Pleasanton · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Pleasanton

Pleasanton limits how much of the required rear yard accessory structures may cover and sets setbacks for pools, spas and pool equipment, including 5 feet from the pool water line. Gunsmiths and firearm sales are not allowed as home occupations.

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Key points

Right-of-way permit: A hedge, fence, shrub or similar structure in a watercourse or right-of-way needs a permit.
Rear-yard coverage: In R districts, accessory structures may cover at most 500 square feet or 10 percent of the required rear yard, whichever is greater.
Banned businesses: Gunsmiths and firearm sales are not allowed as home occupations in Pleasanton.

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

Fences and walls

Pleasanton code What Pleasanton's code adds
Permit	Yes. A permit is required. Applies: Hedges, fences, shrubs or similar structures in a watercourse or right-of-way. § 13.04.430 · code text No hedge, fence, shrub or similar structure shall be planted, erected, or maintained in a watercourse or right-of-way without a permit.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Pleasanton code What Pleasanton's code adds
Size or lot coverage	No more than 500 square feet or 10% of the required rear yard, whichever is greater. Applies: R districts, all accessory structures combined. Garages or carports in RM-2,500, RM-2,000 or RM-1,500 districts do not count. § 18.84.160 · code text provided that in the aggregate no more than 500 square feet or 10 percent of the area of the required rear yard, whichever is greater, shall be covered by structures other than garages or carports in an RM-2,500, RM-2,000 or RM-1,500 district.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from rear and interior side property lines. Applies: The water line of pools. § 18.84.160 · code text Pool water line shall not encroach into a required front yard or be placed closer than five feet to a rear or interior side property line or 10 feet to a street side property line, except that the pool water line for cordconnected, aboveground (portable) spas shall not encroach into a required front yard or be placed closer than three feet to a rear or interior side property line or 10 feet to a street side property line. At least 3 feet from rear and interior side property lines. Applies: The water line of plug-in aboveground (portable) spas. § 18.84.160 · code text Pool water line shall not encroach into a required front yard or be placed closer than five feet to a rear or interior side property line or 10 feet to a street side property line, except that the pool water line for cordconnected, aboveground (portable) spas shall not encroach into a required front yard or be placed closer than three feet to a rear or interior side property line or 10 feet to a street side property line. At least 3 feet from the side property line. Applies: Pool equipment in a required side yard next to the main building. § 18.84.160 · code text Where pool equipment is located within a required side yard adjacent to a main structure, a minimum three-foot clearance shall be maintained between said equipment installation and the corresponding side property line.

Running a business from home

Pleasanton code What Pleasanton's code adds
Businesses not allowed	Gunsmiths § 18.104.040 · code text A. Gunsmiths. Firearm sales § 18.104.040 · code text B. Firearm sales, provided, however, that federally licensed firearm dealers with home occupation permits approved prior to the effective date hereof shall be given one year from the effective date hereof to comply with the ordinance codified in this chapter.

Lot splits under SB 9

Pleasanton code No more than 2 parcels; neither may be smaller than 40% of the original lot area. Each lot must be at least 1,200 square feet.

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

Tree removal

Pleasanton code What Pleasanton's code adds
Exemptions	No permit is needed for normal maintenance and pruning. Applies: Pruning must follow the city's pruning guidelines. § 17.16.010 · code text Normal maintenance and pruning of a protected tree shall not require a permit but shall in all cases be in conformance with the guidelines in Section 17.16.080.
Permit to remove	Grounds include a dead, dying, diseased or hazardous tree, or one damaging utilities or structures that cannot be saved. Also needed improvements (home expansion, ADU, pool) or fire risk in high/very high fire zones. Not grounds: debris, pollen, surface roots, landscape renovation, disliked species. § 17.16.020 · code text The tree is dead, dying, or diseased and good forestry practices cannot be reasonably undertaken to preserve it; Yes. A permit is required. Applies: Applies to removing or effectively removing any protected tree in the city. § 17.16.010 · code text No person shall remove, or effectively remove, any protected tree growing within the city without a permit except as provided in this chapter.
Replacement trees	Climate-appropriate replacement trees at least 1:1 and 15-gallon size, watered until established. Applies: Applies to removing a protected tree, as the director decides. § 17.16.020 · code text the applicant shall plant climate-appropriate replacement tree(s) at a minimum of a 1:1 replacement ratio and 15-gallon size A payment to the urban forestry fund: appraised value of trees removed minus the cost of trees installed. Applies: Minor development needing an arborist's report, when the director chooses to require payment. § 17.16.070 · code text may be required to provide a tree bond and/or a payment towards the city's urban forestry fund based on the appraised value of the trees removed from the site less the cost of installed trees.

Swimming pools

Pleasanton code What Pleasanton's code adds
Pool barrier	Pools, hot tubs and spas must be fully surrounded by a fence or barrier meeting California Building Code pool rules. Applies: Applies to private pools, hot tubs and spas with water more than 18 inches deep. § 20.65.120 · code text Private swimming pools, hot tubs and spas containing water more than 18 inches (457 mm) in depth shall be completely surrounded by a fence or barrier in compliance with Section 3109 in the 2025 California Building Code as applicable. Existing pool enclosures may not be removed, replaced or changed in a way that makes them less safe. Applies: Applies to existing pool enclosures. § 20.65.120 · code text No existing pool enclosure shall be removed, replaced or changed in a manner that reduces its effectiveness as a safety barrier. Spas or hot tubs with a safety cover meeting ASTM F 1346-91 are exempt from the enclosure rule. § 20.65.120 · code text Spas or hot tubs with a safety cover that complies with ASTM F 1346-91 shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
Gates	Gates and doors in the barrier must be self-closing and self-latching. Applies: Applies to private pools, hot tubs and spas with water more than 18 inches deep. § 20.65.120 · code text Gates and doors in such barriers shall be self-closing and self-latching. The release mechanism must be on the pool side of the gate. Applies: Applies when the self-latching device is less than 60 inches above finished grade or landing. § 20.65.120 · code text Where the self-latching device is less than 60 inches (1,524 mm) above finished grade or landing, the release mechanism shall be located on the pool side of the gate. The gate must fully close and latch when released from 6 inches open. Applies: Applies to self-closing and self-latching gates. § 20.65.120 · code text Self-closing and self-latching gates shall be maintained such that the gate will positively close and latch when released from an open position of 6 inches (152 mm) from the gatepost.
Maintenance and empty pools	Pools must be kept clean, sanitary and in good repair. § 20.65.120 · code text Swimming pools shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and in good repair.

Pets, chickens and bees

Pleasanton code What Pleasanton's code adds
Bees	Yes, no more than 2 hives. The beekeeper must live on the property. Applies: Detached single-family homes in the R-1, RM and Downtown Specific Plan Area districts. A beekeeping permit is required. § 18.103.080 · code text No more than two hives shall be allowed on detached, single-family properties located in the R-1 zoning district, RM zoning district, and Downtown Specific Plan Area; and no more than 10 hives shall be maintained within the A zoning district. Yes, no more than 10 hives. Applies: Applies to land in the A zoning district. § 18.103.080 · code text No more than two hives shall be allowed on detached, single-family properties located in the R-1 zoning district, RM zoning district, and Downtown Specific Plan Area; and no more than 10 hives shall be maintained within the A zoning district. Hives at least 5 feet from side and rear property lines, and not between the front line and the house. Applies: Applies in the R-1, RM and Downtown Specific Plan Area districts. § 18.103.080 · code text In the R-1 zoning district, RM zoning district, or Downtown Specific Plan Area, hives shall be located at least five feet from the side and rear property lines. Hives are not allowed in the area between the front property line and the single-family house. The zoning administrator reviews hive location case by case. Applies: Applies to land in the A zoning district. § 18.103.080 · code text The location of hives on land in the A zoning district shall be subject to review on a case-by-case basis by the zoning administrator.
Permit	Yes. A beekeeping permit from the zoning administrator is required. Applies: Applies to keeping bees. § 18.103.030 · code text An application for a permit to keep bees shall be filed with the zoning administrator on a form prescribed by the city and shall include the following information and maps:

Other Pleasanton rules on this

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

EV charger readiness for new homes (§ 20.26.080) — new construction only
Solar energy system requirements (§ 20.70.040)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Pleasanton?

A hedge, fence, shrub or similar structure in a watercourse or right-of-way needs a permit.

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

In R districts, accessory structures may cover at most 500 square feet or 10 percent of the required rear yard, whichever is greater.

Can I run a business from my home in Pleasanton?

Gunsmiths and firearm sales are not allowed as home occupations in Pleasanton.

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

Pleasanton's code: No permit is needed for normal maintenance and pruning. (Pruning must follow the city's pruning guidelines.) (§ 17.16.010); Grounds include a dead, dying, diseased or hazardous tree, or one damaging utilities or structures that cannot be saved. (Also needed improvements (home expansion, ADU, pool) or fire risk in high/very high fire zones. Not grounds: debris, pollen, surface roots, landscape renovation, disliked species.) (§ 17.16.020).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Pleasanton?

Pleasanton's code: Pools, hot tubs and spas must be fully surrounded by a fence or barrier meeting California Building Code pool rules. (Applies to private pools, hot tubs and spas with water more than 18 inches deep.) (§ 20.65.120); Existing pool enclosures may not be removed, replaced or changed in a way that makes them less safe. (Applies to existing pool enclosures.) (§ 20.65.120).

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

Pleasanton's code: Yes, no more than 2 hives. The beekeeper must live on the property. (Detached single-family homes in the R-1, RM and Downtown Specific Plan Area districts. A beekeeping permit is required.) (§ 18.103.080); Yes, no more than 10 hives. (Applies to land in the A zoning district.) (§ 18.103.080).

General information, not legal advice.

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