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Saratoga · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Saratoga

Saratoga sets its own rules for fences next to heritage lanes, structures in the rear setback and home business licenses. Height limits for rear-setback structures rise with distance from the property line.

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Key points

  • Rear-setback sheds: Rear-setback garden sheds: at most 250 sq ft; 6 feet high, rising 1 foot per foot of setback beyond 6 feet, to 10.
  • Heritage lanes: A fence over 3 feet within 50 feet of a designated heritage lane's right-of-way needs a fence permit (city rule).
  • Home businesses: Home occupations need a license with an annual fee set in the City Council fee schedule.

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

Fences and walls

Saratoga code What Saratoga's code adds
Permit
  • A fence permit from the Community Development Director is required for fences over 3 feet tall.
    Applies: For fences facing and within 50 feet of the right-of-way of a designated heritage lane.
    § 15-29.070 · code text
    No person shall construct any fence which faces and is located within fifty feet from the right-of-way of a designated heritage lane, and which exceeds three feet in height, without first obtaining a fence permit from the Community Development Director.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Saratoga code What Saratoga's code adds
Maximum height
  • 8 feet, plus 1 foot per 3 feet of rear setback beyond 6 feet, up to 10 feet.
    Applies: For cabanas, garages, carports, recreation rooms, hobby shops and similar enclosed structures in the required rear setback, with a use permit.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    shall not exceed eight feet in height, plus one additional foot in height for each three feet of setback from the rear property line in excess of six feet, up to a maximum height of ten feet if the structure is still located within the required rear setback area.
  • 6 feet, plus 1 foot per foot of rear setback beyond 6 feet, up to 10 feet.
    Applies: For garden sheds, pool equipment structures and similar enclosed structures of 250 square feet or less in the required rear setback.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    shall not exceed six feet in height, plus one additional foot in height for each additional foot of setback from the rear property line in excess of six feet, up to a maximum height of ten feet if the structure is still located within the required rear setback area.
  • 8 feet, plus 1 foot per foot of side and rear setback beyond 6 feet, up to 10 feet.
    Applies: For open garden and decorative structures, freestanding fireplaces and play structures in a required side or rear setback.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    shall not exceed eight feet in height, plus one additional foot in height for each additional foot of setback from the side and rear property line in excess of six feet, up to a maximum height of ten feet if the structure is still located within a required side or rear setback area.
  • At most 8 feet tall.
    Applies: For permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as brick or masonry ones.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as those constructed out of brick or masonry, may be located no closer than six feet from the rear property line and shall not exceed eight feet in height.
  • At most 14 feet tall.
    Applies: For accessory structures in a required rear setback in an R-M district.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    accessory structures not exceeding fourteen feet in height may be located in a required rear setback area in any R-M district
Size or lot coverage
  • At most 250 square feet of floor area.
    Applies: For garden sheds, pool equipment and similar enclosed structures in the rear setback, with Director approval. Not for keeping animals.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    garden sheds, structures for housing swimming pool equipment and other enclosed structures of a similar nature, not exceeding two hundred fifty square feet in floor area
  • Structures can cover no more than 15% of the rear setback area.
    Applies: For accessory structures in a required rear setback in an R-M district.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    provided that not more than fifteen percent of the rear setback area shall be covered by structures
Side and rear setback
  • At least 6 feet from the side and rear property lines.
    Applies: For cabanas, garages, carports, recreation rooms, hobby shops and similar enclosed structures in the required rear setback, with a use permit.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    may be located no closer than six feet from a side property line and rear property line of the rear setback area
  • At least 6 feet from the side and rear property lines.
    Applies: For garden sheds, pool equipment structures and similar enclosed structures of 250 square feet or less in the required rear setback.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    may be located no closer than six feet from a side property line and rear property line of the rear setback area
  • At least 6 feet from a side or rear property line.
    Applies: For open garden and decorative structures such as gazebos and arbors, fireplaces and play structures, with Director approval.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    may be located no closer than six feet from a side or rear property line
  • At least 6 feet from the rear property line.
    Applies: For permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as brick or masonry ones, with Community Development Director approval.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    permanent outdoor cooking devices, such as those constructed out of brick or masonry, may be located no closer than six feet from the rear property line
  • No closer to the rear line than the neighbor's side setback, or to the street side than its front setback.
    Applies: For accessory structures on a reversed corner lot in an R-M district.
    § 15-80.030 · code text
    on a reversed corner lot, an accessory structure shall not be located closer to the rear property line than the required side setback area on the abutting lot and not closer to the exterior side property line than the required front setback area of the abutting lot.

Running a business from home

Saratoga code What Saratoga's code adds
Permit
  • An annual license fee is required. The City Council fee schedule sets the amount.
    Applies: For home businesses run under the city's zoning rules.
    § 4-06.070 · code text
    For every person engaged in a home occupation in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 15 of this Code the annual license fee shall be in the fee schedule adopted by City Council by resolution in accordance with State law.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Saratoga code What Saratoga's code adds
Solar height and setbacks
  • To qualify for expedited review, panels may not exceed the City's maximum legal building height.
    Applies: Applies to small rooftop solar systems on a single-family home or duplex.
    § 16-75.060 · code text
    A solar panel or module array that does not exceed the maximum legal building height as defined by the City.

Tree removal

Saratoga code No permit fee is required. The permit may be issued without neighbor notice or an appeal period.

All 18 Saratoga rules on tree removal, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Pets, chickens and bees

Saratoga code What Saratoga's code adds
Bees
  • No more than 3 hives per property.
    Applies: Applies in the R-1-10,000, R-1-12,500, R-1-15,000 and R-1-20,000 districts.
    § 7-20.230 · code text
    A maximum of three hives per property within the zoning districts R-1-10,000, R-1-12,500, R-1-15,000, and R-1-20,000.
  • 4 hives per property, plus 1 more for each half acre over 1 acre.
    Applies: Applies in the R-1-40,000 district.
    § 7-20.230 · code text
    A maximum of four hives per property within the R-1-40,000 zoning district and one additional hive permitted for each half acre over one acre.
  • Not allowed.
    Applies: Any zoning district other than R-1-10,000, R-1-12,500, R-1-15,000, R-1-20,000 and R-1-40,000.
    § 7-20.230 · code text
    Apiaries are not permitted in any zoning district not listed in this subsection (e).

Other Saratoga rules on this

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

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Saratoga?

A fence over 3 feet within 50 feet of a designated heritage lane's right-of-way needs a fence permit (city rule).

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

Rear-setback garden sheds: at most 250 sq ft; 6 feet high, rising 1 foot per foot of setback beyond 6 feet, to 10.

Can I run a business from my home in Saratoga?

Home occupations need a license with an annual fee set in the City Council fee schedule.

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

Saratoga's code: To qualify for expedited review, panels may not exceed the City's maximum legal building height. (Applies to small rooftop solar systems on a single-family home or duplex.) (§ 16-75.060).

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

Saratoga's code: No more than 3 hives per property. (Applies in the R-1-10,000, R-1-12,500, R-1-15,000 and R-1-20,000 districts.) (§ 7-20.230); 4 hives per property, plus 1 more for each half acre over 1 acre. (Applies in the R-1-40,000 district.) (§ 7-20.230).

General information, not legal advice.

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