Sutter Creek · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Sutter Creek

Sutter Creek sets its own limits on fences, accessory buildings and home businesses in residential zones. Fence height depends on the yard, and accessory setbacks depend on the number of stories.

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Key points

Fence height: Residential fences: front yards 4 feet; rear or side 6 feet; street side yards 4 feet, or 6 feet if set back 5 feet.
Accessory buildings: Sutter Creek limits detached accessory buildings in residential zones to two stories or 35 feet, not counting accessory dwelling units.
Home businesses: Sutter Creek requires a home occupation use permit and limits a home business to 25% of the floor area and one outside employee.

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

Fences and walls

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Front yard height	No more than 4 feet above finished grade. Applies: Fences, non-structural walls or hedges in the required front yard, residential zones. § 18.10.100 · code text In residential zones, no fence, non-structural wall or hedge located in the required front yard shall exceed a height of four feet above finish grade.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet above finished grade. Applies: Fences, non-structural walls or hedges in rear or side yards, residential zones. § 18.10.100 · code text In residential zones, no fence, non-structural wall or hedge located in the rear or side yards shall exceed a height of six feet above finish grade. No more than 4 feet above finished grade. Applies: Required street side yard in residential zones. § 18.10.100 · code text In residential zones no fence, non-structural wall or hedge located in the required street side yard shall exceed a height of four feet above finish grade, except when located no closer than five feet from the property line or back of curb, said fence, non-structural wall or hedge may be up to six feet in height above finish grade. Up to 6 feet. Applies: Required street side yard in residential zones, at least 5 feet from the property line or back of curb. § 18.10.100 · code text In residential zones no fence, non-structural wall or hedge located in the required street side yard shall exceed a height of four feet above finish grade, except when located no closer than five feet from the property line or back of curb, said fence, non-structural wall or hedge may be up to six feet in height above finish grade.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 2 stories or 35 feet. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in residential zones, not ADUs, unless state height allowances for affordable units apply. § 18.10.060 · code text No detached accessory buildings in residential zones may exceed two stories, or thirty-five feet in height, except in accordance with state height allowances for affordable units.
Side and rear setback	At least 10 feet from the side street line. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in residential zones. § 18.10.060 · code text Detached accessory buildings in residential zones shall be located at a distance no less than ten feet from the side street line At least 5 feet from the side or rear property line. Applies: One-story accessory buildings in residential zones, except ADUs set up under state law. § 18.10.060 · code text no accessory buildings in residential zones, if one story in height shall be located nearer than five feet to the side or rear property line At least 8 feet from the side or rear property line. Applies: Two-story accessory buildings in residential zones, except ADUs set up under state law. § 18.10.060 · code text if two stories in height, shall be located nearer than eight feet to the side or rear property line.

Running a business from home

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the gross floor area. Applies: Required to approve a home occupation use permit. § 18.60.050 · code text The floor area used for the home occupation is no greater than twenty-five percent of the gross floor area.
Employees	Up to 1 employee from outside the home. Applies: Required to approve a home occupation use permit. § 18.60.050 · code text There is only up to one employee from outside the residence;
Permit	Yes. A home occupation use permit, processed by the planning department. § 18.60.050 · code text Applications for a home occupation use permit shall be processed administratively by the planning department.

Tree removal

Sutter Creek code What Sutter Creek's code adds
Permit to remove	Yes, a tree removal permit is required first. Applies: Removing any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground, from an undeveloped parcel. § 13.24.100 · code text Removal from an undeveloped parcel of any tree having a minimum trunk diameter of six inches measured forty-eight inches above the adjacent ground level is prohibited unless a tree removal permit is first obtained from the city.
Protected trees	Any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground. Applies: Applies on undeveloped parcels. § 13.24.100 · code text Removal from an undeveloped parcel of any tree having a minimum trunk diameter of six inches measured forty-eight inches above the adjacent ground level is prohibited unless a tree removal permit is first obtained from the city.

Other Sutter Creek rules on this

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

Limit on dogs and cats per home (§ 18.12.070)
Animal pens and coops in the ranchette zone (§ 18.13.100) — ranchette zone only
Oversized vehicles and trailers on residential streets (Ch. 11.52) — on public streets

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Sutter Creek?

Residential fences: front yards 4 feet; rear or side 6 feet; street side yards 4 feet, or 6 feet if set back 5 feet.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek limits detached accessory buildings in residential zones to two stories or 35 feet, not counting accessory dwelling units.

Can I run a business from my home in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek requires a home occupation use permit and limits a home business to 25% of the floor area and one outside employee.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Sutter Creek?

Sutter Creek's code: Yes, a tree removal permit is required first. (Removing any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground, from an undeveloped parcel.) (§ 13.24.100); Any tree with a trunk at least 6 inches wide, measured 48 inches above ground. (Applies on undeveloped parcels.) (§ 13.24.100).

General information, not legal advice.

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More on Sutter Creek

Sutter Creek Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Sutter Creek

Buying & selling in Sutter Creek

Sutter Creek overview