Rosemead · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Rosemead

Rosemead sets its own rules for fences and home businesses. Fence height depends on the yard and on reversed corner lots, and cottage food operations follow separate rules.

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Key points

Fence height: In the R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones, fences are limited to 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in rear or side yards.
Home businesses: A home business may use at most 200 square feet, only full-time residents may work there, and it needs a Home Occupation Business License.

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

Fences and walls

Rosemead code What Rosemead's code adds
Corner visibility	No more than 4 feet. Applies: Reversed corner lots: fences or walls within 5 feet of street side, or 10 feet of rear line between street and key lot setback. § 17.68.030 · code text On a reversed corner lot, no fence or wall or located within five feet of the street side or within ten (10) feet of the rear line between the street and the established setback line on the key lot to the rear, shall exceed a height of four feet. No more than 4 feet. Applies: Reversed corner lots: hedges or screening within 5 feet of street side, or 10 feet of rear line between street and key lot setback. § 17.68.030 · code text On a reversed corner lot, no hedge or other landscape screening material located within five feet of the street side or within ten (10) feet of the rear line between the street and the established setback line on the key lot to the rear, shall exceed a height of four feet.
Front yard height	No more than 4 feet. Applies: Fences or walls in the required front yard in R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones. § 17.68.030 · code text In the R-1, R-2, and R-3 zones no fence or wall located in the required front yard shall exceed a height of four feet. No more than 4 feet. Applies: Hedges and other landscape screening in the required front yard. § 17.68.030 · code text Landscape screening located within the required front yard shall not exceed a height of four feet.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet. Applies: Fences or walls in rear or side yards in R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones. § 17.68.030 · code text In the R-1, R-2, and R-3 zones no fence or wall located in a rear or side yard shall exceed a height of six feet.

Running a business from home

Rosemead code What Rosemead's code adds
Space used	No more than 200 square feet of the home. § 5.41.090 · code text No more than two hundred (200) square feet of the residence shall be employed for the use of the home occupation.
Employees	Only full-time residents of the home may be employees. § 5.41.090 · code text Any employees associated with the home occupation must be full-time residents of the dwelling. No more than 1 cottage food employee. Applies: Cottage food operations. Family or household members of the operator do not count. § 5.41.110 · code text No greater than one cottage food employee, as defined by California Health and Safety Code Section 113758(b)(1), and not including a family member or household member of the cottage food operator, shall be permitted on the premises of the cottage food operation.
Permit	A Home Occupation Business License is required. Applies: Home occupations other than cottage food operations. § 5.41.060 · code text An application for a Home Occupation Business License shall be denied for any of the following reasons: Business license approval is required. Applies: Cottage food operations. § 5.41.110 · code text All cottage food operations shall be required to obtain approval of a business license in accordance with the provisions of the chapter and shall conform to the following standards and regulations:

Solar panels and EV chargers

Rosemead code What Rosemead's code adds
EV charger permit	All needed permits are issued when the application meets the City checklist and all laws; electronic submittal is allowed. Applies: Applies to EV charging stations. § 15.28.030 · code text Upon confirmation by the Building Official that the permit application and supporting documents meets the requirements of the City checklist, and is consistent with all applicable laws, the Building Official shall, consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, approve the application and issue all necessary permits.
Solar permit process	Administrative, nondiscretionary building permit; 1 inspection, scheduled within 2 business days of a request. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar with a complete application that meets the approved checklist and standard plan. § 15.10.060 · code text The City will issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permits the same day for over-the-counter applications or within 1-3 business days for electronic applications of receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan. Submit by email, online or fax; electronic signatures are accepted. Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar permit applicants. § 15.10.050 · code text Electronic submittal of the required permit application and documents by email, the Internet, or facsimile will be made available to all small residential rooftop solar energy system permit applicants.
Review time	The permit is issued the same day. Applies: Over-the-counter small residential rooftop solar applications that are complete and meet the checklist and standard plan. § 15.10.060 · code text The City will issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permits the same day for over-the-counter applications or within 1-3 business days for electronic applications of receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan. The permit is issued within 1-3 business days. Applies: Electronic small residential rooftop solar applications that are complete and meet the checklist and standard plan. § 15.10.060 · code text The City will issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permits the same day for over-the-counter applications or within 1-3 business days for electronic applications of receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan.

Tree removal

Rosemead code What Rosemead's code adds
Exemptions	No permit to remove trees up to 37.5 inches around (12 inches across) at 4.5 feet above the root crown. § 17.104.090 · code text For the removal of trees that do not exceed thirty-seven and one-half (37.5) inches in circumference; (twelve (12) inches in diameter) as measured four and one-half feet above the root crown. Part or all of a hazardous protected tree may be removed in an emergency. Applies: Emergencies such as storms, floods, earthquakes, fires, other natural disasters or potential safety hazards. § 17.104.090 · code text In cases of emergency, including, but not limited to, thunderstorms, windstorms, floods, earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters or potential safety hazards. Pruning limbs or deadwood is allowed. Applies: Only if live limbs are no more than 28 inches around (9 inches across) at the cut, using proper arboricultural practice. § 17.104.090 · code text Pruning of limbs or deadwood provided such live limbs do not exceed twenty-eight (28) inches (nine inches in diameter) at the location of the cut. Up to 3 scrub oaks may be removed. Applies: Only with written permission from the Director. § 17.104.090 · code text When the property owner has received written permission from the Director for the removal of a maximum of three scrub oaks (Quercus dumosa).
Replacement trees	Plant 2 new oak trees for every oak tree removed. Applies: When imposed as a condition of a tree permit. § 17.104.070 · code text The replacement of the oak tree proposed for removal with oak trees of a suitable type, size, number, location and date of planting based upon a ratio of two new trees for every one removed; Replacement trees may be planted on public property. Applies: Only when conditions prevent planting them on the project site. § 17.104.070 · code text In cases where conditions preclude the project site from planting the replacement trees, the Director may consider planting replacement trees on public property such as designated open space areas, public parks, etc.;

Pets, chickens and bees

Rosemead code What Rosemead's code adds
Bees	No beehives, except at schools, physicians' offices or laboratories that keep bees from flying loose. § 6.04.050 · code text No person shall keep or maintain, or suffer or permit to be kept or maintained upon premises owned or controlled by him or it, in the City, a hive of bees.
Chickens	Yes, only where zoning allows; fenced area at least 4 feet high, lockable gate, not in the front setback. Applies: Applies to chickens and ducks. § 6.04.040 · code text Chickens and ducks may only be kept in the area where permitted by the zoning ordinance.
Coop setback	At least 10 feet away. Applies: Distance from side and rear property lines. § 6.04.040 · code text They shall be kept a minimum of ten feet from the side and rear property lines. At least 25 feet away. Applies: Distance from any home on the same lot. § 6.04.040 · code text They shall be kept a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet from any building used for human habitation of the lot. At least 50 feet away. Applies: Distance from any home on a neighboring lot. § 6.04.040 · code text They shall be kept a minimum of fifty (50) feet from any building used for human habitation on an adjacent lot.

Other Rosemead rules on this

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

Urban lot split parcel maps (SB 9) (§ 16.08.240)
Urban lot split standards (SB 9) (§ 17.30.220)
Parking RVs and trailers at home (§ 17.112.070)
Keeping a pool maintained (§ 8.38.060)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Rosemead?

In the R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones, fences are limited to 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in rear or side yards.

Can I run a business from my home in Rosemead?

A home business may use at most 200 square feet, only full-time residents may work there, and it needs a Home Occupation Business License.

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

Rosemead's code: All needed permits are issued when the application meets the City checklist and all laws; electronic submittal is allowed. (Applies to EV charging stations.) (§ 15.28.030); Administrative, nondiscretionary building permit; 1 inspection, scheduled within 2 business days of a request. (Small residential rooftop solar with a complete application that meets the approved checklist and standard plan.) (§ 15.10.060).

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

Rosemead's code: No permit to remove trees up to 37.5 inches around (12 inches across) at 4.5 feet above the root crown. (§ 17.104.090); Part or all of a hazardous protected tree may be removed in an emergency. (Emergencies such as storms, floods, earthquakes, fires, other natural disasters or potential safety hazards.) (§ 17.104.090).

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

Rosemead's code: No beehives, except at schools, physicians' offices or laboratories that keep bees from flying loose. (§ 6.04.050); Yes, only where zoning allows; fenced area at least 4 feet high, lockable gate, not in the front setback. (Applies to chickens and ducks.) (§ 6.04.040).

General information, not legal advice.

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Rosemead Municipal Code — full text

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