Redding · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Redding

Redding sets its own limits on fences, detached accessory structures and home businesses in residential districts. Fence height depends on the yard, and accessory building size depends on the zone.

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Key points

Front fences: Residential fences are limited to 3 feet in front-yard setbacks and within 10 feet of the property line in street-side setbacks.
Other fences: Elsewhere fences are limited to 6 feet, or 7 feet along interior side or rear yards not fronting a public right-of-way.
Accessory size: Detached structures are limited to 1,500 square feet in the RE, RS and RM zones; RL zone, 1,500 square feet per acre.
Home businesses: A home business may use at most 25% of the home's floor area; only residents may work there, except 1 helper for cottage food.

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

Fences and walls

Redding code What Redding's code adds
Side and rear yard height	Fences or walls may be no more than 3 feet tall. Applies: Residential districts, within 10 feet of the property line in a required street-side setback. § 18.40.180 · code text Fences or walls in required front-yard setbacks or within ten feet of the property line in a required street-side setback shall not exceed three feet. Fences may be no more than 7 feet tall. Applies: Residential districts, along an interior side or rear yard that does not face a public right-of-way. § 18.40.180 · code text in which case the fence shall not exceed seven feet in height with any attachments to the fence designed to be of similar/compatible architecture and materials as the fence to which it is attached.
Height anywhere on the lot	Fences may be no more than 6 feet tall. Applies: Residential districts, outside front setbacks and the first 10 feet of street-side setbacks. 7 feet along interior side or rear yards not facing public right-of-way. § 18.40.180 · code text All other fences shall not exceed six feet in height, except for along any interior side- or rear-yard not fronting on a public right-of-way, in which case the fence shall not exceed seven feet in height
Front yard height	Fences or walls may be no more than 3 feet tall. Applies: Residential districts, in required front-yard setbacks. § 18.40.180 · code text Fences or walls in required front-yard setbacks or within ten feet of the property line in a required street-side setback shall not exceed three feet.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Redding code What Redding's code adds
Maximum height	Detached accessory structures may be no more than 25 feet tall. Applies: In the RL zone. § 18.43.020 · code text The maximum height shall not exceed twenty-five feet.
Size or lot coverage	No more than 1,500 square feet of floor area per acre of land. Applies: Detached accessory structures in the RL zone. § 18.43.020 · code text The floor area of detached accessory structures shall not exceed one thousand five hundred square feet of floor area per acre of land. Detached accessory structures may total no more than 1,500 square feet of floor area. Applies: RE, RS and RM zones, unless the Director approves a Site Development Permit for more. § 18.43.020 · code text Detached accessory structures shall not exceed a cumulative floor area of one thousand five hundred square feet unless a Site Development Permit is approved by the Director for a greater amount.

Running a business from home

Redding code What Redding's code adds
Space used	The business may use no more than 25% of the home's gross floor area. Applies: Only inside an enclosed living area of the home or the garage. § 18.43.110 · code text A home occupation shall be conducted only within an enclosed living area of the dwelling unit or the garage and shall not occupy more than twenty-five percent of the gross floor area of the dwelling.
Customer visits	Customers or clients are not allowed at the home. Applies: Except for educational, therapeutic or counseling services, and cottage food operations. § 18.43.110 · code text Customers or clients shall not be permitted at the residence except to receive educational, therapeutic, or counseling services where not more than two clients shall receive service at any one time, or for a cottage food operation. No more than 2 clients at any one time. Applies: Educational, therapeutic or counseling services. § 18.43.110 · code text Customers or clients shall not be permitted at the residence except to receive educational, therapeutic, or counseling services where not more than two clients shall receive service at any one time, or for a cottage food operation.
Employees	No employees except people who live on the property. Applies: All home businesses except cottage food operations. § 18.43.110 · code text Except for a cottage food operation, only the actual residents of the dwelling unit shall engage in the home occupation; no employees shall be permitted on the premises in connection with the home occupation except those who are residents of the property. 1 employee who is not a household member is allowed. Applies: Cottage food operations. § 18.43.110 · code text Pursuant to Section 113758 of the Health and Safety Code, a cottage food operation may employ one nonhousehold member as an employee.
Permit	The appropriate business license is required. § 18.43.110 · code text Home occupations are permitted within all residential zoning districts subject to obtaining the appropriate business license; they also shall meet the following standards: A new business license is required. Applies: When the home business changes. § 18.43.110 · code text In the event a home occupation changes, a new business license shall be obtained.
Businesses not allowed	display of goods § 18.43.110 · code text The display of goods or storage of uncustomary amounts of flammable materials shall be prohibited. on-site training for promotional sales § 18.43.110 · code text On-site training for promotional sales shall not be permitted. commercial cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, processing, testing, or storage of cannabis or cannabis-containing products Applies: commercial purposes § 18.43.110 · code text The cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, processing, testing and storage of cannabis and products containing cannabis for commercial purposes shall not be permitted.

Tree removal

Redding code What Redding's code adds
Permit to remove	Yes, the city electric utility must approve the removal first. Applies: Applies to trees in the city with electric power lines passing through their branches. § 14.22.130 · code text No trees may be removed within the city limits through the branches of which pass electric power lines without first obtaining the approval of the city electrical utility for such removal. The permit covers only the approved trees; valid 6 months, with 1 extension of up to 6 more months. Applies: Applies to a tree removal permit. § 18.45.060 · code text The permit and any conditions of approval granted by the approving body shall entitle the applicant to remove only the tree or trees approved for such action.

Swimming pools

Redding code What Redding's code adds
Setback from property lines	At least 20 feet from the front property line. Applies: Applies to outdoor pools in any RL, RE or RS District. § 18.40.160 · code text Swimming pools shall not be constructed within twenty feet of a front property line; within fifteen feet of the street-side property line of a corner lot; within five feet on an interior side-yard property line; within five feet of a rear property line. At least 15 feet from the street-side property line. Applies: Applies to outdoor pools on corner lots in any RL, RE or RS District. § 18.40.160 · code text Swimming pools shall not be constructed within twenty feet of a front property line; within fifteen feet of the street-side property line of a corner lot; within five feet on an interior side-yard property line; within five feet of a rear property line. At least 5 feet from an interior side property line. Applies: Applies to outdoor pools in any RL, RE or RS District. § 18.40.160 · code text Swimming pools shall not be constructed within twenty feet of a front property line; within fifteen feet of the street-side property line of a corner lot; within five feet on an interior side-yard property line; within five feet of a rear property line. At least 5 feet from the rear property line. Applies: Applies to outdoor pools in any RL, RE or RS District. § 18.40.160 · code text Swimming pools shall not be constructed within twenty feet of a front property line; within fifteen feet of the street-side property line of a corner lot; within five feet on an interior side-yard property line; within five feet of a rear property line. The street-side setback may be 10 feet. Applies: Lots created and developed before October 1, 2002, with the pool behind an existing fence built under the setbacks of its time. § 18.40.160 · code text Exception: Street-side setback may be reduced to ten feet on lots created and developed prior to October 1, 2002, provided that the pool is constructed behind an existing fence that was constructed in accordance with the setback requirements in effect at the time the fence was constructed. On the rear half of the lot, at least 5 feet from any side or rear property line. Applies: Applies to aboveground or on-ground pools in any RL, RE or RS District. § 18.40.160 · code text Aboveground/on-ground pools shall be located on the rear half of the lot and not closer than five feet to any side or rear property line. Same setbacks as the building that encloses the pool. Applies: Applies to indoor pools in all zoning districts. § 18.40.160 · code text Indoor swimming pools shall be considered as part of the structure and shall meet all applicable setback requirements appurtenant to the structure in which the pool is enclosed.

Pets, chickens and bees

Redding code What Redding's code adds
Pet limit	No more than 6 dogs and cats over 4 months old in total, unless the owner has a kennel license. Applies: At any dwelling. At most 1 pot-bellied pig; dogs, cats and pigs together may not exceed 6. § 7.04.150 · code text It is unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or maintain in or about any dwelling, or the curtilage thereof, more than six dogs or six cats, or any combination thereof exceeding a total of six, each of which is over the age of four months, unless the owner has obtained a kennel license under the provisions of this chapter. Not more than one pot-bellied pig may be kept, harbored or maintained in or about any dwelling; the combined number of dogs, cats, and pot-bellied pigs shall not exceed a total of six.

Other Redding rules on this

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

Permit for EV chargers (§ 16.02.020)
Permit for small home rooftop solar (§ 16.03.020)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Redding?

Residential fences are limited to 3 feet in front-yard setbacks and within 10 feet of the property line in street-side setbacks. Elsewhere fences are limited to 6 feet, or 7 feet along interior side or rear yards not fronting a public right-of-way.

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

Detached structures are limited to 1,500 square feet in the RE, RS and RM zones; RL zone, 1,500 square feet per acre.

Can I run a business from my home in Redding?

A home business may use at most 25% of the home's floor area; only residents may work there, except 1 helper for cottage food.

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

Redding's code: Yes, the city electric utility must approve the removal first. (Applies to trees in the city with electric power lines passing through their branches.) (§ 14.22.130); The permit covers only the approved trees; valid 6 months, with 1 extension of up to 6 more months. (Applies to a tree removal permit.) (§ 18.45.060).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Redding?

Redding's code: At least 20 feet from the front property line. (Applies to outdoor pools in any RL, RE or RS District.) (§ 18.40.160); At least 15 feet from the street-side property line. (Applies to outdoor pools on corner lots in any RL, RE or RS District.) (§ 18.40.160).

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

Redding's code: No more than 6 dogs and cats over 4 months old in total, unless the owner has a kennel license. (At any dwelling. At most 1 pot-bellied pig; dogs, cats and pigs together may not exceed 6.) (§ 7.04.150).

General information, not legal advice.

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