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Portola · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Portola

Portola sets fence heights by location on single- and two-family lots, and allows up to 8 feet for noise attenuation or buffering with an administrative permit. Fences and walls over 8 feet need a conditional use permit.

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Key points

  • Fence heights: Fences: at most 6 feet; 4 feet in front setbacks and near corner-lot street sides; 36 inches in corner clear vision triangles.
  • Accessory buildings: Accessory buildings over 7 feet: limited to 15 feet and 1 story; detached ones to 700 square feet without a conditional use permit.
  • Home occupations: Portola has a chapter on home occupations (Chapter 17.55).

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

Fences and walls

Portola code What Portola's code adds
Corner visibility
  • No fence, wall, hedge, sign, shrub, earth mound or other obstruction over 36 inches above the roadway.
    Applies: Corner parcels, within the residential clear vision triangle.
    § 17.16.030 · code text
    On a corner parcel, no fence, wall, hedge, sign or other structure, shrubbery, mounds of earth, or other visual obstruction over thirty-six inches in height above the top of the existing roadway shall be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow within a residential clear vision triangle (see definition).
Side and rear yard height
  • Fences may be no more than 4 feet tall.
    Applies: Corner lot: street side within 5 feet of the back of the sidewalk (or street or right-of-way if none); outside clear vision triangle.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    Within five feet of the back of the publicly or privately maintained sidewalk or in the absence of a sidewalk the back of the street or right-of-way of a street-side for a corner lot or within ten feet of the back of the publicly or privately maintained sidewalk, street, or right-of-way of a street-side for a corner lot adjacent to a key lot, the maximum height shall be reduced to four feet in height outside the clear vision triangle.
  • Fences may be no more than 4 feet tall.
    Applies: Corner lot next to a key lot: street side within 10 feet of the back of the sidewalk, street or right-of-way; outside clear vision triangle.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    Within five feet of the back of the publicly or privately maintained sidewalk or in the absence of a sidewalk the back of the street or right-of-way of a street-side for a corner lot or within ten feet of the back of the publicly or privately maintained sidewalk, street, or right-of-way of a street-side for a corner lot adjacent to a key lot, the maximum height shall be reduced to four feet in height outside the clear vision triangle.
Height anywhere on the lot
  • Fences or walls, including lattice, may be up to 6 feet tall anywhere on the lot.
    Applies: Single-family or two-family lots. Lower limits apply in the clear vision triangle, the front setback and near a corner lot's street side.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    A maximum six-foot high fence (including lattice and similar attachments) or wall, may be located anywhere on a parcel consistent with the following requirements:
  • Fences or walls may be raised by up to 2 feet, to at most 8 feet.
    Applies: For noise reduction or buffering from neighboring land uses, with an approved administrative permit.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    The height of a fence or wall may be increased a maximum of two feet to provide for noise attenuation or buffering of adjacent land uses, subject to approval of an administrative permit pursuant to Section 17.82.010.A.
Front yard height
  • Fences may be no more than 4 feet tall.
    Applies: Within a required front setback, outside the clear vision triangle.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    Within a required front setback, the maximum height shall be reduced to four feet in height outside the clear vision triangle;
Permit
  • An administrative permit to add up to 2 feet; a conditional use permit for fences or walls over 8 feet.
    Applies: Fences or walls taller than 6 feet. The extra 2 feet is for noise reduction or buffering of neighboring land uses.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    The height of a fence or wall may be increased a maximum of two feet to provide for noise attenuation or buffering of adjacent land uses, subject to approval of an administrative permit pursuant to Section 17.82.010.A. Fences and walls in excess of eight feet may be permitted subject to the approval of a conditional use permit.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Portola code What Portola's code adds
Maximum height
  • No more than 15 feet tall and 1 story.
    Applies: Accessory buildings over 7 feet tall on single-family or two-family lots. The setback grows 1 foot per foot of height above 10 feet.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    the maximum height is fifteen feet and one story;
Size or lot coverage
  • Detached buildings or structures may total no more than 700 square feet per lot.
    Applies: A conditional use permit can allow more area.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    A maximum of seven hundred square feet of detached building(s) or structure(s) is permitted on the same lot.
Side and rear setback
  • At least 5 feet from the side lot line.
    Applies: Interior lots. The rear setback is 10 feet.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    side setback = ten feet if adjacent to the edge of a publicly or privately maintained street, right-of-way, and/or sidewalk, or five feet for an interior lot;
  • At least 10 feet.
    Applies: Side setback next to a public or private street, right-of-way or sidewalk, and the rear setback.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    front setback = twenty feet; side setback = ten feet if adjacent to the edge of a publicly or privately maintained street, right-of-way, and/or sidewalk, or five feet for an interior lot; rear setback = ten feet.
Distance from the house
  • At least 6 feet from any other building or structure on the lot.
    Applies: Accessory buildings or structures of 120 square feet or more of floor area.
    § 17.34.030 · code text
    A minimum six-foot separation shall be maintained from any other building or structure located on the same lot.

Pets, chickens and bees

Portola code What Portola's code adds
Bees
  • No, unless the animal chapter specifically allows it; a violation is an infraction with a fine up to $250.
    § 6.08.050 · code text
    It is unlawful for any person to keep or maintain within the city, or permit to be kept or maintained upon land within the city owned by or under the control of such person, a hive of bees, except as specifically permitted under provisions of this chapter.

Other Portola rules on this

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

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Portola?

Fences: at most 6 feet; 4 feet in front setbacks and near corner-lot street sides; 36 inches in corner clear vision triangles.

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

Accessory buildings over 7 feet: limited to 15 feet and 1 story; detached ones to 700 square feet without a conditional use permit.

Can I run a business from my home in Portola?

Portola has a chapter on home occupations (Chapter 17.55). Portola also has a related rule: Home occupations (Ch. 17.55).

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

Portola's code: No, unless the animal chapter specifically allows it; a violation is an infraction with a fine up to $250. (§ 6.08.050).

General information, not legal advice.

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