not involve the presence of more than one (1) customer on the premises at any time.
Employees	No employees other than members of the family who live there. § 29.10.09025 · code text There shall be no employees other than members of the resident family.
Permit	A home occupation permit is required. § 29.10.09025 · code text No premises shall be used for a home occupation unless the user has a home occupation permit.
Businesses not allowed	Retail sales of firearms, ammunition and/or destructive devices; medical offices/uses; contractor/contracting services with specified on-site crews, storage, or vehicles/equipment; on-site dining for cottage food operations; food catering, except compliant cottage food operations § 29.10.09025 · code text The following uses are prohibited:

Lot splits under SB 9

Los Gatos code New lots must be about equal in area; neither can be smaller than 40% of the original lot. At most 1,200 square feet.

All 18 Los Gatos rules on lot splits under sb 9, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Solar panels and EV chargers

Los Gatos code What Los Gatos's code adds
Solar permit process	Administrative permit for a complete application that meets the town checklist and standard plan. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar energy systems. § 29.20.230 · code text The Building Division shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, on the same day for over-the-counter applications
Review time	The permit is issued the same day. Applies: Complete over-the-counter applications for small residential rooftop solar that meet the approved checklist and standard plan. § 29.20.230 · code text The Building Division shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, on the same day for over-the-counter applications The permit is issued within 1 to 3 business days. Applies: Complete electronic applications for small residential rooftop solar that meet the approved checklist and standard plan. § 29.20.230 · code text or within one (1) to three (3) business days for electronic applications upon receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan.

Tree removal

Los Gatos code No replacement condition if the tree is dead or has a Tree Risk Rating of Extreme or High. $500 per violation; for continuing violations, $500 the first day and $1,000 for each day after.

All 19 Los Gatos rules on tree removal, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Swimming pools

Los Gatos code Openings, holes or gaps, including between pickets, can be no more than 4 inches in any direction. The bottom must be within 4 inches of finished grade.

All 10 Los Gatos rules on swimming pools, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Pets, chickens and bees

Los Gatos code What Los Gatos's code adds
Bees	Only 2 hives. Applies: Lots over 5,000 and under 10,000 square feet. § 4.80.027 · code text Only two (2) hives may be kept or maintained on parcels over five thousand (5,000) square feet but less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet in size. Only 3 hives. Applies: Lots over 10,000 and under 40,000 square feet. § 4.80.027 · code text Only three (3) hives may be kept or maintained on parcels over ten thousand (10,000) square feet in size but less than forty thousand (40,000) square feet in size. 4 hives, plus 1 more for each ½ acre over 1 acre. Applies: Lots over 40,000 square feet. § 4.80.027 · code text Four (4) hives may be kept on parcels over forty thousand (40,000) square feet in size. One (1) additional hive may be kept for each one-half (½) acre over one (1) acre. No hives without consent of the owner and all tenants. Applies: Multifamily properties. § 4.80.027 · code text No hives may be kept on multi-family properties without the consent of the owner and all tenants in possession thereof.
Large animals	No more than 2 pigs, and none within 300 feet of any home. Applies: Pigs kept in the Town. § 4.20.015 · code text No person shall keep more than two (2) swine within the Town nor shall they be kept within three hundred (300) feet of any dwelling in the Town.
Permit	Only 1 litter of dogs or cats per calendar year without a Town Manager kennel or shelter permit. Applies: Dogs or cats owned by or kept on the owner's premises. § 4.40.010 · code text No person shall allow the parturition and rearing of more than one (1) litter of dogs or cats in any one (1) calendar year from females owned by the owner or maintained on the owner's premises without a valid permit from the Town Manager for a private kennel, commercial kennel, or animal shelter.
Pet limit	No more than 1 unspayed cat and 1 unspayed dog over 4 months old. Applies: Per premises. § 4.40.010 · code text In no event shall there be more than one unspayed cat over four (4) months old and one unspayed dog over four (4) months of age on any premises.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Los Gatos?

In a traffic view area near streets and intersections, fences, walls and hedges are limited to 3 feet without a Town Engineer permit.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Los Gatos?

In residential zones, accessory structures are limited to 15 feet and one story, and to 15% of the lot excluding setbacks.

Can I run a business from my home in Los Gatos?

Town code limits a home business to 1 customer and no employees outside the resident family; it needs a home occupation permit.

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

Los Gatos's code: Administrative permit for a complete application that meets the town checklist and standard plan. (Small residential rooftop solar energy systems.) (§ 29.20.230); The permit is issued the same day. (Complete over-the-counter applications for small residential rooftop solar that meet the approved checklist and standard plan.) (§ 29.20.230).

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Los Gatos?

Los Gatos's code: Only 2 hives. (Lots over 5,000 and under 10,000 square feet.) (§ 4.80.027); Only 3 hives. (Lots over 10,000 and under 40,000 square feet.) (§ 4.80.027).

General information, not legal advice.

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