Mendota · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Mendota

Mendota sets its own accessory-building limits for the R-1-A and R-2 districts and its own home-business rules. Accessory-building setbacks depend on alleys and corner lots.

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Key points

Accessory buildings: City rule: in the R-1-A and R-2 districts, accessory buildings are limited to 1 story and 12 ft to the plate.
Home businesses: Mendota home businesses need a permit, use at most 1 room, are run by residents only, and serve at most 8 clients a day.

Each rule below is marked Mendota 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

Mendota code What Mendota's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 1 story and 12 feet, measured to plate height. Applies: Accessory buildings in the R-1-A district. § 17.20.050 · code text No accessory building erected in this district shall have a height greater than one story, not to exceed twelve (12) feet, to plate height. No more than 1 story and 12 feet, measured to plate height. Applies: Accessory buildings in the R-2 district. § 17.28.050 · code text No accessory building shall have a height greater than one story not to exceed twelve (12) feet to plate height.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from the property line. Applies: R-1-A district; accessory building with an opening on an alley. § 17.20.050 · code text An accessory building having an opening on an alley shall be located not less than twenty-five (25) feet from the opposite side of the alley; provided, however, that no such accessory building shall be located less than five feet from the property line. At least 25 feet from the opposite side of the alley. Applies: R-1-A district; accessory building with an opening on an alley. § 17.20.050 · code text An accessory building having an opening on an alley shall be located not less than twenty-five (25) feet from the opposite side of the alley; provided, however, that no such accessory building shall be located less than five feet from the property line. At least 25 feet from the rear property line. Applies: R-1-A district; reversed corner lot; accessory building in the side yard, or its line to the rear, next to a street. § 17.20.050 · code text Accessory buildings located in the side yard or its projection to the rear property line when abutting a street shall be at least twenty-five (25) feet from the rear property line on a reversed corner lot. At least 25 feet from the property line on the side street. Applies: R-1-A district; private garage in the side yard of a reversed corner lot. § 17.20.050 · code text Private garages located in the side yard shall be at least twenty-five (25) feet from the property line on the side street, and not less than five feet from the rear property line on said corner lot. At least 5 feet from the rear property line. Applies: R-1-A district; private garage in the side yard of a reversed corner lot. § 17.20.050 · code text Private garages located in the side yard shall be at least twenty-five (25) feet from the property line on the side street, and not less than five feet from the rear property line on said corner lot. At least 5 feet from the property line, or 25 feet from the opposite side of the alley. Applies: R-1-A district; accessory building in a required rear yard with an opening on an alley. § 17.20.050 · code text An accessory building having an opening on an alley shall be located not less than twenty-five (25) feet from the opposite side of the alley or not less than five feet from the property line. 0 feet; it may be built on the rear property line. Applies: R-1-A district; accessory structures other than swimming pools, when not next to an existing alley. § 17.20.050 · code text An accessory structure other than a swimming pool may be located on the rear property line when said building is not abutting an existing alley.
Distance from the house	At least 6 feet from any other building. Applies: Accessory buildings in the R-2 district. § 17.28.050 · code text The minimum distance between accessory buildings and any other building shall not be less than six feet.

Running a business from home

Mendota code What Mendota's code adds
Space used	No more than 1 room in the home. § 17.86.050 · code text Not more than one room within the dwelling shall be used for the home occupation.
Customer visits	No more than 8 clients per day. Applies: Home occupations where clients come to the property. § 17.86.050 · code text For home occupations involving client attendance at the premises, no more than eight clients shall be served on any given day.
Employees	Only residents of the home may be employees. § 17.86.050 · code text Only residents of the dwelling may be employees of the permitted home occupation.
Permit	A home occupation permit is required. § 17.86.050 · code text unless a separate proposal for said encroachment or a variance from standards is requested and approved prior to issuance of the home occupation permit.
Businesses not allowed	Adult businesses conducted on the site, including but not limited to nude entertainment or related activities, or sale/rental of adult books, movies, or related paraphernalia; alcohol or tobacco sales; businesses that entail onsite boarding, handling, breeding, grooming, raising, or training of animals; dance club/night club; firearms or ammunition dealers; fortune telling; massage parlors; medical or dental offices, including pharmacy or medical marijuana dispensaries; mini storage; otherwise appropriate home occupations that become detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or that constitute a nuisance; retail sales of merchandise stored and/or displayed on the premises; tattoo parlors, including body piercing and permanent makeup; repair of motor vehicles on the premises; repair of appliances; vehicle sales; welding and/or machining; and similar uses that would be detrimental, inconsistent, or incompatible § 17.86.040 · code text The following uses shall not be permitted as home occupations:

Pets, chickens and bees

Mendota code What Mendota's code adds
Permit	A kennel permit is required. Applies: Applies to keeping more than 3 dogs over 4 months old. § 6.24.020 · code text No person shall keep, harbor or maintain upon his premises within the city more than a total of three dogs over the age of four months unless such person shall obtain a kennel permit
Pet limit	No more than 3 dogs over 4 months old. Applies: Applies without a kennel permit. § 6.24.020 · code text No person shall keep, harbor or maintain upon his premises within the city more than a total of three dogs over the age of four months unless such person shall obtain a kennel permit

Other Mendota rules on this

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

Draining a pool (§ 13.04.180)
Swimming pools, spas and hot tubs (Ch. 8.38)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

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

City rule: in the R-1-A and R-2 districts, accessory buildings are limited to 1 story and 12 ft to the plate.

Can I run a business from my home in Mendota?

Mendota home businesses need a permit, use at most 1 room, are run by residents only, and serve at most 8 clients a day.

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

Mendota's code: A kennel permit is required. (Applies to keeping more than 3 dogs over 4 months old.) (§ 6.24.020); No more than 3 dogs over 4 months old. (Applies without a kennel permit.) (§ 6.24.020).

General information, not legal advice.

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Mendota Municipal Code — full text

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